Were the Swift and Fabia – separated at birth or whatever back of envelope drawing that first conceived their deisgn ? I have always felt there are way too many similarities in the design of the Swift and the Fabia. Have not had a chance to drive the Fabia but got a chance to park next to one and sneak a few photos off my mobile :-).
(Please click on the thumbnails for larger versions)
Design Similarities:
Overall silhouette with tapering roof
Glass house area tapering towards C-pillar
Blacked out A pillar
Bonnet line joining base of A pillar
Other than the front grilles the bonnet outline is very similar
Design Differences:
The Fabia is narrower by a little bit but longer than the Swift resulting in a longer rear door that doesnt taper as much.
The Swift is a bit taller and wider while the Fabia seems lower and flatter.
The Swift has better curves 😉
Headlamps, Grille, fog lamps are the key differences up front.
The rear is different enough – the Swift shows its width with a portly rear.
I have been really bothered by the “new” launches that have been all over the news for the past month. Are these really “new” vehicles – maybe its just me – but I think when the words “all” and “new” are used together in the same sentence to define a vehicle launch I expect the vehicle to look very different from the previous one and to also feature a whole lot of changes to everything in it from engines to interiors to exterior shape and design. A lot of manufacturers very shamelessly call changes to headlamps, tail lamps, introduction of new color schemes for the interior as a “new” vehicle. Most of these can be done by aftermarket accessories shops – we didn’t need the manufacturers for it.
Since I have been out of action for a while I am taking the liberty to consolidate my thoughts on the most recent launches of the past month or so here.
Toyota Fortuner (Aug 24, 2009) This is really a new launch for India. Wheelosphere.org has details about the launch here. It took a long time to get to India. The only downer is that the interiors are too similar to the Innova. Quality is good and the vehicle is capable and comfortable – but Toyota did not plan for the demand and has closed bookings for the next 7 months – or is it just a ploy to get dealers/brokers to make some quick money through “premiums” being charged to get this popular vehicle soon. (Has Toyota been keeping a ear open to how Maruti and its dealers handle the Swift/Dzire Diesel’s popularity). (Toyota in the recent past called the refresh of the Innova the launch of an “All New” Innova – with just head& tail lamp changes, a new grille & climate control).
Maruti Suzuki Estilo (Aug 25th, 2009) New engine and significantly face-lifted exteriors – very close to being a new car. The wheel arches look a bit funny IMHO – well actually the whole front has been a sore point even from the previous iteration. The headlamps look better than the original ones and the bonnet and grille have been re-worked to be more rounded than the older version and more like a tall hatchback than the previous version. The interior has some minor changes. The heart of the car has changed – this is a significant change in my book and will classify this as a new vehicle. Most significant change was the fact that the “Zen” name has been laid to rest instead of being slaughtered on this ugly duckling – which has tried to change its looks slightly for the better I should say.
Hyundai Santro (Sept 1, 2009): Facelift only. This cannotbe called a new car. Beige interiors, grille & wheel cap changes do not make it a new Santro. This should have been decently called a refreshed Santro which is the only way Hyundai can try to move out existing stock till the actual new Santro is brought out. www.motorbeam.comhad a poll on this and as of this time 57% of respondents say no. 27% say “Who cares” while a surprising 14% has said it is a new car. People who answered “Yes” – folks you really are being conned by Hyundai and you do not know it. Motorbeam has a detailed post on what is “new” here . I am finding it difficult to figure out the “new” grille – which looks exactly like the old/older/oldest Xing ones – is this a case of only the intelligent seeing the new grille ? In that case I must be the stupidest person around !
Honda Civic (Sept 8, 2009) Facelift only. Minor changes to the tail lamps, smoking of head lamp, changing the bumpers and alloys doesn’t fool me :-). They also have no creativity – they introduce a new trim always called a “V” trim and the main feature is guess what – Fog Lamps and a USB capable music system ? Cruise control is added new – a feature I feel should have been there from day one – for the price charged.
