Which Hatchback for a first time driver ?

adya33 · 11th July 2007, 09:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by reignofchaos

My advice would be to pick the car your heart desires and don't pay much heed to other people's opinions. After all a car is bought once every 5-10 years and once purchased you'd have to live with it for that period. Better not compromise on your dreams by letting someone else decide for you!

Good Luck

.

Quite the opposite actually.
Like you said you (as in any buyer) buy new car once every 5 years, so it is better to do decision with your head than your heart specially if its going to be your daily or only car.

alexrabbi · 11th July 2007, 10:05

Nids,

Swift is a great car, as you are bit hesitant of the size - i think u will get used to it once u start driving it.

Spark will exactly fit in your requirement. i have driven it, it just squeezes in even in the small gaps in the traffic. Engine response is also quite good.
But u can't expect it be as spacious as swift.

Getz prime is also an option

Nids.Leo · 11th July 2007, 13:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by adya33

Quite the opposite actually.
Like you said you (as in any buyer) buy new car once every 5 years, so it is better to do decision with your head than your heart specially if its going to be your daily or only car.

Classic case of head vs heart. And I thought it would be easier to choose a car

Swift vs Spark it is now. In case nothing happens with these two, it will be the good old Santro.

I think I just might be tilting towrds the Spark provided its comfortable to drive. Will have to wait till the weekend to pay GM a visit.

Read in the forum that Swift is going to get a new engine, some M series or something. How far away is that ? This is news to me. Looks like this might just discourage buyers

skandyhere · 11th July 2007, 13:30

if one thing's above the clutter now, it is that you have not one, but at least 3-4 cars that suit your needs perfectly. just test drive each once more, and go for one that calls your heart.

the fact is that no car will disappoint you and you will surely fall in love with it - xing, spark, palio, swift, estilo - whatever. do not think too much about it. you just can't go wrong with any of them. you are the best judge of the comfort they provide, and you are the best judge of how much you can spend for a car.

go ahead and make a choice. this is as much as external inputs can help u with.

abhijit 2284 · 11th July 2007, 17:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nids.Leo

Where do I sit ?

Care to explain ?

thats just a joke

actually if only the seat could be adjusted it wud have been just the perfect car for you .
its a shame that the seat is either too near or too long, if I was buying the car for you I would have adjusted the seat sub-frame to suit a appropiate and comfortable position ,but since I cant I am not even going to suggest it.

ok say I suggest it. If you see the seat from below you will notice that it is mounted on the floor . You would just have to shift the bolting points by about half an inch which would make it just perfect.

Actually the easiest way to overcome this problem is to sit with a small pillow .

But since you are buying a new car my best suggestion would be to ignore all the above suggestions and go with a car that you are comfortable with.

asitkde · 11th July 2007, 22:08

We are also looking for a car in approximately the same price range and can share with you what we have learnt by visiting the showrooms and TD'ing.

Sine you are going to learn driving, it was actually a very good suggestion in this thread that you could go for an used Zen (not the Estilo, the old one). It is a very very very good car. You could get a couple of year old one at Maruti True Value with warranty. But once you have set your mind for a new car, I know it's going to be very difficult to settle for an used one.

Now as for the new cars, you could perhaps avoid the new Zen Estilo. It's simply not upto the mark. I am also assuming you want something better than an Alto. It's not a bad car though, great mileage.

We currently own WagonR and intend to keep it. It's a no nonsense car. It's very balanced in terms of space, mileage, drivability etc etc. The driver's seating position is very good. I know you have a problem with seat adjustment, but have you tried adjusting the back inclination in addition to the front-back movement of the seat? Sometimes it helps.
One thing I would warn you though, the A pillars are too wide and at times (especially if you are not tall) it may impede vision of the right front corner.

Santro and Spark are nice cars to drive especially in city conditions. However, in Santro, be careful in reverse gear when backing up, because the rear view is quite restrictive.
In Spark I found the brake and the clutch pedals too close for my comfort, a fact not mentioned by anybody (surprising!). In city driving, very often brake and the clutch pedals have to be used simultaneously and drivers would need space for both feet there. I am no giant and I had trouble there. May be for you it would be no problem.

When people first learn driving, putting the car into the 1st gear and generally changing gears is a problem, although everybody would agree that in the long run gear changing becomes a habit and the actually more important things in driving are the control of steering and brakes, and a sense of timing and things like a bit of peripheral vision and anticipation. Anyway you can consider also Santro AT (automatic transmission) to avoid the hassles of gear shifting.

