Thinking big

WHICH CAR?

I currently own a special edition five-gear Maruti 800. I am looking at picking up a second car "� this time a large one. I travel huge distances everyday "� often more than 45 km. I need a fuel efficient vehicle. My choices are the Mitsubishi Lancer, Opel Corsa, Hyundai Accent and the Maruti Esteem. Which would you recommend?

Chitra Siddhartha, via email

From the cars that you have shortlisted, we think you should opt for the Accent. It's not too dated unlike the others, offers a decent ride quality and is reasonably fuel efficient too. It's a good all-rounder of a car

Happy returns

I used to drive a Maruti Zen LX in Chennai for three years before coming to the UK. I liked this car for its economy, reliability, ride and handling. I will be returning to India soon and will be looking for a new car. This time, I am looking for a sedan with good fuel economy, reliability and ease of driving in the busy Chennai traffic and on occasional long drives. I would like to look outside the Maruti box this time though. I will be using this car to commute to my office, covering about 40 km daily. Which sedan would you recommend?

Rajesh Kumar, Cardiff, UK

From what you have told us, we think the Honda City will match your needs best. It offers brilliant fuel economy, comes with Honda reliability and is effortless to drive too. If it's in your budget, you could even opt for the automatic gearbox version to breeze through urban traffic.

Swift entry

Currently I own a Maruti 800 and am looking for an upgrade. I want to decide between the Hyundai Getz, Suzuki Swift, Ford Ikon and the Ford Fusion, based on the following parameters: price, engine performance, fuel economy and resale value. Also please let me know for how long I would have to wait for the Swift to arrive in India, and whether it would be worth the wait. I shall be grateful for your help in making up my mind.

Daljinder S Malik, Jaipur

Considering your parameters, we think the upcoming Swift will score well in all of them. It will be competitively priced, the engine will be refined and fuel efficient, and it will still be fresh when it gets into the used car market eventually, so it will command a better resale price. Maruti Suzuki will be launching the Swift by the end of this month, so you wouldn't have to wait long for it.

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