Ford Endeavour (Sept 9, 2009) This one is a bit difficult and I will call this a significant faceliftand not really a new vehicle. The front has undergone fairly significant changes all the way till the “A” pillar. But aft of that there is not much of a change my untrained eyes can detect. The engines on offer are still the same but the 4×4 now comes in Auto-trans only. The Sat-nav system is a cool feature to have. Toyota for sure will be bringing this one and an automatic in soon on the Fortuner to keep up. Our Indian customers are crazy and just run out and throw money at anything branded Toyota and Honda – so Ford has to give away extra to get and keep customers.
Soon to be inflicted on us: Honda City (Sept 15, 2009)
Again a facelift only since this vehicle has been around for just around a year or even less. The “V” series makes its presence felt but details are scarce at this point other than new alloys (wow – Honda finally relented and are giving poor Indians alloys and fog lamps ! Thank you Honda – we are so touched !) BS Motoring has a writeup here .
Nissan Teana & X-Trail (Sept 16, 2009) Significant facelifts of these low selling vehicles are to happen says Motorbeam.com. These do not excite me since they are really niche vehicles which are neither VFM, neither sporty and no where worthy of their prices and they need to be built in in India rather than be imported for their sales to pick up. I am more interested in the vehicles Renault-Nissan has in the works that are focussed at the mass market rather than these :-).
What are your thoughts on the “all new” vehicles being brought out these days ? Please do make your voice heard.
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:
Chevrolet Cruze (6 speed)(Diesel)( at the outer border of 16L )
The number of vehicles over 16 lakhs with automatic gearboxes is significantly higher.
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.
If you are looking for a Diesel Hatchback and need an easy reference comparison sheet for all the new vehicle models available in India – you have come to the right post. If you have reached here in error and Petrol Hatchbacks are what you want take a look at Petrol Super Hatchbacks Comparison.
The vehicles I have compiled the technical specifications and key features for include the Ford Fusion Plus TDCi, Skoda Fabia TDI Elegance, Hyundai Getz Prime CDRI GVS, Maruti Suzuki Swift VDI ABS, Maruti Suzuki Ritz VDI ABS, Tata Indica Vista Aura Quadrajet, Fiat Palio Stile Multijet SDX and the long running Tata Indica V2 DLS. The maximum price of the vehicles I have listed is under 9 Lakhs (on road). Frankly – if you are spending more than 6.5 lakhs for a hatchback – you better have some really good reasons not to go in for a sedan.
Indian Diesel Hatchback Trivia: Shortest:Tata Indica V2 DLS Longest Hatchback & Longest Wheel Base: Ford Fusion Plus Widest: Ford Fusion Plus Largest Fuel Tank:Fiat Palio Stile Tallest:Maruti Suzuki Ritz VDI Most Fuel Efficient:Maruti Suzuki Ritz VDI/ Runner Up: Maruti Suzuki Swift VDI Most Powerful Engine, Highest Top Speed and Fastest in 0-100 time:Hyundai Getz Prime CRDI Smallest Turning Radius:Maruti Suzuki Swift & Ritz Lightest Weight:Tata Indica V2
**Best Ground Clearance: Ford Fusion Plus (The number needs to be checked – I got it from the Ford website – but it puts offroaders to shame)
Here is the data sheet: Diesel Hatchbacks Comparison to help you choose the car for you. If you need help deciding or have questions please feel free to ask through the comments or through the contact form.
PS: Please let me know if you have any additional data that can be added to the sheet to improve it.
Updated: June 18th to add details of the Fiat Grande Punto to the comparison.
After the Honda Jazz release on June 10th, I updated my Super Hatch (Petrol) Comparison chart. I will do a Diesel sheet soon.
While doing the updates I realized if the Jazz can touch 8 lakhs+ on road and still be in the sheet – then it was inexcusable on my part to omit the Ford Fusion which I had earlier left out because I was wanting to keep the list under 7 lakhs. It is a bit of a misfit since it has a 1.6L engine while the others are 1.3L at most.
My Thoughts: Overall the Hyundai I20 seems to be spacious and feature loaded at a decent price when compared to the Fabia and the Jazz. It tops in safety features as well. Compared to the Jazz, now even the Fabia seems like a value for money car !
