Category: advice

Tata Nano AMT Short Review

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genex-nano-2 genex-nano-11-large Had followed the pre-launch buzz about the Nano automatic from the time it was mentioned in the Auto Show in January 2014. Was hoping Tata would keep the price reasonable. Several months later finally after the launch was done I signed up on the Tata Nano Website for a Test Drive. Tata representatives called within a couple of days and organized the test drive. It took a couple of back and forth calls to schedule the time but finally it was to be done around 8 PM in the evening. The sales representative was very enthusiastic and interested in explaining the features of the Sangria Red Nano that was brought for the Test Drive. One point he kept repeating for me and for my father was to not use the left foot but to use only the right foot for both acceleration and braking. It was okay for me as I have spent 6 years driving an automatic Honda Civic, it took a few hundred meters for my father who has never driven an automatic to get used to it. But he managed just fine.

 

I started off and had to do a turn in the middle of our street to go out of the colony. The power steering made the turn very easy (I compared this with the manual non power steering Gen 1 Nano owned by my Father In Law which took some effort to turn). Starting off from a stop was decent and the acceleration though slow was adequate. Had to keep expectation in check as other cars I have driven recently have easily another 50+ BHP.  

 

AC was cooling rapidly even before we covered 500m and was on blower setting 1 ! In total got to drive around 3 km of the XTA. This included one steep flyover. Didn’t feel the car struggled at that time with me, my father and the sales guy in the vehicle. On flat surface however did wish it had a bit more power but for the city traffic. For a relaxed drive felt it was more than enough. Headlamps were more than adequate. Like any unfamiliar car the brakes took some time to get used to but once you got familiar with it it was easy. Horn was a pathetic bleating sound from the single horn but still enough.

IMG_20150725_203524
My Father with Nano after the TD

Throttle response was a bit better with the S mode. Manual mode was fine but figured best would be to put in Auto mode and drive peacefully (instead of using the AMT like a manual). Having the ability to use the 1st gear for a steep incline in manual mode is definitely useful. Didn’t get to try it however. Read about the AMT vehicles rolling back a bit before starting on inclines – some changes in driving style may be needed but for a new driver to get used to it should be easy. More power and better brakes would be welcome but will have to compromise on that as there is no other option at this price. For city only driving felt the car with AMT is brilliant. Interiors have improved over the original Nano. Sound of the engine is not very apparent in the cabin.  The exhaust note has changed from an auto sounding note to something that sounds a lot more muted. Likes:

  • Easy to drive in traffic with AMT
  • Turns with the power steering are very easy and will be a very nice car for city traffic. I have driven the non power steering version and feel power steering is a must and really feel Tata should have launched it with Power Steering right at the beginning.
  • Amazing AC(probably the best across segments). Very quick cooling even at the first blower position
  • Great Interior Passenger Space
  • Good seating position and easy to enter
  • Folding Rear Seat (sorely missed on earlier version)
  • Openable rear hatch (sorely missed on earlier version)

Dislikes:

  • Waiting period of 8-12 weeks (on a minimum)
  • Low on power(may be difficult to take steep roads with full load of passengers) Sufficient for flat roads.
  • Mileage may not be all that great (real world expect around 14 to 15 with city traffic and full auto mode)
  • Lack of all Safety features
  • Not so powerful brakes(drums only)
  • Luggage space (hatch) is only for city use(groceries etc)
  • Fuel filling still needs bonnet to be opened.
  • Limited color selections(for me at least). Felt they should have a lot of bright cheerful colors. Right now only the red, blue, purple are bright colors. Will not be caught dead in the pink (called Persian Rose).

My FIL who had bought the first gen Nano(as a second car) when it first came out went ahead and sold it in the end of August and booked an XTA Silver. He was been told it will take 2 months. He waited for 2 weeks and then was struggling a bit at home without the second car called up the Tata dealership and was not able to get a confirmed date of delivery – cancelled the automatic booking and went in for the GenX with power steering and Openable Hatch. He is pretty happy with it.

Requesting anyone here has family/friends driving GenX Nano XTA/XMA to please provide their inputs.

