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S. Muralidhar

I want to buy a bike that offers good mileage, needs low maintenance and has good build quality. Can you help me choose among Hero Honda's Splendor+ and Passion+, TVS Centra and Bajaj CT100? I also want to know whether there will be any difference between Splendor and Passion with respect to their durability.

Rajeev Goel

If each of your parameters are taken individually, the bikes that would best satisfy them will be different. The TVS Centra and the Bajaj CT 100 will probably just pip the other two in the mileage department.

The Hero Honda Passion+ will beat the rest in the good build quality department and the Splendor+ will possibly come out tops in the long-term maintenance cost parameter.

In terms of cost of maintenance, the Bajaj CT 100 may be close to the Splendor, but being a relatively new model it is yet to establish its credentials.

So, a bike that can combine to satisfy all your expectations may be the Splendor+, though its mileage may be slightly lower than that of the Bajaj CT 100 and the TVS Centra. If good looks and better build quality is important to you, the Passion+ maybe the one to buy.

There may not be much of a difference between the Splendor+ and the Passion+ in terms of durability. But ride quality and general finish quality will be a tad bit better with the Passion+.

I am a bit confused, in trying to choose between the Skoda Octavia Diesel and the Toyota Corolla. The Skoda looks good, but my friends tell me that diesel cars are expensive to maintain in the long run.

My average use is about 800-1,000 km per month. I rarely take the car for outstation drives beyond 250 km. I test drove the Toyota Corolla and liked its pick up and suspension.

From the resale value point of view, overall fuel consumption, maintenance cost, engine technology and comfort, which one is better?

Rakesh Kumar

I am a resident of Tirupur and would like to buy a car in the premium sedan segment. I am considering the Mitsubishi Lancer, the Skoda Octavia and the Toyota Corolla.

My first preference is the Lancer. I would like you to compare its engine, pick-up and mileage with the other cars.

Shiva Shankar

Both the Toyota Corolla and the Skoda Octavia are worthy competitors that will leave most buyers stumped about which one to choose. But unlike in the Octavia, the Corolla does not come with a diesel engine option.

The low cost per km that the highly fuel-efficient diesel burner in the Octavia affords makes it a compelling choice for buyers who are economy conscious. The 1.9-litre, turbocharged and intercooled, direct injection engine in the Octavia is capable of coming up with a mileage of about 16 kmpl (combined cycle). And though it is less powerful than the 1.8-litre petrol engine in the Toyota Corolla, it is still the more torquey of the two.

Build quality and rear seat comfort in the Octavia are top notch. Even cabin noise levels are very low for the diesel-engined version, though the petrol-driven version of the Octavia and the Corolla will both have even lower cabin noise and vibration levels.

Given the fact that both the petrol and diesel versions of the Octavia are pretty much equally priced (at Rs 12 lakh plus for the base Rider variant, Ex-showroom Chennai) you may want to buy the diesel one, despite your relatively lower annual usage.

Both the Corolla and the Octavia are set close to each other in terms of trim level and pricing.

But if petrol-driven variants were to be considered, we will tend to recommend the Toyota Corolla, for its pedigree and global presence, class leading build quality, super efficient, frugal gasoline, VVT-i engine and uncompromising focus on safety.

The Lancer maybe an option that Mr Shiva Shankar may want to consider only if the diesel option is being considered, because the indirect injection engine in this Mitsubishi model may be able to handle the poorer quality of diesel that is possibly the available in towns such as Tirupur.

Otherwise, the Lancer is not a good comparison with the other two cars.

I plan to buy a bike for my daily commute. I did some research of my own and have zeroed in on the TVS Fiero FX and Bajaj Pulsar 150 DTS-i.

My chief concerns are better on-road performance, low maintenance, fuel efficiency and, to some extent, the price of the bike. Kindly compare the Bajaj Pulsar 150 DTS-i and the TVS Fiero FX.

Saurabh Bajpai

The difference between the ex-showroom prices of the TVS Fiero FX (disc brake) and the Bajaj Pulsar 150 DTS-i is only about Rs 4,000. Between the two, the Pulsar 150 DTS-i has the more powerful and the more torquey engine.

In our view, with the Pulsar's new DTS-i technology and the much improved build quality, Bajaj has taken the benchmark a notch higher than the competition has managed till now.

Fuel efficiency of the Pulsar will also be marginally higher than the Fiero FX. The Pulsar also offers five-speed transmission, compared to the Fiero's four-speed shifter. So, unless you are taken in by the Fiero FX's raw and rugged looks, we think the Pulsar 150 DTS-i will be the right choice.

Queries may be sent to: q&a@thehindu.co.in or by post to Q&A, Business Line, 859/860, Kasturi Buildings, Anna Salai, Chennai - 600 002.

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