I'm thinking of upgrading from my 2001 Hyundai Santro. I do about 300-400 km a month with equal amounts of city and highway driving. I will occasionally go on long outstation drives where I need good service backup should anything go wrong, a feature I enjoy with the Hyundai Santro. My priorities are good interiors, exteriors, mileage , reasonable part costs and a reliable engine. I have shortlisted the Chevrolet Beat LT and Hyundai i20 Asta. Both cars impressed me with the exterior and interior design and features like automatic climate control, built-in CD player with USB/AUX-in. The Chevy Beat, topped with the three-year warranty offer, is tempting. Is the Rs 2 lakh additional money for an i20 justified for the extra boot space, rear comfort, ABS, airbag, etc., considering it has a not-so-powerful 1.2 Kappa engine and some reported steering and brake issues. Is there any other car which can meet my requirements within the budget of Rs 5-6 lakh. Can you guide me in making an informed decision?
Kumaran M, Chennai
Both the Chevrolet Beat and Hyundai i20 offer terrific value, but you must remember that the i20 is a class larger and the space, refinement and build quality on offer therefore justify the price difference to a large extent. If you think that Rs 2 lakh is too much to pay for the price-to-features-to-value ratio, then the Chevrolet Beat LT should do well. Apart from the host of safety-kit (airbags and ABS), you also get automatic climate control, a nice sounding stereo system and good interior space. The boot is a bit limited for space, but it does have a fuel-efficient and torquey petrol motor.
Sound decision
I have decided to buy a mid-segment car for my daily usage of around 15-20 km a day in Delhi. It should look good, be cost-effective and be a great value-for-money proposition. I was planning to buy the Toyota Etios but heard that this sedan doesn’t have the best quality interiors, comes with a single wiper and has poor quality doors without any insulation. Low mileage can cost me in future, hence am quite confused. I would have opted for the Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire, but since the new model is on the way, I am hesitant to go for it. I like the looks of Etios and performance of Dzire. Could you point me in the right direction, keeping in mind ownership costs like servicing, spare parts and resale value. My budget is up to Rs 6 lakh.
Rajeev Singal, via email
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Yes, the new Dzire is on its way, but not until the end of the year. If you can't wait for that long, then we would recommend the Toyota Etios to you. Sure, it does have a single wiper, less sound-deadening material and fairly basic interiors, but it does boast acres of space, a huge boot, an engine that is powerful and efficient and an overall cost of running that is a bit lower than the Dzire. The Dzire will offer better features, but we think from a practical standpoint the Etios is a better car.
First timer
I am considering either one of the Hyundai i10 Magna or the Chevrolet Beat LT. The car will be driven for about 10 km a day and should have a decent set of features, look good, be low on maintenance cost, high on fuel efficiency and spacious too. My budget is Rs 4-4.5 lakh.
Deepak Gandhi, via email
Both the Beat and i10 offer good value, but we recommend the i10. Hyundai's small car is well-engineered, looks decent, has good build quality, a nice ride and handling combination and a pair of engines that offer good driveability and fuel efficiency. It will also give you better resale value eventually.
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