21-Jul-2011 12 : 15 PM by
Ravi Chandnani
in
Comparisons,
Hyundai,
Volkswagen,
Hyundai’s Verna has never been the ‘star car’ for the Korean giant in India. The first-generation Verna was not able to create great ripples , although there were people who appreciated Hyundai’s effort. And their appreciation was the drive that kept the Verna rolling in India. Over the years the company tried various upgrades and trims to attract customers , but it did not work quite well. Simultaneously , the competition became tougher and the Verna was not able to face the heat from its rivals. As they say , a true fighter never gives up , and so Hyundai returned with a completely new ‘Fluidic’ Verna. It looks better , is available with an array of new engines and transmissions and is also priced aggressively. So is the CRDi variant capable of challenging the Volkswagen Vento? Let’s find out.
Looks: Outside and Inside
One look at both the cars under consideration here and there won’t be any doubt in your mind about which looks better. The new Verna is the icing on the cake in that department. Hyundai have applied their new ‘Fluidic Design’ philosophy , which we first witnessed on the new i10. The bold front end with its up-swept headlamps and aggressive grille looks very contemporary and the rear styling accentuates class , something that was missing in the earlier version. The silhouette of the car is very modern and fresh and will appeal 
more to the young generation. On the other hand , the Vento has a tried and tested design that has worked very well for VW. The exterior of the Vento is much subtler than the Verna’s and it looks mature in comparison. The Vento appeals more to the mature , sophisticated and no-nonsense kind of folk. The same can be said of the interior. It is a little too simple , but , all the same , it proclaims quality and top-notch fit-and-finish. The Verna has a fun cabin. The new dashboard and centre console with a lot of buttons and a decent display look funky. However , the quality and fit-and-finish are not as good as the Vento’s.
The Heart: Engine and Transmission
Both the cars are equipped with a 1.6-litre common rail diesel motor. However , the Verna churns out more power and torque compared to the Vento. The Verna produces 128 PS at 4 , 000 rpm and 260 Nm at 1 , 900-2 , 750 rpm. The Vento , on the other hand , produces 105 PS at 4 , 400 rpm and 250 Nm at 1 , 500-2 , 500 rpm. Thus the Verna has an edge over the Vento in the power department. Though the Vento has a great engine , the Verna unit feels more refined. The power difference is not the only factor. The transmission on the Verna also gets an 
extra cog whereas the Vento’s engine is mated to a five-speed gearbox. Both the transmissions are smooth and deliver good driveability in each gear.
The Drive: Performance , Handling And Fuel-efficiency
Now the Verna has a clear advantage over the Vento in the top end , because this Hyundai has more power and torque. But the Vento does not lag far behind. Because of its extra power the Verna achieves a higher top speed and 0-100 km/h figures than does the Vento. For instance , the Verna in the fifth gear does 191.8 km/h and the Vento does 183.6 km/h. As for the 0-100 km/h sprint , the Verna takes just 10.88 seconds to achieve this whereas the Vento takes 11.94 seconds to do the same. However , the Verna loses in the roll-on test. The Verna takes 10.04 seconds to go from 40 to 100 km/h in the third gear whereas the Vento takes just 8.93 seconds to do the same. Tests have also proved that the fourth and fifth gear roll-on figures of the Vento are stronger than those of the Verna. It is evident from these figures that the Vento has a stronger low- and mid-range power as compared to the Verna. Besides , whereas the turbo lag in the Verna is noticeable , it is almost non-existent in the Vento.
The Vento has proved its mettle in the handling department by being one of the best handling cars in India today. Its precise handling combined with a good steering feel and feedback and almost no body roll have made it a segment leader. And , frankly , i feel that the Verna has a long way to go before it can challenge the Vento in terms of handling. The Verna has a soft suspension set-up because of which the car rocks a lot when it goes into a ditch or over a speed-breaker. Body roll is quite noticeable when you take a corner unlike the Vento , which remains much more stable round corners and holds the line right until the exit. At high speeds the Vento is rock-solid whereas the Verna does not inspire in you the confidence to push harder. The feedback from the Verna’s steering is a little strange and the car doesn’t seem to communicate with the driver much whereas the Vento’s steering is a delight , albeit a little on the heavy side. Both the cars are almost at par in braking , but I felt that the feel on the Vento was much better than that on the Verna.
