For those who came in late, I just bought my first vehicle - I am on the wrong side of 30 and the only other vehicle I owned (Yamaha RXG bought in 1996) was paid for by my family. The entrepreneurship bug bit me very early and my 20s were not prosperous...mostly a struggle to pay rents and bills and could not think about a car.
I started moving up in life just a couple of years back but just could not bring myself to buy passenger cars just for transport. I needed more - a Yamaha RX(G,Z,135) equivalent on 4 wheels. I decided to wait and am I glad that I did. BTW, Beware of the Pearl Yamaha near Gachibowli - you can buy your vehicle there but don't even think of getting anything serviced or repaired there. My last attempt resulted in at least 10-12 trips to get basic servicing and battery change. I wrote a review on mouthshut.com for those who own Yamahas in Hyd.
Based on reviews on this site, I test drove the Cedia and loved it. Refer previous posts from me. I also promised a pic of the Nano my mom bought and have attached it in this post. I had booked a Cedia Sports in the last week of September. I had a tough time selecting the color. Red is great, Black is stunning (especially with tinted windows - I saw one on the road and it looked like the batmobile in disguise.) Yellow was funky. Rejected black due to heat trapping tendencies and visibility at night. Rejected Yellow - wife has a say too :-). Had a tough time with red - finally rejected it as thats more Ferrari and I didn't want to dilute anything. Didn't like the blue. So stuck with Safe White. After a few hiccups and postponements, the car finally arrived on 26thOct. I went down to the showroom in Kondapur at around 6:00 pm. I stopped by to pick up a few boxes of chocolates and soda.
The car was ready by the time I reached and I was again surprised by how much longer it looked compared to regular C sedans. I had only minimal stickering done. I had specifically asked for less stickers. I prefer to have all the hype under the hood.
They started on the paperwork and I started on the demo of the car. I checked out all the fittings according to the very helpful TeamBHP guide on taking delivery of the car. All lights and electric stuff were working. Checked the coolant and fluid levels, could not check tyre pressure. Verified the engine and chassis numbers.
The odometer read just 20km. The whole team was very helpful and patient while I read through the important stuff in the owners manual. I must have spent a good 20-25 mins reading the manual and cross checking everything. The team gave me my space.
I wanted to read up the care for the first 1000 km. No extra special care was indicated. Just the normal speed limits for each gear until the 1st servicing. Might have been helpful if they had indicated the RPM for each gear too. For safety, I decided not to exceed 3k RPM. I have crossed 2.5k RPM just once till today.
Just discovered a new site for Cedia Sports - You can also look at this site for the photos:
Cedia Sports Lets start with the Exteriors:
Subtle - except for the spoiler. The rear spoiler may be just a display item for India but it does break the monotony. The boot/rear view of the Cedia Spirit does not look half as good.
Absolutely love the small bump in the middle of the bonnet - breaks the plane without being obtrusive. Gives a hint of the underlying power. Like a bull with a nose ring resting under a tree in a village. Lovely front grill. Excellent compliment to the nose bump on the bonnet.
Am not a fan of the headlights at all. Touted as fish eye by Mitsu but fish are not sporty unless you are taking great whites (sharks) or dolphins or eels. Only major part of the car not sporty - gives it a more domesticated feeling. Cedia is tamed - not domesticated. I prefer the ones on the Lancer and Outlander. Rectangular outers and round inners.
Good skirting as shown in the pics - gives a 'fuller' look to the car. Not sure if there is an aerodynamic benefit of this.
Front bumper seems a tad extra nosy. Invokes the picture of an animal foraging with its nose. But this is just in perspective and it looks quite OK from the front.
Excellent alloy wheels. Amazing view of the disc brakes - all F1 fans will drool. I have a quick glance every time I get in/out of the car.
Don't like the antenna sticking out. Gives the impression of a RC model. It could have been embedded into the rear glass.
Door handles are good looking - Fit neatly into the theme and don't take away the focus from the car.
Rear light styling is nothing to write home about but most performance enthusiasts will not have problem with slightly imperfect styling anyway.
Rubbish side turn indicators. The rest of the car is crisp and the indicators do not live up to the overall look. I am sure a few hundred rupees more from Mitsu can fix this.
