Clean and clear

I currently own a Ford Figo 1.4 TDCi and a Mahindra Renault Logan 1.4 petrol and I plan on adding one more car to the garage. I presently face a problem wherein my cars’ underbody scrapes against speedbreakers because I usually travel with a full load. I have finally decided to get myself a vehicle where this won't be a problem — could you recommend one within a budget of Rs 8 lakh on-road Mumbai? It should seat five and have bare minimum creature comforts like AC and power steering. I am not looking at the Mahindra Thar as it is a jeep/SUV.

Kuleshwar Singh, via email

You have some choices: The Maruti Suzuki SX4 is one sedan that has excellent ground clearance and also wears taller rubber. It can seat five in comfort and of course is compelling value for money. We are sure it will fit your bill very well. We wouldn’t have recommended the Thar, but maybe the Bolero. But if that is too rough-and-tough for your requirements, there are several entry-level variants of the Xylo. These should serve the purpose - in terms of taking people and loads, fitting within your budget and of course clearing nasty speedbreakers.

Auto for me

I am currently driving a Hyundai Santro which is a manual. I would like to upgrade to a bigger car with an automatic transmission, which will be used by me and my wife. I have a budget of no more than Rs 10 lakh and monthly usage of 1,500 kms in the city and 2,000 kms on the highway. I have shortlisted the Maruti Suzuki SX4 and the Hyundai i20 considering safety features like airbags, service network, maintenance cost and resale value. Which do I pick?

Manoj Chavre, Pune

The i20 has just been refreshed and it is a competent, high quality hatchback with lots of features. If you don't need the space of a sedan, then the i20 will serve you well. The SX4, on the other hand, is a large, tall car that is easy to get in and out of. It is also effortless to drive like the i20. Both of them will give similar mileage in the city/highway. You have a third option as well, that falls between the i20 and the SX4 in terms of dimensions — it is the new Maruti Suzuki Dzire automatic. The new Dzire is also a convenient car for city driving as well as highway cruising. The boot space is not that bad either and it is a comfortable car for the passengers as well as the driver.

Swift decision

I am planning to buy a car within the next two to three months and am confused about whether to buy a petrol or diesel car. I commute 20 kms every day and also take a monthly trip of 400 kms. Overall, my driving is around 800 to 900 kms per month. I like the Ford Figo diesel, Maruti Suzuki Swift and Ritz diesel. I have a budget of around Rs 6 to 6.5 lakh. Please advice.

Veerendra Potru, via email

To resolve your confusion between petrol and diesel cars, do go to www.bsmotoring.com — we have an insightful article there that should clear your doubts. As for your question, at about 900 kms a month of driving, you strictly don't need a diesel car. We recommend you go for a fuel efficient petrol car with safety features like ABS and airbags for the same kind of money you'd put in a diesel car without them. So we recommend you go for a Swift ZXi instead of a VDi — it should serve you well.

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