[rrsteer]

If this discussion topic also included motorbikes, RE Interceptor would have been at the forefront of the list.

Originally Posted by 2000rpm

The Innova would have been the case in absence of Hexa. Hexa does all that Innova can do, at 30% lower costs AND has road presence.

This is a moot point. I think both can happily exist in the list. Crysta definitely has its advantages over the Hexa.

[PrideRed]

Originally Posted by 2000rpm

The Innova would have been the case in absence of Hexa. Hexa does all that Innova can do, at 30% lower costs AND has road presence.

Ertiga/Marazzo can do all that Hexa/Innova does at 30% cost, no? Looks are anyway subjective. If Hexa is a better product at a lower costs why has it not succeeded or atleast 50% of the success? To me Hexa betters in some, looses in some and at best both are competitive as a product. This has been debated to death I don't want to derail the thread. My opinion anyway will not change the market perception which is the reality.

[nishant]

Originally Posted by PrideRed

Ertiga/Marazzo can do all that Hexa/Innova does at 30% cost, no?

What about the Harrier??

[BANDHAV]

I remember reading somewhere, maybe on forum only, Ertiga is 90% Innova at 60% cost.

I feel that this description is pretty apt.

[TheHelix0202]

Originally Posted by jeganatu

Attachment 1941983
Be it ride comfort, solid build quality, space, price or maintenance, it is the only sedan in the Indian market after the 80s contessa era that has ever been launched in the market

This statement is a little confusing. Could you elaborate, please?

[PrideRed]

Originally Posted by nishant

What about the Harrier??

Misses out 3rd row and falls in different category. Tata had great opportunity to make Harrier aspirational product, missed the boat by not providing more powerful engine, autobox, 4x4 etc.

[nakul0888]

Not at all surprised to see most of the skodas on the list here.
The Octavia, Superb, Kodiaq are pretty much basically a thinking mans Audi A4,A6,Q7 in that order. Such a shame everything around their cars are so toxic . I have more than one occasion spotted the odd octavia with a non functioning fancy led light. Same goes for the kodiaq too. The process of ordering a skoda itself is a nightmare. I think Bhpian Karan can attest to it , as did my friend who had to endure 6 months of back n forth arguments to get his superb diesel.
I mean it’s almost unfair that Nissan is on the verge of shutting shops even as skoda gets away with far worse antics.

[adi.mariner]

The thread has really gone astray with many justifying their purchases. I can just vouch for the Skoda Superb which my FIL bought in 2012. Had gone for the C Class, A4 and 3 Series test drives with my BIL. The space offered by the Superb was miles ahead of the Big 3. And the power figure didn't matter much because it was going to be chauffeur driven. The after sales was definitely not upto the mark and the resale value is dismal.

[Vipinprasad]

IMO all the cars from the Skoda stable definitely punch over their weight. Mentioning this after having owned a Rapid and a Yeti over the last 7 years. The safety and comfort features are at least 2 notches ahead of expensive German trio (like to like). The X1 even today does not offer front parking sensors when the yeti offered it way back in 2011.

[itsashishsharma]

Hexa Automatic. In manual, it's not as good, but in automatic, the Hexa is just flawless and has no competition.

[Altocumulus]

I can think of two cars which had/has more punch than what you pay for it.

1. Skoda Laura 1.8 Tsi
2. Renault Duster AWD

Both cars have so much more to offer than the others in the same segment and price point.

[abhi7013]

Originally Posted by PrideRed

Ertiga/Marazzo can do all that Hexa/Innova does at 30% cost, no? Looks are anyway subjective. If Hexa is a better product at a lower costs why has it not succeeded or atleast 50% of the success? To me Hexa betters in some, looses in some and at best both are competitive as a product. This has been debated to death I don't want to derail the thread. My opinion anyway will not change the market perception which is the reality.

Does punching above their segments imply good sales numbers? I don't think so. India has never been the market for cars like the Hexa. If you look at sales numbers then even performance cars from fiat or the jtp twins will not make it. I don't think sales figures should be brought in while evaluating performance.

Also, even a tempo traveler can do what Hexa or Ertiga does. But that's not the point. The point is how well they do it and what extra they can offer. Going by your logic a nano should be the best car as it can do what all the hatchbacks and sedans can do. But that's not the point behind this thread!

[Silver Knight]

Nice thread. It is really surprising than no one mentioned the little Tata Nano. According to me the cars that punches above their weight are

1. Tata Nano - For the sheer amount of space it offers for its size, cheap spares and surprisingly robust build.


2. Renault Triber - Clever packaging and styled well.


3. Mahindra XUV 500 - Presence, space, value for money (compared to the Kia Seltos/ Ford Ecosport) and features.



4. Maruti Suzuki Ertiga - Smart package, almost an Innova for a fraction of its price and its a Maruti.



5. Ford Freestyle - Smart and powerful engine combined with jaw dropping fuel efficiency fuss free and cheap maintenance and safety features.