Now comes the most important factor: fuel-efficiency. Both the cars are quite fuel-efficient , but the Verna loses out to the Vento in the City fuel-efficiency test. It delivered only 14 km per litre whereas the Vento went for 17 km on a litre in the city. The highway figures are , however , in favour of the Verna as it ran for 23 km 
on a litre of diesel. This is possible because of the extra cog available on the Hyundai. The Vento went for 21 km. Nevertheless , the overall figure of 17.25 km per litre makes the Vento a winner as compared to the Verna’s 16.25 kpl.
Conclusion
Both the cars might have similar engines , but two different characters. The Vento has a solid build quality , excellent handling and an unmatched ride whereas the Verna has a more powerful engine , but its handling and drive are not something that will impress an enthusiast. However , the Verna gains an edge in respect of its interior and equipment levels. It has a funky cabin and the car is equipped with stuff such as parking sensors , engine start-stop button , rear camera , leather seats , multimedia audio system , steering-mounted controls and a lot more. It also has six airbags in the top-of-the-line variant. The Vento has a simple audio system , twin airbags and fabric seats and is available with only one engine and transmission option. The Verna is available in five trims and most of the equipment mentioned above is only available in the top-end variant , which costs about Rs 11.79 lakh (OTR , Pune) , which is Rs 1.41 lakh more than the Vento Highline. Therefore , if you are fond of gizmos and gadgets , then the Verna is a sensible option. If you want something with a solid build quality and better driveability , then the VW Vento is the car for you.
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20-Jul-2011 5 : 25 PM by
Aspi Bhathena
in
Single review,
Toyota,
After being in India for more than a decade , Toyota finally decided to enter the small car segment with the Etios at the end of last year. It was an instant success with more than 70 , 000 bookings within the first month itself.
Six months later , Toyota are getting ready to launch the Etios Liva , the hatchback version of the Etios. In most cases a hatchback is launched first and then follows the sedan. It is the other way round here and this car is being perceived as a sporty hatch compared to the workhorse sedan.
The Liva definitely looks better than its sibling from all the angles and especially from the rear. The chief engineer and head of the Etios Liva project , Noritake San , spent more than five years in India meeting people to gauge views and inputs on what the buyer and end-user wanted from his or her car before starting work on the project.
The moment you open the door and step inside , you can feel the space that has been created by the designers and engineers of the car. One instantly gets the feeling that one is sitting in a big car and not a small hatchback. The grey interior is typically Toyota understated with the speedo and rpm meter placed in the centre of the dashboard , so that the driver can take a quick glance at the meters without taking his eyes 
off the road. The red-and-black seats with built-in headrests give good support to the driver and also add a touch of sportiness to the interior. The centre air-conditioning vents are stacked one on top of the other for better air circulation for the rear passengers. The flat bench-like seats at the rear may not look very nice , but they are very comfortable , especially when three people are seated. The only grouse is that the quality of plastics used could be better.
The suspension set-up is MacPherson strut at the front and torsion beam at the rear. This is a common set-up for most small cars these days. Though the drive was a short one , we still got an opportunity to test suspension capability to the maximum.
The Liva’s ride quality is excellent as it soaks up all the potholes and rough roads without bottoming. At the same time , its handling is not compromised either as we had the opportunity to put it through a slalom course and it came out with flying colours , ably holding a tight line throughout. The car’s high-speed stability was good too as i managed to get it over the 140 km/h mark and it continued to be steady. It is the fine-tuning of a very simple suspension set-up for the Indian condition that is very impressive.
