Best value-for-money car

I had been driving a Honda City for 5 years, and a Baleno before that for 4 years. When it came to buying my own car, I knew exactly what I wanted. The car should have good rear room. It ought to be very comfortable for people sitting at the back. And I didn’t want to spend a fortune. 

So I did my due diligence, mostly at the CarWale site. When I entered the parameters above, I found a ready recommendation: Tata Indigo XL. I couldn’t believe my eyes. What? The humble Indigo defeated all the famous Japanese brands? I went through the specs of the car, and was quite pleasantly surprised. With a twin AC, a huge amount of rear space, McPherson strut suspension on all wheels, a city average of 12 kmpl, the car didn’t sound bad at all. Based on CarWale’s recommendation and my own study, I ordered the car, Classic Petrol version. The car was delivered on the Valentine’s Day, and I took home the long Burgundy Royal gift for my wife.

So far I have driven 2300km, so I can make some remarks. First, if you are used to the Japanese smoothness that you cannot compromise, this car will take time getting comfortable with. It feels heavy. The steering is hydraulic, not EPS, so again some effort there. When turning, you don’t get the same lightness experienced in the City or Baleno. The pickup is sufficient, but not all that swift like the City. So, it is not a car to race with. If you want to get to your destination comfortably, if you do not suffer from the habit of cursing at people zipping past when the traffic light turns green, if you prefer accelerating at the quiet majesty of a king, and not rushing with the impetuous haste of a headstrong prince, then you will enjoy this car.

The engine is a tad noisy at the lower gears, maybe because its still new, but is absolutely noiseless at 4^th and 5^th gears. Engine noise reduction is excellent. Gear shift is quite smooth, although usually Indica and Indigo have poor ratings on the shift. The suspensions are really good, and you do not feel the bumps on the road. I found the same passengers who complained against my 2007 Honda City, sleeping merrily through the entire ride, passing through some of the rough stretches of East Delhi and Ghaziabad. The car feels rock solid at high speeds, so feel free to explore the highways.

The turning radius of 5.5m against the 4.9m of the City will be very well felt when you try to park in a parking lot. Add to that the length of the car, and you better watch out lest you hit the car by the side! But with some practice, all that can be left behind for the otherwise unbeatable experience.

The XL has a lot of length inside. Initially, I could not hear people sitting at the back, and they too would have to lean forward and shout a little to make themselves properly audible. Welcome to India’s only stretch limousine! The legspace at the back is really royal, so the distance between the driver and the rear passenger gives the passenger (or the driver), a royal privacy. However, the driver side legspace could have been made a little better, although it is nothing to be complained about. It is good that the seat height is adjustable, compensating for the little lack of horizontal space.

There are two ACs in the car, and they both cool quite efficiently. It is marvelous that if the front passengers do not like the cold air, the rear passengers need not have to compromise, and can switch on the rear AC for themselves. I found the dual cooling, well, quite cool (pun intended!)

The engineering finish inside can be improved. Plastic cutouts are not perfect, so you can see uneven gaps between parts. The boot is really poorly done, with the cloth covering being uneven like a rocky mountain. The wooden finish on the steering is refreshing, and specially comfortable for the hands while turning the car.

The car sports a more modern look compared to the standard Indigo, mostly because of the tail lights. From the back, it has a saloon like look.

I have been getting 12 kmpl consistently in hardcore city driving, using Speed from Bharat Petroleum.

The car should have come with an MP3 player. The other grudge is that Tata Motors didn't give a lumbar rest, despite advertising. Later they told me that its a printing mistake in the brochure!

Overall, a value-for-money performer from Tata!