Getz Prime - The Super Mini !!!

Well, I like many others was in a dilemma to go ahead with or ward off Getz Prime because of its downsized engine. Considering the success of the eRLX engine of Santro, one would be confident, but again questions would be raised as the Getz’s body weight is actually heavier than Santro's. I had to decide, and I went ahead with Getz Prime 1.1 GVS as I am a sedate driver, and oh boy..what a nice decision it turned out to be! This car is indeed a surprise package - it really stuns you with its qualities. Its over an year now that I own this beauty. Read on..

Interiors - I fell in love with the instrument panel - the quality of plastics, ergonomically placed controls, the tachometer ..the adrenaline pumps as you lay your hands on the steering and raring to go.
Exterior looks - Chic Euro styling, nicely arranged rear lamp cluster, extended bumper which takes the scratches when loading and unloading the boot. I like the 'thud' sound when one closes the door, feels like a costly sedan.
Space - Hmm..this is the area where Getz scores high in comparison with its competitors, it has oodles of space. It’s a 5 seater in the right sense, I've actually made five persons sit in the car and personally felt it. Extremely satisfied with the ride comfort it provides.
Drive comfort - Drive quality is exceptional with easy maneuvering and silky smooth ride courtesy the superior suspensions.
AC - this is something which is keeping everyone curious, for me this is a bit of disappointment but not a complete let down. One has to remember that this is a downsized engine compared to the previous version, I don't think anyone is complaining on AC over the 1300 cc version.
Top speed - Driven at a speed of 110 kmph and it is indeed quite stable even at such high speeds. With AC the pick up is tad bit slow, but this is the with like any other car, you just need to downshift the gear, giving the race car like feeling ;)
Suspension - this is one of the most admirable quality of the car, you will fall in love with the car's suspension, one of the best in comparison with some upper segment car's as well. Silky smooth ride, more the load the better the suspension.
Gear box - Well, am not exaggerating saying that the gear box is the best amongst all hatchbacks and some sedan's too. I could shift the gears with my finger tips.
Mileage - It gives me approx 13 kmpl mostly in city conditions and 17 on highways - quite satisfactory for a car of its class.
Features - You've got a slot for virtually anything! be it mobiles, goggles, pens, coins, wallets, bottles ..whatever you give her, accepts gleefully and tucks in its tummy. It is very annoying to hold a 2 liter bottle, but here.. just thump it in the holder and it doesn’t even obstruct the rear seaters. Tilt steering is very very useful, one can adjust to his/her own comfort. Nice large plain dash board space, unlike Maruti's carving a slot in the dash to accommodate things. Illuminated glove box is a good provision. The best of all the features - Split Seats. These are very very useful in case you are carrying large cases, we carried two large suit cases to the airport, and it looked like there is still some place left ;) Also, you can access the boot from inside of the car, without having to stop the car. Very handy feature to possess. The rear seats can be reclined in three diffferent positions, quite comfortable for elders.

Personal opinion on other comparable cars in its class and reasons for leaving them out:

Swift - Even though I liked Swift for its looks and power (even though comtemporary looks are its USP, strangely this is the quality where it has scored minus points from many potential buyers) but space and interiors have disappointed me a lot. Maruti is notorious for its tacky interiors and they haven't done any better job in Swift's case too. I even heard of the door rattle complaint from many owners, not sure of it has been rectified. One more negative aspect I find in Swift is the driver's seat position - it looks as if we are deep down in a well trying hard to reach the surface. Looks and power are for Swift, and other factors are against it.

UVA - I did not consider UVA as I thought it was over priced (by atleast 20k when compared to Getz GVS) for the features on offer, for the same/less price we get better features in Getz (in basic version) like 60:40 split, tilt steering which I think are very useful features and present only in higher versions of UVA. Moreover boot space is a big set back for UVA as far as my opinion goes. And more importantly, backed off due to Chevy brand, costlier spares and maintenance factors - which I have heard quite frequently from my friends in US too. Basically, didn't want to take a gamble by opting for UVA, otherwise its a good car.

Well, these anyway are in my point of view; the final decision depends on the individual though. Features which should be incorporated in future to counter the competition from other brands - Airbags, Immobiliser, EPS, Tubeless tires, Automatic Climate Control. Upgradations - I have fixed a rear spoiler to pep up its looks, and I plan to install an arm rest when the company provides the option.

Jun 2011 - Mileage update after 4 years of ownership and 24k KM.

I have checked the mileage recently and was pleasantly surprised seeing the figures. I got a more than decent 14 kmpl with AC in city driving and around 18 kmpl on highway with intermittent AC. I have conducted the tests using the full tank method and with a driving range of about 400 kms and filling up the tank for about 4 times to check the mileage.