[sanchits]

hey,, why all of you asking the same question, that why would anyone buy a hatch priced at 6.5 lakhs. cmon guys..when we can buy a octavia for 11-13 lacs or corolla for that matter, then why do you think a car which is around 500 mm shorter then d segment cars and has the same top notch build quality,interiors,features,materials,brand name and engine cant sell for half that price???????

the earlier octavia..didnt even have ABS..but it was still selling like hot cakes,it added only recently as standard. the octavia rider doesnt have climate control, but it was still selling in great number for its engine and build quality. so expect the same quality and better engine from this car too and stop questioning about its pricing. another thing 6.5 lacs would be for the top end models, the lower ones would start from 5 lacs, without all the bells and whistles.

SRV is not even a competitor to these cars, chevy would eventually bring SRV's price down to this level as it is already not sellling and after these hatches are launched. SRV would be bombed by them. SRV may be big and spacious, but its interiors suck,the interior design and quality are bad and almost no safety features like ABS, dual Airbags. no luxury features too. so SRV is already being bombed by swift.

[BUSA]

Only the LnK and limited edition Octy have ABS as standard rest dont.

SRV is a better car then the Swift in terms of handling, braking, ride, space, comfort, build quality so you cant compare a Swift and SRV both are in different segments. The SRV is the best hatch money can buy as of today. Hope there are better hatches then the SRV since SRV does not set a benchmark as such.

But 6.5L for a Skoda Fabia with a 3 pot engine wont sell much, since Swift's engine tech is way way ahead in this regard and the Italians are coming real soon with the Grande Punto, now only if they have a Abarth version, sigh.

[Strider]

A diesel hatch for 6.5 lakhs may not be a bad idea by itself, but in the face of competition from Swift VDi, (the upcoming) Getz CRDi, and the Grande(?) Punto with the famous 1.3 Multijet all priced in a similar price band the Fabia diesel might have the devil's own job trying to explain to explain the 1 lakh price gap ...

... unless of course there ISN'T a price gap, in that case all this would be a moot point!

[AMATMO]

Originally Posted by sanchits

hey,, why all of you asking the same question, that why would anyone buy a hatch priced at 6.5 lakhs. cmon guys..when we can buy a octavia for 11-13 lacs or corolla for that matter, then why do you think a car which is around 500 mm shorter then d segment cars and has the same top notch build quality,interiors,features,materials,brand name and engine cant sell for half that price???????

the earlier octavia..didnt even have ABS..but it was still selling like hot cakes,it added only recently as standard. the octavia rider doesnt have climate control, but it was still selling in great number for its engine and build quality. so expect the same quality and better engine from this car too and stop questioning about its pricing. another thing 6.5 lacs would be for the top end models, the lower ones would start from 5 lacs, without all the bells and whistles.

SRV is not even a competitor to these cars, chevy would eventually bring SRV's price down to this level as it is already not sellling and after these hatches are launched. SRV would be bombed by them. SRV may be big and spacious, but its interiors suck,the interior design and quality are bad and almost no safety features like ABS, dual Airbags. no luxury features too. so SRV is already being bombed by swift.

you are absolutly right, infact that was a stupid question... i understand the volumes might be less than getz/swift,but every segment is unique,hence u should understand as a car enthusiast that fabia has got more to offer than swift/getz ..not blindly call it a hatchback and expect it to be priced as an ordinary b+ segment car.... i m with u
sanchit PS: swift/getz and the fabia do not belong to the same segment

[sanchits]

Originally Posted by BUSA

Only the LnK and limited edition Octy have ABS as standard rest dont.

SRV is a better car then the Swift in terms of handling, braking, ride, space, comfort, build quality so you cant compare a Swift and SRV both are in different segments. The SRV is the best hatch money can buy as of today. Hope there are better hatches then the SRV since SRV does not set a benchmark as such.

But 6.5L for a Skoda Fabia with a 3 pot engine wont sell much, since Swift's engine tech is way way ahead in this regard and the Italians are coming real soon with the Grande Punto, now only if they have a Abarth version, sigh.

hey, i agree that SRV is a big hatch,has a great ride quality..but braking and handling..get you stats right..ask about braking and handling of swift zxi..even autocar and overdrive or bsmotoring have rated swift much much better than any other hatch including SRV...dude dont even compare the handling and braking of swift zxi to SRV, if you dont believe me...ask the auto experts...the only point where SRV scores over swift zxi is space,ride quality and not handling or braking. SRV doesnt even have ABS or twin airbags or climate control or electronic brake force distribution. its 1.6 engine is also a big let down, check out any auto mag or website, you'll know and you say its the best hatch money can buy....i dont think soo. its a bare bones car, it doesnt have any technology under the flesh. about fabia, its petrol engine is not as good as swift or other premium hatches but its PD diesel is pretty good. i didnt say it would compete with swift or getz. it would sell for its great build quality/brand name and diesel engine. the only competitor would be the grande punto, which would also cost upwards of 5 lacs. i agree that swifts petrol/diesel engines are great but build quality/materials used suck, dude i know about swift i own a swift zxi, it was one of the first few cars in india to be delivered, i got the delivery in may 2005. so fabia as well as grande punto would be a segment above the current hatches.