PS: Hope the post title made some sense :-). Have a Happy Weekend !
The blog author was the sole witness to a despicable crime this evening. The victim, in the below right photo was a long standing member of the Karupu Kaakka Kudumbam Gang (K3G). His short devious dark life of crime was brutally ended by a rival gang member of Nandri-illa Nais Nexus (NNNs) – shown in an earlier file photo (left) from our archives.
The victim was talking a leisurely post dinner walk in the garden when he was murdered in hot blood(it is still summer here remember!) by the accused who was granted his nightly parole (from his chains for his nightly business) just a few minutes earlier. If you look closely the dead K3G is seen in the background on a high perch aiming at a poor defenseless automobile while his murderer relaxes on the foreground.
Murder Accused relaxing - Primary Victim in background and another victim in background sulking under sheets.
Though one key gang member has been put to rest tonight the attacks still continue and will continue on without end.
I mention attacks on poor helpless Automobiles in their own homes.
On a daily basis cars in India have to deal with attacks not just on the road while on the move but also at home when at rest from the following attackers:
Kids – Cycle handle bars, bats,chalk, pens, stones, sticks etc find cars surfaces very irresistible and feel the need to produce artworks on shiny cars. Car grilles/number plates also are a good alternative to putting up stumps for playing cricket. Headlamps/tail lamps are the bails – you knock one of them out – you get a wicket !
Family Members – borrow the car and returning it all scratched up – without ever leaving the parking lot/compound !
Pets/Stray Animals/Reptiles/Rodents/Insects – Cars are made of material found to be very comforting to these. They feel they have to be in constant touch with them, bite/pee/sit/shit on them, scratch them, get into them to prepare to meet their maker, give your reminders to ensure you to re-do the wiring system/buy new car covers/do periodic repaints/interior cleaning), clog up A/C vents to make sure you have to clean the whole system. I once have given a lift to a Frog on my Swift. It rode on my car’s A-pillar and kept peering in through the glass at me for around 2 km. It hopped off finally when a bus passed me and scared it ! (True Story – I swear)
NNN Vs RR - 2008NNN Vs RR - 2009
The photos to the left are the scars from gang fights between the Rebellious Ratberts and the NNNs in 2008. The car cover that was in the way of the fighting, suffered extensive injuries – but was given first aid and lived for a year with multiple hospital visits requiring stitches.
The other photo is from January 2009 when a repeat fight broke out between the RRRs and the NNNs. This time however the car cover had received grevious injuries and no amount of needle+thread first aid and DTR(duct tape repair) could save it.
Trees – Coconut trees are the most dangerous – they can aim coconuts at cars even up to 20 feet away from them. Any tree that has falling fruit/twigs/branches has to have sign boards next to them warning about them and their violence against cars. Laws of nature/ gravity/ biology/ chemistry and physics are bent by trees to fling fruit/nuts/ branches/ birds at cars). If they cannot throw something then they will make sure they drip a decent sized amount of tree sap on car parts that will be very obviously visible such as the center of the bonnet etc. (ensuring a repaint/polish is required).
Movable Objects – Gates, doors and anything that can swing, will and shall swing out and strike the closest car. Wind is not a requirement for this phenomenon. A mild sneeze will suffice. Actually a thought of sneezing will be enough.
Immovable Objects – Cars are fatally attracted towards immovable objects such as walls, pillars, posts etc at speeds so slow(tending towards zero) that just expensive paint scraping and body denting occurs. I theorize that Buildings have evolved from Trees especially coconut trees – since they also exhibit similar aim and strength of throws. The only difference is that buildings throw pieces of concrete, bricks, tiles etc at poor unsuspecting automobiles. If they cannot throw items similar to what I mentioned they usually drip A/C water or other similar corrosive liquid on the car. Then they act like they are just some building that can do no harm ! Balconies are the evolutionary equivalent of tree branches and are used by humans instead of birds as shooting ranges from which to practise their aim – at cars of course.
