Thank you for the compliments vinod.
Part V - SAFETY
Safety is becoming such an important parameter these days that it has even become a dealbreaker. That is, if a particular car doesn't have safety kit like airbags and ABS, its is immediately removed from the shortlist by the potential buyer.
ABS: Since most of the small cars are bought by first time or inexperienced car buyers, ABS is an absolute necessity especially in the rains. ABS will save Bunty and his car from skidding off the road into a ditch when he stomps on the brakes hard. So I'm assigning 9 pts for cars that offer only ABS.
Dual Airbags: When Bunty and his drunk friends hit a tree at full speed, they would definitely like to be caressed by a soft air-filled pillow. That's why I'm assigning 18 pts for cars that offer dual airbags. Cars that offer dual airbags & ABS get (18 + 9) = 27 pts.
Side Airbags: Although we Indians prefer to crash head-on, Bunty might suddenly decide to stop in the middle of a railway track infront of an oncoming train. Cars equipped with side airbags will fare better in such situations. I'm assigning 9 pts for cars equipped with side airbags. So basically, cars that are equipped with dual airbags, ABS & side airbags get the maximum possible 36 pts.
Cars that don't carry any safety equipment will get zero points in this category.
Cars equipped with only ABS:
Maruti Ritz 1.3 Diesel
Maruti Swift 1.3 Diesel
Cars equipped with dual airbags & ABS:
Chevrolet Beat 1.2 Petrol
Fiat Punto 1.4 Petrol
Fiat Punto 1.3 Diesel
Ford Figo 1.2 Petrol
Ford Figo `1.4 Diesel
Honda Jazz 1.2 Petrol
Hyundai i10 1.2 Petrol
Maruti Ritz 1.2 Petrol
Maruti Swift 1.2 Petrol
Skoda Fabia 1.4 Diesel
Skoda Fabia 1.2 Petrol
Tata Vista 1.2 Petrol
Tata Vista 1.3 Diesel
VW Polo 1.2 Petrol
Cars equipped with dual airbags, ABS & side airbags:
Hyundai i20 1.2 Petrol
Hyundai i20 1.4 Diesel
Cars that offer no safety equipment:
Chevrolet Spark 1.0 Petrol
Chevrolet U-VA 1.2 Petrol
Fiat Punto 1.2 Petrol
Fiat Palio 1.1 Petrol
Fiat Palio 1.6 Petrol
Fiat Palio 1.3 Diesel
Hyundai i10 1.1 Petrol
Hyundai Getz 1.1 Petrol
Hyundai Getz 1.3 Petrol
Hyundai Santro 1.1 Petrol
Maruti 800 0.8 Petrol
Maruti Alto 0.8 Petrol
Maruti A-Star 1.0 Petrol
Maruti Estilo 1.0 Petrol
Maruti WagonR 1.1 Petrol
Tata Nano 0.6 Petrol
Tata Indica 1.2 Petrol
Tata Indica 1.4 Diesel
Ranking of small cars that offer the best blend of performance, driveability, low running costs, low price & safety:
1) Hyundai i20 1.4 Diesel ------------ 128 pts
2) Maruti Swift 1.3 Diesel ----------- 121 pts
3) Maruti Ritz 1.3 Diesel ------------- 118 pts
4) Ford Figo `1.4 Diesel ------------- 118 pts
5) Tata Vista 1.3 Diesel -------------- 117 pts
6) Skoda Fabia 1.4 Diesel ------------- 113 pts
7) Maruti Swift 1.2 Petrol ------------ 110 pts
8) Honda Jazz 1.2 Petrol ------------- 109 pts
9) Maruti Ritz 1.2 Petrol ------------- 109 pts
10) Hyundai Santro 1.1 Petrol -------- 105 pts
11) Fiat Punto 1.3 Diesel ------------- 104 pts
12) Fiat Palio 1.3 Diesel -------------- 100 pts
13) Chevrolet Beat 1.2 Petrol --------- 99 pts
14) Hyundai i10 1.2 Petrol ------------- 98 pts
15) Maruti A-Star 1.0 Petrol ----------- 97 pts
16) Fiat Palio 1.6 Petrol --------------- 92 pts
17) Hyundai i20 1.2 Petrol ------------- 90 pts
18) Hyundai i10 1.1 Petrol ------------- 90 pts
19) Maruti Estilo 1.0 Petrol ------------ 84 pts
20) Chevrolet Spark 1.0 Petrol --------- 84 pts
21) Ford Figo 1.2 Petrol ---------------- 82 pts
22) Hyundai Getz 1.3 Petrol ------------ 81 pts
23) Skoda Fabia 1.2 Petrol ------------- 78 pts
24) Fiat Punto 1.4 Petrol -------------- 78 pts
25) Maruti Alto 0.8 Petrol -------------- 76 pts
26) Maruti WagonR 1.1 Petrol ---------- 75 pts
27) Tata Vista 1.2 Petrol -------------- 71 pts
28) Maruti 800 0.8 Petrol -------------- 71 pts
29) VW Polo 1.2 Petrol ---------------- 70 pts
30) Tata Indica 1.4 Diesel -------------- 67 pts
31) Tata Nano 0.6 Petrol --------------- 65 pts
32) Tata Indica 1.2 Petrol ------------- 63 pts
33) Chevrolet U-VA 1.2 Petrol ---------- 52 pts
34) Hyundai Getz 1.1 Petrol ------------ 46 pts
35) Fiat Punto 1.2 Petrol -------------- 45 pts
36) Fiat Palio 1.1 Petrol ---------------- 42 pts
Analysis:
- What kind of warped logic is Maruti working on? Why no airbags on Swift & Ritz diesel?
- Note the number of cars that offer dual airbags as standard in the top end versions. This wasn't the case one or two years back. Sign of changing times?
- Ford Figo 1.4 diesel makes an entry into the top 5. Looks like Ford is quite serious about getting things right.
- Hyundai i20 1.2 petrol & diesel have 6 airbags. If you don't like i20 and still want 6 airbags, you will then have to look at Skoda Laura L&K for which you will have to shell out Rs. 20 lacs. VW Jetta too has 6 airbags I think.