1.6 Litre Mid-Size Options

srp442 · 13th March 2005, 12:41

Experts:

I am confused about the make I want to choose. I have test driven and researched for over 4 months to pick a new mid-sized car.

Here are my options:

Optra 1.6 Base: I found the steering a little hard, the interiors are cool and just lacks alloy wheels - else this is almost loaded. Suspension is great.
Question: Service and Mileage (would prefer anything that is 10+ on city road) and road handling ??
Lancer 1.5 LX - Good handling, hard suspension (that's a little let down), Interiors are not as cool as Optra.
Baleno 1.6 LXi - Everything is great about this car except Service (I am scarred of any Maruti service station in Pune after having used my Zen for 3 years and 800 for 2). The looks are awful. Getting into the drivers seat is so difficult in Baleno. Atleast that's my personal experience in two test drives..

Ruled out New City - Poor Performance.

I can afford all these 3 cars. I am looking for good performance (flat torque) and ability to drive without dents in a crazy city like Pune, decent milege (over 10+ in city). Good gears, Quality of Service.

I am desperate to buy one of these before 03/31. It is a torture to drive my zen any more...

Thanks for your help in advance, as always...

bhp · 13th March 2005, 12:49

i think if u can afford the optra then nothing like it in its class . afterall it is an up class from the nhc and baleno but i doubt a mileage of 10+ from it . it can give u 8.5 - 9 kmpl at the max . the maintainence is going to be tough on the optra but u can always get some kool wheels after market for the optra !!
take ur pick

MexXxentric · 13th March 2005, 12:59

Hi,

i dont know much about the Segment of cars..but one question..

Why u have left out Petra 1.6?
The 1.6 engine is a real gem
i've driven the 1.9d version of perta and found it Stable with a good suspension
Iam not sure of its averages.
If u dont revv hard, it can give 10?l in city.

i like it handling
Service wil be worse

Drive safe,
SREE

normally_crazy · 13th March 2005, 13:26

Pal

of the 3 u mentioned , i would pump for the optra (eyes closed )

class interiors , great ride decent power & performance , decent service ..the only thing i doubt is " Driving without Dents " in Pune. thats going to be difficult !

go for the optra ..

cheers

lamborghini · 13th March 2005, 13:26

Check out petra too.
I am sure you will love it.
If you dont however, noithing like a optra 1.6 or a baleno but the optra 1.6 is way better.

drifter · 13th March 2005, 14:23

Out of the cars given...i'd go for the optra...
but it will return about 8kmpl to a litre and spares could be a little higher than spares of other cars in this comparision as it is from a segment above.

N yeah in pune you'd be awfully lucky not to have any dents.

Drifter

gamerno1 · 13th March 2005, 15:18

optra any time! your city FE wont go over 9kmpl however.

manson · 13th March 2005, 16:05

dude it s got to be the optra if your budget allows it . fuel eff. would be 8 in city .

manson .

typeOnegative · 14th March 2005, 09:10

Like some others have already mentioned ... try out the Petra. And yes the Optra does seem to be the better car out of the three you are testing. Though I would pick the Baleno when it comes to the question of Value-For-Money. My two cents. Choose well and enjoy your car.

rahulmd · 14th March 2005, 10:25

in the list you mentioned Optra i guess makes the most sense. But as a VERY HAPPY Petra 1.6 owner, I would strongly urge you to check it out!

Awesome car if you like to drive on the highways!!!!

Also ergonomically, its an awesome car. Excellent support for the lower back and the thighs. Absolutely spot on positioning of the:
- stereo
- ac controls
- front window power controls

Excellent feel in the control stalks (lights and wiper). They feel like an extension of the steering wheel

Performance - superb

Rtech · 14th March 2005, 10:44

The choice you have given is pretty simple. The Optra 1.6 is the clear favorite. However, you might have to reconsider the FE part of it. Neither of the cars you mentioned would return an average of more than 8-9kmpl in the city.

Are you looking at pre-owned? If so you could look at used Octavia TDi's or Elantra's. That would give you your FE of 10+ in the city. Think about it.

tabrez02 · 14th March 2005, 11:12

Sorry Rtech, i would say my baleno is giving me 11+ in the city.

sivadas · 14th March 2005, 11:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by rahulmd

in the list you mentioned Optra i guess makes the most sense. But as a VERY HAPPY Petra 1.6 owner, I would strongly urge you to check it out!

Awesome car if you like to drive on the highways!!!!

Also ergonomically, its an awesome car. Excellent support for the lower back and the thighs. Absolutely spot on positioning of the:
- stereo
- ac controls
- front window power controls

Excellent feel in the control stalks (lights and wiper). They feel like an extension of the steering wheel

Performance - superb

Nothing can beat the VFM factor of Petra. And like I said earlier your can get an FE of 10+ in city with AC.

GTO · 14th March 2005, 13:18

SRP,

Shoot ahead with the Optra 1.6. Here is a thread linky that will throw some more light on the two best options in this bracket.

GTO

srp442 · 14th March 2005, 19:20

Surprised that no one spoke about Lancer LX 1.5. has anyone test driven or own an Lancer. I believe the handling is better than Optra. Ofcourse, Optra is cool inside/outside and great suspension.