 

PS: For those wanting a long detailed test drives read the reviews here Team-BHP / Indian Autos Blog / Motorbeam I had earlier posted about Mr. Thomas Chacko and his Mano Et Nano trip around India in a Tata Nano. Do read this in case you think the Nano is a sad excuse of a car. You will be amazed where the Nano has reached ! The book “Atop The World” by Mr Thomas Chacko is now available. . PPS: First Two photos are from the Tata Nano Website.

Automatic Cars in India costing less than 16Lakhs (Updated 2012, March)

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Ford Fiesta Powershift

I finally updated the list of automatic cars currently available in India today after close to a year.

Now the list has  12 vehicles with the Dzire, Rapid and Fiesta petrols being added newly. Verna details are updated with the new Fluidic which comes both in petrol and diesel. Civic , Cruze and Corolla have been moved out as they do not come under 16L.

Here is the complete list of automatic vehicles costing under 16 lakhs (on road-Chennai):

  1. Reva Maini (CVT)(Electric)
  2. Maruti Suzuki A-Star VXI AT(4 speed)(Petrol)
  3. Hyundai I10 1.2 Kappa Sportz (4 speed)(Petrol)
  4. Maruti Suzuki Dzire  1.2 (AT) (4 speed)(Petrol)
  5. Hyundai I20 1.4 Gamma – Sportz AT (4 speed)(Petrol)
  6. Hyundai Verna Fluidic 1.6 –  Petrol and Diesel Automatic (4 speed)
  7. Maruti Suzuki SX4 ZXI AT( 4 speed)(Petrol)
  8. Honda City(4 speed with paddle shift)(Petrol)
  9. Ford Fiesta  Powershift ( 6 speed, Dual Clutch)(Petrol)
  10. Skoda Rapid AT (6 Speed)(Petrol)
  11. Volkswagen Vento Highline 1.6 (6 speed)(Petrol)
  12. Scorpio VLX AT(6 speed)  (Diesel)

Only the Verna comes with a petrol and a diesel automatic.  Most of the vehicles on the list are petrols and it seems very obvious that Indian Manufacturers expect the automatics to be primarily used for shorter distances where the diesel advantage of mileage is not required. The Ford fiesta alone stands out as a petrol with 6 speeds, dual clutch system and very decent ride and handling.

Also the automatic versions typically higher in price than their equivalent manual siblings. Add a diesel engine to the mix and the pricing may very well come from one segment higher. So usually the automatic comes only with a petrol.

The post I had shared in 2011 March about Automatic transmission vehicles is here with the original list and some myths about automatics. With the traffic one has to face in Indian cities – the automatic will become a definite must have for some reduced stress.

Some vehicles being talked about that may come out later this year with Automatic Transmissions are the Nissan Sunny and the Tata Aria. The Reva NXR that has been talked about for years will also have a CVT – whenever it gets launched.

Wishlist:

Now that Maruti has the 4 speed auto on the DZire – when can we see it on the Swift ?

How about an automatic Figo and Ecosport ?

Automatic Jazz / Brio anyone ?

Automatic Fabia / Polo ?

Tata is conspicuous by its absence in this list – they need to get something done regarding this soon.

2009 Vehicle Color Popularity (India & Global) from DuPont

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Dupont has published their annual studies of vehicle color popularity data for 2009. Am really happy to see that for the second year in a row India has warranted its own data collection and analysis. Till 2007 India was not considered separately and the closest was Asia which had data from Japan ! Shows India has reached a stage where the data coming from it is meaningful on a global scale.

India 2008-2009 Vehicle Color Popularity
India 2008-2009 Vehicle Color Popularity

For India as indicated in the graphy above Silver still is the most popular color followed by white, red and blue. Last year White was the most popular closely followed by silver. Other colors constituted less than 6% each. Unfortunately DuPont has not released the breakup by other colors this time around.

On the global scenario silver is still the most popular color followed by black, white, gray and blue. Below is the trend of color popularity for the past 10 years.

Global Colors Popularity 2000- 2009
Global Colors Popularity 2000- 2009

The full DuPont report is here.

10 Tips for Child Car Safety

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Free child looking out a window with reflectio...
Image by Pink Sherbet Photography via Flickr

I usually park my car in such a way that I have to back the car into the spot. Every time I do so, I worry that someone from my family will be behind the car and I may hit them by mistake. This fear has grown ever since my son started walking a couple of months ago.

