Breaking the tie

I am looking for a good mid-range sedan and my budget is Rs 8 lakh. My family has four members and two of them are elderly, so I want a car that’s comfortable and with good headroom and rear legroom. My drive will be mostly on Mysore city roads (daily 12 km) and a highway run once in a month (about 20 km). Since my driving is not much, I’ll stick to a petrol car. I am looking for low costs of maintenance, fuel efficiency and good performance. My test-drives and analysis have resulted in a tie between the Maruti Suzuki Dzire, SX4 and the Fiat Linea. Which one will serve me better?

R Amirtaraj, Mysore

Thank you for doing the hard work of analysing and test driving, and more importantly, arriving at a shortlist! That makes our job easier. Between the cars that you have identified, we would choose the Suzuki SX4 simply because it is easier to get in and get out (makes life easier for elderly people). Besides it is offers good performance and is reliable too. The Dzire is a tad too small and the rear seat is comparatively cramped. The Linea is not a bad choice but it is a lower car than the SX4.

Small thoughts

We are a family of three living in Delhi. I am interested in purchasing a new small car that offers good looks, space, good mileage and low maintenance. It will be self-driven. I will be travelling irregularly (about two times a week) to work, a distance of 45 km per day, and on long trips occasionally. This will be my first car, and I am looking for driving comfort. I am thinking of either the Hyundai i10 or the Maruti Suzuki A-Star. What would you recommend?

Nitin Nigam, New Delhi

We like the cars you have short-listed. If what you are looking for is a contemporary small car that is built well, then the i10 is all you need. The A-Star looks funkier (more youthful in design) and offers slightly better mileage thanks to a frugal three-cylinder engine. If you want to save some money, then the Santro engine-powered i10 (with a 1.1-litre motor as against the 1.2 Kappa) is not a bad choice at all.

Safe choice

I want the safest car for around Rs 35 lakh. Would you suggest an SUV or a car? I am impressed by the Audi A4 and the Mercedes-Benz C-Class. I have never bought a diesel car.

Rajdeep S, New Delhi

Stick to petrol and have fun, Rajdeep. The Audi A4 Quattro 3.2 V6 is the ideal car for you. It has got everything that the competing C-Class has on offer and more in the form of all-wheel drive. Not that the C-Class is unsafe (the C230 is fun to drive, more economical and has decent safety kit too). It’s just that the Quattro makes the Audi safer overall. And yes, you will love the performance on offer too. Can we suggest the shade too? Red, please.

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