I would rule out the Palio Stile 1.1 for you because the driving position would be a bit low for you. Otherwise for the money this is a gem of a car. I loved it while TDing.

Among petrol cars, that leaves us with the Chevy Aveo U-VA and Swift LXi. The UVA is actually a very very good car for my liking, very balanced in terms of space, quality, performance, looks, mileage, value etc etc. You should take a look. The base version would be within your budget. Although the Swift petrol is peppier than the UVA, but a lot less spacious. And the bulging wheel lips are sure spots of dents for a new driver.

Hope all my observations are of any help.

reignofchaos · 12th July 2007, 01:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by adya33

Quite the opposite actually.
Like you said you (as in any buyer) buy new car once every 5 years, so it is better to do decision with your head than your heart specially if its going to be your daily or only car.

Depends on the kind of person you are. When I bought my Cedia, my heart always said Cedia but my brain was thinking all the time that I'm a young single guy in a crowded city like bangalore and a Swift would be more than enough a car. However i'm really really glad I listened to my heart and bought the cedia instead of a swift as so far the experience has not been anything short of stupendous. I can't believe how much I'm loving the drive the car offers and its my most cherished possession by far

. Loving every moment of it. I'm sure I'd have really been sorry if I had bought a Swift instead as there's no way I'd have had this kind of an emotional attachment with the car. It'd have been just another car to get me from point a to point b.

ap9dm · 12th July 2007, 01:17

Hi Nids
I own a swift since more than an year. The car is absolute pleasure to drive. Its was my first car soon after driving classes, just like you. It was pretty difficult to drive initially. But this should not the deciding factor in buying a car. Whatever car you own, you will manage to learn to drive with time. A car like swift (owing to bad rear visibility and more blind spots) will always be more difficult to drive than say an Alto, however swift will also make you a better drive in the end. After swift I could confidently drive SX4.
However the only issue I have with Swift and most other small cars is the bad build quality. A few days back, a scooty hit my car headon at around 50-60. My car was doing around 30 kmph. Almost nothing happened to scooty and the rider. However my car got so badly damaged that the wheel started touching the body. Had to get the car towed. And this was just a minor accident.
For this reason among all the small cars in the market, the only car I would recommend if Fiat Palio. I will just compare it with swift here.
Positives:
1. Much better build quality
2. Much more pleasure to drive (palio 1.6)
3. Easier to drive (lesser blink spots).
Negatives
1. Slightly lesser mileage (dont think about things like is 11 good or is 12 good, just calculate based on your expected running howmuch more you will spend over an year and then decide whether you can take that hit).
2. Maruti's service is much better. However being in delhi, you should not face lot of problems with Fiat service.

EatMyDust · 12th July 2007, 09:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by asitkde

Among petrol cars, that leaves us with the Chevy Aveo U-VA and Swift LXi. The UVA is actually a very very good car for my liking, very balanced in terms of space, quality, performance, looks, mileage, value etc etc. You should take a look. The base version would be within your budget. Although the Swift petrol is peppier than the UVA, but a lot less spacious. And the bulging wheel lips are sure spots of dents for a new driver.

I own the UVA Base - the car needs a little bit of care to drive around. Its a bit difficult to see/ judge the left front corner of the car. I'm about 5-9, I cant see anything there :-) Now I've learnt to judge the size and estimate that. I Td-ed almost all cars in the list mentioned. Felt that in the Maruti cars, Spark, you can easily see that corner of the road and judge the kerb/ other cars easily.

In the palio also, I couldnt see it. In the UVA, it's the worst. Btw, I'm a newbie myself.

Get back if u need anymore info on the UVA.

Nimz · 12th July 2007, 12:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by asitkde

In Spark I found the brake and the clutch pedals too close for my comfort, a fact not mentioned by anybody (surprising!). In city driving, very often brake and the clutch pedals have to be used simultaneously and drivers would need space for both feet there. I am no giant and I had trouble there. May be for you it would be no problem.

I have Sparky and I have faced no such probs..maybe the first day I did find pressing both A and B but that must have also been due to that the fact that I was not used to the car.

Now more than 300 kms(200 kms in city) and a week.. I have not faced that issue at all. Am 5'7" and flat footed

.

Am a first time owner too and have driven my dad's Indica during holidays back home (once in 3 months) and I find squeezing Sparky through gaps in traffic to be much easier. Might be sparky is smaller.. but I find its easier to judge too given the smaller dimensions..

Nimz

CrAzY dRiVeR · 12th July 2007, 13:24

GETZ is a very 'big' hatch, and certainly not easy to drive.

