Heavy burner

I am planning to buy a diesel sedan in the next few months and was planning to choose between the Volkswagen Vento and Fiat Linea. But now the new Ford Fiesta and Hyundai Verna also look promising. My budget is up to Rs 10 lakh. Help! 

Shubham Jain, via email

The Vento is a terrific diesel sedan and fits well within your budget too. But the problem is that there’s more demand than supply for the Volkswagen and you would have to wait a considerable while before the car can actually be delivered. If you are willing to wait, then the Vento TDI is the car you should go for. However, we suggest you wait till next month, when the new Verna will be launched. The Hyundai will have two diesel options to choose from and is a good all-rounder, filled to the brim with new features while the 1.6-litre CRDi motor is brilliant. As for the Fiesta, Ford is not ready with the relevant Indian-spec model for evaluation, so we cannot comment on it.

PASSAT & PRESENT

I wish to buy a car in the price range of Rs 20-25 lakh. I have narrowed down my options to the Skoda Superb, Volkswagen Passat and the Toyota Fortuner. I am at present using a Toyota Innova, and would like to retain it. Are there any model changes or a facelift expected for the Superb and the Fortuner in the near future?

A Joseph, Bangalore

We recommend you take a look at the new Passat. It is well-built, has many thoughtful features in it, has a powerful engine with manual and automatic gearbox options and looks quite good too. And it also fits in your budget. Yes, the Superb and the Fortuner will get some improvements in the near future, perhaps by next year.

DOUBLE DEUTSCHE

I have a BMW 760Li sedan and am planning to buy another German car, an SUV which can match the Beemer in quality, comfort and performance. My budget is set between Rs  1.5 and 2 crore. What would you recommend?

Y R Ramu, via email

From the current crop of German SUVs available, the Porsche Cayenne is the best there is as of now. It is fantastic to drive and has superb, powerful engine options to choose from. It underwent a comprehensive, ground up transformsation recently, which has done it a world of good. The Cayenne has  excellent build quality,  and the interiors are of a high standard too. If you still want to look around, there is the Mercedes-Benz GL — a large SUV that’s capable and comfortable.

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