I saw this on the net: Miracle Baby Pinned Under SUV Survives Unharmed. I proceed to freak out even more.  The story referenced a website called: http://kidsandcars.org/ which seems to be a site collecting and maintaining statistics of children injured/killed in accidents involving automobiles. Their statistics reveal that of all fatalities involving children from 2002 – 2007 the top 3 reasons were:

  1. 44% were due to “back overs” (backing up over a child)
  2. 17% was due to “front overs” (opposite of back over)
  3. 16% due to Hyperthermia.

Having freaked myself out enough – I started to worry that since this is not tracked well in the US which usually has statistics of everything, the statistics in India would be very different. I do not even want to think of it since it will be more gruesome than the US statistics. Rather than think about that I thought maybe I should put together some tips for parents / drivers.

Tips for vehicle drivers with little children around:

  1. Check for small children hiding/playing immediately in front of , behind or under the car before starting. Always!
  2. Secure children inside the car in child seats or have adults who are secured with a seat-belt hold the child (India specific – since the usage of car seats is minimal).  Child car seats are best kept in the rear seat away from airbags if present in the car. When held by an adult make sure their heads are away from window panes since bumps on the roads could cause their heads to hit the glass. If asleep they should either be held by an adult -not left on the seat alone.
  3. Children should never be allowed to stand inside(in the middle of the seats etc.) a moving vehicle since sudden stops could cause them to fall.
  4. Children should not be allowed to sit/lie down in the luggage area of hatchbacks or SUVs where there are no proper seats.
  5. Never  leave children in vehicles alone. Parental supervision is a must. Doesn’t matter if it is hot or cold or whatever in between.  (Recently a car was  stolen from near the Chennai airport with 2 children in it – thief lead police on a chase until he was finally stopped.)
  6. Enable the power window locks and child locks on the doors to ensure that children cannot open the doors/windows unless under adult supervision. If the windows are to be kept open (no A/c or non-working a/c) make sure the children’s hands and feet are always in the car and never outside.
  7. Keep enough toys/food/water in the car and always have an adult to keep them entertained and busy to prevent them from crying/distracting the driver thereby causing an accident.
  8. Check for little hands and feet when opening/closing doors/windows/trunks/bonnets/tailgates etc. Applies when sliding/folding seats/gloveboxes/cigarette  lighters as well.
  9. Do notallow children who are not old enough to drive a vehicle.
  10. Drive carefully, within speed limits, follow all rules, be courteous to other motorists and set a good example to the young impressionable minds in the car.

Request: Dear readers – have I missed any key tips ?  Please doadd more tips through the comments – I need your help to  build this list up.  Please do share these tips with parents of small children who may find it useful as well.

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Automatic Cars under 16 lakhs

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paddle shifter
paddle shifter

 

Pls Note: The list updated as of March 2012 is here : http://cars.zimbly.com/2012/03/automatic-cars-in-india-costing-less-than-16lakhs-updated-2012-march/

Indian customers have limited choice  in transmission options. Most Indian manufacturers have decided to provide manual transmissions because of our well known obsession with the mileage of vehicles.  This has resulted in a state where only a minute number of cars feature auto transmissions.

This is the list of vehicles priced under 16 lakhs on road listed in order of increasing price:

  1. Maruti Suzuki A-Star VXI AT(4 Speed)
  2. Hyundai I10 (4 speed)
  3. Hyundai I20 1.4 Gamma – PL (AT) (4 speed)
  4. Reva Maini (CVT)(Electric)
  5. Hyundai Verna 1.5 SX CRDi VGT Automatic (4 speed) – (Diesel)
  6. Maruti Suzuki SX4 ZXI AT( 4 speed)
  7. Honda City(4 speed with paddle shift)
  8. Volkswagen Vento Highline 1.6 (6 speed)
  9. Scorpio VLX AT(6 speed)  (Diesel)
  10. Toyota Corolla(4 speed auto)
  11. Honda Civic (5 speed with paddle shift)
  12. Chevrolet Cruze (6 speed)(Diesel)( at the outer border of 16L )

The number of vehicles over 16 lakhs with automatic gearboxes is significantly higher.

at-big

Common Myths regarding  Auto transmissions:

