I have documented my requirement for a 2nd car and the comparision between Nano AMT and Alto K10 AMT
here.
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Originally Posted by IshaanIan Ah the need for a 2nd car. I understand it is for errands but do you think its usage will evolve with time? It would be nice to have an all-rounder and while the Alto and Nano are both great efforts at the price, the automobile market is not evolved enough to offer great products at that price; you will always be looking at drawbacks.
Might I suggest buying a used car? Before you flinch at the thought, consider this: with a budget of 4-5 lakhs, you can easily procure a low mileage (less than 20k kms) Honda Brio AT... |
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Originally Posted by ampere I totally understand the background. I still would suggest to increase the budget to a Celerio AMT. I think that would be ideal. Because for the comfort of city driving, a bit of a creature comfort would be nicer to have along with a slight bigger size. |
As I had started with a small budget, I had limited my search to Nano and K10 and was leaning towards the K10. However, the above two comments got me thinking. K10 still felt cramped and was strictly a car for only two people, or a maximum of 3 (my wife and 2 kids, or me and 2 kids).
1. What if I wanted to take the car for a family shopping through cramped busy streets where I dare not take my Jetta? I need a car with a better leg room.
2. Though I do not plan to take the car on highways, what if I had to take it to highways on some occasions? I need a car with better safety.
Nano satisfies #1, but K10 does not satisfy any of the above. So, I decided to widen my net and check out the cars from a segment above - Honda Brio, Nissan Micra and Hyundai Grand i10. I did not consider Celerio, because it does not offer anything more except the bigger space. There is still no safety features and the interiors are barebone - not even a music system is offered in the Vxi trim. Here are my observations from the test drives of the three cars.
Honda Brio Pros:- Very peppy and rev-friendly engine
- Smooth 5 speed gear box
- Spacious interiors with ample legroom
- Good high speed manners. It is relatively stable in corners at high speeds
Cons:- The rear hatch made of glass. Though the SA demonstrated the strength by slamming the hatch shut with such a force that got my teeth rattling, I still have some mental block on this.
- Boot space is non existent
- The loading lip of the boot is very high, making the boot feel like a well
- Accessing the spare wheels from the boot is also a difficult job, as it is buried deep inside the well
- Very Spartan looking center console
- AC is manual
- Looks odd from the rear
Of the three cars (Grand i10, Micra and Brio), this is the car which is the most “Fun to Drive”. The engine is very rev-friendly. The car is quite stable in corners with no body roll. The interiors feel very bare bone. The center console with the music system angled towards to the passenger and not centered looks quite odd (the same way as in City). No bluetooth functionality. AC is manual. Had this car meant for mostly highway usage, I would have chosen this without second thought. Otherwise, for primary city driving, this car has more cons than pros.
Nissan Micra Pros:- Very smooth 1.2 engine + CVT combo. Good acceleration below speeds of 70kph
- Spacious interiors with ample legroom
- Ample boot space
- Quality of interiors feels very good
- Solid build – doors and bonnet feel quite strong
- Automatic climate control
- Bluetooth telephony with steering mounted controls
- Auto folding mirrors. Mirrors fold automatically when the car is locked
- Center console looks symmetrical and well put together
Cons:- Not well suited to spirited driving. Overtaking should be very well planned.
- Beyond 70 or 80kph, there isnt much acceleration
- Not stable as Brio in corners
For city drive this car is the best choice. For speeds below 70kph, the CVT gearbox is very smooth and provides linear power and acceleration. The car is also loaded with creature comforts and feels up market inside. If the car has to be taken to the highway, spirited driving is not possible. On highways, it will be good for sedate driving in 80 to 100 speeds, and no spirited driving and overtaking.
Grand i10 Pros:- High quality interiors
- Fully loaded with features – keyless entry and start stop button, Bluetooth, power windows, electrically foldable mirrors, rear AC vents
- Good boot space
- AT gear box has manual mode which adds to "Fun To Drive" factor
- Gear shifts are smooth
Cons:- Feels sluggish and under-powered
- No safety features like ABS and airbags
- Gear box is outdated with only 4 gears
Of the three cars (Grand i10, Brio and Micra), Grand i10 feels average in all departments. In terms of ride, the engine is not peppy as Brio. Though in manual mode, one can extract some fun, it is not much compared to the rev-happy Brio. Though it is fully loaded like Micra, it loses out on the ABS and airbags.
Considering the following requirements in the order of priority:
1. Compact car for ease of parking
2. Easy to drive in the city
3. Safety features
4. Leg room in front and back for the family
5. Creature comforts and quality of interiors
I rated all the three cars and Nissan Micra seems to be the logical choice.
There are two issues if I choose Micra.
The first is the general comment about Nissan A.S.S. In my city, Nissan dealer is the same as VW dealer. My dealership experience with them so far in my Jetta ownership has been good. So, I am trusting that ownership experience with Micra would be good as well.
The second is for such a low usage, does this make sense financially. If I have to base my decision only on financial sense, the only choice would be the Nano. So, I may have to compromise on this one aspect. Maybe I will offset this by transferring some of the family city runs that I do with the Jetta to Micra.
Last but not the least, still there is the wife factor. She may totally prohibit me from spending near 8L on the 2nd car and just choose the Nano as it is a fantastic city car by itself.