Sedan decision

WHICH CAR?

I intend to buy a new car within my budget of Rs 5-5.5 lakh, ex-showroom Mumbai. The car will largely be chauffeur-driven and will cover about 1,200 km per month in the city. I own a 2005 model Hyundai Santro which I intend to keep as a second car. I am open to a petrol or diesel car, though I doubt if any of the diesel cars will fit in my budget. Used cars and the Suzuki Swift are not in my shortlist. I think my choice is limited to the Hyundai Getz, Swift Dzire, Tata Indigo and Mahindra Renault Logan. I am more keen on a sedan rather than a hatchback, though it’s not a must. My criteria are driving quality, safety, space, and of course, mileage.

Amit Agarwal, via email

We think you should narrow it down to a sedan. If you want to save maximum money and still get a sedan, there is nothing to beat the Indigo CS. If you want a bit more refinement and better ownership experience, then we suggest the Swift Dzire. Last but not least, the Logan is a robust vehicle that is reliable and economical — stretch your money to get a diesel version and your car worries are solved. Even the petrol version is not a bad choice considering the value it represents.

Fuel cap

I am looking for a car in the range of Rs 3-4 lakh. My daily office commute is 50 km, so fuel economy is very important for me. My options are the Maruti Suzuki Alto, Hyundai Santro CNG, Wagon R LPG and Tata Indica diesel/CNG. I will be using the car for the next five to seven years. I need your guidance on this.

Tejas Patel, via email

We understand your concern when it comes to economy! You have two options: go for broke and buy the Wagon R LPG Duo, a very well thought-out car and economical to a fault too. If you cannot afford that, then we suggest you go for the Alto, which returns 17-18 kpl easily for every litre of petrol that goes in. You do not need a diesel car for the kind of mileage you do, hence we are not considering the Indica, though the CNG version is an enticing proposition. Also check on the availability of LPG and CNG where you live before narrowing down on the car.

Good company

Ours is an agro-based company and our executives need to visit rural areas frequently. We are preparing a policy to help our employees fulfil their dreams of having their own four-wheeler. We are planning four major segments — junior management executives (budget Rs 2.5-3.75 lakh), middle management executives (budget Rs 4-6 lakh), management team (budget Rs 6-8 lakh) and senior management (budget Rs 6-12 lakh). Can you please suggest some cars/SUVs in the above range of budgets which are fuel efficient, require less maintenance and which can be driven on rural roads. I have chosen Maruti Suzuki Alto, Wagon R, Swift diesel, Tata Indica and Tata Sumo for different grades of employees.

Chandrakant Joshi, Aurangabad

It is always better to go for a single car maker when it comes to putting together a fleet of cars for your employees. So our selection with Maruti Suzuki would be: Wagon R (junior management executives), Swift Dzire (middle management executives) and SX4 (management team). Since Suzuki does not have a product in the Rs 10-12 lakh range, we’d recommend the Honda Civic for the senior management. If you’d like to go for an alternative manufacturer like Hyundai, you can save some money, as there are older models like the Santro and the Accent which present themselves as brilliant value-for-money solutions.

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