  • Low on power/pickup: Myth. The auto transmission doesn’t have as much intelligence as a human and can perform to a certain limit of options as designed. It may not have the intelligence to shift down a gear for overtaking or shift as quickly up to a higher gear for cruising as desired by drivers used to driving manual transmissions with control over the gear used. Once you get used to the way the transmission performs you will be better able to drive it optimally. You will need to learn to stamp down on the accelerator or ease off it depending on how you want to go. CVTs are better than regular automatics and within regular automatics the larger the number of speed ratios supported the better since the engine RPMs are better set with multiple ratios than a few ratios.
  • Low on mileage: Partly True. Automatics are slightly more thirsty than their manual counterparts but this is usually do to a combination of slightly higher vehicle weight and poor awareness of the way to drive an automatic. How much lower is the mileage usually depends on the vehicle and the driver but usually the difference would not be more than a difference of 2 to 3 KMPL lower at the max. The difference would come down with sedate driving and careful braking and starting.
  • Very Costly: Partly true. Automatics are currently around 40,000 or more costlier than a comparable equivalently specced manual. Our manufacturers have traditionally offered automatics only on their highest trim levels of cars. If automatic transmissions were made available on even the entry level trims with just an air conditioner am really sure the response for them would be much better. Pairing them up with diesel engines would make them even more desirable. Currently a lot of people buying automatics go in for adding on LPG/CNG kits.
  • Automatics are not fun to drive: Myth. Agreed they are not as responsive as a manual transmission but there is nothing like the comfort of driving an automatic in peak city traffic. You get to relax from constantly changing gears and concentrate on moving without hitting anything or getting hit. The few cars that come with steering column mounted paddle shifters are fun to drive without the hassle of manual shifting.

When should you get an automatic ?

  • If you are spending a lot of time in peak traffic requiring stop and go movements.
  • You drive your own vehicle
  • You are new to driving and just cannot get the hang of clutch and gear and brake and accelerator
  • You have only driven automatics till now.
  • You are ok with sedate driving and do not require the fine level of control possible with manual transmissions.
  • You refuse to let a driver drive
  • You have foot pain or a physical condition that prevents usage of a manual transmission.

When you should not get an automatic:

  • If you are concerned about vehicle cost and cost of fuel more than ease of driving.
  • You are very concerned about performance
  • You do not drive in peak traffic at all and have only empty roads where you need to go or you have a driver and just do not drive.

Auto Clutch ?
What about the much advertised auto-clutch conversion kits for manual transmissions that costs anywhere between 25k to 40k ? My only advice is first check if the dealer of the kit provides a guarantee and service in your city? Also get it done only if you have no choice as I would choose a factory fitted transmission any day over a bolt on mainly from the point of view of a factory warranty over a installer warranty.

Manufacturer Blabber:
Manufacturer Support for automatics has been very reluctant in India with the obsession with mileage.As of today Hyundai is the only manufacturer that provides an automatic option for all segments of vehicles it provides(I10,I20,Verna,Sonata) . The dealers are usually reluctant to sell you an automatic. They have been advertising the Verna Automatic which is a segment first and that too in diesel trim.

Maruti will dissuade you against buying the automatic vehicles.  They will try their best to sell an automatic Grand Vitara on the other hand which no one wants in its Manual version itself.  Strangely Suzuki which sells automatics in every other market in the world in India as part of Maruti keeps insisting that there is no market for it and hasn’t been serious with auto transmissions.

Wishlist & In Summary: I think there is definitely a market for small fuel efficient automatics, mainly diesels in all segments. Any hatchback car that has the Multijet diesel engine from Fiat is a good candidate to get an automatic box. They have adequate power and already provide great mileage so will not suffer much from having an automatic box.
Tata and Fiat need to look into automatic options soon to stay abreast of competition as the currently have ZERO vehicles with automatic transmissions.
Mahindra has the automatic on the Scorpio but need to start providing more options on the Xylo, Logan and Bolero soon.
Maruti – please wake up and add automatic versions to the Swift, Ritz and DZire diesels – please – and price them well !
Ford – the new Fiesta could do with an automatic with the new 90 BHP diesel as well.

PS: This post was actually put together around the same time as my I10 post but I delayed putting this up.Do you know what car has the steering wheel & gear lever pictured in the images in this post ? 🙂 . The answers are in my post itself.

Updated: March 10th,2011 and added the Maruti Suzuki, A-Star,Chevrolet Cruze,SX4 , Vento. Also removed the Wagon R AX as it is no longer sold.  Also added the below list of costlier (greater than 16L) automatic options.

