[rahul18348]

I was earlier strongly inclined towards spark LT but due to GM's current status & non availability of service center in my hometown, decided to pass on it. Got the following rates as on today here in Bilaspur, Chattisgarh.

Maruti Suzuki A-Star LXI (Metallic-Arctic White)
Dealer - Satya Automobiles
Ex Showroom - 357474/-
Registration Charges - 19724/-
Insurance - 10815/-
On Road - 388012/-

Hyundai i10 Era (Solid-Crystal White)
Dealer - Arvind Hyundai
Ex. Showroom - 364902/-
Registration Charges - 19945/-
**Insurance - 9966/-
On Road - 394813/-
**Being a Govt. Employee (Railways), Hyundai is offering insurance & third year warranty for free so actual on road price is:
On Road - 384847/- (excluding 3rd Yr Warranty)

Here are my basic requirements:

Budget- 4L (Strictly).
Family Members - 02 Humans & 01 Dog.

Key Factors (priority in ascending order):

1) Reliable Car with solid built.
2) Adequate space (as i am 5'11" 85 Kgs).
3) Good A.S.S.
4) Ease of parking & reversing in tight spots.
5) Compatibility with aftermarket ICE.
6) Decent FE.
7) Resale does not matter. Will keep the car until wheels fall off.


I got a demo for both the cars but was unable to take test drives as it was already 03:00 pm and boss kept calling from office. Here are my initial impressions.

A-Star:
Looks radically very different from anything other hatchback. Heard a lot of things about cramped interiors & no boot & stuff. The boot is small but the entire car is built such a way that it slopes towards front. The rear seats are placed higher than the front ones giving a jet cockpit kinda feel. Rear view is pathetic from driver's seat & will be difficult to reverse until i get used to it. Dash looks really nice & sporty. The most striking thing about this car is that it does not feel like a typical maruti (in a good way). The quality & fit/finish of interiors is better than any other maruti. (Even better than the swift that belongs to my boss). I pushed the driver's seat back & then sat in the rear. I felt the space is adequate enough for a tall & bulky guy like me however, the ride quality is still to be determined. Overall, i felt this as a sporty package which appeals to a 26yr old like me but not to my 60yr old mother. Mileage will be above 15kmpl (with AC in city) as claimed by the salesman. However waiting period is 45 days at least.

i10:
Mom likes this over A-star. I like it too, but beige interiors look more sedate & upmarket rather than sporty. It will get really dirty & will also reflect light on the windshield. Exterior is more contemporary compared to A-star. Front power windows are a plus(A* LXI doesn't have any). Loads of space in front & back. Huge boot compared to A-star. Have a santro xing in the family & i drive it often so i guess, it is the same 1.1 litre heart tuned a little differently. Mileage will be about 12-13kmpl (with AC in city) as claimed by the salesman. However waiting period is 7 days.

So my question to all the wise motorheads over here is which pet shall i get?

Waiting for ur replies & generous advice! Thanks!

[sudev]

You answered it yourself...if all the points you listed are to be followed then A* would be better. You listed 2+dog so rear space is not a issue or is it?

[drashkum]

A-Star. i know i10 was the car which changed the laws of automotive engineering. but astar has taken the formula to greater heights after its introduction. i daily see in papers that it gives awesome mileage. someone even reports a fe of 39 kms / litre. but to be realistic as far as i know it easily gives 17kmpl within city with a/c on. i still believe the build quality of i10 would still be a tad better than a-star but definitely maruti a.s.s is better with cheaper spares. so go for a-star!!!!

[aaggoswami]

A-star is one of the better built Maruti from recent memory. Its as good as Hyundai I10. A-star has much better motor as compared to i10 1.1. FE is good, A.S & S. is good and pretty much everything that you need. Ride is also quite good along with handling. Moreover its more fun to drive too.

I suggest go for the A-star. The 1.1 I10 is too weak for highways and is just good enough for city drives. If it had been 1.2, then the scale might tilt towards I10, but here its 1.1.