The only area where the Liva loses out to the Etios is in performance as it uses the same DOHC 16-valve engine as the Etios and it has the same stroke , but uses a smaller diameter piston to bring the engine capacity down from 1 , 496 to 1 , 197 cc to be able to get the excises duty benefit. It is sad that manufacturers have to do this as it only increases cost and also spoils the car’s power-to-weight ratio. This not only affects the performance of the car , but also plays havoc with its fuel efficiency. The loss of 299 cc has caused a dip of 10 PS and 28 Nm and spoilt the excellent power-to-weight ratio that the Etios enjoys.
Even with the dip in power and torque the spread of power is good at low rpm and gives the engine a fair amount of grunt as one can drive the car around town in the third or fourth gear without having to shift constantly. It was not possible to explore the top speed , but one could cruise comfortably thanks to the tall gearing.
The new Etios Liva will definitely cause sleepless nights for other small car manufacturers with a diesel variant due to appear later this year.
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20-Jul-2011 4 : 55 PM by
Adhish Alawani
in
Single review,
Toyota,
After laying our hands on the new Toyota Corolla Altis last month for a brief first drive , here we are with a complete road test of the top-of-the-line Altis. The variant being considered here is the 1.8V with a seven-speed CVT-i transmission. Before moving on to the engine , transmission and their performance , however , let us take a look at the cosmetic updates that this Altis with a facelift brings along.
The most striking update is visible at the front end of this car , which now includes a new headlamp. The more edgy and sharper headlamp now makes the front look a little wider. The front grille with two chrome-lined fins is derived from the Camry’s styling and adds a bolder feel to the front end. At the rear , the Altis gets a new cluster of tail-lights , which is sleeker and loaded with LEDs. Inside the car are seats with perforated leather upholstery , a new Start/Stop button for keyless ignition and a new touchscreen multimedia interface. The car comes equipped with cruise control for a 
hassle-free drive on highways and steering-mounted audio system controls for the convenience of the driver. Another significant driver’s aid are parking sensors.
The most important upgrade in the Altis comes in the form of the new transmission mated to the 1.8-litre petrol engine. It’s a seven-speed CVT transmission that replaces the four-speed One on the earlier version. Though this one feels like a big improvement over the earlier one , we still cannot deny the fact that it has the same elastic feeling that every other CVT box has. The sluggish shift between cogs becomes irritating when you need a quick response from the engine , especially while making those Swift overtakes.
This also reflects in the kick-down times that we got during the performance test and they are nothing but slow. The outright acceleration also gets affected by the CVT and naught-to-hundred is attained in just over 12 seconds.
Talking of performance , Toyota have boosted the power output from 132 PS to 140 PS in the new Altis and the torque has gone up from 170 Nm to 173 Nm. The Altis delivered 9 km to a litre in City driving while a decent 14 kmpl on the highway.
Apart from the transmission , there is no other technical update that you will come across in the Altis. On the drive front , the car continues to have the softly sprung suspension that delivers a comfortable drive , but doesn’t instil enough confidence round fast corners. The steering has a funny feel to it. It is lightly weighted , but still responds with resistance while centring itself at low speeds. We reckon , this is due to the steering rack’s damper being overtight. Also , it needs a lot of steering input to turn the car , with the lock-to-lock being 3.5 turns. Since the car’s dimensions remain unaltered , the spacious interior continues to impress us.
Thus the new Corolla Altis has grown up. It features a better transmission than before , but still not a great one. It has new and bolder styling , is better than before too , but we still feel that the competition looks more elegant.
Coming to the final aspect of the car , its price , the new top-of-the-line Altis is pegged at Rs 17.23 lakh (OTR , Pune). And that surely is on the expensive side. We do not deny that it is a better package overall and an up-to-date one too , but at a heavy price none the less.
