Diesel dilemma

I want to trade my six-year-old petrol car for a diesel hatchback. We’re a family of three adults and one toddler, but I would prefer buying a hatchback to a sedan because my monthly commute is mainly in the city, with the odd highway trip, leading to an average running of around 1,200 km per month. My priorities are optimum mileage, with low maintenance, comfortable ride quality and good resale value too. I have a budget of Rs 6-7 lakh. Which car would suit my needs best?

Mohit Dhawan, via email

In your case, the Swift diesel is your best bet — it will suit your requirements very well. The engine is smooth, refined and frugal. Three people at the back can sit rather comfortably too. It is a great car to drive, while Maruti service and spares are industry benchmarks. The other option you could consider, if you do not want to go for the Swift, is the Ford Figo.

Long haul

I have a monthly commute of about 1,800 km, of which 600 km is in small town lanes and 1,200 km is on the expressway. I have been considering the Tata Indica eV2 with the CR4 diesel engine and the Maruti Suzuki Ritz diesel. What is the real difference between the two? I am concerned about fuel efficiency, maintenance and driving comfort (I require an AC). But cost isn’t something that bothers me too much, because I plan to keep the car for at least the next seven years. As I live in a remote area, I’m concerned about service and hence am not looking at the Chevrolet Beat diesel. I want the car for my use alone, and not for my family.

Neeraj Yajnik, via email

Between the two, we would recommend the Ritz. It is overall a better car than the Indica, which is now a dated product. The Ritz is built better, will serve you reliably over the time you intend to keep it, and is fuel efficient and excellent to drive too. Besides, the tall stance means it is easier to get in and out of. Though the Ritz is due for a facelift by the end of this year, the fundamentals of the car will remain unchanged. Go for it.

Budget no bar

I am looking for a good car that will be fuel efficient. I have a rather wide budget range too – I’m looking for a car between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 20 lakh. I’m not particular about much else. Would you be able to point me in the right direction?

Sreekumar, via email

Wow! That’s quite a wide range in terms of your budget. Since you haven’t mentioned too many other requirements, we suggest you take a look at either the Volkswagen Jetta or the Skoda Yeti 4x2. They are both rather efficient, comfortable and make for good highway cruisers as well, if you need to use them out of the city. However, in the city, the Jetta is the better bet. Both cars will give you around 12 to 13 kpl in city traffic, with 16 to 17 kpl being the highway figures, provided you have a careful right foot. Keeping this in mind, you can decide which suits you best.

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