Quote:

Originally Posted by karty_83

Keeping aside the price , for a newbie GETZ or SPARK is the best bet,IMHO. You can choose the one as per your budget and needs.

Coming to think of it, Love the spirit of team-bhp! Am sure we have nids as confused as she can be.

She asked about Swift/ Spark/ Santro/ Estilo.

And we all suggested M800/ Alto/ WagonR/ Estilo/ Swift/ Santro/ Hyundai Pa(new santro)/ Getz 1.1/ Getz 1.3/ palio 1.1/ palio 1.6/ Spark and U-VA.

(Hope thats it. Anybody suggested the Indica?) EDIT: Add used cars also to that list. Some have suggested used Zen/Alto for practising driving.

jassi · 12th July 2007, 13:31

Nids - DO let us know your TD experience with all these cars, I am sure if you TD one car a day, by the time you TD the last car, you will have more driving experience than any driving school will give you

OT - I think ROC suggested a mitsubishi cedia over the swift

Nimz · 12th July 2007, 19:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

GETZ is a very 'big' hatch, and certainly not easy to drive.

Coming to think of it, Love the spirit of team-bhp! Am sure we have nids as confused as she can be.

She asked about Swift/ Spark/ Santro/ Estilo.

And we all suggested M800/ Alto/ WagonR/ Estilo/ Swift/ Santro/ Hyundai Pa(new santro)/ Getz 1.1/ Getz 1.3/ palio 1.1/ palio 1.6/ Spark and U-VA.

(Hope thats it. Anybody suggested the Indica?) EDIT: Add used cars also to that list. Some have suggested used Zen/Alto for practising driving.

Hope Nids doesnt regret posting her query on tbhp!! And Nids are u there..or left already??

rks · 12th July 2007, 21:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by ap9dm

However the only issue I have with Swift and most other small cars is the bad build quality. A few days back, a scooty hit my car headon at around 50-60. My car was doing around 30 kmph. Almost nothing happened to scooty and the rider. However my car got so badly damaged that the wheel started touching the body. Had to get the car towed. And this was just a minor accident.

If my understanding of "headon" is correct, the Scooty and your Swift were moving in opposite directions and the relative velocity of the impact was 80-90 kmph. In other words, if your Swift was stationary, the Scooty would have to hit it at 80-90 kmph in order to create the same impact. And you say nothing happened to the Scooty and the rider?

asitkde · 12th July 2007, 22:28

Hi Nimz, good to hear that the proximity of the brake and the clutch pedals which I thought could be a problem is actually turning out not to be a problem for you. My wife would love to know this, because she absolutely loved the Spark. I was playing the spoilsport. But now we should reconsider it, although personally I would love to have a little bit more space. May be, one of these days we should go to the dealership and and try seating inside and retest the positions of the pedals.Nids should then also consider it.
Here in Kolkata, absolutely no discounts on the Spark or the UVA, not even corporate discount.
Nimz and EMD, keep posting on the Spark and the UVA in whatever threads appropriate, because we are considering both.

11th July 2007, 10:05	#62
alexrabbi BANNED Join Date: May 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 131 Thanked: 21 Times	Nids, Swift is a great car, as you are bit hesitant of the size - i think u will get used to it once u start driving it. Spark will exactly fit in your requirement. i have driven it, it just squeezes in even in the small gaps in the traffic. Engine response is also quite good. But u can't expect it be as spacious as swift. Getz prime is also an option
	() Thanks

11th July 2007, 13:30	#64
skandyhere BHPian Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Charlotte/Blore Posts: 347 Thanked: 92 Times	if one thing's above the clutter now, it is that you have not one, but at least 3-4 cars that suit your needs perfectly. just test drive each once more, and go for one that calls your heart. the fact is that no car will disappoint you and you will surely fall in love with it - xing, spark, palio, swift, estilo - whatever. do not think too much about it. you just can't go wrong with any of them. you are the best judge of the comfort they provide, and you are the best judge of how much you can spend for a car. go ahead and make a choice. this is as much as external inputs can help u with.
	() Thanks