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20-Jul-2011 3 : 14 PM by
Ravi Chandnani
in
Single review,
Mahindra,
“Adventure lies within those who set out into the unknown.” This is a line that always inspires me when i set out on a quest of the unknown. This time it was a different story , though. Mahindra and Mahindra had organised an adventure challenge in order to highlight the company’s latest offering , the Thar. The challenge before Car India was to choose something unique , some place unfrequented by tourists or One that would hardly occur to anyone’s mind. It was quite difficult , as many of you have already read about , heard about or visited many parts of Gujarat and Rajasthan. Yes , we visited two of the hottest states in the country to discover something that was always there , but never came in the public eye.
I realised that there were a few intriguing places that I had never visited so far , which I knew I would always be interested in discovering. Thus while drawing up a plan for the adventure of discovery the first place that came into my mind was Alang. It’s a graveyard for ships , a place where humongous monsters are laid to rest. But these monsters do not go down without a fight. They make sure that the mortals who slay them are bereft of even the basic amenities of life.
The tiny town of Alang is located some 50 km south-east of Bhavnagar in Gujarat. This place is known all 
over the world as a ship wrecking yard. But once you reach there , you can clearly see how humanity is humiliated inside the closed gates of many of the small wrecking companies dotting the coast of Alang. In the distant background you will find the monsters floating on the waters of the Gulf of Khambhat with many others being spifflicated right on
the beach running parallel to the main road.
On the other side of the road we saw hundreds of makeshift huts made from the wreckage of ships. These little huts have served as shelters for the hundreds of poor Indians , who came to Alang in search of a livelihood and lived there for generations. It is a place where average life expectancy is said to be about 40-45 years only. The minimum wages per day and no medical benefits make Alang one of the scariest places to work at. Besides , the working conditions are hazardous because of the chemicals and other toxic stuff that the ships-to-be-wrecked are loaded with. Life here is very tough indeed and , therefore , we were moved when we saw the workers and rag-pickers mask their sadness behind a big smile whenever Varun pointed a camera at them. Now you know why Alang is out of public gaze. However , it was time for us to return to bearable reality and to continue our search for more adventurous places.
The salt-shaker on the dinner table reminded me of another place that was vast and covered with indescribable amounts of NaCl. It is located about 275 km north-west of Alang and is quite adventurous in its own right. The Little Rann of Kutch is a destination that deserves to be visited at least once in one's life. It is a place that needs to be respected in order to enjoy the beauty of this vast salt land. A rugged 4X4 like the Thar was an ideal companion to tackle the cracked , salty and dirt surface. It’s a place where you can just go wild with your vehicle and drive as fast as you want to. However; always watch out for wildlife and salt farms and moist places that can just gobble up your vehicle if you get stuck in them. Therefore , safety should always be your priority on such surfaces.
We stayed at a place called Rann Riders , which is located at village Dasada , some 100 km north-west of Ahmedabad. The landlord , Mujahid Malik , is a nice person and a wonderful host. While I was engaged in a conversation with him over dinner , he spoke about his plan to upgrade his fleet of Mahindra MM 540s that he had got for the Rann Safari offered by his resort. He was very keen on introducing the new Thar into the fleet and , after a test-drive in our Thar , he was quite impressed by it. He said he was loyal to the Mahindra brand and would definitely include the Thar in his fleet in the near future.
The Rann Rider resort is a place which offers you an opportunity to behold the beauty of the Rann in greater depth than you would on your own , because , to understand the Rann , you need experts to guide you in and out of this salt marsh.
Just two days of travelling and I was already feeling homesick. However; I knew it was impossible to return home. We had entered Rajasthan and were headed for a place called Munabao , a relatively lesser known destination in this biggest state of India. It is located in Barmer district and has nothing except a few huts , a few concrete structures and a railway station. And , yes , a Border Security Force (BSF) post too. Incidentally , I was just two kilometres away from the place that has a road link to my ancestral village in the northern part of present-day Sindh in Pakistan. We were at the international Munabao Railway Station. Even though we had cameras with us , we were not allowed to carry them or even get them out of the Thar. A BSF officer escorted us to the railway station and showed us various concrete structures that belong to various agencies. The feeling of patriotism is at its highest once you reach a high-tension area such as the Indo-Pak border , where you realise that you are an Indian before everything else. But the most exciting part of this adventure was yet to come.