Neighbors– These people can be jealous, stupid, egotistical, insane, funny and mean all at the same time and go all out to make sure your vehicle has at least one scratch more than their 30 year old rust and rabies ridden excuses for automobiles. These are the ones that feed stray dogs/crows/beggars on your car bonnet/roof and also teach poor illiterate children to read and write on your car ! The sad part is your car is probably the cheapest vehicle money can buy – but still they could be jealous.
House Help: People who look like they have brains in all other situations will always choose to remove them before they work near your car. Excuses such as “I didn’t know paint thinner would remove the entire coating of paint – I just thought I would remove the tree sap” become very common. Any equipment they use for cleaning the yard will invariably fly towards the car and gently remove a small layer of paint. Just a small amount enough to be visible.
Other cars/vehicles: They get amorous when they see a curvaceous beauty like a red Suzuki Swift and feel they need to get close to her and cuddle up and nuzzle against her with disastrous results. Common excuses mentioned by the drivers are things like – I forgot to put the handbrake on – we should be aware of the real reason.
Rust: Those staying near the coastline must experience new cars rusting withing weeks of purchase. No solution for them other than to keep buying new cars or to hold off on that replacement purchase till an all plastic car comes about. Invest in rust proof paint company futures. Those of you who refuse to drive your cars from time to time deserve to get a nice rust full car. At-least start it once in a while !
PS: One of my earlier posts was 10 Reasons to leave your car at home . Even though it makes sense in some scenarios to leave your car at home, it is never advisable to leave your car at home without supervision for extended periods of time. Do check on your vehicle from time to time as it is constantly under attack.
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 !
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.
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.
“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
If you are a cab/tourist travel /call taxi operator, these are your most favourite vehicles of business:
Call Taxi Favourites:
Maruti Suzuki Omni (esp the LPG version)
Tata Indica (Indicab version)
Hindustan Ambassador
Travels/ Tourist Favourites:
Tata Indica (Indica DLS with A/c)
Tata Indigo/ Indigo XL
Tata Sumo
Chevrolet Optra
Chevrolet Tavera
Ford Ikon 1.8D & Flair
Hindustan Ambassador (with A/C)
ICML Sonalika Rhino
Toyota Qualis
Toyota Innova
Possible Future Cabbie Options:
Indica/ Indigo Vista (New lowest end trim just released for the Vista)
Hyundai Santro (New Cabbie edition is out)
Mahindra Xylo
Tata Sumo Grande
Maruti D’Zire
**Sad part is even if you buy them in any other color people see them as cabbie vehicles :-).
If you buy the above listed vehicles in white you have to get the following “Must Have” accessories as well:
Annoyingly Loud Horns
Blazingly Bright Headlamps and controls to use both horn and light with just a press of the horn to flash the lights non stop and keep honking non stop
Terry Towel Seat Covers
More Horse Power than Driver IQ ratio
Stereo music system with more watts & bass than required
Pointless stickers or either the puppy peeping from under the sheet, row of dogs walking, cricket ball breaking window, keychain hanging from keyhole,Ferrari or other exotic car name/logo stickers, NOS, Sports, Racing, Rally etc.
You are eligible to drive a vehicle with the above specifications only if you meet the following must have “Driver Attributes”:
Cro-magnon/Neanderthal intelligence (maximum IQ has to be atleast 20 less than vehicle Horse Power) & features
Cat like reflexes – to keep twitching between lanes
Bat like vision – to see atleast some things/vehicles on the road
Must not be able to hear other road users expletives. Otherwise hearing should be fine.
Rhinoceros Spec Skin (to ignore all the curses of all other vehicles). Buffalo spec skin is too thin.
Must know how to operate cell phone to keep asking cab company for directions
Must know how to navigate vehicle without using brakes but with only horn, lights and accelerator
For high end tourist/travels must be fluent in native language and butler style english if foreign customers are to be served.
Be able to sleep and drive. (Work all day/night and sleep whenever a few minutes are free)
Be a good runner, to out run mobs on foot after sleep and drive accidents
Any essential points missed out ? Do let me know.
PS: The car in the photo up top is an Indica Vista EV. It has not yet been launched – but when it is launched am sure it will be done with an Indicab trim as well.
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