Vehicles costing just over higher than 16L :

  • Hyundai Sonata CRDI AT (4 Speed) (Diesel)
  • Skoda Laura AT (6 Speed) (Diesel)
  • Ford Endeavour 3.0L 4×2 AT (5 Speed)(Diesel)
  • Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara (4 Speed)
  • Chevrolet Captiva LTZ AWD AT(5 Speed)(Diesel)
  • Skoda Superb 1.8 TSI AT (7 speed)

 

Which car is better – the Ritz or the Swift ?

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I test drove the Maruti Suzuki Ritz ZXI (Petrol) last weekend.  I am comparing it to the Swift as I think customers will find it tough to decide between these two cars from Maruti. 
 
Exteriors:

  • I like the front and the front 3 quarter view. Looks like a mature grown up  Swift !
  • To get used to the rear I may have to start drinking something stronger than non-alcoholic beverages and quite a bit of it as well till my vision blurs.  The rear doesn’t look too bad when the car has wider tires (like on the ZXI) and also when it is on the move. When stopped and up close it does look a oddish nice kind of  strange.
  • The side view is interesting till the C pillar – then almost like the designers ran out of paper/screen space while making the drawing they stopped with a vertical line and ended the rear !
  • You will tire of hearing about the “boomerang” shaped tail lights from the dealer sales person very quickly. You would wish you had a real boomerang to fling at the sales guy. The tail lamps are pulled inwards and a strange window lineof the side windows is seen when viewed from the full straight rear position.
  • The exterior door handles, ORVMS are the same/very similar as the Swift.  Rear bumper fog lamp looks similar.
  • The bonnet seems higher than the Swift. Good for gently tapping errant pedestrians and accounts for better pedestrian safety for sure.

Here is a side by side comparison of the Swift (my own car) and the Ritz exteriors.
 
Interiors:

  • The seating position is a bit higher than in the Swift and seats feel the same. Almost like sitting on a cushion and driving the Swift.
  • The front quarter glass was a nice touch and helps a bit with visibility up front but there is still a huge blind spot at the A-pillar. Otherwise front visibility is good.
  • Visibility from the back will take some getting used to as the rear glass seems a bit small.
  • Rear wash/wipe & defogger only on the ZXI (just like the Swift).
  • The space saved by moving the gear lever in front isn’t used for anything.
  • The outside rear view mirrors are well placed, right sized and useful.
  • Lot of the interior is borrowed/shared with the Swift but still some cost cutting seems to have been there. Indicator/Wiper stalks, steering wheel, door locks & power window switches are all the same. Ashtray is the same. Gear lever knob is almost the same. Interior roof light seems the same.
  • The open glove box in addition to the closed one on the ZXI with the airbags is very useful – something the Swift ZXI doesn’t have and wastes space because of the airbags. The coin holder and storage space on the top of the dashboard is also good. Glove box seems similar in size to the Swift.
  • The front door pockets have storage space for bottles. There is only one central console mounted cup holder.
  • The steering mounted stereo controls are good but a bit annoying till u get used to them since they are in the spot the horn is on my car. Instead of honking I found myself increasing the stereo volume or muting the stereo without wanting to. The buttons seem a bit delicate and fiddly. More video game like than car like.
  • The increased head room allows 3 people to sit a lot more comfortably at the back than in a Swift. Legroom in the back was more than adequate. Feels more spacious than the Swift.
  • Luggage space was almost the same as the swift. If you want to carry a lot of luggage you should look at other vehicles possibly sedans. The 60:40 split is possibly the only saving grace of this car – I really wish the Swift had this.
  • The two tone dashboard was of a slightly vague light blue-grey color. I didn’t care for it too much. Matching colors to the exterior would have made sense but someone at Suzuki likes that weird color of blue.
  • The front under seat storage is a joke. Very small and without a lock. A newspaper and a magazine may just fit into it. If it were metal it could have been used to bake brownies – it was shaped like that.
  • Air conditioning seemed just about adequate (maybe the larger glass areas and lack of tints on the Demo car and the hot summer sun was a factor). I may have been spoilt by driving around with climate control and dark tinted small windows in the Swift. Blower fan gets noisy at “3” position. The side vents close fully and are a design different from the Swift.  The climate control is the only key feature missing on the Ritz that the Swift has.