After being disappointed at Munabao (because we weren’t allowed to click any pictures) , we turned the Thar around and headed for Jaisalmer. The road from Munabao to Jaisalmer is through the Thar Desert and is one of the most inhospitable and scary roads that I have ever driven on. The landscape comprises sand , thorny shrubs and tiny villages located wide apart , each containing only a few houses. The BSF officer at Munabao station had warned us about the possibility of being accosted by security forces on the road ahead , where they catch you and detain you until they are convinced about your bona-fides. The mere thought of being caught was enough to shake us. However; once we crossed the area we were warned about , we had the best time of our life. I switched the Thar from 2X2 to 4X4 and it started gliding over sand dunes with ease. It was also the time when we spotted a large number of the black buck deer and other small animals along the desert road. At one time we found a young black buck standing right outside the passenger seat occupied by Varun , completely unafraid of the huge Thar!
I wanted to see more of Rajasthan , a state with a lot of uniqure aspects , some already well-known. One thing that impressed us the most was how lively this state is. The world knows about the palaces and the rich lifestyle of the former royalty. However , today many people in the state lead a hand-tom-mouth existence , in tiny villages and towns , but still exhibit the true character of Rajasthan. These Rajasthanis know how to smile in the face of adversity. Even a fleeting glimpse of these rugged people and their lifestyle and the modern city-dweller cannot but realise what a miserable life he leads in his hemmed-in urban surroundings!
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20-Jul-2011 2 : 40 PM by
Adhish Alawani
in
Single review,
Mercedes-Benz,
The variety and range of luxury cars in the Indian market has grown to a great extent in recent times. Gone are the days when we used to call this market a developing one. You ask for a type of a car and there are so many options; the sheer number is enough to confuse you for quite some time before you finalise what you want to buy. However , the class of multi-purpose vehicles (MPV) is still quite small. Most of the offerings in this segment are to be found at the entry-level. Luxurious MPVs are not to be seen in India. However , this seems to be set for a change with the R-Class walking in with every bit of luxury , space , comfort and status symbol on offer.
‘R’ , they say , stands for royal – a royal class of family cars. This car is all about taking you and your family to places far away from home. It’s about driving in luxury while not forgetting that your family deserves an equally luxurious environment as you travel those unending miles. It’s about taking along the luggage of your complete family too. And , of course , all this with Mercedes’ trademark safety and speed.
The R350 4MATIC makes its own style statement succinctly. The front is aggressive. With sharp headlights 
and chrome-lined grille that has the big , three-pointed star placed at its centre , the R-Class talks prominently of the ‘Fascination’ design adopted by Mercedes on their new-age cars. From the side profile , you come to know of the massive size of this car. After all , it carries three rows of seats with ample legroom. The glass-line dips towards the rear giving a pseudo-sporty feel while the roof-line stays flat. The tailgate is flat too. However , what is worth mentioning about the rear end is the wide rear glass that helps in improving vision and the twin , parallelogram shaped exhaust tips that add glamour to the rather bland tail of the R.
The R350 welcomes you with beige leathers and classic wood inserts in the cabin. The front seats are separated by a broad wall that also has voluminous stowage places. Mercedes call this car a 5+2 seater. We agree it has three rows and has a number of seats on offer , but calling the middle bench a three-seater would be an overstatement. The middle seat is not good for anyone but a kid. Also the floor , which isn’t flat and rises in the centre , is not friendly for an adult. The last row of seats isn’t meant for adults too considering the amount of legroom they offer. But it definitely is better than in the other three-row cars available in the country. We can probably call this One a 4+3 rather than 5+2. That apart , the legroom 
offered in the first and second rows is phenomenal. Besides , the middle
row can be reclined for a comfortable nap on a long drive. The boot offers space for some light luggage with all seats upright. However , fold the rear two rows down and you can extend the luggage space to as much as 2 , 385 litres.
