[narayan]

when we say a great engine in a crappy car, do we just mean the "driver orietend-ness" of the car or crappy in terms of features, comfort, space ?

even if the engine is not that good but the car is driver oriented, i think THAT is a better combination that a very very good engine in a not so driver oritened car

so i would prefer the first option

[YC.BALENO.CHD]

Originally Posted by sukrit7

I'm surprised the baleno isn't part of that list, guess you were just giving examples. The 2nd option for me; A car should always have the necessary amount of power when you need it

Now, I dont know whom did the quoted post was addressed for, but IMHO baleno is a well rounded car. It has a great engine,good handling, was VFM, features like automatic climate control which were a first in the segment, respectable FE, has solid built for a maruti amongst other things.
Yes, it did not sell well, Because on its launch it was priced very high and that killed the market.
Yeah, it had bland rear and dull interiors but then does it make it a car to come under any of the above given options?

Sorry, for going off topic, but thought I should clarify.

And yes, even the ford fiesta 1.6 do not belong to either of the category.
It again is a well rounded car.

The car that comes to my mind, which has a powerful engine but everything other at best 'average' is Verna Petrol. It has a powerful motor, but then that is it. Apart from that and the ride there is nothing that goes for the petrol verna.

For the other option, Aveo 1.1 comes to my mind, is very practical, good car, but a very boring engine.

Regards.

[raj_5004]

its the engine for me!

the engine is the most important aspect i look for when selecting a car for me. if the engine rocks, i am ready to sacrifice the other small shortcomings of the car.
that explains why i bought the scorpio.

the few things i look for in a car engine are refinement, low end torque & great driveability. if these conditions are met, then i dont care how the interiors are & how the suspension is. because inspite of all these, you enjoy driving that car, just because of that ENGINE!

[GTO]

Originally Posted by YC.BALENO.CHD

but IMHO baleno is a well rounded car.

And yes, even the ford fiesta 1.6 do not belong to either of the category.
It again is a well rounded car.

Absolutely agreed. Except for the bland design & looks, the Baleno was a pretty competent car. The Fiesta's only weakness is its small interior space (and brakes to an extent).

Classic examples of an engine over car : OHC Vtec, Verna CRDi...the engines are far more powerful than what their basic dynamics can handle.

Best example of car over engine : The Hyundai i20. Perfect in each way except for that puny 1.2 liter engine (and the price).

[revhappy]

Originally Posted by RX135

Is this a trick question or what?

I was tempted to choose engine over car. But, then engine is useless without able handling (It's not for no reason that Fiesta S took crown of driver's car despite not having the most powerful engine).

Sorry, I am out of this poll

Originally Posted by narayan

when we say a great engine in a crappy car, do we just mean the "driver orietend-ness" of the car or crappy in terms of features, comfort, space ?

even if the engine is not that good but the car is driver oriented, i think THAT is a better combination that a very very good engine in a not so driver oritened car

so i would prefer the first option

Its not a trick question or anything.
There are 2 situations in which we make compromises
1)The Palio 1.1, Getz 1.1, i20 and the Linea
If you look at all these cars they look excellent value for money for their price, right? They probably have everything in them for the price sans a powerful engine. So thats the compromise you are making here

2)The Getz CRDI, Palio MJD, Icon TDCI, Palio 1.6

The getz CRDI is a boy racer's dream come true as someone put it, but wouldn't you have hoped that you got this engine in better/fresher car say i20.

The Palio MJD and the Ikon TDCI and Palio 1.6 are so old the interiors are so boring that you would feel its time these cars were discontinued. Yet what makes them sell its their engine. So the buyer here makes a compromise on an older car but the main reason for buying the car is its engine. In fact if it was not for these engines they would have by now they would have had totally un viable sales figures.

Cheers,
Nitin

[AyAn!]

The engine.Skyline Gt-R.Not much of a car(pretty ordinary).One hell of a mill.One hell of a handler.One of my favourites..and anyways what's a car without an engine??

[YC.BALENO.CHD]

Originally Posted by revhappy

Its not a trick question or anything.

The getz CRDI is a boy racer's dream come true as someone put it, but wouldn't you have hoped that you got this engine in better/fresher car say i20.



Cheers,
Nitin

I don't know about your defination for the boy racer, but from what I know, boy racers dont't just see the power figures, but the vehicle dynamics as well. And getz does not have good dynamics. The only 'boy racers' who might love it will be those whose idea of 'street racing' is Traffic light drags with 800s and scooters, and in that case, let me clarify, they are called "baby racers or wannabe racers" not 'boy racers'. Also, am yet to come across a respectable boy racer who drives a diesel hyundai.
As someone reffered 'driver-oriented-ness' to engine, its an incomplete statement. Show verna/getz crdi a curve at high speed and it will curl up and die. Even linea petrol is a driver oriented car. Because even though its engine is average its dynamics are perfect, and on winding roads it can anyday eat a getz for breakfast and verna for lunch,
SO, the only cars which belong to 'engine option' are those which have powerful engine and filthy handling and other things and so they ARE NOT driver oriented.
And truly it is the category where the above mentioned Hyundai Duo falls.



Regards.

[abhibh]

YC i would disagree with you on this a bit. Almost all Hyundai cars are average handlers. They might not be as sharp as other cars but all normal, wanna be boy-racers and boy racers will enjoy it.

