I would like to purchase a petrol car for my average monthly commute of 700 km. I have shortlisted the Maruti Suzuki Dzire VXi and the Honda Amaze. I would like to know if there are any issues with the Dzire’s brakes — I have read some reviews online that suggest that there are problems braking in bumper to bumper traffic. Since I am 5 feet 11 inches tall, I also want to know if I’d be able to fit in the car comfortably. With regard to the Amaze, should I wait for the car till April 2013? And will it be launched with a diesel option?
Nagaraj Bhat, via email
The Dzire is an excellent car — we would recommend it without any hesitation. It will suit your needs well and it will accommodate you easily in the driver’s seat too. It is fuel efficient, has effortless controls, interior quality has gone up, rear space is decent, boot is highly useable and it is reliable too. The Amaze will be launched with a diesel engine in April 2013 — do have a look at our photo gallery and detailed review on www.bsmotoring.com. We have an extended story in the December issue of the magazine, which is on stands now. You strictly don’t need a diesel car for the kind of kilometres you cover in a month, so perhaps you don’t need to wait for the Amaze after all.
Quick diesel
I would like to buy a diesel car within a budget of Rs 9 lakh for my monthly commute of 1,200 km. I would like a car with great driveability, handling, ride quality, with good space at the back. Boot space, however, is not really a priority.
Venkatesh Rajagopalan, via email
We believe the best option for you in the market is the Fiat Punto 90 — there is no other diesel hatch that combines performance, good looks, handling and ride quality the way the Punto does. It is a terrific diesel hatchback for the enthusiast driver. The other two options are the Hyundai i20 diesel, which has a brilliant engine and decent ride but handling and steering feel is not up to the mark. The other option is again a Hyundai, the Verna 1.6 CRDi, which has a great diesel motor while ride and handling have now been sorted. But steering feel is still lacking, and it may not fit in your budget. There is one more option — the entry level Skoda Rapid or VW Vento with the TDI motor should match your needs well. The diesel engines in these cars are powerful while handling, ride quality and rear space are very good.
All purpose
I plan on buying a car that will suit my daily running. I have shortlisted the Hyundai i20 petrol, Maruti Suzuki Swift and the Ritz petrol as well. Which one do you think I ought to buy?
Kirit Das, via email
All three are good cars, so it is difficult to recommend one to you as we don’t have any details about your driving/car usage patterns. The i20 is a loaded, premium car that is well built and of good quality. It is nice looking too, after the recent facelift. It is spacious and easy to drive — as an overall family car it is perfect. The Swift is the benchmark among hatchbacks though not as premium as the i20. It is brilliant to drive, fuel efficient and reliable — though rear space and boot space is a bit compromised. The Ritz has all the attributes of the Swift and it is cheaper too. The best part about the Ritz is that it is taller, so that makes it easy to drive on crowded city roads and is also easy to get in and out of.
Any automotive questions?
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