[toxictaxi]

I suppose the Ignis with its rumoured AWD will change things.

[vibhavraghav]

I live in Shimla and own M800 and Duster 85ps. Ive seen new cars come and go but there's still nothing out there that can match the sheer capability of a puny M800 in the hills. It's a pleasure to own , not only due to it's drive but also due to the ability to squeeze into gaps. Parking is a mess in Shimla and you really begin to appreciate the practicality of M800. The pick up is still a charm, even after all these years. If Maruti would start making M800 today i"ll again buy it blindly for the hills.
I also had a chance to drive Etios Cross in HP over an extended period of time. I was amazed at the car's engine response. This is one vehicle which i really began to like after many years, and i'll admit i always had an impression that Etios was a boring car. But this Etios cross amazed me pleasantly. The pickup was good, over taking was a breeze, and trailing in 2nd and 3rd gear too was better than most cars out there. Another car which i really liked to drive here in hills was the older Figo. Any one looking for a practical car in the hills must have a look at these two cars . Im not sure about the new Figo

[bmuser]

Someone told me that ABS in hill can be dangerous... would like to hear other's thoughts on this?

[sudev]

IMHO that someone does not know what he is talking about.

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by bobbafett

The Duster indeed has great ability to handle bad roads (very common in hilly areas in India) and a pretty nice engine.

But I'd contend that the Yeti 4x4 is an even better vehicle for hilly areas, especially if looking at Himalayas and snow driving.

As a Yeti owner I definitely agree with what you say. It is fantastic in the hills with its compact proportions, abundant torque, ability to pull you out of minor scrapes with gravel and all the rest of it. Yes, it is also a very safe car.

However;

Frankly the Duster AWD is much cheaper and one would tend to beat up a cheaper car much more than one would, a more expensive one. There is today, a 12 lac difference between the Duster AWD top spec and the Yeti 4x4.

I would also say that the Duster has a better ride quality and suspension - with its excellent French Renault DNA - the French have always been renowned for their suspension and ride quality - Citroen, Renault and Peugeot have always been very comfortable with excellent damping. (This is because French cars are designed to give one a comfy ride over their cobbled roads in their cities/towns and over the dirt tracks in rural areas and this is why one sees a large number of little 2CV's blundering about in the rural areas in France - eminently simple functional construction and very little can really go wrong with them.)

But the real piece de resistance is also something I would like to say - this is from observation right from the 1980's when the first Marutis hit the hills. The front wheel drive, the innate lightness, the hard suspension and tiny proportions, make these Marutis an absolute winner in the hills. Yes, in conditions which require extreme 4x4 the cars won't quite do, but for that kind of thing one always has the Gypsys and others...and in any case, in those extreme 4x4 conditions, even the Duster and Yeti will struggle because of their sheer weight. However, a Thar or more importantly a Mahindra D1 4x4 or of course, the Gypsy, will go happily up and down like a tractor. Also, if a little Maruti gets stuck, then all you need is 3-4 people and you can literally lift the little thing out...
The Scorpios and Boleros etc are tough and capable yes, but very heavy indeed and they simple won't do in their 2WD avatars because one can't even go up a steep grassy track in these 2WD avatars without slipping big time.

Saying the above, I believe the Renault Kwid, could be a very good contender for the hills too. So could the little EcoSport EcoBoost.

At the end of the day, it depends on one's all round usage patterns plus one's requirements of modernity and comfort.

Therefore if I personally were to choose just one vehicle to live with in todays modern world, day in and day out in the Hills, then I personally would probably choose them in the below order.

1. Duster AWD - Tough, primary all rounder
2. Yeti - because I own one and know that I can live with one if I lived in the hills.
3. Thar Crde 4x4 Hardtop - because we've had these Mahindra Jeeps a long time and they are immensely tough and capable.
4. Gypsy Hard Top King - it is the most uncomfortable of the lot, sadly though.

