[speedzak]

Very nicely written.
I agree with you on most points.

Honda scores well on brand value too. The popularity and acceptance of the City also tips the scales to it's side.
And I don't want to remind anybody here about the better A.S.S of Honda.

Eyes closed, CITY takes the crown!

[amit]

Originally Posted by SkyWalker

@aseem - 2.5 on safety for Linea is a joke. I cannot buy your argument that FIAT has lower end versions - so should suffer on security. The lowest model City E will come around the same price of Petrol Topend which has airbags - so your logic is flawed.

I agree.

I guess the logic being followed is compare City E with Linea Dynamic.

Buyers do not think like that. Well, City E costs 7.95 lacs while Linea Petrol Emotion PK costs 7.21. If a buyer can buy the top end model of a product over the City with all safety features PLUS more comfort and luxury features and still save 70K why wouldn't he do that?!

A buyer is not going to say that since City's base model is E I am going to only look at Linea Dynamic and ignore all prices. Unless the buyer or his relative is the owner of Honda, I don't see anyone taking such decisions.

In any case, Linea will never outsell Honda City. So what's the point of all this comparisions? The only car that's going to get slaughtered by the Linea is the Fiesta. SX4, Verna and even Logan may take a hit to some extent but not the City.

[lynx]

I enjoyed reading it, quite nice.

[greenhorn]

for me , no diesel city = my vote against them, and probably a lot of people will buy the linea, just because it a is diesel

[Shaddow.Fax]

Originally Posted by aseem

If you do go with Option pack you still dont get the alloys (they are available as acceriors in Deisel), the reason I am hammering this point is that Honda has been blamed a lot for not giving alloys and somehow Fiat has escaped the radar by not giving alloys in the Diesel model. Emotion Pack however does pack a punch of features, many of which like Blue and Me that can put cars of higher segments to shame. Some nice features like having the boot opener on the central console.

I think you are wrong here. In diesel, Alloys are included in the Emotion Option pack whereas in Petrol alloys are included in Emotion variant itself

[lonelystar]

I don't see any reason for the fiesta to get slaughtered by linea, while the former is class leading when it comes to handling. Has got a nice free revving and higher output engine. Though i admit that some gizmos are missing. IMHO every car should be reviewed only as a package for the given value because eveyone has his own taste. I can't drive a car which is underpowered but again it may be preferred by many.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Fascinating comparison, and excellent write up. Thank you.

[Astleviz]

Originally Posted by speedzak

Very nicely written.
Eyes closed, CITY takes the crown!

with eyes open, Linea takes the crown and the scepter.

[Steeroid]

Thanks aseem for what is apparently an unbiased comparison based on back-to-back test drives.

I hate beige with a vengence - why is everyone pushing beige interiors these days?

Must say the Linea centre console and steering look pretty dated, almost as though they come from another era. The car's side-profile is absolutely gorgeous, though.

Out of interest, how come 90 (or is it 85?) bhp on the Linea feels slow when there are other sedans like the Fiesta with 68bhp engines that seem to be doing pretty okay? I've heard of comparisons with the Verna where the Fiesta comes across as slowER, but I've never heard that car being labelled SLOW.

City is a very wrong and overambitious target for the Linea. It looks like its more in Fiesta/Verna territory. Perhaps that would be a more realistic comparison but there it would be blasted out by the Verna in the engine department and outclassed by the Ford on interior quality.

[greenhorn]

Originally Posted by Steeroid

City is a very wrong and overambitious target for the Linea. It looks like its more in Fiesta/Verna territory.

True. but somebody should tell Fiat that. they're trying to planning with the civic and corolla in brazil

[ahuja365]

I would definately say that the linea is far more deserving than the anhc because anhc is overpriced underequiped and has cheap interiors.Linea has better interiors better ride quality for our roads and a higher ground clearence.So taking the indian conditions linea should win the comparison hands down.

[rajdoll]

Originally Posted by Steeroid

Must say the Linea centre console and steering look pretty dated, almost as though they come from another era. The car's side-profile is absolutely gorgeous, though.

I found linea's centre console much sorted out and decent looking than the City's and Fiesta's much more complicated and confused and finally sore to your eyes.
I completely disagree on Sx4 interiors better than linea. I checked all the sedan's in mumbai's auto show. When you get to see all the cars back to back you can derive better judgement. Sx4 is the worst in terms of quality and plush feel. Linea's interiors are the best, city is close second. Linea's steering feels the best to hold on to, city's is mor like a Joystick you can get for your ps2/3s.
And I also wonder, how can a 85bhp 203nm torque car be so slow when Fiesta(d)/NHC(77bhp) were never considered bad as far as city driving was concerned.

[Shan2nu]

Any probs with the Linea pedals? Coz my cousin test drove it yesterday and he found that the pedals were placed a bit too close to each other.

Shan2nu

[phamilyman]

Originally Posted by greenhorn

True. but somebody should tell Fiat that. they're trying to planning with the civic and corolla in brazil

Managers everywhere need to justify their job now more than ever before!


but yes, I agree ...

@Shan2nu: That's the Fiat way! He'll get used to it.

[aseem]

Firstly thanks to all for appreciation.

Originally Posted by Shan2u

Any probs with the Linea pedals? Coz my cousin test drove it yesterday and he found that the pedals were placed a bit too close to each other.

Shan2nu

One more point I'd like to add, that it was very difficult to get a perfect driving position in Linea. The dead pedal angle too was awkward and I couldnt get my feet to rest on it without depressing the clutch.

Shan2nu I do agree the pedals for right hand drive car in India are too close. Specially the clutch and dead pedal.

Originally Posted by SkyWalker

@aseem - 2.5 on safety for Linea is a joke. I cannot buy your argument that FIAT has lower end versions - so should suffer on security. The lowest model City E will come around the same price of Petrol Topend which has airbags - so your logic is flawed.

I hope you appreciate the effort to collate ideas and write a review, before you jump the gun and call someones difference of opinion a joke!

I dont think its fair to compare the Linea FIRE engine with the iVtec of Honda at all. The engine costs definitely more than FIRE engine and is technically more advanced. If its a mere feature comparison without cost of engine coming into the equation, than by that logic even Civic E would be considered to be outdone by Linea which is definitely not the case.

Honda could have very well kept the iDsi engine and sold the car at 7.2 lakhs, but they have given us a more powerful engine, one which they give internationally and one that hasnt been detuned a lot (by a mere 2 PS).

Lastly coming to the point of Safety. The point I want to make here is Honda could have come up without Airbags and ABS in E model and lowered the entry price of the car by 50k. But they didnt give user an option to choose safety versus low initial cost. This might result in loss of sale but they have set the precedence imo that needs to be appreciated.

I can promise you that not many will opt for the Diesel Emotion Plus or Petrol Emotion Plus pack (Just like we have more Swift Vxi than Zxi on road). For those that dont, they wont be getting these safety features. Thats why I have taken points away from Fiat. Simply as Safety is optional but not mandatory!

Everyone has the right to disagree and I appreciate that

Originally Posted by Steeroid

I hate beige with a vengence - why is everyone pushing beige interiors these days?

Must say the Linea centre console and steering look pretty dated, almost as though they come from another era. The car's side-profile is absolutely gorgeous, though.
.

I totally agree, interiors, specially central console do look slightly dated like the Cedia. But the side profile puts Jetta to shame!