I am in the market for an up-to-date car that is very safe for Indian conditions. It doesn’t matter if it’s diesel or petrol, nor does the price tag. I live in Mumbai and the vehicle will be used to go to Pune and Nashik (self-driven) where I have business interests. Any suggestions?
Andy, via email
You are the perfect customer for the Volvo XC90. It is an SUV with a massive V8 petrol engine (you said you don’t care, didn’t you?) and excellent road manners. All the comfort/luxury that you would expect and, of course, all the safety features (after all, it is a Volvo) come standard too. And we think at about Rs 60 lakh on-road, it is a steal (we know you don’t care, still). Exclusivity is guaranteed, as only 200-odd cars are on Indian roads. But if you want something more mainstream and want a car maker with more dealerships, then we suggest either the Audi Q7 or the BMW X5. Please note, we are recommending SUVs not because they are safer than cars — actually, they need to be driven well, since cars with their lower centre of gravity are naturally more stable than SUVs.
Shooting star
I need a car to commute to work — roughly 150 km a day. How good is the Maruti A-Star? Is it better than the Hyundai i10?
Bala Saraswati, via email
The Maruti Suzuki A-Star is a contemporary little car that promises decent performance as well as good mileage. Though we have driven the car, we cannot reveal much of the details since we are bound by an embargo. The Hyundai i10 is a bigger car — size-wise and by the size of the engine, and drives on our roads like a big car. Will the A-Star compete with the i10 on sales? Yes, it will, and you have to go in for the car that suits your needs better after evaluating both of them.
First drive
My 20-year-old son wants a car and I am tempted to buy him something cheap and used. But safety does worry me. Can you suggest the ideal first car for him?
Lt Col V Sharma, via email
As Ratan Tata would say, four wheels are safer than two! But you do bring in a valid point here — youngsters tend to tread the dangerous occasionally as they are driven by hormones more than anything else and it is prudent to buy them cars with maximum safety features. Shop well and you may find second-hand Suzuki Swift ZXi models (with airbags and ABS) for under Rs 3.5 lakh. If your son is insisting on a new car, then look at the Hyundai i10 or the Skoda Fabia (though they are pricier). Both these come with airbags and ABS. More than anything else, ensure that your son learns to drive the car properly and he is aware of the dangers involved in being reckless behind the wheel. Shower him with statistics and egg him on to become a safe/good driver.
