Feeling Hawkish

I am considering purchasing a Mahindra Scorpio. I wanted to know if it’s sensible to spend about two lakh rupees for the VLS 2.2 mHawk over the 2.6 CRDe LX, given that all I require are power steering, power windows, central locking etc. My dealer is offering me a discount of Rs 31,000 on the LX, while he's offering Rs 19,500 on the VLS. My driving is mostly confined to Delhi, with the odd drive outside city limits. Or do you suggest I should stretch my budget a bit and go for the VLX mHawk, or even consider the Tata Safari 2.2 VTT Dicor?

Vijay Rana, New Delhi

With the Mahindra Scorpio VLX you get a lot of tech bits, but certainly not things you will miss if they are absent. For the price difference, the VLS makes more sense given the benefit of the 2.2 mHawk engine, which is more silent, more frugal and peppier than the 2.6 CRDe. You will also find it easier to drive around town than the 2.6, with its better lower gearing and torque delivery. While the Tata Safari 2.2 is a competitive offering, it doesn't offer the performance or the efficiency of the mHawk.

First step

I’m planning to buy my first car. Many people suggest that I go in for the Maruti Suzuki Alto as I am still to learn how to drive and making a high investment on a first car isn't sensible, given the tendency to bump the car around (which is inevitable in Delhi-Gurgaon traffic). Since I plan to learn how to drive, I wanted to know if I should go in for the Alto (but I don’t want an entry level car), or should I go in for the Hyundai i10 Kappa Magna since you seem to approve of it, even as a first car? Please advise.

Sajal Chakraborty, via email

The Alto does make for a very good first car. It's easy to drive, frugal and inexpensive to maintain. But if you have the budget, we suggest you should go ahead and buy the i10 Magna Kappa. The 1.2-litre engine provides more power over the 1.1, without losing out on fuel efficiency. It's also more spacious than the Alto and overall ride comfort too is superior to the small Suzuki. Besides, the i10 is a contemporary offering that is better built than the Alto. If you can stretch that rupee a bit, the i10 won't disappoint you.

Which Car?

I am switching over from a two-wheeler to a four-wheeler. My daily usage is about 50 km on weekdays and about 100 km over the weekend. My maximum budget for a new car is about Rs 6 lakh. My son insists that I purchase a Maruti Suzuki Swift Diesel (VDi) for my use. I was told that the waiting period for this model is around two months. I would like to know whether buying the Swift is a good decision, or should I try out something else?

Michael, Chennai

For your kind of driving, a diesel won’t be a bad proposition. The Swift D is quite a good choice. It’s frugal, fun-to-drive, and reliable and backed by Maruti’s strong after-sales network. Yes, the waiting period is long, and if you aren’t game for it, we suggest that you give the Tata Indica Vista 1.3 Quadrajet a look. The Indica has improved substantially with this iteration and it also boasts of better ride quality and interior space. While build quality might be a notch lower and the car doesn't feel as nimble as the Swift, it offers terrific value.

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