 

Drive & Handling:

  • It took some time to get used to the gear shifter because it is positioned almost a half a foot ahead of the gear shifter in the Swift/most cars. The gear shifter felt really good and the shifts were very precise – even better than the Swift. For people with multiple cars this gear shift will be a difficult to get used to, especially when you have to switch cars daily. On the move the car is very silent and the engine barely lets you know it is on and running and at idle it was very silent. It did make some minimal noise when pushed but for it to move you have to push it past 3000 RPM. The older Swift engine would be screaming a nice song at 3K RPM.
  • Clutch, brake & accelerator pedals are the same as the Swift. Clutch is light and easy to use.
  • First gear seemed ok enough but the 2nd gear seemed a bit lethargic and the 3rd gear seemed pretty decent. I barely managed to get to 4th before I had to shift down because of traffic. By then the TD was over and we were back at the dealership.
  • The separate tachometer was a bit distracting in my view. Maybe since I am used to a tachometer next to the speedometer.
  • The ride was smooth and handled rough patches of road without too much noise and without losing balance. It didn’t feel top heavy like the Wagon-R does when taking turns at speed. The wider stance has to be thanked for it.
  • Visibility out front is very good and maneuvering the car in traffic is easy. Of course it is not an 800 but easy enough to drive.

 

Dealership/OEM Updates:

There seems to be sufficient interest in the car at the dealership and there was a steady stream of people coming to do test drives. Was almost knocked down by an 80 year old man and his wife who were rushing to TD the Ritz. This couple was doing the TD after finalizing the deal for buying the car !!!!! The people coming to TD the Ritz seem to primarily be ones who are married and have a family.

The dealer also mentioned that Maruti is forecasting long delays on all other vehicles other than the A-Star, Ritz and SX4 to make sure the sales of these continues. They are also trying as much as possible to not take bookings of any vehicle other than the above mentioned 3 cars. Even test drives of other vehicles are not being done ! I think this may backfire and cause people to defect to Hyundai , Tata and other manufacturers. Need to wait and see how well the Ritz is received and also if Hyundai and Tata sales go up because of Maruti.

Which one is better ?
There is no binary answer to this question. The Ritz is better than the Swift because of its fuel efficient, lighter, newer engine, interior space, features. The Swift is better than the Ritz for its looks, sporty responsive drive, slightly better trim level and features. Both seem to have their good features.

  • If you want a new car that does everything well, has seating space for 5  and will offend no one – take the Ritz.
  • If you have dreams of up-sized/wide alloys rims, low profile tires, spoilers, body kits, vinyl stickering and sports tuning then go for the Swift.

Test drive both and then just flip a coin and choose whichever one. You win with either of the two !  

 
PS: Thanks to Senthil for the photos !

What features do you think all manufacturers should copy ?

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The latest Auto Car India has an article on features that manufacturers provide which are not useful in India. Reading that lead me thinking about good features that manufacturers should copy and introduce on all vehicles (since they are anyway copying from each other). This list is primarily from vehicles under 15 lakhs (mostly can be found on vehicles less than 8 lakhs in price).


