[invidious]

Been offered the top spec Xcent AT for 8.25 OTR Bombay registration. The top spec manual Baleno is working out to 8.37 OTR Bombay Registration. So now - it is a bit of a quandary. The car is for my Dad. I am thoroughly at a loss on which to to choose. Exchange price for my old Swift - is working out to be

1. 1.20 L according to Hyundai - hence OTR Price for Hyundai AT Option Pack is a 7.05
2. 1.40 L according to Suzuki - hence final OTR Petrol Baleno Alpha is 6.97
3. 1.4L according to Suzuli - hence final ORT Petrol Delta CVT is 6.61
So which to choose?

[carwatcher]

From your post it seems that if price is the only criteria then Baleno wins it hands down.
While in other aspects post your preferences.

A/T is generally the in-thing for urban customers and also preferred for senior people. But if your dad is an enthusiast driver then ask his preference. Why are you not considering Baleno CVT,any specific reason.

Originally Posted by invidious

Been offered the top spec Xcent AT for 8.25 OTR Bombay registration. The top spec manual Baleno is working out to 8.37 OTR Bombay Registration. So now - it is a bit of a quandary. The car is for my Dad. I am thoroughly at a loss on which to to choose. Exchange price for my old Swift - is working out to be

1. 1.20 L according to Hyundai - hence OTR Price for Hyundai AT Option Pack is a 7.05
2. 1.40 L according to Suzuki - hence final OTR Petrol Baleno Alpha is 6.97
3. 1.4L according to Suzuli - hence final ORT Petrol Delta CVT is 6.61
So which to choose?

[AkMar]

Which car to choose will be totally your decision, based on which car appeals more to YOU in your test drives. My 2 cents:

1. Baleno engine petrol engine is better than Xcent by a whisker. Not much of a difference though.
2. If you are looking at AT, Xcent has a 4 speed conventional AT, while Baleno will have CVT.
3. Rear seat of Xcent cannot accommodate 3 with ease.
4. Xcent is a good package, however Baleno might be more fun to drive.
5. If boot space is not important, my inclination will be towards Baleno. However I do not like the looks of Baleno.
6. If you want a car urgently, Xcent might be a better choice. Baleno is likely to have a waiting list whereas Xcent will be readily available.

Do let us know what you choose

[ameaa]

Originally Posted by invidious

Been offered the top spec Xcent AT for 8.25 OTR Bombay registration. The top spec manual Baleno is working out to 8.37 OTR Bombay Registration. So now - it is a bit of a quandary. The car is for my Dad. I am thoroughly at a loss on which to to choose. Exchange price for my old Swift - is working out to be

1. 1.20 L according to Hyundai - hence OTR Price for Hyundai AT Option Pack is a 7.05
2. 1.40 L according to Suzuki - hence final OTR Petrol Baleno Alpha is 6.97
3. 1.4L according to Suzuli - hence final ORT Petrol Delta CVT is 6.61
So which to choose?

My Dad owns a top end Xcent which is one year old. I would suggest you to have a look at Baleno. Things which we didnt like in Xcent are
1. Super thin sheet metal used all around.
2. Unpredictable braking. SA says it has intelligent brakes but is a pain to use. Service center is not able to resolve the issue.
3. Petrol engine with auto gear box is no fun to drive. Sluggish some times and very light steering.

Things which we like
1. Silent cabin
2. Comfortable seats, both front and back
3. All goodies like push start auto ac and so on.. No auto door lock and no touch screen.

We might probably change it soon due to brake issue and overall built quality.

[invidious]

Thanks for all your inputs. The Xcent is out for now. Tomorrow will go take a look at the Elite i20 and decide between that and the Baleno.

