Which car?

Making the upgrade
I wish to upgrade from my present car, a Maruti Esteem. I am looking for a car that will give me good mileage, is low on maintenance, comes with a good AC and offers driving comfort. A decent resale value would be an added bonus. My budget is Rs 7 lakh. What would you advise?
Pradeep Padmanabhan, via email

A Honda City will be a good upgrade for you from the Esteem. It has all the attributes you mentioned. At your budget, you may be able to get the entry-level version "" which is not a bad deal at all.

However, if you want more bang for your buck, you could check out the Suzuki Baleno. You may not get a good resale price on it, but it matches the rest of your parameters. The only thing against the Baleno is that it is dated, while the City is very modern.

Decision wrestling
I have decided to buy an MUV/SUV for around Rs 6 lakh. My list has the Tata Sumo Victa, Chevrolet Tavera and the Mahindra Scorpio CRDe in it. My 1999 Sumo gives me 7-8 kpl without AC and can only be maintained by, say, the Sultan of Brunei!

My daily usage is about 80-100 km in the city of Kolkata, and the car is driven by my chauffeur "" though occasionally I wrestle with the non-power steering on busy streets in his absence. As mileage is of prime importance considering today's high fuel prices, I think the Tavera is good for me.

Now that my budget allows me only a non-AC version "" which my family will never tolerate "" I have to think of the Scorpio. However, the Scorpio too outstretches my purse strings, besides its short overall length translates to limited rear space. Moreover, it is not that refined and cheap to run. Which one would you suggest? How would you rate the Tata 207 crew cab with AC and power steering, by the way?
Ashray Paul, Kolkata

Looks like the Tavera is the only feasible option in front of you. It's easy to drive in crowded streets, is decently roomy inside and should give you good mileage as well.

As regards the Tata 207, are you sure your family will travel with you in it? Though, to tell you the truth, many of us at BSM would really love to have one as a personal vehicle...

Trail run
I am interested in purchasing the Mitsubishi Pajero GLX. I have been given a good deal on it, so should I buy that or should I go for the Nissan X-Trail?
Anand Desai, Surat

Though it's brilliant for off-roading, the Pajero is bit too dated. As it is several generations old, it's on-road dynamics are not that good either. Besides, we think it is overpriced. The Nissan X-Trail is good across all aspects "" engine performance, on-road behaviour, off-roadability, safety, etc. It's a well-built, contemporary car "" pity it comes with quite a hefty price tag.

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