Surprisingly , the R350 is powered by a 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine. It pumps out 272 PS of peak power and 350 Nm of peak torque. However , since the car runs on petrol , this engine produces its peak power as well as torque at slightly higher revs. With the maximum torque coming into play only after 2 , 400 rpm , the R-Class lacks the low-end punch that diesels offer. Nevertheless , there is an extreme linearity in the delivery of power. Another negative of this motor is its low fuel efficiency. With four kilometres to a litre , the R is an expensive vehicle to drive around in the neighbourhood. Add to that its huge size and a rather big turning radius , and the R-Class turns out to be a pain in urban areas. A highway is where it wants to be and a highway is where it feels most at home. The R350 delivers a comfortable ride with its optimally stiff suspension. Just for comparison , it feels better than the ML on the highways and the credit for that also goes to its slightly lower height. For a faster drive , you have the option of stiffening up the suspension as well. Among the driving modes , there is E (for economy) and S (for sporty) , which can be toggled through 
with the push of a button on the centre console. The ‘S’ mode will shift up the gear change points and the car will rev more in each gear. A positive from the powertrain comes in the form of the 7G-TRONIC transmission that shifts through the cogs smoothly while contributing its bit towards improving the efficiency.
On the features front , the R-Class scores high with its 4MATIC system , which is a permanent all-wheel drive system that helps in obtaining maximum traction in treacherous conditions. Electronic Stability Program and Electronic Traction System are standard for maximum safety. The entertainment package includes a couple of LCDs for the rear passengers.
No doubt the R350 is a luxurious traveller. It can take a large family along with its equally large luggage. It offers comfort and safety too , not to forget an impressive road presence with its size and distinctive design. However , a petrol engine will not be the choice of most in the Indian market with its extremely low efficiency and the ever-rising petrol prices. At almost Rs 80 lakh (OTR , Pune) , the R-Class doesn’t come with an alluring price-tag either. You ought to be a royal family to have this one standing in your garage.
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Looks: Outside and Inside
One look at both the cars under consideration here and there won’t be any doubt in your mind about which looks better. The new Verna is the icing on the cake in that department. Hyundai have applied their new ‘Fluidic Design’ philosophy , which we first witnessed on the new i10. The bold front end with its up-swept headlamps and aggressive grille looks very contemporary and the rear styling accentuates class , something that was missing in the earlier version. The silhouette of the car is very modern and fresh and will appeal
more to the young generation. On the other hand , the Vento has a tried and tested design that has worked very well for VW. The exterior of the Vento is much subtler than the Verna’s and it looks mature in comparison. The Vento appeals more to the mature , sophisticated and no-nonsense kind of folk. The same can be said of the interior. It is a little too simple , but , all the same , it proclaims quality and top-notch fit-and-finish. The Verna has a fun cabin. The new dashboard and centre console with a lot of buttons and a decent display look funky. However , the quality and fit-and-finish are not as good as the Vento’s.
The Heart: Engine and Transmission
Both the cars are equipped with a 1.6-litre common rail diesel motor. However , the Verna churns out more power and torque compared to the Vento. The Verna produces 128 PS at 4 , 000 rpm and 260 Nm at 1 , 900-2 , 750 rpm. The Vento , on the other hand , produces 105 PS at 4 , 400 rpm and 250 Nm at 1 , 500-2 , 500 rpm. Thus the Verna has an edge over the Vento in the power department. Though the Vento has a great engine , the Verna unit feels more refined. The power difference is not the only factor. The transmission on the Verna also gets an
extra cog whereas the Vento’s engine is mated to a five-speed gearbox. Both the transmissions are smooth and deliver good driveability in each gear.