[nikhilkulk]

Cross-posting this here, since it went completely unnoticed in the Zest thread

Oscillating between the Zest and the Baleno. Have pre-booked the Baleno, but still having second thoughts between picking it over the Zest

The two petrol models in question are Tata Zest XT and Baleno Zeta

With the current discounts Tata Zest has become a more compelling VFM buy. Here are some of the points that I have jotted down so far in comparison:

1. Looks - The Baleno looks better but not my much (Personal Opinion)
2. Engine - Revtron seems to be better on paper, but the light weight of Baleno might just work for it.
3. Drive - Have driven the Zest and found it a decent car to drive. Yet to drive the Baleno
Features - More or less similar, The Harman system and DRLs are a plus for Zest
ASS - This is the one major concern for the Zest. Though I have owned an Indica in Pune and not had a bad experience, I have been told service in Bangalore is not up to the mark. Any comments on this are welcome.

Features like boot space, bottle holders, driver armrest, rear AC vents are not much of influencing factors for me.

Also another thing which works in favour of Tata - I have a Indica which is lying unused in Pune. Since Concorde has showrooms across both cities, I can exchange my car in Pune and buy a new Zest here in Bangalore. Also currently a 30k exchange bonus is being offered. Not a huge deciding factor, but surely a lot more convenient. I make only short trips to Pune now and finding a buyer would be tough.

Was initially might impressed with the Baleno reviews and pricing, but reading impressions on the Baleno thread, slightly skeptical about build quality and the cost-cutting that might have gone into a Baleno. Will take a test drive today or tomorrow and then see for self.

While the Baleno might be an obvious choice for many given it's launch hype. In terms of maintaining the car for at least 5 years, what could be a better option?

PS: My usage will be very low. Mostly on weekends and occasionally to office. So around 80 - 100 kms per week.

[simplyself]

When I planned for a CS, I looked at Dzire, Xcent and Zest. I drive Dzire, hence no need for a test drive. Xcent was just launched. Sounded good ( NVH levels). Drove the elite i20 immediately. Found Xcent under powered and less wide. As I was passing a Tata showroom I saw a Zest, very recently launched. Test drove but couldnt concentrate as I had other things on mind. While driving, I found very little noise inside cabin, while exiting I noticed height ( GC).

Again test drove Xcent. Difference was obvious - Space, Performance, Features, AC, GC, and not obtrusive pick-up.

Went ahead and bought QJD XM. Surpassed my expectations. After 25,000 km, I am a satisfied owner of Zest XM QJD.

[drmohitg]

Hi need some advice. My uncle is replacing his old indica and is confused between the Ford Aspire Trend variant and Tata Zest XMS, both petrol. Looking at a 10 year old ownership atleast. They are a small family and car will be driven 99.99 % in Kolkata city traffic with not more than 300-400 kms monthly running.

[landcruiser123]

Originally Posted by drmohitg

Ford Aspire Trend variant
Tata Zest XMS

Ford's Aspire is wonderful car. I'm really impressed overall with my neighbours diesel. I petrol isn't a good performer (according to the TBHP official review), but I think you're uncle isn't too concerned about performance. (Correct me if I'm wrong)

Ignoring minor niggles, the Zest is a good car, though the long term reliability isn't proven. The Tata ASC is still a gamble in Bangalore. The Zest is the only choice if 5 people are going to sit in the car often.

I think Xcent or Amaze would fare better at the end of 10 years.

OT: Been a while since there has been activity in this thread. Are the premium hatchbacks eating the compact sedans?

[biggrin]

Originally Posted by drmohitg

Hi need some advice. My uncle is replacing his old indica and is confused between the Ford Aspire Trend variant and Tata Zest XMS, both petrol. Looking at a 10 year old ownership atleast. They are a small family and car will be driven 99.99 % in Kolkata city traffic with not more than 300-400 kms monthly running.

All boils down to your uncle's experience with Tata A.S.S. till date. If his relations with them are good enough, he doesn't need to look beyond Tata IMO because Zest is a very VFM offering killed solely because it is a Tata. If a person has no biasness towards other brands, a Zest should be a perfect balance of tech-and-value. Otherwise I would pick the Dzire (if okay with space) or Xcent (if okay with space/cabin width), in that order, over Aspire Petrol.