[ramradcliff]

Back in 2011, Verna could've made this list. It was first in segment to offer disk brakes in the rear, 6 gear, 195 section tires, 128 BHP diesel (Civic from segment above had 138 IIRC and Laura manual had 110) and you still see that generation on road quite a lot indicating reliability. The only drawback is that suspension though

[TheHelix0202]

continued from page 2, post #25..

Honda Brio:



The smallest iVtec from Honda’s stable, but doesn’t disappoint one bit. Perfectly chuck-able thanks to its light weight and good power-to-weight ratio that gets it to 100 quicker than cars half a segment above. Don’t let its lack of features bother you though (does get ABS and airbags).

Power: 86.8 BHP@6000 RPM
Torque: 109 NM @4500 RPM
Weight: 920-970 kg
0-100: 12.5s (Half a second faster than its older sibling-the Jazz)
Top Speed: 160 kmph (The Amaze is electronically limited to 140 kmph)
Mileage: 16.5-18.5 kmpl

Honda Civic:



Probably the most iconic car from the ‘Big H’, after the first gen OHC. This car, if tuned, is good for anything upward of 150 BHP, with enough grunt to take on larger cars from a segment above. Stock version can stand its ground against its own rivals that are (or were) half a generation newer (now outdated of course). But nonetheless, it still remains my pick of the bunch. Feature-packed (leather seats, climate control, tweeters, AT, electric ORVMs, ABS, airbags, et al. No TCS though, which is a missed opportunity).

Used examples can be found from 0.98 (yeah, you read that right!) to 3.5 lakh rupees as per my casual browsing, which makes it a compelling buy if you’re out there in the used car market. It’s now or never, grab one before it’s too late!

Power: 130 BHP@6300 RPM
Torque: 172 NM@4300 RPM
Weight: 1250 kg
0-100: 9.6s
Top Speed: 190-200 kmph (Electronically limited)
Mileage: 9.4-13.5 kmpl

Volkswagen Jetta:



German-bred cousin of the Octavia/Laura. Sturdy 2.0L TDi diesel mill that does duty in the bigger Audi’s make this car the perfect cruiser out on the highways. Do yourself a favour and get it remapped, if you own one. Your heart will thank you for it; not a nasty gas guzzler in stock form either. Has a gigantic boot of 510L for all your weekend luggage and more. Great torque spread too. Missing essential features like auto AC, but it’s still packed with reasonable tech including 6 airbags, TCS, ESP, etc., that make it extreme VFM at ~15 lakh when new.

You can get one now, at anywhere between 3.0 to 11.65 lakh rupees (LOL!) as per my casual browsing.

Power: 138.03 BHP@4200
Torque: 320 NM@1750-2500 RPM
Weight: 1850 kg
0-100: 9.5s
Top Speed: 210 kmph
Mileage: 19 kmpl

Chevrolet Cruze:



Handsome and mean looking, this car reminds you of how VFM it used to be, at ~14 lakhs. Had the grunt to match the looks. One of my all time favourites- a’int shabby in stock form at all. Shame Chevrolet had to quit India. Great power at mid range. It’s not too heavy for its segment either(The Jetta weighs upward of 1.8 tonne). 60L fuel tank is even larger than the Jetta’s 55! Has a sunroof and an AT as an added bonus as well.

Goes in the used car market for 2.3 to 10.5 lakh rupees (LOL!) as per my casual browsing.

Power: 163.7 BHP@3800 RPM
Torque: 360 NM@2000 RPM
Weight: 1525 kg
0-100: 9.9s
Top Speed: 190 kmph
Mileage: 17.9 kmpl

Ford Aspire:



The star of the evening, the true ‘wunderbar’. Loaded to the gills with safety features such as 6 airbags (not on the Titanium AT though), ABS with EBD, TCS (AT version!), auto headlamps, et al.

Believe it or not, this beast in its 1.5 TDCi form has a 0-100 figure that would put to shame many a D segment sedan like the Cruze, Jetta (1.4 TSi P/2.0 TDi), Elantra (D), etc., with its almost-at-par levels of performance (I mean, how often would you hit 170+ on our highways? That’s when those monsters would outrun this car) at a fraction of the cost. Forget about the C segmenters (the Aspire’s quicker than the City (P/D) and definitely much more stable).

Same applies for the Figo twins as well (I’ve experienced the Figo S diesel in a taxi once; the guy touched 180+ with no effort and stayed there until we told him to quit it Ride pliant as well!) Has the DNA of its predecessors- the iKon and the Fiesta in a compact, sub 4m shell as well. Talk about VFM: Auto box (not too shabby either), decent MT, SYNC 3, ambient mood lighting, awesome FE, solid build quality and top-notch paint job.

P.S- There are unverified claims of sub 9s timings, but I have no proof. It it’s true, then that puts the Aspire in Octavia diesel territory.

Power: 98.6 BHP@3750 RPM
Torque: 215 NM@1750-3000 RPM
Weight: 1016-1103 kg
0-100: 9.72s
Top Speed: 185 kmph
Mileage: 26 kmpl

..to be continued.