Interiors/Comfort/Convenience

  • Flat dashboard with non reflective surface and anti skid surface allowing small items to be placed there without sliding around
  • A/C vents that can be fully closed
  • Coin holders with soft inside lining that doesn’t rattle
  • Sunglasses holder
  • Cell phone holder on central console/dashboard
  • Glove box big enough to hold more than just a few papers with soft lining to prevent rattling
  • Cooled Glove box
  • Central console/dashboard space big enough to hold Cd’s
  • Front passenger under seat storage. Has to be reasonably sized – otherwise don’t bother. If it is lockable even better.
  • Storage space for 1 litre bottles in door pockets.
  • Netting in boot for luggage/straps
  • Clutch foot rest
  • Clutch lock that requires clutch to be pressed before cranking engine
  • Follow home lighting and theatre style dimming of cabin lights.
  • Lighted ignition key slot on the dashboard and easy to see rather than on the steering column (I know the photo does not have it on the dashboard).
  • Keys that have remote lock/unlock built in.
  • Valet keys that do not open the boot or lockable glove box. You can give these to the valet without worry of your valuables.
  • 60:40 split rear seats with adjustable tilt
  • Double/flat folding rear seats for storage
  • Fully flat reclining front seats – dangerous since they do not secure the passenger in case of an accident or sudden stop, but good for pulling over to the side of the road and catching some Zs.
  • Adjustable seat belt height
  • Height adjustable headrests front and rear
  • Steering mounted audio controls that can work with all stereos !
  • Power windows and remote central locking 
  • Lighted power window and other switches  
  • Auto up/down power windows
  • Power windows that close automatically when the vehicle is locked
  • Anti -pinch power windows
  • Stain proof fabric for seats.
  • Height adjust for driver seat
  • Pedal reach adjust – helpful for short drivers
  • Arm rest for drivers seat and for rear passengers. Armrests with storage space are useful to stow small items.
  • Access to boot through rear seat armrest/console
  • Rear seat/Boot hooks for shopping bags
  • Power adapter in luggage bay/ in reach of rear passenger
  • Middle row tray tables for SUVs/MUVs
  • Sliding middle row seats that move back for more legroom in SUVs & MUVs.
  • Flat folding 3rd row seats for SUVs/MUVs
  • Anti glare rear view mirrors

Exterior

  • Blind spot convex mirrors.
  • Parking sensors front and rear. I wish there were side sensors too 🙂  (rear camera optional).
  • Roof Rails: Contrary to what ACI says I think Roof Rails for luggage are needed more for hatchbacks than for sedans or SUVS since they have minimal boot space. Well integrated good looking roof rails like the ones on the Chevy Spark but with additional rails to make it functional would make hatchbacks a really practical option for people on a budget not wanting to spend an extra lakh or so for boot space that is used a few times a year.
  • Under body rust proofing & cavity rust proofing from manufacturer included in warranty. Why nag us with it later for every service
  • Well integrated rubber “rubbing” strips around. Body color or close to it would be best.
  • Grab type exterior door handles
    Tilt steering wheel 
  • Lighted engine bay and luggage areas
  • Rear defogger and wash and wipe
  • Outside rear view mirrors on the driver and passenger side should be made mandatory

Engine /Technology 

  • Distance to empty indicator and rpm and speed ranges for maximum mileage. (“Green” driving performance indicators may be too much to ask for but would be good to have.)
  • Tachometers for all trim levels. Teach people to drive for mileage and performance.
  • Automatic time based switch off of roof lamps and headlamps if engine is off unless a specific override like keeping doors open is present.
  • Micro hybrid technology for all cars. Retrofit kits for existing cars if possible
  • Hands free in-car blue tooth kits.
  • Have ABS standardized on all trims. Lowered cost if it is mass produced.
  • Speedometer linked audio systems (automatically reduces volume at lower speeds by a little bit)
  • Speed sensitive steering
  • Radio antenna integrated into rear windshield glass
  • Cruise control for highways. (ACI believe it or not, 0n some of the highways in India we can actually use cruise control.)
  • Central locking which lets you open the doors and hatch/trunk without requiring you to stop the car and give the key to someone, especially for security checks at offices and hotels.
  • Tire pressure monitoring systems
  • Make tubeless tires standard. 

Dear Readers:
Can you identify the cars whose features I have listed ? (At least the ones in the pictures I have used.)  
Any good features you have come across that I have missed ?
 
Source of images: Maruti, Hyundai,  Mahindra, Skoda &  Ford product websites.

Indian Super Hatches Comparison

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The market segment of feature filled large size hatchbacks  in India is becoming very exciting with several new model launches planned for the next few months starting with the just launched Ritz in May, Jazz in June and the Punto and Polo soon after. If you were looking at purchasing a large sized Hatchback and puzzled with the options before you, you must have realised the need to do a lot of research to narrow down what fits your budget and your needs.

Suzuki Splash.
Image via Wikipedia
Suzuki Splash photographed in Tokyo Motor Show...
Image via Wikipedia

“Don’t Panic” – help is at hand. I have done the research on the key features, dimensions and specifications of the large hatchbacks available in the Indian market today for you. The focus of my comparison is primarily space,safety and features.  

