[n:CorE]

Nicely combined list GTO! And as mentioned by quite a few, yes the Polo GT TDI is a pocket rocket! So much torque and that power/torque to weight ratio!

About the cruze not being featured on this list. I agree when GTO says the power delivery isn't as exciting as the one in the pre-facelifted model (See my signature :P)

Having the cruze for over a year and a half I can definitely say the cars defining feature, the one that makes it an entusiasts car is that engine and its craziness post 2k RPM which is evidently lost in the facelifted models. The car is heavy, a rubber upgrade definitely does help things but its no where as poised as the jetta when it comes to the ride/handling package. Interior fit and finish are dreadful and those American plastics are no match for the Germans. The A/T in the cruze also leaves you wanting so much more especially if you've driven the DSG's of Laura/Octavia & the Jetta.

That said the cruze does make for an enjoyable drive, the kind that will definitely put a smile on your face. All you need is a long scenic straight with a few kinks, sunroof open (sorely missed on the jetta), good weather and music (stock system and its output via USB, is something that definitely floats my boat, idk if audophiles will agree with me on this one but it works for me).

Regards,

[Vikki@Hyderabad]

Just did two back-to-back trips to Bangalore from Hyderabad in 4 days, one in a 2012 Swift VDI and the second in my one-month old Figo. While the drive was good with the Swift, Figo was awesome! I've driven a lot of cars on this same stretch, a Wagon-R, Ritz VDI, Palio 1.2 NV, Ikon TDCi, Swift VDI and the Figo. The best cars to drive were the Fords and the Fiat. If it's the highway, then it's got to be a Fiat or a Ford.

While the drive with the Swift and Ritz were good, I felt the shock absorbers were rebellious, i.e., they bounce around quite a lot with a lot of body roll (my previous car was a Wagon R and I know what body roll is in case you're wondering). Ford's suspension does what it is supposed to, absorb shocks and be planted in curves. The steering is good to touch and hold and confidence inspiring all through.

And the engine, I guess the low-end torque of a TDCi makes up for the lack of top end punch, and I believe the 100 kmph mark is the best speed to drive at on our highways and the TDCi is good enough until 120 kmph. Once the engine heats up, in-gear acceleration is quite good as a 60-100 hardly takes any time on the 5th. Plus, a tank full gave me a range of 900+ kms at a constant speed of 100 kmph!

Had contemplated buying a Ritz ZDI instead of the Figo Titanium, and I feel now that every single penny spent on this American beauty is well worth it, especially after my wife and super-especially after my 3-year-old kid tell me that Figo's drive was the best of all they've had!

[ghostrider]

Originally Posted by GTO

Buddy, as expected, seems to be the Passat only

November 2013 factory dispatches of the Passat = 0 (full sales report coming up soon).

If you're right, then my friend was obviously extremely confused. This is what happens when people who don't know their backsides from their elbows work closely with auto manufacturers. Yeesh.

Frankly, even though I'm not a a huge fan of the Jetta, I can see it existing and doing well even in the D-segment. For VW to not have the car makes no sense to me at all.

[blue_pulsar]

Originally Posted by Vikki@Hyderabad

While the drive with the Swift and Ritz were good, I felt the shock absorbers were rebellious, i.e., they bounce around quite a lot with a lot of body roll (my previous car was a Wagon R and I know what body roll is in case you're wondering). Ford's suspension does what it is supposed to, absorb shocks and be planted in curves. The steering is good to touch and hold and confidence inspiring all through.

While I agree that Ritz and WagonR have significant body roll, you got to be kidding when you say that the Swift has 'lot of body roll'

I have driven the Figo and I agree to what you have to say about it. Infact, am all for including Figo on this list.

[a4anurag]

Originally Posted by Vikki@Hyderabad

While the drive with the Swift and Ritz were good, I felt the shock absorbers were rebellious, i.e., they bounce around quite a lot with a lot of body roll (my previous car was a Wagon R and I know what body roll is in case you're wondering). Ford's suspension does what it is supposed to, absorb shocks and be planted in curves. The steering is good to touch and hold and confidence inspiring all through.

