Take it easy

I am 60 years old and live in Hyderabad. I own a 1997 Maruti 800 which I plan to replace. My budget is Rs 3 to 5 lakh and I travel around 500 km a month. I am considering a small car because of the ease of parking as well as driving in heavy traffic. I am planning to go for the Hyundai i10. What do you advise?

M V Rao, Hyderabad

The i10 is a very good car. It is easy to get in and get out, nimble to drive in city traffic, the gearshifts are quick and it is a thoroughly modern car. And it is well suited for city driving conditions. If you can afford it, the i10 comes with an automatic gearbox that makes it even more convenient for city driving.

A suitable buy

I am planning to buy my first car. My budget is in the range of Rs 3.4 to 4.4 lakh. I will be using the car on Sundays for my family trips of around 40-50 km and for visiting my native place (total distance of around 800 km) every three months. I have selected the Maruti Suzuki A-Star ZXi, the Hyundai Santro GLS and the Tata Vista Aura. Which is the most suitable car for me?

Bikash Kumar Biswas, Jharkhand

Since your driving will involve travelling on highways frequently, we recommend a safe and modern car. Though it is not as spacious as the Vista or the Santro, the A-Star ZXi is a good option to go for. It is easy to drive and manoeuvre in towns while it offers peppy performance on the highway. And the ZXi version means it has safety kit like ABS and airbags, which are very important.

Diesel drive

I have been driving a Maruti Suzuki Esteem (converted to run on LPG four years back) over the last eight years. I need your help to decide on a replacement. The new car will be self-driven and will cover about 100 km daily on state highways. My budget is Rs 7 lakh. It has to be a diesel car that offers good mileage and is low on maintenance. I intend to own the vehicle for at least five years. I have short-listed the Mahindra Renault Logan and the Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire. What do you recommend?

Gopal Nayak, via email

Both the Logan and the Dzire have strong attributes. Both are fuel efficient and offer good boot space too. The strong points of the Logan are a comfortable ride, excellent interior space and the ability to take rough roads well. The Dzire is better looking, is more reliable and popular, and is more fun to drive compared to the Logan. What we recommend is that you see which of these two cars offer more safety kit for comparable money since you drive 100 km on the highway daily. If not, the Dzire is a trusted option, and it is a better car for the self-driven.

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