Prime choice

I am planning to buy a new car and the following are my requirements: 1. Budget: Rs 5 lakh 2. Daily driving: 4-5 km, Weekend driving: 20-120 km 3. Good ride quality 4. Low running costs. I like the looks of the Hyundai Getz Prime 1.3 GLS, but it offers low mileage. The Fiat Palio MJD can be a good choice, but it’s an old design. I have no idea about the Swift diesel. What would you recommend based on my requirements?

Prem Baranwal,, via email

If you like the Getz Prime, why don’t you go for the 1.1 instead, which will give you better mileage. The Getz has fantastic interior space and is built well too. You don’t need a Swift diesel, as you don’t drive much; the Swift petrol should do well for you. It is also pretty fuel efficient and enjoyable to drive, though it does not offer as much inside space as the Getz. If you can wait till May 15, the new Maruti Suzuki Ritz is being launched. The new car is spacious, has a new peppy petrol engine and ride quality is very good too. The only issue is we expect it to be priced slightly higher vis-à-vis your budget. But why don’t you wait for it and then take a decision?

Mood Indigo

I am interested in a sedan, with a seating capacity of five and within a budget of around Rs 4.7 lakh maximum. It should be low on maintenance and offer a decent average. My typical usage would not exceed 600 km a month (excluding a holiday sometimes). I am thinking of purchasing the Tata Indigo CS GLX version. How is the Indigo CS as a complete package, and are its spares cheap or expensive?

Prem Rawal,, via email

The Tata Indigo CS is terrific value. For less than Rs 5 lakh rupees, you get a car that is spacious, has a boot, decently built and an engine that is frugal. While it might not be very powerful, thanks to the 1.2-litre petrol engine belting out just about 65 bhp, it is reasonably torquey for city use and the odd highway drive. Expect a mileage in the range of 12-14 kpl in the city and a bit more for the highway with the air-conditioning working most of the time. Parts are reasonably priced too because of the commonality with the Indica. As an entry level sedan for a person on a tight budget, the Indigo CS is ideal.

Reliable partner

I would like to get your advice on which SUV offers maximum value for money in the Rs 15 to 20 lakh price range. I have had a look at the Chevrolet Captiva, Honda CR-V and the Ford Endeavour. Though the CR-V is most impressive to drive in town, it is more like a car than an SUV. The Captiva looks good, but General Motors is suspect. How good is the Captiva in terms of performance, and whether it is susceptible to frequent breakdowns and high maintenance costs? Finally, how do you rate the Endeavour? Also, is Toyota coming up with an SUV in this price range in the near future? Until now, I have only driven Japanese cars and they have been 100 per cent reliable, with no unforeseen breakdowns. I am looking for an SUV with that same kind of reliability.

Sanjay Handoo,, via email

The CR-V is a great SUV and we would say that its car-like attributes are actually an advantage in terms of driving dynamics. It is built well and is the best driver’s SUV of the lot. Since it’s not SUV-ish in terms of appearance, you perhaps don’t like it. The other option is the Mitsubishi Outlander. It comes very, very close to the CR-V in most aspects and it looks good too. The Endeavour is too truck-like, and interior space and refinement are not exactly its strong points. The Captiva is indeed a very good looking and capable SUV and we would recommend that for you, actually. It is reliable and is not too maintenance intensive either. If you are not too happy about the Chevy or the Mitsubishi, you’ll have to wait till September. Toyota is launching the Fortuner, and being a Toyota and a Japanese model, you should be quite happy with it!

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