The problem will come only when the vehicle has to go for servicing because having just one vehicle in the hills is troublesome when it has to be serviced unless one has access to some kind of backup. Or if one is a gentleman of leisure and can of course pop down to the plains, take a break while the car gets serviced and then head back.

For this alone, it is better to have that one vehicle which is simpler in construction and can be easily serviced anywhere with minimal loss of time.

So ideally one would try to own 2 vehicles - one would be a Maruti or Mahindra or Hyundai and the other can be just anything at all.

[atrocious]

Originally Posted by vibhavraghav

I also had a chance to drive Etios Cross in HP over an extended period of time. I was amazed at the car's engine response. This is one vehicle which i really began to like after many years, and i'll admit i always had an impression that Etios was a boring car. But this Etios cross amazed me pleasantly. The pickup was good, over taking was a breeze, and trailing in 2nd and 3rd gear too was better than most cars out there.

Which one of the two engines did it have?

[vibhavraghav]

It was 1.4 diesel. It's a brilliant motor for the hills i think. Great pickup, do give it a try

[DwarkaDelhiWala]

My idea of driving into Himachal is always to a secluded Raj Built Forest Bungalow high in mountain jungles. But with family.

That also means carrying almost every article of daily needs, including electric duvets. Such drives and excursions with family are always awesome for happiness, pleasure and family bonding.

So small cars are out of reckoning. For my family and friends it has always been Innova for many years now. Fully loadable rooftop carrier and extremely comfortable interior.

Effortless cruiser on NH21/22 or narrow broken roads in Baspa Valley or muddy accent at Chirgaon to Chanshal Pass!

[ssambyal1980]

Originally Posted by vibhavraghav

I live in Shimla and own M800 and Duster 85ps. Ive seen new cars come and go but there's still nothing out there that can match the sheer capability of a puny M800 in the hills. It's a pleasure to own , not only due to it's drive but also due to the ability to squeeze into gaps. Parking is a mess in Shimla and you really begin to appreciate the practicality of M800. The pick up is still a charm, even after all these years. If Maruti would start making M800 today i"ll again buy it blindly for the hills.

Absolutely. Couldn't agree more that nothing can beat Maruti 800. Also have one and have done numerous trips in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Had taken Maruti 800 on the treacherous roads of Kinnaur from Chitkul in Sangla Valley to Nako Lake near the Tibet border. Crossed over Rohtang a number of times during trips to Lahaul. Drove it on many narrow roads in the interior of state the most notable being over the Jalori Pass. Despite all the strife and strain, Maruti 800 has been an excellent performer. Had driven it on the unmetalled highways stretches of Uttarakhand during the trips to Yamunotri-Gangotri and Kedarnath-Badrinath and it handled the rough tarmacs very well. Maruti 800's ground clearance of 170mm is quite confidence inspiring, which enables it to take over the unmetalled Himalayan roads with ease.


Following are the links to the trips in Uttarakhand in Maruti 800:

Yamunotri-Gangotri Trip: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...hatchback.html

Kedarnath-Badrinath Trip: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...uti-800-a.html

[jassi_jeeper]

Just back from a Shimla trip during the diwali break. I live in Chandigarh and have been observing that Alto K10 by far outnumbers Alto 800 many fold here. However in Shimla the most popular car seems to be the Alto and 90% of these are Alto 800. There is not much of a price difference between the two, the K10 has a far refined and powerful engine, better FE and also far better interiors. Wonder why the hill guys prefer the Alto 800 over the K10! Any idea folks?

[born_free]

Originally Posted by jassi_jeeper

Wonder why the hill guys prefer the Alto 800 over the K10! Any idea folks?

Having spent first 20 years of my life in remote uttarakhand hills I can say that Alto 800 is favoured because it is the cheapest Maruti, folks at hills can buy.

The income levels are not that high in hills and nearest Maruti service center can be as far as 250 kms.
So value for money and reliability is always favored over other parameters.
A two wheeler itself is considered as luxury and someone owning a car can be counted as rich.
People usually buy the most basic models and in those days even AC would not come as standard.