Since majority of driving is within city, I would suggest him to check out hatchbacks. Unless he has totally decided to get a lambi gaadi this time, the current gen hatchbacks make a strong case for themselves. Baleno Petrol is one such strong contender I would have suggested. It ticks all the right boxes but doesn't have a sedan body.

Another option he can consider is getting an auto/AMT. A petrol AMT/auto tranny would be a treat for your uncle, who intends to do low running in city traffic mainly. I would have suggested Celerio AMT but that won't be a true upgrade from Indica. Zest, Baleno and Amaze would be good choices in this case.

[drmohitg]

Thanks for the input guys. I TD both cars yesterday and it turned out to be a no brainer sort of decision. The Zest XMS Petrol is the obvious choice here. The ford was a huge disappointment as the 1.2 L petrol motor is extremely weak and laggy. Other than the Ford logo on the steering wheel there wasn't any other Ford characterisitc present in the car. The Horn sounded more in the in the cabin than outside, all beige interiors i.e. door pockets, roof, seats which would be a dirt magnet and even the build quality appeared a bit on the flimsy side. The 4500 done TD car already had a rattle and its airbag light turned on in the central console. The lack of ABS in the Trend variant further helped make the decision easier. On top of it all the Zest is working out to be almost 50k cheaper after discounts.

[VeluM]

Originally Posted by nikhilkulk

The two petrol models in question are Tata Zest XT and Baleno Zeta

PS: My usage will be very low. Mostly on weekends and occasionally to office. So around 80 - 100 kms per week.

Anyone considering the Zest petrol should know that it is very sensitive to how one drives. Stay between 1500-2500 rpm and avoid mashing the throttle when accelerating, and she'll return reasonably good figures. Acceleration is quite good above 1500rpm and she pulls strongly.

Other than the lack of bottle/cup holders, I've never had reason to complain. One year almost up and no rattles - the car is well put together and has good quality interiors.

I've only driven the Baleno over short distances and max two in the car, and she performs well in these situations, though feedback from family is that the light weight helps. When loaded she does struggle a bit where the torque in the Tata is better.

The Baleno is well put together and a good design. My only feedback would be that the parts quality inside leaves a lot to be desired. I'm surprised that Tata managed better quality plastics and a superb music system at a lower price. Sound quality in the Baleno is just about OK in the Alpha.

The Zest misses out on a leather wrapped steering in XT.

The projectors work really well in the Zest.

Interior space is comparable in both. The Tata is taller so getting in and out is far easier. The AC cools quickly in both cars even in 35+ degree whether.

Baleno rear end is jumpy over potholes and bumps - again possibly due to the light weight - while the Tata typically smothers all bumps without rolling about much either. No roll in the Baleno.

Originally Posted by drmohitg

They are a small family and car will be driven 99.99 % in Kolkata city traffic with not more than 300-400 kms monthly running.

Let your uncle drive the car and see what the family feels about the lack of bottle holders, and space/comfort on offer. Your uncle can decide also based on their milage requirements (again not sure what the Ford returns).

Originally Posted by landcruiser123

I think Xcent or Amaze would fare better at the end of 10 years.

OT: Been a while since there has been activity in this thread. Are the premium hatchbacks eating the compact sedans?

Yup, no action on this thread but that might just be on TBHP. The Dzire and Xcent still sell well enough.

Speaking only of the Zest, I have so far had no reason to believe this one won't age well. The issue with previous Tata cars was that they used to age rapidly, which is not the case here. The car looks and feels as good as new even after a year.

Originally Posted by biggrin

All boils down to your uncle's experience with Tata A.S.S. till date.

Agree. A good relationship will solve any A.S.S woes and there isn't anything that goes wrong in the Zest to be a concern or require multiple visits either.