One thing I noticed is that the cabin design lets in a lot of Sunlight. This is more observational rather than critical. I would rather have a lot of glass for better all round visibility.
Need to buy those suction cup screens sold at the traffic lights or you can get fried in summer.
Stickering was Ok too but I decided to go for a minimal look - just had the one small set below the side mirrors. My friends wanted me to put in the whole lot but maybe I am feeling my 'wrong side of 30' ness.
Interiors.... Now this starts becoming great...
Glanced through the manuals for the Kenwood multimedia+GPS system. I could not get bluetooth working initially and will post again after I get it working. I am in love with this system. It has everything - USB, CD, DVD, iPod, Radio, Bluetooth, Aux and some more stuff that I forgot. Yes, the passengers can watch a movie while you drive and this is part of the package!! - nothing extra. I think a decent GPS costs ~ 10k or so.
Due to the touch screen interface, there are no pesky knobs. Just this screen and 3 knobs of AC/climate control. I just love the clean, uncluttered spartan look. See attached photos - also more on the cediasports site.
A lot of other cars I saw looked like cockpits for space travel. I don't want to DJ when I am driving and I am not piloting a starship transport cruiser (see Honda stuff).
GPS is pretty accurate and that too in Hyderabad gullis. It even asked me to 'make a left in 100 mts' on a non major road and then proceeded to order me to 'make a left now'. I was astounded by the accuracy. The tone of 'now' inspired a sudden impulse to rebel and drive straight into the wall but but the voice was pretty forceful and I decided to defer. (The GPS starts with Okhla as default - I am in Hyd).
This is a very good feature to have when you are out of the city touring in unfamiliar areas - which I intend to.
Then the seats -Leather. What more do I need to say? Sleek, smooth black with a thin red/maroon strip to break the monotony. Classy without being ostentatious. Looks really great in contrast to white. I used to think leather was crazy because of the comfort and sun/heat issues but these seats are just great looking. They will be a major problem in summer - the Sun will really heat this up. I may have to carry around some cloth/sheets in the boot to cover the seats when I park in the open. But totally worth the effort for the look.
The gear handle is leather covered too. I feel pampered - especially after the last 7 yrs of struggle :-).
The steering - Momo of course. Excellent matt finish, leather lined again. I wouldn't mind using it as a pillow. The only issue is that the horn is placed in the center which forces me to move my hands to honk and who-ever has driven in Hyderabad will understand the issue with that. Let me add that this is a very minor niggle. I consciously avoid honking on roads but you do need it near corners for safety.
Carpeting and floor mats - why in the world would I be talking about these???
Because they paid attention there too. They provided carpet foot mats on top of the basic carpet. These foot mats have the same black+maroon/red theme with 'sports' written in red. Red can be a dominating colour but they used it just right. (A bit is visible in pic)
AC and Climate control:
Mitsubishi is one of the world leaders in AC and the climate control seems great but I don't think I have enough knowledge to comment on this. Not enough to benchmark either. I always had an issue with thermodynamics. The only other AC I noticed was in my wife's Swift and that didn't have climate control. It is waaay better than my friend's Santro but its probably sacrilege to compare Cedia with Santro. I have not driven any other sedan - an Accord for a few days but thats it.
Don't know whether I can expect or even want a rear vent. The only reason I mentioned this is that Linea has it. I don't intend being driven around anyway. Don't expect many rear seat passengers either. The strong AC probably makes up for this. It might make more sense in the non-sports model. If somebody from Mitsu is reading this - a small improvement to perfection? This may make sense in the Cedia Spirit.
Just 3 knobs on the dash for AC (and these are the only ones apart from the Kenwood system) - blower position (has auto), fan speed (also has auto) and temp control.You will probably never touch it after you set it once.
Interiors Other:
Subdued black all around. Matt finished door handles which are non-obtrusive. Power windows with full driver control, driver auto-down. Electric side view mirror adjustment.
Another thing I really appreciated is that the interior is lean - quite like the car itself. No unnecessary bulges and curves. Does not pretend to be The Hulk. Slim lines, more like Bruce Lee or Stallone in First blood. Inspires energy rather than bulk. They weren't kidding around when they said sporty.
Functional use of lean-ness also means increased visibility all around. Excellent build quality - everything fits snugly - not an ounce of un-needed fat.
