I’m looking for a hatchback and my budget is around Rs 3 to 4.5 lakh. I will use the car only once or twice a week. My father has suggested that I go for the Tata Indica Vista Aqua (diesel) but my mother is interested in the Chevrolet Spark LT, while I prefer the Hyundai Santro Xing LX. Which car do you recommend?
Bharat Bommana, via email
You don’t need a diesel car since your driving is limited. So a compact petrol car should fit your budget and needs well. The two cars that you have selected — the Spark and the Santro — are equally good in most aspects and suit your purpose. The Spark maybe a little cramped versus the Santro, but it’s better value for money, as the LT version is quite feature-rich. You can’t go wrong with either car, so now it boils down to your personal choice.
Pop quiz
My daughter is using a seven-year old Fiat Palio for her commute to college (a 50 km round trip approximately). Apart from the high fuel consumption, she and I have no major complaints with this car. She finishes her studies in April and is expected to take up employment thereafter. I intend to buy her a car soon (budget is Rs 6 lakh), which she can use initially for her college commute and then for office as a young executive. The car is not expected to be out on highways much as the family has a Chevrolet Optra for such travels. Our initial recce has us choosing between the Chevrolet Spark, Hyundai i10, Suzuki Ritz or maybe the new Volkswagen Polo. What’s your advice? Is an automatic option worth considering? Is it difficult to adapt to an automatic if used to a manual shift for long?
Rajeev Batra, via email
To answer your last question first: no, it’s not difficult to adapt to an automatic gearbox. An auto’box makes the commute much easier, though it makes the car a bit thirsty — but the convenience, especially given the traffic, makes it worth it. Among the cars you have highlighted, we would recommend the Ritz ZXi if you want a car in a hurry. But it does not have an automatic option. The i10 is also a good and competent car, and it does come with an auto option — the i10 auto is blissful as a city commuter. If you are willing to wait for it, the Polo is always there. Though we have not driven it in India, we feel that the Polo will be well-built and nicely put together. It is good-looking but it may not be exactly fun to drive given the two 1.2-litre engine options, while an automatic is a bit far on the horizon.
Big dream
I just substituted my 82,000 km-done 2002 Skoda Octavia TDI with a Skoda Superb TSI. All of my life, I’ve always wanted to drive an SUV; so I am looking to buy one now. I went to the Auto Expo and saw the Volkswagen Touareg and the Toyota Prado — both in the Rs 50 lakh-plus bracket. As both these SUVs are not available for test drives and have a booking period of two to three months, I cannot decide on which one to go for. The looks of the Prado are better, but the engine of the Touareg is superior. I also test drove the Fortuner this Sunday, but was unhappy with the noise levels, the manual gears and the interiors. So can you advise me on which SUV I should buy, keeping in mind that I have already bought a Superb?
Ajay Khanda, via email
Between the Touareg and the Prado, we recommend the Volkswagen. The Touareg is built like a battle-tank and is pretty good on the road for an SUV. It is also quite capable off-road, while the engine/gearbox combination does a decent job of propelling its mass. It is the better buy for you overall. The Prado, by the way, gets the same engine as the Fortuner, which you were unhappy with in the first place.
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