[navin]

Originally Posted by xentric

Hi,

So the othe option I have (coz of the price - my budget is nothing more than 6.5) is the Hyandai Accent GLE, which albeit a good car is dated.

Layla, anotther dated car you could look at is the Baleno. If you can wait I heard Hyundai is replacing the Accent with the Verna,

[kb100]

Go for Baleno Dude.. Drove the car the other day - it really handles well!1.. I think I'd look at the VXi.. you should be ebale to wrangle it to around 6.5 perhapsl

[aseem]

Please dont go for Baleno, the car is way past its shelf life. Although the car has no problems, great engine, good FE, but its DATED, bland, ugly from the rear and the interiors are no way near as Ford Fiesta. Buying a Baleno is like buying an old car from day 1. Nothing against Baleno owners, great great car, but way way way old.
So go for Fiesta, as its a newer and more contemporary product.

[supremeBaleno]

Originally Posted by aseem

Please dont go for Baleno, the car is way past its shelf life. Although the car has no problems, great engine, good FE, but its DATED, bland, ugly from the rear and the interiors are no way near as Ford Fiesta. Buying a Baleno is like buying an old car from day 1. Nothing against Baleno owners, great great car, but way way way old.
So go for Fiesta, as its a newer and more contemporary product.

Shelf life ? Are we talking dairy products here ?
aseem, all you have to say about the Baleno are good things (no problems, great engine, good FE, great great car etc), but then you still don't recommend it. Instead you recommend the Fiesta just on the basis of being a new car. Is that a crucial parameter while deciding to plonk 6L odd rupees of hard-earned money ? While being a new car has a few pluses, does it not carry with it unknown risks also which could surface only later ?
Agree that the rear of the Baleno couldn't get any uglier. But then, I did not find the Fiesta to be a paradigm of beauty too ? What's so great about the Fiesta's rear, buddy ? And, when it comes to the factors that will really matter in the long run like performance, low maintenance, FE etc, there is no way a Ford can beat a Jap car.

[xentric]

I completely agree with supremeBaleno. As far as my decision goes am looking very hard at the accent as it is the only car right now which is able to please me in totallity. Looks, price, fe etc.

I spotted a Fiesta in the office parking lot last afternoon and I must say it dint look all that hot from a distance. Looked quite narrow. Ford should have made the wheelbase broader. This just makes the car look weak.

Will let u guys know what I eventually opt for.

Thanks for all the help.

Cheers,
Xentric

[suman]

Good luck! But just FYI, the wheelbase of the Fiesta is 2486 mm as against 2440 mm of the Accent so thats almost 2 inches wider; perhaps it looks narrow because of the muscular wheel arches when viewed from the front or rear...

[xentric]

Thanks for the info Suman. I guess what remains now is for me to go test drive the cars individually and then make up my mind. Oh and will also be checkin out the baleno as they have further reduced the prices (saw it on their website).

Cheers,
Xentric

[hrag]

Totally and to be taken in a lighter vein.

Aseem - I can't believe you're against somebody buying the Baleno. A few months ago, the Baleno was the answer to everything in your posts.

Shelf life ? Are we talking dairy products here ?

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/137538-post52.html

[nitrous]

Bro, i'd strongly suggest a fiesta or even a Baleno.

I have an Ikon for 5 years now, done 128,000 kms

Suman, which engine is this???

[supremeBaleno]

Originally Posted by xentric

I completely agree with supremeBaleno. As far as my decision goes am looking very hard at the accent as it is the only car right now which is able to please me in totallity. Looks, price, fe etc.

xentric, the Accent is a nice car and though grudgingly, I have to admit that the Accent looks better than the Baleno.
Me and my friend bought our cars during the same time last year. We testdrove both he Baleno and Accent. He liked Accent and I liked the Baleno. (well, actually I am a hardcore Suzuki guy. Also, I will never ever buy a Korean car - you can call me biased.) My wife did not like the Baleno's looks and was rooting for Accent. Took me some time to bring her over.
A year later, both of us are happy with our cars. The only thing he was worried about was the lower FE of 10 in city while I get 12 (both figures are with AC). If that is OK with you, I would say, go for the Accent.

[suman]

Originally Posted by nitrous

Suman, which engine is this???

1.6 zxi so the original ROCAM one...

[RX135]

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

Instead you recommend the Fiesta just on the basis of being a new car. Is that a crucial parameter while deciding to plonk 6L odd rupees of hard-earned money ? While being a new car has a few pluses, does it not carry with it unknown risks also which could surface only later ?
Agree that the rear of the Baleno couldn't get any uglier. But then, I did not find the Fiesta to be a paradigm of beauty too ? What's so great about the Fiesta's rear, buddy ? And, when it comes to the factors that will really matter in the long run like performance, low maintenance, FE etc, there is no way a Ford can beat a Jap car.

I checked out Fiesta recently. The front is much more sobre and tapered down. I hated that front chrome grill, which makes it look like an Accent. I personally find Ikon's front grill far better looking, having more "macho" look, but Fiesta's rear is definitely better. Tail-lamp cluster looks typical european styled. The interiors are way superior to most other cars in same segment (close to NHC). The car definitely appears to be better built than previous gen Ikon. And, you know what? It even has that nice door "thunk" I didn't have opportunity to rev it, but Fords are known to be great handlers. My one serious complaint about that car is that, it seems to be somewhat overpriced. If only Ford makes a price correction, it will be a lucrative deal.

P.S.: Talking of power/FE, I don't know about Fords, but world's most fuel efficient sedan (running on IC engine and not hybrid) is manufactured by VW and best diesel technology is with Fiat.

[CaliforniaKnight]

The only place where the FIESTA would win over a BALENO would be on safety, and this is because AMERICAN cars are slightly heavier than JAPANESE cars.
But again that did not stop me from buying a BALENO, which is just over a week old.
P.s:- My neighbour bought a FIESTA

[supremeBaleno]

Originally Posted by RX135

Talking of power/FE, I don't know about Fords, but world's most fuel efficient sedan (running on IC engine and not hybrid) is manufactured by VW and best diesel technology is with Fiat.

Which VW car is that ? Always wondered which car is the most FE.
A European car in the front when it comes to FE !!! I was always associating only quality Engineering with them (and FE with the Japs - Honda et al).
From what I see during my visits, even Americans prefer the Jap cars instead of US cars. Only the cops seem to be rooting for US cars. My friend in the US says that, if he sees an American car in his R.V.Mirror coming at high speed, he knows its got to be the cops.

[RX135]

They are as follows:

Volkswagen Golf TDI
Volkswagen Jetta TDI
Volkswagen New Beetle TDI

Followed by Honda Civic.

Source:

• http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/list/...5/article.html
• http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/c...t-cars-206.htm

Anyway, point here is that not all European cars are fuel guzzlers, though due to heavy kerb weight, many of them do appear to be less Fuel Efficient than their Japanese counterparts. Here again, many of us forget better safety and ride quality aspects that these fuel guzzlers offer.

You probably are mistaking quality engineering for enginering design. I hold Japanese in high regard when it comes to production management and quality assurance. They are definitely superior to Americans/Europeans in that department, though I am always fascinated with German workmanship and thoroughness of job.