[sanchits]

i agree with AMATMO..that it would carve a niche for itself, its volumes would be much less then swift, considering its price as it will be positioned above swift. guys dont forget skoda india have said that its not going to go down in its build quality and would use top notch materials in fabia too. so it has to be priced higher than flimsy built swift. if i am getting a car with Laura's diesel engine 1.4 PD and same built quality. all the safety features like airbags,ABS and skoda brand(considered premium in india) for 7 lacs..i think then i'll be the first one in the line of buyers.

[sanchits]

when maruti can sell swift diesel for 5 lacs without any bell and whistles and awful build quality,pathetic tyres then why cant skoda which is a premium brand in india sell fabia with an award winning laura diesel engine 1.4 PD with top notch european build quality/great safety and luxury features,much longer than swift with longer wheelbase too and much bigger boot for 7 lacs.why cant they....??? guys skoda was selling its octavia in large volumes only for its engine and build quality. it hardly had any high tech safety or luxury features of a d segment car. it had the smallest wheelbase and legroom, it wasnt spacious but it still was selling for upwards of 10 lacs.
guys i am not against any car nor i am with skoda, i just want to make my point clear again and again so that people stop asking the question- " 6.5/7 lacs for a hatch, thts too much" and rather start asking about various features and variants skoda should bring in to cater all budgets.

[BUSA]

Originally Posted by sanchits

hey, i agree that SRV is a big hatch,has a great ride quality..but braking and handling..get you stats right..ask about braking and handling of swift zxi..even autocar and overdrive or bsmotoring have rated swift much much better than any other hatch including SRV...dude dont even compare the handling and braking of swift zxi to SRV, if you dont believe me...ask the auto experts...the only point where SRV scores over swift zxi is space,ride quality and not handling or braking.

First and formost, please write in para's it makes it much easier to read and reply.

Secondly Thanks for letting me know you dont know much about cars. I own a Swift VDi with ABS(check my signature), i have 195.60.15 on 7J rims(7J rim means the car is tuned for better handling), trust me with this setup also the SRV handles better and braking of the SRV is much much better then the Swift. I test drove a Swift Zxi and it totally sucked in braking, on full standing of the brakes the tyres locked even with ABS(2 channel) and the stock tyre JK's are nothing to talk about.

ABS does not help a car stop faster, it only prevents a cars wheels from locking. So ABS does not mean better brakes please.

Have you driven a SRV? Or you are just saying from reading the "FAMOUS AUTOMAGS" I read them too and they never said such a thing, if they did find me a link, all they said is that the Swift ZXi is the best VFM hatch.

SRV doesnt even have ABS or twin airbags or climate control or electronic brake force distribution

Airbags are for safety they help in case of accidents(God forbid) but neither airbags nor climate control will change the handling, braking or stability of the car. And the SRV is one of the most stable cars, even more stable then cars a segment up.

its 1.6 engine is also a big let down

Atleast it has more torque per cc then the G13BB under the Swift and 0 - 100 timings are quite similar of both the cars.

check out any auto mag or website, you'll know and you say its the best hatch money can buy....i dont think soo. its a bare bones car, it doesnt have any technology under the flesh.

When you can drive cars and come to conclusion then who are automags to tell us, and you know how politics rule the press.

i agree that swifts petrol/diesel engines are great but build quality/materials used suck, dude i know about swift i own a swift zxi,

Swifts petrol engine is nothing to talk about and the first batch of Swift had problems with build quality. Again SRV scores above Swift in build quality. So after all which is the best car money can buy( i dont mean VFM) If i had the moolah i would get myself a TCDi SRV and i surely know i am getting bang for the buck. Since a SRV has better ride, handling, braking, stability, build quality, space, comfort and looks then the Swift. Where as the Swift has a gem of a engine in the diesel which Skoda's PD cant match, firstly Skoda cars are not CRDi and secondly they arent as silent as Fiesta/Swift so go ahead buy a Skoda Fabia but please test drive it thoroughly yourself and dont go on hearsay, all the best

[BUSA]

And while you are at it check about SRV here

While i agree that the Laura won a engine award but remember the 1.3L DDIS engine of the Swift also won and why no one would agree to a premium pricing is for the following reasons.

