High capacity
I am looking for an SUV/MUV which can seat five adults and two children (less than nine years old) comfortably. Two of these adults are my parents who are senior citizens. I want a vehicle which is very reliable, as my job does not give me the liberty to visit workshops often. I am looking at keeping this vehicle for about five to seven years. My monthly driving is 1,200 km in the city and there will be the occasional highway drive, but restricted to about 1,000 km in a year. The vehicle will be driven either by me or my wife. My budget is Rs 9 lakh. I have looked at the Mahindra Scorpio SLE mHawk, Xylo E8, Tata Safari EX and the Toyota Innova G4, but am terribly confused about which one to buy. Your help here will be appreciated.
Sanjeet Taneja, New Delhi
Since reliability is of paramount concern to you and there is a Toyota in your shortlist, do we need to look any further? The Innova is a reliable, economical and comfortable car in its segment. Sure, it is more expensive than the competition but is worth every additional penny you spend on it. If you like the idea of saving some serious money, do look at the Mahindra Xylo too — it is as versatile as the Innova and features a more powerful powerplant. If you intend to drive off-road, it is the Xylo that is more capable between the two.
Going solo
I am a senior executive working for a multinational company based in Bangalore. I currently drive my faithful old Maruti Suzuki Zen and it’s time now to replace it. I drive to work one-and-half hours in each direction; yes, my commute is pretty long. Rear space/legroom and a boot is not that important for me as I am a bachelor and don’t need a big car. My budget is between Rs 7 and 8 lakh. I was thinking of getting myself the Skoda Fabia, but I have been told that it is heavy and is underpowered. Is there anything else you’d recommend?
Sohanjeet, Bangalore
The Fabia is a small car which is generous on the inside in terms of space and features. It comes with a 1.2 petrol engine that’s not exactly peppy, but is also available with a diesel option that can really stretch the litre. However, if you are not so keen about the Fabia and are willing to wait for about two months, you can check out the upcoming Honda Jazz. The Jazz is also expected to be powered by a 1.2-litre i-VTEC engine, but considering Honda’s track record, promises to be enjoyable to drive. The automatic Jazz will be a great option for you, as it will make your long commute that much more effortless, but we fear Honda might not introduce it at the time of launch.
Wondering Gypsy
I want to buy a Maruti Suzuki Gypsy King. Which dealership do I need to contact? And now I hear that the Gypsy is only made available on advance booking. What will its on-road price be?
Kumar Gaurav, via email
The Gypsy King can be bought from any authorised Maruti Suzuki dealership. The soft-top version retails at Rs 5.42 lakh and the hard-top variant goes for Rs 5.63 lakh (all ex-showroom Mumbai prices). It is built in small numbers and you may have to wait a while for the delivery of your Gypsy. It is still one of the most capable 4x4 vehicles money can buy in India. The negatives are of course the lack of power steering and air-conditioning.
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