I disagree with you on the issue of body roll with the Ritz. I have been driving this car since 1.06L kms and still clocking miles. I have driven on broken patches, smooth roads, expressways, road-less roads in all sorts of speeds. Till date I have never felt the body roll on my car and my earlier car was WagonR (2000-2008, so we know what body roll is). I agree above the suspension on the Ritz, yes it is hard and the ride is not that comfortable for the rear seat passengers but the front seat ride is nice and over really bad roads the car does get bouncy which is irritating thanks to the hard rear suspension. I have not upsized my cars tires (165/80 R14 - Bridgestone S248). I don't find a reason to complain.

No comparison with the Fiat's or the Swift. Both are benchmarks ahead. For my the Swift ranks no. 1 in this department. Yet to drive a Figo properly so can't comment there.

No offence to both. But it just my opinion and not that I'm punching on youbecause I own the Ritz. Just an opinion.

Anurag.

Originally Posted by blue_pulsar

While I agree that Ritz and WagonR have significant body roll, you got to be kidding when you say that the Swift has 'lot of body roll'

[Prodigy07]

Originally Posted by a4anurag

I disagree with you on the issue of body roll with the Ritz.

Hi Anurag, There's a huge amount of body roll in my Ritz VDi. I have upsized wheels 195/60 R15. Not sure if this is the culprit!

[blue_pulsar]

Originally Posted by a4anurag

I disagree with you on the issue of body roll with the Ritz.
...
But it just my opinion and not that I'm punching on youbecause I own the Ritz. Just an opinion.

Anurag, I used to own the Ritz for 15 months before I sold it off. The Ritz indeed has significant body roll. The car came with 165/80/R14. I upgraded the tires to 185/70/R14. The car started behaving even more funnily after that. No amount of wheel alignment, balancing helped.

But no comparing it with WagonR though. WagonR's body roll is in a league of its own.

[penpavan]

Originally Posted by blue_pulsar

Anurag, I used to own the Ritz for 15 months before I sold it off. The Ritz indeed has significant body roll. The car came with 165/80/R14. I upgraded the tires to 185/70/R14. The car started behaving even more funnily after that. No amount of wheel alignment, balancing helped.

But no comparing it with WagonR though. WagonR's body roll is in a league of its own.

Let this go down in the history books as the first instance where a person changed his car just because it had a body roll.

[Vikki@Hyderabad]

Originally Posted by blue_pulsar

While I agree that Ritz and WagonR have significant body roll, you got to be kidding when you say that the Swift has 'lot of body roll'

I have driven the Figo and I agree to what you have to say about it. Infact, am all for including Figo on this list.

Cheers for agreeing with my first two opinions! I'm not sure if the body roll issue was unique to the Swift I drove, but I felt a lot of body roll while negotiating the curves at high speed, so much so that things in the boot were thrown off a couple of times (nothing alarming though). And remember, I followed this drive with a drive on my Figo the very next day and this could be influencing my opinion here

Originally Posted by a4anurag

No offence to both. But it just my opinion and not that I'm punching on youbecause I own the Ritz. Just an opinion.

Anurag.

Agreed! Should've mentioned it myself, that it was just my opinion and I didn't mean to hurt anyone's ego and sentiments. But you need to drive the Figo though, or at least a Classic to experience it yourselves!

Cheers!

[raichoudhury]

Originally Posted by ghostrider

Nope. I mean the Jetta. I was equally surprised to hear about it and my first reaction was the same - "Don't you mean the Passat?"
But my friend clarified that it was the Jetta. What was told to them under strict confidence at a high level VAG India meeting is that right now the story going out is they've suspended bookings, but in truth the production has halted and that VAG will make the announcement next year.