[Sankar]

If it's for only 2 people and a dog choose the AStar. If space is of importance chose the i10.
Pluses of AStar over i10 Era: 1) Better and newer engine, more fuel efficient, more highway speed, better handling due to wider track, quirky looks.

[cruiser_1982]

Choose the A star, if you are okay with the space. IMHO, thats the only negative about A star. You will be grinning about the FE, whenever you fill up your tank.

[loving_alaap]

Lets make it simple. Lets look to your priorities in ascending order.

1) Reliable Car with solid built. (i10 wins hands down, A* still new, untested)

2) Adequate space (as i am 5'11" 85 Kgs). (Again i 10 has more space)

3) Good A.S.S. (its a tie, IMO i10: will not take you to service station often)

4) Ease of parking & reversing in tight spots. (i10: reversing view is better)

5) Compatibility with aftermarket ICE. (Tie)

6) Decent FE. (A* claims higher FE, though expect around 14-15 vs i 10's 12-13)

7) Resale does not matter. Will keep the car until wheels fall off. (Hyundai has better built cars, will last longer without troubles. You had santro, so, you know the build quality.)

Well, as per your priority list, IMO i10 is the choice. Decent interiors and front power windows are the additional advantages.

Best of luck.

[Tejas@perioimpl]

To add to the points that other people have mentioned:
The i10 has a little more bumpy ride than the A star and the tyres definitely need to be upgraded. However, i did an extensive TD of both and i found the i10 a better package overall.

[vkochar]

Go for the i10. It's a brilliant car for a small family.

We have quite a few i10's on Team BHP. read the reviews of people to get a better idea of the car.

I have no idea about the A*. Never sat in one or driven one so cannot comment.

[DCEite]

If i were you, would definitly go for the i10.
The A-Star's cramped interiors, low visibility, non-existent boot make it a highly impractical car.
To be frank, i found the car's refinement and driveability to be a little overhyped. Yes it revves smoothly but it gets a bit noisy as revvs increase and also it does vibrate at idle. Something attributed to the 3-pot motor but highly undesirable in a 4 lac car.
i10 1.1 even though has an old engine, but as an overall package it still scores more than the A-Star.
The only thing that bothers me in i10 is the beige reflection of the dashboard, but i guess that's something subjective and which you yourself have to judge if it bothers you or not.

[cooldude1988765]

Slightly OT: The a star engine sounds like an omni since it is 3 cylinder. Very buzzy towards the top end.

[FlyingSpur]

I vote for the i10. But my vote has absolutely no value here. And that's because however good a car it might be, I can never digest the nose cancer+bug eyes mutation that is the A-star's face, so my opinion is based purely on looks.

Having said that, I drive an i10 M/T regularly and extensively. Fantastic car, can't go wrong with it.

[ascertain]

Go for the i10, Reliable build and ride quality will do you good in the long run.

[d3mon]

The A-star.

Marutis have an uncanny tendency to keep going on and on and on and still the wheels don't fall off !!

Plus the A.S.S. will surely keep you happy and the F.E. will put a big grin on your face.

[rahul18348]

Even i like the A-Star & daring enough to buy such a car but family members are dead against it. It seems the boot coupled with the flimsy tailgate door is putting them off. Friends suggested that it would be better to take an Alto LXI rather than A-star. My friends are also telling me that i10 does not have a steel beam at the front like in santro. However, i feel at 4L price point, i10 era is a better option than A-star LXI. Plus i am definitely lured by the free insurance & 3rd year warranty offer. The maruti guys have not offered anything. Not even a mudflap for free. A-Star would require me to pay 20K for booking while it is only 5K for i10.

Whichever i may chose, it will be white as i have plans for adding some cool black alloys & blue HID headlamps. What are prices for 13" alloys + which brand? I also have a budget of 15K for ICE. What can i get in that budget?