The Hindu Business Line : Question N Auto

I plan to buy a car in the mid-size category. The cars that I have short-listed are the Hyundai Verna Diesel, Ford Fiesta Diesel and the Honda City. As far as my requirements, the parameters will include low running and maintenance costs, practical value for the price and a good residual value after about five years of usage. I will be driving the car for about 12,000 km per year on average.

Considering that both are equally priced, if I opt for the diesel which one will be better — the Verna or the Fiesta?

Sujeet Prakash V.

Most mid-size car buyers in the entry-level and executive categories face this dilemma about whether to choose the diesel or the petrol version. In the context of the Indian car market, this question acquires another dimension because of the price difference between the two. Will the initial price difference between the two engines pay back if one chooses the more expensive diesel engine package, and how long will it take to payback are questions that are most often the ones on the top of the minds of car buyers.

A closer look at the trim options being offered by manufacturers for the car with both the engine options will reveal that the diesel engine model almost always lacks a few of the extra features that come as part of standard fitment in the equivalent petrol engine model. Car manufacturers do that to further balance the price-to-value proposition that the diesel models represent vis-à-vis their petrol counterparts. In many cases, this is done to both retain the appeal of the petrol model and price the diesel model competitively.

Most of today's new generation common-rail direct injection diesel engines, as featured in both the Ford Fiesta and the Hyundai Verna, will not entail a dramatically large annual outgo in the form of maintenance costs compared to their petrol counterparts. The older diesels would have needed much more regular replacements compared to the current engine technologies in use. Sure consumables will still need more frequent replacement even in the newer diesel cars compared to petrol vehicles .

Going by the usage pattern you have guesstimated, it does look like a long hard look will be needed before you can convincingly choose the diesel over the petrol models of the Fiesta and Verna. The Honda is a much less confusing option to consider. With class-leading fuel efficiency amongst its petrol peers, the Honda City could be the car that will suit your profile.

If you want to choose between the Fiesta and Verna diesels, then you will have to consider your driving location before a final choice can be made. The Ford Fiesta's 1.4 TDCi diesel engine has been put together to make a great city car. The engine's low-end torque characteristics, with the peak 160 Nm kicking in at a low 2,000 rpm means that frequent shifting of gears will not be needed in slow moving city traffic. The Fiesta's diesel engine's peak power is however, a low 68 PS.

The Hyundai Verna, on the other hand, is more of a highway dweller. You will have 110 horses on tap with the Verna's common rail injection diesel engine that has been endowed with a variable geometry turbocharger. But the Verna's low-end torque characteristic is not in the same league as the Fiesta's. The turbo spools up quickly and so the initial hesitancy and sluggishness are more due to the car's gear ratios and the engine mapping that has been provided for the Verna.

I have narrowed down my options for a new, small car to the Maruti Suzuki Zen Estilo VXi and the Swift VXi. I will be using the car for a daily commute of about 30 km within the city. What is your opinion regarding these two models in terms of parameters such as mileage, comfort, maintenance cost and resale value?

Suraj Middya

The Zen Estilo and the Swift are not in the same size and performance class. So, the comparison will tend to be one-sided in favour of the Swift if performance and comfort are considered, and in favour of the Zen Estilo if mileage and maintenance are your primary concerns.

In our opinion, the Zen Estilo is meant to be an attractive, younger looking alternative to the Alto, which will mean a slight compromise on the mileage parameter, but which it will make up partly with peppier performance. The 1.1-litre Wagon-R engine in the Zen Estilo will be a notch more fuel-efficient than the 1.3-litre Esteem engine that has been reworked for a more lively performance in the Swift.

The price difference between the two cars will also be Rs 50,000-60,000 depending on the variant chosen. It is a little early to be certain about the maintenance costs and the resale value of the new Zen Estilo. But it should be possible to hazard a guess that the Suzuki Swift will be the winner as regards both these parameters.

The Swift will also be the clear winner if we consider passenger space that the two cars offer. The Zen Estilo's rear seat can be a real squeeze for three passengers, whereas the Swift can seat three passengers with relative comfort.

If you are considering the Swift, you may also want to wait for the diesel variant of the car. The Swift diesel will be out within the next couple of weeks.

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