[manson]

oops . . sorry, forgot to mention that you could look for the review in the team-bhp ownership section.

manson.

[Sahil]

I would suggest the Ikon since its safer than the hatchbacks. 5 would fit more comfortably and leave ample space for luggage too. The ikon has been goin cheap too so go to your nearnest ford dealer and check wat the best offer you can get out of them.

[devarshi84]

Originally Posted by dwarakv

My criteria are as follows
Price: less than 5.5 lakhs on road
Engine: Greater than 1200 cc
Seating capacity: 5(minimum)(Parents will also be travelling with me at times)
Fuel Efficiency: Atleast 10+ Kmpl
Not too particular about petrol or diesel as I travel 4-5 kms to work each way. I do plan on going out on long drives(atleast 400-500 kms) once a month. Hence driving comfort is also necessary.
Safety is also a major concern as I will be travelling with my daughter(currently 8 months old).

diesel wont be ideal for you according to your use.

Most of the car under 5.5 except MUV's will give 10kmpl except under circumstances when you floor the pedal in some cars.

Fiat palio which you have seen makes for a great car. Its the only small car worthy of the name "HOT Hatch". FE will be 9-10 in city. Power is mindblowing, ride and handling superb and the build quality is tanklike. Lows will be niggling troubles from time to time and resale.

getz is not as good as the palio here. FE may be a but higher but performance will be a dissapointment in comparision to the palio. ABS with EBD is a plus and Hyundai service is good too. Resale again maybe a problem.

Ford ikon is good but too old. While driving is fun and rear seat is comfy you may loose FE if you floor the pedal. ergonomics are not really best with the power window switches to low(atleast for my liking). performance is excellent and still looks decent enough.

tata indigo is one of the largest selling Sedans in India right now. Just the mention of the name colours me Orange white and green. Value for money, comfy seats, adequate FE of 10-12, just enough power and features makes it a good buy. Downside will be the gearbox, engine refinement and the niggling problems from time to time. Safety is good again with the tank like build.


I would suggest you to no look at ford ikon for safety reasons. The other cars mentioned here are much more safer.

you would be going on long trips where you will need the boot to put luggage in. And with you parents and famil the luggage certainly wont fit in a hatch.

hence look at the tata indigo or the fiat petra(palio with boot) depending on which you like on the basis of looks and driving style.

[himanshugoswami]

Hi Dwarak,

if you dont need a big boot, go in for the Indica Turbo, else check out the new Indica Xeta. The Xeta will cost approx 4l OTR (GLX version) so u will also be saving 1.5 L o your budget.

Cheers and happy driving

[extreme_torque]

Indigo Diesel will be a perfect choice since the car in resonably good in city, better on highways. The fuel average is also good.

[turbofreak]

Hi Dwarakv,

As a i can see from ur reqs..u r not going to drive more than 10-15 kms on daily basis ...dont go for a diesel engine...diesel engines are generally for longer runs...so i suggest go for a petrol engine which would be best suited for you.

Also as u r looking for a car with 10+kmpl and 1200cc..the best choices would be indigo petrol or the esteems...
Best of luck buddy..keep us posted on what u select finally !!

Regards,
Turbofreak

[dwarakv]

SLK,

Can you please let me know what are the discounts that come with baleno. If it is within my price range esp Vxi(or even another 50K), I will take a look at it . I did see a used baleno Vxi a week or two back about 5 months old(4.5K Kms) for 6.5 lakhs. I let it go because it was over my budget.

Thanks,
Dwarak

[tsk1979]

You will be happy with either Getz or Indigo(ca).
Everything else in this segment is not meant for 5 people unless they are sardines.

[lamborghini]

I would suggest a Getz or an Palio 1.6.
Since you don't like the Swift, these 2 are the safest hatchbacks around.
The Palio is safer then the Getz GLS and better on the highway. Average is around 10ish but because of speedo error it seems like 7kmpl. Atleast on our car.
The getz however is bigger and more comfortable but not as much fun to drive.
If you want a sedan, check out the new Ikon Flair as there is nothing else in that price bracket that meets your requirements save for the Fiat Petra which is actually quite good and IMHO better then the Ikon but average could be a worry.
Cheers

[deepakhon]

I agree with Lamborghini. Your best bets are Palio 1.6 and Getz. Palio 1.6 for the driving pleasure and practicality, and Getz for refinement and practicality. Your call.