Lean sleekness extends to the display too. Important controls visible - also has display dimming for night drives on highways. Was looking for just speedo and tacho - did not want anything fancy like mileage, distance to empty... and stuff. I did not spend too much time on this after I noticed the basics - oil/engine, ABS, SRS, door open indicator, trip meter.
The interior light is in the middle - could have given 2 - one in front and one for rear - maybe this idea is for the Spirit too.
One issue I noticed is that my left leg seems to be touching the paneling below the steering when I depress the clutch pedal completely. I am of avg. height - just under 5'10" - don't know if I should lower my seat - will try that tomorrow.
Has a digital clock but the position makes it difficult to read under sun light - maybe a small hood on it will make the digits visible. The Kenwood has a clock too.
Has a cigarette lighter but I quit smoking - also posted advice on the 'quit smoking' thread. I asked one of my friends to bring a dashboard camera from US. That can draw power from this outlet. It has a suction cup for attaching to the windshield on the inside. You point the camera towards the road and It continuously records everything on the road and if ever there is an accident, I will have proof that I was absolutely not at fault (that requires disciplined driving too :-) ) I got it for insurance purpose. If you know Hyd drivers, you will want one too - maybe even 2 - One for the front and one for the rear.
The performance:
Engine:
Just have a look at the engine layout....Its *engineered*. All of Mitsu's legendary engineering skills are on display. No hanging/suspended stuff. Even the air intake vent is bolted - ready for rumble in the jungle. It just shows the rally heritage. I fell in love with it on the day of the test drive.
All the bulk you see in exterior of other cars - SX4, Swift, Chevy...and not visible in Cedia is because in Cedia, all of the meat is under the hood. Even the Civic looks bulky and its engine is not 2.0 ltrs.
A *de-tuned* 2.0 ltr engine giving 115 horses. When I asked Mr. Narayan Iyer of HM about this, he said that the engine was detuned to increase the mileage and reduce power for Indian demand. The engine should be easily capable of 300BHP or more. What a spectacular waste of the capabilities. Something like Sachin going at the tail end to provide stability.
Still 115 BHP at the indicated RPMs is pretty good considering Indian roads if not the mileage demand. Engine feels torqy. Never a knock even at low speeds in relatively high gears. I remember seeing a sub 40kmph in 5 th gear but on a level road just after I slowed for an intersection and didn't down shift just to see the response. It was puttering along without a care. Had to go to 4th for an incline immediately afterwards. I didn't push beyond 2500RPM so more on engine after a month or so.
Suspension:
Rally suspension. You get a good feel of the road without compromising on comfort. I compared it..... no, scratch that, make that *contrasted* it to the Corolla in a previous post and I think 'Sporty' is more than well deserved for the Cedia. I test drove the Cedia first. I test drove the Corolla and I did not even bother to test drive the City after that. I stay close to the ORR which is a fantastic road (see pics) but with some ordinary patches. These patches used to throw around the Swift at > 80 kmph and I used to feel that I am abusing the car. And the Swift is supposed to be rally proven too.
In the Cedia, I felt just one bump which was a pretty big undulation. And this was ~ 90kmph. I will report again after I can take this car beyond 100 kmph. Suffice to say that I am pleased as punch right now. I could take S curves with amazing confidence. Body roll is minimal - much lesser than even the Swift. Absolute eagerness to turn at your slightest whim. You've got to love the stiff suspension and grip.
Gear shift:
Again apart from hatchbacks, nothing in my previous experience to compare with. As I mentioned, it never complained with low speeds and high gears. Will check the responsiveness after the 1st 1000 kms when I can push it beyond 3000 RPM.
Brakes:
You got to feel it to believe it. I always kept bracing while braking (hangover from the hatchbacks) but in the Cedia, never felt a thing. Feels solid and stable - no tyre squeal at all even once when I didn't see a bump and had to brake hard. The stiff suspension also keeps the body stable.
Other:
The car does not feel sedanish at all. The only times I notice the size is when I look at the rearview and notice the spoiler waay back and size matters when I am backing up - but thats probably because of almost 18 yrs driving hatches. It feels zippy, tight and agile and this is a boon in heavy traffic - peak time on the Madhapur-Jubilee Hills road.