Now lets just compare Swift D and Getz CRDi

Handling - Swift
Power - Getz
Breaking - Getz (Consider non ABS on both)

Any other factors boy-racers wanna add.

Now just because Getz doesn't take sharp corners like Swift but it doesn't makes it a bad car or a car with a bad handling / dynamics.

I have personally driven Hyundai cars and i think they are kinda underestimated when it comes to handling. They handle good but we will consider it average compared to Swift or Fiesta.

[Xehaust]

Wouldnt generalize that all hyundai cars are bad handlers...
An accent with better rubber is an excellent handler. Just point & shoot and it changes direction almost immediately without any fuss or loss in grip. Its a heck of a handler and the engine is as free revving as you can get. Amazing fun to drive in the city and enough grunt for the highway as well.

[YC.BALENO.CHD]

Originally Posted by abhibh

I have personally driven Hyundai cars and i think they are kinda underestimated when it comes to handling. They handle good but we will consider it average compared to Swift or Fiesta.

Now, I wont comment much on a getz-D because I have not driven it a good deal, its the getz 1.1 I have driven for quite a few days, and to be very frank, the handling was nothing special. Yes, it may be average and as good or as bad as the aveo uva/indica vista and the likes, but certainly atleast Swift and fabia are all together in different league. Again, I am yet to drive a getz with better rubber and so I won't comment on how the car behaves on tyre upgrade.


Coming to verna, well if we talk about handling and steering feedback alone, its better than the NHC anyday and maybe that is why you termed it an 'average' handler and I may had very well agreed to it IF I would not had came across a major flaw in the dynamics of verna. I guess I have driven atleast 4 different vernas till date, and 2 of them quite a number of times, and one thing that I noticed in all the vehicles, whether new/year old and one of them with fatter rubber (directional low profiles), the car pulls towards left side at high speeds, and it gets really worse if one has to brake hard. And that really put me off, it was not something I expected from a car with a stonking engine and a high price tag.

Coming, to Hyundais in general, I did not meant that all hyundais are flawed/bad handlers, i10 is quite good infact, i20 again seems average and much like a getz, elantra was quite good, have driven it just once but really liked that car. And the Santro, well its not meant for spirited driving, so does not matter if it handles really well or not, its a practical hatch and that is enough for it.
Do not know about the embera, just heard that its has good dynamics and its well planted at high speeds, so again won't comment on it.
In all, my last post was more regarding to the getz/verna and not hyundai in general, and while I agree that getz is an average handler, I will still stick to my point regarding the verna, until hyundai sorts out the dynamics.


Regards.

[abhibh]

Originally Posted by YC.BALENO.CHD

Coming to verna, well if we talk about handling and steering feedback alone, its better than the NHC anyday and maybe that is why you termed it an 'average' handler and I may had very well agreed to it IF I would not had came across a major flaw in the dynamics of verna. I guess I have driven atleast 4 different vernas till date, and 2 of them quite a number of times, and one thing that I noticed in all the vehicles, whether new/year old and one of them with fatter rubber (directional low profiles), the car pulls towards left side at high speeds, and it gets really worse if one has to brake hard. And that really put me off, it was not something I expected from a car with a stonking engine and a high price tag.

I have driven Verna quiet a few times and i totally agree with you. I was actually comparing Fiesta with Accent. Verna is a boat. Have driven it with wider rubber (205) and there is no confidence on high speeds and turns.

Santro is a good city car very easy to drive. Turning radius is great. I have not driven i20 but i am sure it will be on same lines of i10.

But yes as i earlier said they are average handlers compared to Swift and Fiesta.

[YC.BALENO.CHD]

Originally Posted by abhibh

I have not driven i20 but i am sure it will be on same lines of i10.

.

I20 is actually more on the lines of the getz than the i10, even has more than a hint of getz in the side profile, and while Hyundai has not refrained itself from geting 'inspired' for design elements from the biggies (merc,citoren,honda) once again, the end result is quite a looker. Coming to other aspects, it really needs an engine ugrade, the kappa feels good on i10 but fails to impress on the i20, I guess i20 weighs alot more than i10 hence so. Similarly, handling and ride too is very much like the getz, however I feel that getz has better ride than the i20. Anyways, what it desperately needs is an Engine Upgrade and maybe better rubber as well.

[FastLove]

For me it is Option 1 , blindly. No second thoughts! Infact this is a very good thread inititated as i myself always thought of this question when i have been in cars that boasts of a great engine but nothing else appealing around it and i was like - why the injustice to the customer ??!!! So, my principle is go for a brilliant car - the engine however not great will have something going for it else it would not be on the Roads , Right??!!!

[narayan]

Originally Posted by Xehaust

Wouldnt generalize that all hyundai cars are bad handlers...
An accent with better rubber is an excellent handler. Just point & shoot and it changes direction almost immediately without any fuss or loss in grip. Its a heck of a handler and the engine is as free revving as you can get. Amazing fun to drive in the city and enough grunt for the highway as well.

fair point on the handling piece, partly the rubber and suspension to blame

but free-revving as you can get ? i have my doubts -

free-revving is not about revving smoothly at idle but while moving. and accent engine gets very harsh beyong 4k rpm and not much power to gain at higher revs

[DriverR]

Option One for me. I'm growing old. I still do like to have power when I need it, but I guess with age/maturity comes certain comfort and safety needs that overtakes the power urge. 5 years back I would have voted for Option 2 blindly.