13th March 2005, 12:41	#1
srp442 Newbie Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: pune Posts: 5 Thanked: 0 Times	1.6 Litre Mid-Size Options Experts: I am confused about the make I want to choose. I have test driven and researched for over 4 months to pick a new mid-sized car. Here are my options: Optra 1.6 Base: I found the steering a little hard, the interiors are cool and just lacks alloy wheels - else this is almost loaded. Suspension is great. Question: Service and Mileage (would prefer anything that is 10+ on city road) and road handling ?? Lancer 1.5 LX - Good handling, hard suspension (that's a little let down), Interiors are not as cool as Optra. Baleno 1.6 LXi - Everything is great about this car except Service (I am scarred of any Maruti service station in Pune after having used my Zen for 3 years and 800 for 2). The looks are awful. Getting into the drivers seat is so difficult in Baleno. Atleast that's my personal experience in two test drives.. Ruled out New City - Poor Performance. I can afford all these 3 cars. I am looking for good performance (flat torque) and ability to drive without dents in a crazy city like Pune, decent milege (over 10+ in city). Good gears, Quality of Service. I am desperate to buy one of these before 03/31. It is a torture to drive my zen any more... Thanks for your help in advance, as always...
	() Thanks

13th March 2005, 12:49	#2
bhp BHPian Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: lokhandwala mumbai Posts: 840 Thanked: 168 Times View My Garage	i think if u can afford the optra then nothing like it in its class . afterall it is an up class from the nhc and baleno but i doubt a mileage of 10+ from it . it can give u 8.5 - 9 kmpl at the max . the maintainence is going to be tough on the optra but u can always get some kool wheels after market for the optra !! take ur pick
	() Thanks

13th March 2005, 12:59	#3
MexXxentric BHPian Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Trivandrum Posts: 248 Thanked: 11 Times	Hi, i dont know much about the Segment of cars..but one question.. Why u have left out Petra 1.6? The 1.6 engine is a real gem i've driven the 1.9d version of perta and found it Stable with a good suspension Iam not sure of its averages. If u dont revv hard, it can give 10?l in city. i like it handling Service wil be worse Drive safe, SREE
	() Thanks

13th March 2005, 13:26	#4
normally_crazy Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Mumbai Posts: 4,369 Thanked: 528 Times View My Garage	Pal of the 3 u mentioned , i would pump for the optra (eyes closed ) class interiors , great ride decent power & performance , decent service ..the only thing i doubt is " Driving without Dents " in Pune. thats going to be difficult ! go for the optra .. cheers
	() Thanks

13th March 2005, 13:26	#5
lamborghini Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Mumbai Posts: 6,113 Thanked: 5,760 Times View My Garage	Check out petra too. I am sure you will love it. If you dont however, noithing like a optra 1.6 or a baleno but the optra 1.6 is way better.
	() Thanks

13th March 2005, 14:23	#6
drifter Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 1,488 Thanked: 75 Times View My Garage	Out of the cars given...i'd go for the optra... but it will return about 8kmpl to a litre and spares could be a little higher than spares of other cars in this comparision as it is from a segment above. N yeah in pune you'd be awfully lucky not to have any dents. Drifter
	() Thanks

13th March 2005, 15:18	#7
gamerno1 BHPian Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Andheri (w), Mumbai Posts: 408 Thanked: 0 Times View My Garage	optra any time! your city FE wont go over 9kmpl however.
	() Thanks

13th March 2005, 16:05	#8
manson Team-BHP Support Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 3,934 Thanked: 4,169 Times View My Garage	dude it s got to be the optra if your budget allows it . fuel eff. would be 8 in city . manson .
	() Thanks

14th March 2005, 09:10	#9
typeOnegative Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Vikhroli, Mumbai, India Posts: 1,503 Thanked: 27 Times	Like some others have already mentioned ... try out the Petra. And yes the Optra does seem to be the better car out of the three you are testing. Though I would pick the Baleno when it comes to the question of Value-For-Money. My two cents. Choose well and enjoy your car.
	() Thanks

14th March 2005, 10:25	#10
rahulmd BHPian Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Bangalore, India Posts: 137 Thanked: 5 Times	in the list you mentioned Optra i guess makes the most sense. But as a VERY HAPPY Petra 1.6 owner, I would strongly urge you to check it out! Awesome car if you like to drive on the highways!!!! Also ergonomically, its an awesome car. Excellent support for the lower back and the thighs. Absolutely spot on positioning of the: - stereo - ac controls - front window power controls Excellent feel in the control stalks (lights and wiper). They feel like an extension of the steering wheel Performance - superb
	() Thanks

14th March 2005, 10:44	#11
Rtech Team-BHP Support Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 5,770 Thanked: 359 Times View My Garage	The choice you have given is pretty simple. The Optra 1.6 is the clear favorite. However, you might have to reconsider the FE part of it. Neither of the cars you mentioned would return an average of more than 8-9kmpl in the city. Are you looking at pre-owned? If so you could look at used Octavia TDi's or Elantra's. That would give you your FE of 10+ in the city. Think about it.
	() Thanks

14th March 2005, 11:12	#12
tabrez02 BHPian Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Bangalore Posts: 286 Thanked: 6 Times View My Garage	Sorry Rtech, i would say my baleno is giving me 11+ in the city.
	() Thanks

14th March 2005, 13:18	#14
GTO Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 70,512 Thanked: 300,697 Times View My Garage	SRP, Shoot ahead with the Optra 1.6. Here is a thread linky that will throw some more light on the two best options in this bracket. GTO
	() Thanks

14th March 2005, 19:20	#15
srp442 Newbie Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: pune Posts: 5 Thanked: 0 Times	Surprised Surprised that no one spoke about Lancer LX 1.5. has anyone test driven or own an Lancer. I believe the handling is better than Optra. Ofcourse, Optra is cool inside/outside and great suspension.
	() Thanks