[RX135]

In hatches you have :

1. Fiat Palio 1.6 sports (in Formula red color).
2. Getz.

In Sedans you have:

1. Accent GLE.
2. Fiat Petra 1.6
3. Ford Flair.
4. Opel Corsa 1.4.

Getz is practical and interiors are far better than Palio, but it is nowhere in sight when it comes to handling and raw power. Palio is far more stable at high speeds (makes more sense if you like to drive at 130+). You'll get excellent A/S/S for Getz, while you can't hope much for Palio (unless you know that local Fiat dealer is good). On Safety front, Palio will score higher again.

Call me biased but in sedans I don't see anything even close to Petra. Though fun to drive, Flair is grossly underpowered in comparison. Corsa 1.4 is fantastic in ride and acceleration, but doesn't offer as much in space. Accent is jack of all, but no match for Petra in any department other than A/S/S. One worthy competitor is Baleno, but it is priced high. Downside for Petra is resale (which is going to be problem for all cars in future with so many new models coming in market) and aftersales. Don't worry about mileage, it is one of the most efficient cars around and I know it by experience.

[extreme_torque]

Originally Posted by RX135

In hatches you have :

1. Fiat Palio 1.6 sports (in Formula red color).
2. Getz.

In Sedans you have:

1. Accent GLE.
2. Fiat Petra 1.6
3. Ford Flair.
4. Opel Corsa 1.4.

Getz is practical and interiors are far better than Palio, but it is nowhere in sight when it comes to handling and raw power. Palio is far more stable at high speeds (makes more sense if you like to drive at 130+). You'll get excellent A/S/S for Getz, while you can't hope much for Palio (unless you know that local Fiat dealer is good). On Safety front, Palio will score higher again.

Call me biased but in sedans I don't see anything even close to Petra. Though fun to drive, Flair is grossly underpowered in comparison. Corsa 1.4 is fantastic in ride and acceleration, but doesn't offer as much in space. Accent is jack of all, but no match for Petra in any department other than A/S/S. One worthy competitor is Baleno, but it is priced high. Downside for Petra is resale (which is going to be problem for all cars in future with so many new models coming in market) and aftersales. Don't worry about mileage, it is one of the most efficient cars around and I know it by experience.

Accent.... Jack of all... r u sure? Corsa might not be as spacious but the back seat is 100 times better. Its no fun to drive inspite of the claimed "94bhp"... a ford ikon flair with 70bhp on tap is more enjoyable and zippy to drive.
If Fiat wasnt in a position that it is now... i would have said Petra or Palio 1.6... but given the condition of fiat... i wud say keep away from both of them, the depriciation is huge. What you can do is wait till march and see how the TATA and FIAT alliance takes off and then decide.
If you can stretch ur budget... go for baleno for its wonderful 1.6 engine... but it isnt solid enuf and rattles may creep in after 2-3 years. Corsa is a good option too.

[kpzen]

What's the price of Palio 1.6..? anyone...Is it under 5lacs

[finneyp]

Hi, Just go for Palio 1.6 Sport, it is the Best car in this price range! You get Superior Ride comfort, quite spacious, good looks, 100 bhp power and now Service support from Tata!!!

[Buffetfan]

Originally Posted by dwarakv

Buffetfan: I did look at the price of the baleno lxi. It is at 6.6 lakhs OTR(varun motors , begumpet). Please let me know if are you aware of any discounts going on for this to reduce the OTR price to 5.8 lakhs.

Thanks,
Dwarak

I have seen bhpians claiming to have got delivery onraod in hyd @ 5.76 lacs...the trick is to talk to all dealers (Varun, Mitra and Saboo) and provide a target price. I paid 5.19 lacs for my black Lxi since in my case the company pays the life tax.
you can call me on 98850-30960 in hyd if you like to know more