 

Vehicles compared:  

  • Skoda Fabia 1.2 Ambiente
  • Hyundai I20 Asta(O)
  • Chevrolet Aveo U-VA 1.2 LT
  • Hyundai Getz Prime 1.3 GLX
  • Indica Vista Saffire Aura
  • Maruti Suzuki Swift ZXI  
  • Maruti Suzuki Ritz ZXI

These are all petrols only to keep the total on road cost under 7 lakhs. Indian Manufacturers have the highest trim levels with safety features only on their petrol models. The Fabia, Getz Prime, Swift & Ritz come in diesel versions as well but are usually not as well equipped (only exception being the Fabia) as the petrol equivalents.These vehicles have a good mix of space, are fairly new on the market and come with basic safety features. (**I have included the Indica Vista in the list only because it was similar in size to the other but feature wise it doesn’t come close).

The attached PDF file has this in an easy to compare format. Do take a look and let me know if you need any additional information. Click here for the PDF file. (I am not affiliated to any of the manufacturers other than through ownership of a Getz and a Swift.)

Do also take a look at these older posts of mine to help you

  1. select your first car
  2. select the best vehicle to upgrade to
  3. determine if you can add specific accessories later or buy them factory installed.

Updated June 14th:

Do also take a look at the following:

  1. Which car is better – the Ritz or the Swift ?
  2. Are you looking for a Diesel Hatchback ? (Comparison of Fabia,Fusion,Vista,Getz,Swift,Ritz, Indica and Palio) 
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10 Reasons to Leave Your Car at Home

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World Class Traffic Jam
Image by joiseyshowaavia Flickr

It may be strange to see this post on a car enthusiasts blog where you would expect to see me post only about driving and cars .  Sorry to surprise you in this way but I think sometimes it is wiser to leave your own vehicle at home and look at alternatives in the following 10 scenarios (relevant to any city in India):

  1. Political processions/protests/meetings/bandhs are planned for the day (You may be better off taking a two wheeler if you have to travel.)
  2. There is civic unrest and riots/fighting on the roads(staying home is the best option)
  3. There is heavy rain & flooding on the roads(if it is really bad you may want to stay home as buses may stop plying and rail tracks maybe under water- you can forget going to work)
  4. Roads are severely damaged after rains/floods/riots
  5. Massive roadwork is being done such as conversion of a regular road into an expressway
    Chennai prayed too hard.... Part III
    Image by Pandiyan via Flickr

  6. You are unwell or are recovering from an accident or illness and cannot take the strain of driving.
  7. You have very regular work timings and alternatives(cheaper and greener like the company bus/suburban trains/car pools) are available
  8. Your vehicle is not reliable because it is an older model & has problems needing repairs. (Get it fixed quick.)
  9. You are under a lot of stress and tension due to either a birth/ death /illness/ marriage/fight with spouse or event prep/work/business reason.
  10. You haven’t had sufficient sleep(less than 2 hours of sleep) the night before.

What are the alternatives ? Take public transport or take a cab with a driver if you absolutely must travel. Keep your “precious” car safe at home. You may need to spend more on that one days travel but you have the peace of mind of not damaging your car or exherting undue strain on yourself by driving in such conditions.

Related: Was just about to publish this when I saw another good post show up in my Google Reader on Driving With the Right Attitude on the Indian Autos Blog as part of their weekly advice column. Do check it out.

For a perspective on what all can happen when you leave your car at home check out: Is your car safe – even at home ?

A question for readers of Zimbly Cars:  Do you agree with this post or do you have other thoughts ? Please do let me know through comments.

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Can I add this modification to my car?

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Hyundai Coupe/Tiburon with body kit at Ceylinc...
Image via Wikipedia

A common question and dilemma a lot of prospective vehicle owners have are around what modifications they can perform to their vehicle and what are best purchased as factory installed options. This post attempts to guide such buyers through that decision.

Modifications that cannot/should not be done after purchase of a new vehicle without considerable effort & cost and putting your warranty in question and having to deal with questionable quality: 

 

Chick Magnet
Image by icathing via Flickr
Carbage
Image by joes2005via Flickr

(Please do think many times before you go down this path. Your/your parents’ hard earned money may make you the laughing stock of the world).

Thumb rule: If your rear  spoiler is more than a few inches taller than boot/roof and looks like clothes can be dried on it and still does not have anywhere near as much horsepower as a spaceship:  YOU ARE OVER DOING IT. You have enough warning from all websites ridiculing “show but no go” / “rice rockets” .