[Aroy]

One reason for preferring Alto and its various variants is that most cars start rattling and deteriorating fast on the broken rough roads of the hills, hence locals find it convenient to get an Alto (or its variants) at 3-3.5L and get a new one after using the car for a few years (before major rattles start). Makes perfect sense as any sturdy vehicle will cost more than 10L and that too will require constant repairs.

[shashanka]

Originally Posted by vibhavraghav

.....but there's still nothing out there that can match the sheer capability of a puny M800 in the hills......

+1! I couldn't agree more. We've spent the better part of the past 20+ years touring Uttaranchal's Nainital distt (but not Nainital!), so much so that we ended up plonking a bit of our hard-earned on a plot in Naukuchiatal (my thread "Naukuchiatal - far from the madding crowd" gives a peek into our near-obsession with the place).

And in our years of touring the region, the one vehicle that stands out is Maruti's 800 - in both its iterations, the M800 and the Alto. It is without question the single most popular vehicle in the region - and with good reason, as you mention in your post!

Originally Posted by DwarkaDelhiWala

....But with family....

That also means carrying almost every article of daily needs...

I'd add our Scorpio to the list of vehicles of choice. And to add to the list of "daily needs" we must include our extended canine family of two largish, occasionally hyper-active boxers, who have been our frequent travelling companions (on & off) over the years. And our Bucephalus has served us flawlessly over the past decade & more - the reason why we are addicted to the model - "nothing else will do!"

[prabhpreet]

Hi,

Need advise on my a new car.

I live in Dharamsala, Himachal.
Car would be used mostly for driving in hills and occasional (couple of times a month) highway trips mostly to Punjab/Delhi. The car would be mostly self-driven by me (I enjoy driving) and occasionally my wife within the city. Most often we would be max three occupants in the car - me, my wife and my 4 year old.

My checklist of things I am looking for ion rough order of priority:
1. Good ride quality in the hills
4. Comfortable seats for long journeys (especially the front ones)
2. Easy and stress free driving experience (soft clutch, easy gear shifts if manual, light steering, feel of small manoeuvrable car)
3. Good driving dynamics and ability to handle curves well (Minimumized body roll and hence motion sickness for co-passengers at higher speeds)
5. Good driver involvement and feedback to make every journey a pleasurable one than a "suffer" type "safar"
6. Responsive engine (the more the merrier here)
7. Mileage is not too much of a concern but would want it to at least not nose-dive in the city. (NOTE: Dharamsala driving is rarely bumper to bumper crawl which is where the mileage takes a big hit like that of my Vento TSI back in Delhi)
8. The convenience of an automatic would certainly be a a big plus.
9. Compact dimensions certainly a boon in the hills.
10. Budget not too much of a factor

My shortlist:
1. Ford freestyle
2. Ford Ecosport
3. Swift Petrol AGS
4. Baleno CVT

NOTES:
- Also had Nexon Diesel AMT in the list but just crossed it out. After about 4 test drives felt the car is too softly sprung. It has everything going for it - spacious, uber-luxurious, practical, AMT with good mileage. Just that the car seems to wobble bit more than my liking on bigger bumps, spirited driving does not inspire confidence beyond a point and feels like you are driving a big heavy car.
- Feel free to suggest any other car that I might have missed but fits the bill.

Big thanks in anticipation to the awesome Team-bhp community for your inputs in the decision making process.

Thanks

[ARAY]

Originally Posted by a4anurag

Smaller wheelbase (Overall smaller footprint), decent power output, nimble handling should make things good for the hills.

Small question to all the folks
In hills which will struggle more in sporadic O2 scenario

1.1.5l petrol or 1.5l diesel
2.1.5l.petrol turbo or 1.5l diesel turbo
3.1.5l petrol turbo or 2l petrol turbo
4.1.5l diesel turbo or 2l diesel turbo
5. Low torque or higher torque diesel
6. Smaller turbo or bigger turbo (turbo ratio)
7. Higher vs lower compression ratio

I have been wondering about this for a long time and I think this will be a good place to start the discussion.