11th July 2007, 22:08	#66
asitkde BHPian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Kolkata Posts: 201 Thanked: 244 Times	We are also looking for a car in approximately the same price range and can share with you what we have learnt by visiting the showrooms and TD'ing. Sine you are going to learn driving, it was actually a very good suggestion in this thread that you could go for an used Zen (not the Estilo, the old one). It is a very very very good car. You could get a couple of year old one at Maruti True Value with warranty. But once you have set your mind for a new car, I know it's going to be very difficult to settle for an used one. Now as for the new cars, you could perhaps avoid the new Zen Estilo. It's simply not upto the mark. I am also assuming you want something better than an Alto. It's not a bad car though, great mileage. We currently own WagonR and intend to keep it. It's a no nonsense car. It's very balanced in terms of space, mileage, drivability etc etc. The driver's seating position is very good. I know you have a problem with seat adjustment, but have you tried adjusting the back inclination in addition to the front-back movement of the seat? Sometimes it helps. One thing I would warn you though, the A pillars are too wide and at times (especially if you are not tall) it may impede vision of the right front corner. Santro and Spark are nice cars to drive especially in city conditions. However, in Santro, be careful in reverse gear when backing up, because the rear view is quite restrictive. In Spark I found the brake and the clutch pedals too close for my comfort, a fact not mentioned by anybody (surprising!). In city driving, very often brake and the clutch pedals have to be used simultaneously and drivers would need space for both feet there. I am no giant and I had trouble there. May be for you it would be no problem. When people first learn driving, putting the car into the 1st gear and generally changing gears is a problem, although everybody would agree that in the long run gear changing becomes a habit and the actually more important things in driving are the control of steering and brakes, and a sense of timing and things like a bit of peripheral vision and anticipation. Anyway you can consider also Santro AT (automatic transmission) to avoid the hassles of gear shifting. I would rule out the Palio Stile 1.1 for you because the driving position would be a bit low for you. Otherwise for the money this is a gem of a car. I loved it while TDing. Among petrol cars, that leaves us with the Chevy Aveo U-VA and Swift LXi. The UVA is actually a very very good car for my liking, very balanced in terms of space, quality, performance, looks, mileage, value etc etc. You should take a look. The base version would be within your budget. Although the Swift petrol is peppier than the UVA, but a lot less spacious. And the bulging wheel lips are sure spots of dents for a new driver. Hope all my observations are of any help.
	() Thanks

12th July 2007, 01:17	#68
ap9dm BHPian Join Date: May 2006 Location: Mumbai Posts: 32 Thanked: 0 Times	Hi Nids I own a swift since more than an year. The car is absolute pleasure to drive. Its was my first car soon after driving classes, just like you. It was pretty difficult to drive initially. But this should not the deciding factor in buying a car. Whatever car you own, you will manage to learn to drive with time. A car like swift (owing to bad rear visibility and more blind spots) will always be more difficult to drive than say an Alto, however swift will also make you a better drive in the end. After swift I could confidently drive SX4. However the only issue I have with Swift and most other small cars is the bad build quality. A few days back, a scooty hit my car headon at around 50-60. My car was doing around 30 kmph. Almost nothing happened to scooty and the rider. However my car got so badly damaged that the wheel started touching the body. Had to get the car towed. And this was just a minor accident. For this reason among all the small cars in the market, the only car I would recommend if Fiat Palio. I will just compare it with swift here. Positives: 1. Much better build quality 2. Much more pleasure to drive (palio 1.6) 3. Easier to drive (lesser blink spots). Negatives 1. Slightly lesser mileage (dont think about things like is 11 good or is 12 good, just calculate based on your expected running howmuch more you will spend over an year and then decide whether you can take that hit). 2. Maruti's service is much better. However being in delhi, you should not face lot of problems with Fiat service.
	() Thanks

12th July 2007, 13:31	#72
jassi BHPian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Melbourne Posts: 980 Thanked: 11 Times View My Garage	Nids - DO let us know your TD experience with all these cars, I am sure if you TD one car a day, by the time you TD the last car, you will have more driving experience than any driving school will give you OT - I think ROC suggested a mitsubishi cedia over the swift
	() Thanks

12th July 2007, 22:28	#75
asitkde BHPian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Kolkata Posts: 201 Thanked: 244 Times	Hi Nimz, good to hear that the proximity of the brake and the clutch pedals which I thought could be a problem is actually turning out not to be a problem for you. My wife would love to know this, because she absolutely loved the Spark. I was playing the spoilsport. But now we should reconsider it, although personally I would love to have a little bit more space. May be, one of these days we should go to the dealership and and try seating inside and retest the positions of the pedals.Nids should then also consider it. Here in Kolkata, absolutely no discounts on the Spark or the UVA, not even corporate discount. Nimz and EMD, keep posting on the Spark and the UVA in whatever threads appropriate, because we are considering both.
	() Thanks