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I am looking to buy a new midsize sedan and my budget is around Rs 5.5 lakh. I want a reasonably fuel efficient car for city use, as I drive about 40 km daily. Most of it is through heavy traffic. I am considering the Corsa 1.4, Accent GLE and the Ford Flair. What do you think of the new Ford Fiesta and do you think it is a better buy than the other models?
Govind Hari
The Corsa has been phased out, and is now replaced with the Chevy Aveo. We think the Fiesta 1.4 petrol is a good option for you. The Fiesta has a great ride and is also sufficiently powerful and fuel efficient. The interiors too are well made and look attractive, and so it is certainly better than the Accent in most respects.
I am planning to buy a new car this month. I often travel long distances and would like to go in for an SUV. But I have a bad back and am looking for a vehicle, which has good seating and suspension. I am looking at something like a Ford Endeavour or the Honda CR-V, with good performance and mileage at around Rs 15 lakh. Please advise me on this.
K Phalgun
We feel that the Chevrolet Forester will be an ideal choice primarily because its ride quality is phenomenal on any surface and this is a huge plus for your weak back. It is also a good off-roader thanks to its 4WD system. But there's a downside. You may have difficulty getting one, as supplies have slowed down and it will also have poor resale value.
Is the 1.6 litre Duratec engine in the Fiesta the same as in the Fusion? If so, which one of the two would you recommend? I am thinking of Fusion if there is no difference in the engine on account of its seating comfort and attractive discounts.
Aneesh Kothare
The engine is indeed the same and we would recommend you go in for the Fusion because the seating position is high. It's also easy to drive and is a good urban commuter. However, it's not as good value as the Fiesta. Moreover, the interiors are not as well appointed as in Ford's latest launch - but do wait for a while as we hear that an updated version is on its way soon.
I have recently purchased a Maruti Swift LXi and want to trade the standard factory-fitted steel rims for alloys. What would be your recommendation? Also, how will alloys affect the ride and handling of my car and will they affect fuel economy adversely?
Arun Chabria
You can fit pressure die cast alloys wheels on your car. Since they are lighter, they should theoretically give you a marginal improvement in fuel efficiency. But in real world conditions there is no difference to speak of. Your best bet is to fit alloy wheels from the ZXi version of the Swift. Some other good brands for alloy wheels are Aura and Neo.
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