Hatch me not

I’m planning to buy a large hatchback and I’ve shortlisted the Honda Jazz and the Hyundai i20. The price tag doesn’t worry me and I would like to know which one is better in terms of looks, comfort and ride quality. I’ve also heard that Honda is planning to launch the Jazz with the 1500cc engine from the City. If it’s true, should I wait or should I go for the current 1200cc option?

Anil Karira, via email

If the price tag isn’t an issue, why not try out the Jazz? It sports contemporary looks, has good occupant space, has a large boot with a 60:40 split rear seat and pretty sorted ride quality as well. The 1200cc engine is powerful enough under most conditions and is frugal as well. The 1.5-litre engine from the City is quite some time away and Honda hasn’t committed to any time frame just yet. We suggest you go ahead and book a Jazz 1.2 in a nice shade of blue.

Four score

I’m looking to buy a small car and I have a budget of Rs 4 lakh, which can be stretched to a maximum of Rs 4.5 lakh. I am not a first time buyer and will be commuting about 100 kilometres a week. I am confused as to which car to buy with so many options in the market.

Pratik Dalmia, via email

For your kind of budget, the Hyundai i10 Kappa Magna and the Maruti Suzuki Ritz VXi are your best bets. Both are quality small cars with a decent amount of space, both have reasonably powerful yet frugal engines and they’re inexpensive to run and maintain. The i10 is a proven product and is nippy and fun to drive, while the Ritz is the more accomplished package here with sorted ride, better driveability through traffic and the appeal of a larger car. It also presents better value, and we’d suggest it over the Hyundai i10.

Star in the making

I’ve decided to buy a new car with the help of a loan and have narrowed down my choice to the Maruti Suzuki A-Star and the Maruti Suzuki Wagon R. I have some concerns that I hope you can dispel. Is the A-Star as comfortable or as powerful as the Wagon R? Does the A-Star enjoy a similar kind of fuel efficiency as the Wagon R and is the air-conditioning effective? Also, does it ride as well as the Wagon R?

Sreejith S, Thiruvananthapuram

The A-Star is an accomplished small car with decent ride quality and powerful air-conditioning. It isn’t as spacious as the tall-boy Wagon R, and the three-cylinder engine can feel a little lumpy. But it’s very easy to maneouvre, the car is fun to drive and has good power to go with a car its size. It should provide you hassle free service for years.

Any automotive questions? Ask us at bijoy.y@bsmail.in