• 3 Pot engine
• Similar legroom to the Swift, slightly more though
• High Cost of Maintaince compared to Swift
• Less Power then Swift
• Less tech in engine then Swift
• Looks like a Swift
• In UK a Swift DDIS is priced more then a Fabia so why should a Fabia cost more here?
• 4 year warranty on Swift, not there on Fabia.
• Diesel car owners drive more, then go to urban places, "no where ever you go you will find a Maruti Service station" thing with Skoda
• And the biggest reason : The Grand Punto is coming

[sanchits]

hey BUSA, i am not saying that SRV is a bad hatch, but its no way the best car money can buy, for 7 or 7.5 lacs it could have been a lot better, i am not even comparing it with swift, what i am saying as for 5.5 lacs i am getting a car which rides well, great handling and braking too. dude if you put 2 lacs in a swift or if maruti had launched swift for that price, it would have been, way..way......waaayyy bettter than SRV. dude its not just about the automags. the auto experts of india have said it..too. dude seriously if you put 2 lacs on a swift, its gonna smoke all the cars. in terms of ride,handling, power. first you say swifts engine is really good and then you say its not. dude even SRV's 1.6 is no way powerful or smooth. for 7.5 lacs SRV sucks big time.ask anyone in this forum, if he has an option to buy a SRV or a swift zxi + 2 lacs cash to soup it up. would he buy a swift or a SRV.you'll get your answer.

[sanchits]

dude if one or 2 persons say its a great car doesnt make it one, most of them have said its not good for its price, the engine is not revv happy, the suspension is tooo soft to be sporty where swifts suspension is stiff and handles like a dream..dude..check out any forums o mags or websites ,,SRV has proved to be a big let down and not swift, even with the old engine. no wonder i dont see SRV's in delhi and see lot of souped up swifts.

[sanchits]

dude..dont talk about UK, this is india and skoda is considered premium brand. and lets take the case of octavia.
power - only 90 ps
engine - old tdi engine
legroom - pathetic, due too the short wheelbase and huge boot.
maintenance - super costly, now it is much cheaper.
features - no luxury or d segment features, no abs.
still sold like hot cakes, people were buying this car like crazy.

now about laura, costs a whopping 17 lacs, but is selling like crazy, i dont know about rest of the places but in NCR, i see it as often i used to see octavia..why???skoda diesel cars sell because they have proved to be great in india for there build quality and diesel engine, even laura doesnt have a great wheelbase, its only around 70mm more than the octavia.

even fabia's wheelbase is around 70mm more than swift and is 300mm longer than swift, so great boot space too.
Laura engine
top notch build quality and materials used
skoda name
great safety features too

i do agree the petrol might not prove to be as good as swift but diesel is.
dude..dont again compare it with swift, it would be positioned above swift. only the upcoming grande punto would prove to be a competition to this car.
it is a premium brand in india, so dont expect its sales to be as high as swift. swift costs much less of course it would sell more. fabia would carve a new segment in hatches..which would allow other companies to come up with there premium hatches priced at this range.

[sanchits]

dude,, you r point about service stations..that doesnt make any sense. if people thought about the number of service centers in india before buying a car or a diesel car, then why would people buy hondas,toyotas,chevys, mercs,bmw's. dude its all about the car none of the companies can or ever compete with the service of maruti. people buy premium cars for brand,quality,safety. have you ever seen the service center of bmw in delhi, it looks like a garage in front of the big service centers of maruti. i am not comparing skoda with bmw or anyother car brand but it is considered way premium then maruti...so beat it.

and i think we should stop comparing fabia to swift, when it is a segment above. lets wait for fiat grande punto. grande punto vs. fabia would be a great question for debate.

P.S - premium car makers dont think about the numbers, they make sure that the cars they produce are high quality and cater to the niche segment. even if fabia sell's half the number of swift sales, it would be a great ahievement for skoda(considered premium in india)

[BUSA]

has an option to buy a SRV or a swift zxi + 2 lacs cash to soup it up. would he buy a swift or a SRV.you'll get your answer.

You can soup the suspension, engine, handling but not space and comfort which the SRV has, you must be knowing how good the Swift is with respect to space and comfort.

you say swifts engine is really good and then you say its not.

I mean to say the Diesel is good and the petrol is not so good.

you r point about service stations..that doesnt make any sense. if people thought about the number of service centers in india before buying a car or a diesel car, then why would people buy hondas,toyotas,chevys, mercs,bmw's.

You know even after so many multinationals coming to India MUL has a edge over others is that you go anywhere you will find a service stations and that is something which is only with MUL, people who go cross cities, know what i am meaning.

And Swifts diesel is much better then Skoda's non-CRDI PD(so what if its a Laura engine, Swifts is a Alfa's engine)

Anywayz lets bunk all this discussion, SRV is crap, Skoda is the best, Fabia can beat Golf, be happy, how does it matter to me, if the Skoda is even priced at 4 lacs or 8 lacs i am not going to buy one for i know the Grand Punto is going to be a much better car, much much better, period.

[rahul_intlad]

premium car makers dont think about the numbers, they make sure that the cars they produce are high quality and cater to the niche segment.

Are you talking about skoda or audi,if skoda was not bothered how come they too jumped into the small car bandwagon.

dude if you put 2 lacs in a swift or if maruti had launched swift for that price, it would have been, way..way......waaayyy bettter than SRV.

Why can't the same logic be applied in the case of the fabia as well.

The honda civic sells more than the octavia plus the laura,its not that the skoda engine is the pinnacle of technology.You are also forgetting there are a number of people who like the fact that there is a maruti service centre in almost every city you can think off.

Not to undermine the fabia,personally I love the car and prefer it over the swift but does not mean Maruti is catering to customers from another planet.