The Drive: Performance , Handling And Fuel-efficiency
Now the Verna has a clear advantage over the Vento in the top end , because this Hyundai has more power and torque. But the Vento does not lag far behind. Because of its extra power the Verna achieves a higher top speed and 0-100 km/h figures than does the Vento. For instance , the Verna in the fifth gear does 191.8 km/h and the Vento does 183.6 km/h. As for the 0-100 km/h sprint , the Verna takes just 10.88 seconds to achieve this whereas the Vento takes 11.94 seconds to do the same. However , the Verna loses in the roll-on test. The Verna takes 10.04 seconds to go from 40 to 100 km/h in the third gear whereas the Vento takes just 8.93 seconds to do the same. Tests have also proved that the fourth and fifth gear roll-on figures of the Vento are stronger than those of the Verna. It is evident from these figures that the Vento has a stronger low- and mid-range power as compared to the Verna. Besides , whereas the turbo lag in the Verna is noticeable , it is almost non-existent in the Vento.
Now comes the most important factor: fuel-efficiency. Both the cars are quite fuel-efficient , but the Verna loses out to the Vento in the City fuel-efficiency test. It delivered only 14 km per litre whereas the Vento went for 17 km on a litre in the city. The highway figures are , however , in favour of the Verna as it ran for 23 km
on a litre of diesel. This is possible because of the extra cog available on the Hyundai. The Vento went for 21 km. Nevertheless , the overall figure of 17.25 km per litre makes the Vento a winner as compared to the Verna’s 16.25 kpl.
Conclusion
Both the cars might have similar engines , but two different characters. The Vento has a solid build quality , excellent handling and an unmatched ride whereas the Verna has a more powerful engine , but its handling and drive are not something that will impress an enthusiast. However , the Verna gains an edge in respect of its interior and equipment levels. It has a funky cabin and the car is equipped with stuff such as parking sensors , engine start-stop button , rear camera , leather seats , multimedia audio system , steering-mounted controls and a lot more. It also has six airbags in the top-of-the-line variant. The Vento has a simple audio system , twin airbags and fabric seats and is available with only one engine and transmission option. The Verna is available in five trims and most of the equipment mentioned above is only available in the top-end variant , which costs about Rs 11.79 lakh (OTR , Pune) , which is Rs 1.41 lakh more than the Vento Highline. Therefore , if you are fond of gizmos and gadgets , then the Verna is a sensible option. If you want something with a solid build quality and better driveability , then the VW Vento is the car for you.
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Six months later , Toyota are getting ready to launch the Etios Liva , the hatchback version of the Etios. In most cases a hatchback is launched first and then follows the sedan. It is the other way round here and this car is being perceived as a sporty hatch compared to the workhorse sedan.
The Liva definitely looks better than its sibling from all the angles and especially from the rear. The chief engineer and head of the Etios Liva project , Noritake San , spent more than five years in India meeting people to gauge views and inputs on what the buyer and end-user wanted from his or her car before starting work on the project.
The moment you open the door and step inside , you can feel the space that has been created by the designers and engineers of the car. One instantly gets the feeling that one is sitting in a big car and not a small hatchback. The grey interior is typically Toyota understated with the speedo and rpm meter placed in the centre of the dashboard , so that the driver can take a quick glance at the meters without taking his eyes
off the road. The red-and-black seats with built-in headrests give good support to the driver and also add a touch of sportiness to the interior. The centre air-conditioning vents are stacked one on top of the other for better air circulation for the rear passengers. The flat bench-like seats at the rear may not look very nice , but they are very comfortable , especially when three people are seated. The only grouse is that the quality of plastics used could be better.
The suspension set-up is MacPherson strut at the front and torsion beam at the rear. This is a common set-up for most small cars these days. Though the drive was a short one , we still got an opportunity to test suspension capability to the maximum.
The Liva’s ride quality is excellent as it soaks up all the potholes and rough roads without bottoming. At the same time , its handling is not compromised either as we had the opportunity to put it through a slalom course and it came out with flying colours , ably holding a tight line throughout. The car’s high-speed stability was good too as i managed to get it over the 140 km/h mark and it continued to be steady. It is the fine-tuning of a very simple suspension set-up for the Indian condition that is very impressive.