The engine seems to be heating up a bit. The temp guage rises almost till midway. This could also be because of the AC being always on and the new engine factor.
The turning radius is great for a car of this size. Its the same as the Swift - 4.9 mtrs. Taking 'U's across medians in traffic is a breeze.
Overall, I think this is one of the few products (and not just vehicles - any product) that delivers as promised on the website.
Performance mods:
Apparently Mitsubishi has official ones and I am enquiring about them. If they provide full warranty, I will have them put in within the next 6 months based on affordability else I will wait for a year and a half or so.
The issues:
Mostly about service/promptness. I had told that showroom to inform me a couple of days in advance so that I can deposit the cheque for the balance. The cheque would have cleared in time for delivery. Since the dates were always in flux, this did not happen. But to give credit where it is due, they did indeed give me delivery of the car based on cheque I gave on the same day.
The showroom has every right to insist on full payment before I drive away with the vehicle and they can ensure it pleasantly with just slight planning. I had given them 1 lac as advance anyway. I was born in Hyderabad and I suspect its the famed Hyderbadi lackasidal attitude on display.
I anticipated that I won't get delivery without the final cheque and even offered NEFT. I was pleasantly surprised that they let me drive away with just the cheque. But after having done that, holding onto the T/R number till the cheque clears is slightly insulting and more importantly leaving me open to legal issues. I would have understood if they insisted on complete payment before handing over the vehicle.
It is a legal offense to drive on public roads without registration. Worst case scenario is if I have an accident without the T/R - it will be a legal nightmare. I am having to just putter around my house till this is issued. I could not get in touch with the MD today and the team is reluctant to give me his mobile number. I did not insist on the mobile number but have asked for an appointment with him tomorrow. I will let him know the issue and hope there is a change in procedure where the payment can be made and all formalities completed before the vehicle is driven out.
Final word:
I saw a shameless plug for Cruze on NDTV-Profit a couple of days back - a shoot out among mid sized sedans where Cedia and Lancer were ruled out as the anchor put it "it moved down in cost" but the Cruze won because it was VFM and among the cheapest. 'Moving down in cost' is a strong recommendation, not a disqualification. Only 2 cars in that group of 5 (Jetta, Laura, Corolla, Civic and Cruze) had 2.0 ltr engines - The 2 cars were - the highest end Laura costing ~ 18 lacs and Cruze ~ 13 lacs (ex showroom). The Cedia Sports is < 11 lacs on road.
Now the Cruze is a great car, 150 BHP commands respect and so does the impressive torque but if you buy a Cedia and make small performance mods equivalent to the cost difference of a Cruz, it will blow away not just the Cruze but most other sedans - BMWs, Audis included. The Merc C230 AvantGarde which somebody in my family bought recently has ~ 204 horses and costs ~ Rs. 37 lacs (more than double my entire savings since I started earning more than a decade back). BMW 325i has 215 horses and costs ~ 34 lacs. I suspect that an official mod worth 1 lac on Cedia will get you that power.
Don't let the paid plugs influence you. I have seen the same anchor use the word 'nice' about 10 times in 3 minutes while describing BMWs, Mercs and Ferraris. If you think a Ferrari is 'nice', I won't be surprised if you thought Saira Banu, Rekha, Bips and Kangana 'pleasant'. I don't think he has an ounce of passion in his whole body. I don't recall the name but he is the tall permanently stubbled guy from NDTV who keeps covering all the motor shows. He uses 'nice' to describe both the scorchers as well as the stinkers. He should spend 10 mins with Jeremy Clarkson with a couple of supercars thrown into the mix (after securely chaining Jeremy to prevent homicide). If you are looking for true blooded sporty performance under 25 lacs - Cedia is it. The next step up will have to be BMWs and even they will not keep up with the Cedia off the tarmac.
You see..... Cedia is a *de-tuned* rally car with the engine capable of > 300 BHP. It is built for performance - off the track and on the track.
The public road is the leash and not the habitat.
...........And damn the resale value.
29th October 2009, 02:30
(6)
Thanks
? Each aspect was comprehensively covered, this is what a good initial ownership review should be all about. Quick question - the driver's seat does have height adjustment, right?
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