Whether this guy's right or not, we'll know soon enough. If it's true, though - I feel bad for Jetta owners. Their resale value's going to plummet overnight. No one wants a pre-owned car that's already been discontinued regardless of how 'pre-worshipped' it's been.

I was inquiring about the Jetta yesterday and what VW Bhubaneshwar says is that in Dec. they have slowed down production and only comfortlines are available. So far as Highline MT is concerned the same would be available in January (2014 manufactured)

They are willing to accept bookings and would be able to deliver a Highline MT by the end of January.

There are no major discounts on offer. Only Insurance free and exchange bonus of 20k!

[aniketi]

I am having Swift DZire for last 4 years and i never experienced body roll in the car at all. Off course, some is experienced in ghat sections but its very minimal. All my family members has very good experience of the car and they always praise only about the ride quality. Very surprised to see some saying Swift has body roll. I will not say it has ride quality in the leagues of Linea, but its not bad at all. Its a very stable car till the speeds of 100-110 Kmph. Body roll is also very limited. Only few times i have traveled in the back seat of the my own car, but it was good

[vnabhi]

The Swift is the best handler from the Maruti stable of hatchbacks. It has a better top end grunt than the Figo. But the steering in the Figo and Punto are leagues ahead. Both Figo and Punto are a notch above the Swift on the handling front, and perhaps this is the impression given by the steering feedback.

The Ritz does have some body roll, but less than the WagonR. I've driven my cousin's petrol Ritz on the highway for more than 100 kms, and this is my impression.

But since the thread is about cars for an enthusiast, I'd leave out the Figo and Punto, despite their brilliant driving dynamics, only because of lack of top-end grunt. And as I drive both a Figo TDCI and a petrol 1.6 Fiesta (now Classic), I know pretty well what the former lacks when it comes to top-end grunt.

[Naman_Ferrari]

Hello everyone, I am new to Team-Bhp and would like to know if the Chevrolet Cruze MT is a good enthusiasts car.
I really like the car and am looking forward to buy it within 1 year and want to know if the other cars in the competition are better.
P.S - The other cars I am looking for should be preferably cheaper because I am already extending my budget with the Cruze.

[zenren]

Originally Posted by Naman_Ferrari

Hello everyone, I am new to Team-Bhp and would like to know if the Chevrolet Cruze MT is a good enthusiasts car.
I really like the car and am looking forward to buy it within 1 year and want to know if the other cars in the competition are better.
P.S - The other cars I am looking for should be preferably cheaper because I am already extending my budget with the Cruze.

Welcome to TeamBHP.

Don't buy a car because others like it. Buy the car that YOU like the most.

Driving style varies from person to person and so does the expectations out of a car. You have not mentioned anything about what you are expecting out of the car. Are you looking at only diesel options or are you open to petrol as well? Are you looking at only brand new cars or are you open to used cars too? Would it be used mainly in city or would it be a highway car? Would you be mostly alone in the car or would it be full during most of the trips?

Every car has its own strengths and weaknesses and it is just a question of seeing whether the strengths of a car are aligned to your preferences. Some
cars are designed with taller drivers in mind and a shorter driver can never appreciate that car the way the most others would.

The first page of this thread has an excellent list of enthusiastic cars. I would suggest doing a TD of Cruze as well as the likes of Octavia/Jetta and City if you want to try out a segment down.

[a4anurag]

Originally Posted by Naman_Ferrari

Hello everyone, I am new to Team-Bhp and would like to know if the Chevrolet Cruze MT is a good enthusiasts car.
I really like the car and am looking forward to buy it within 1 year and want to know if the other cars in the competition are better.

P.S - The other cars I am looking for should be preferably cheaper because I am already extending my budget with the Cruze.

Along with the above suggestions, I would like to add Fiat Linea T-Jet. Performs well and is a good car overall but for its A.S.S.

Is this your first car or do you already own any? If yes, what are your previous car and what do you drive currently?

Anurag.