Even with the dip in power and torque the spread of power is good at low rpm and gives the engine a fair amount of grunt as one can drive the car around town in the third or fourth gear without having to shift constantly. It was not possible to explore the top speed , but one could cruise comfortably thanks to the tall gearing.
The new Etios Liva will definitely cause sleepless nights for other small car manufacturers with a diesel variant due to appear later this year.
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The most striking update is visible at the front end of this car , which now includes a new headlamp. The more edgy and sharper headlamp now makes the front look a little wider. The front grille with two chrome-lined fins is derived from the Camry’s styling and adds a bolder feel to the front end. At the rear , the Altis gets a new cluster of tail-lights , which is sleeker and loaded with LEDs. Inside the car are seats with perforated leather upholstery , a new Start/Stop button for keyless ignition and a new touchscreen multimedia interface. The car comes equipped with cruise control for a
hassle-free drive on highways and steering-mounted audio system controls for the convenience of the driver. Another significant driver’s aid are parking sensors.
The most important upgrade in the Altis comes in the form of the new transmission mated to the 1.8-litre petrol engine. It’s a seven-speed CVT transmission that replaces the four-speed One on the earlier version. Though this one feels like a big improvement over the earlier one , we still cannot deny the fact that it has the same elastic feeling that every other CVT box has. The sluggish shift between cogs becomes irritating when you need a quick response from the engine , especially while making those Swift overtakes.
This also reflects in the kick-down times that we got during the performance test and they are nothing but slow. The outright acceleration also gets affected by the CVT and naught-to-hundred is attained in just over 12 seconds.
Talking of performance , Toyota have boosted the power output from 132 PS to 140 PS in the new Altis and the torque has gone up from 170 Nm to 173 Nm. The Altis delivered 9 km to a litre in City driving while a decent 14 kmpl on the highway.
Thus the new Corolla Altis has grown up. It features a better transmission than before , but still not a great one. It has new and bolder styling , is better than before too , but we still feel that the competition looks more elegant.
Coming to the final aspect of the car , its price , the new top-of-the-line Altis is pegged at Rs 17.23 lakh (OTR , Pune). And that surely is on the expensive side. We do not deny that it is a better package overall and an up-to-date one too , but at a heavy price none the less.
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I realised that there were a few intriguing places that I had never visited so far , which I knew I would always be interested in discovering. Thus while drawing up a plan for the adventure of discovery the first place that came into my mind was Alang. It’s a graveyard for ships , a place where humongous monsters are laid to rest. But these monsters do not go down without a fight. They make sure that the mortals who slay them are bereft of even the basic amenities of life.
over the world as a ship wrecking yard. But once you reach there , you can clearly see how humanity is humiliated inside the closed gates of many of the small wrecking companies dotting the coast of Alang. In the distant background you will find the monsters floating on the waters of the Gulf of Khambhat with many others being spifflicated right on
The tiny town of Alang is located some 50 km south-east of Bhavnagar in Gujarat. This place is known all
the beach running parallel to the main road.
On the other side of the road we saw hundreds of makeshift huts made from the wreckage of ships. These little huts have served as shelters for the hundreds of poor Indians , who came to Alang in search of a livelihood and lived there for generations. It is a place where average life expectancy is said to be about 40-45 years only. The minimum wages per day and no medical benefits make Alang one of the scariest places to work at. Besides , the working conditions are hazardous because of the chemicals and other toxic stuff that the ships-to-be-wrecked are loaded with. Life here is very tough indeed and , therefore , we were moved when we saw the workers and rag-pickers mask their sadness behind a big smile whenever Varun pointed a camera at them. Now you know why Alang is out of public gaze. However , it was time for us to return to bearable reality and to continue our search for more adventurous places.
We stayed at a place called Rann Riders , which is located at village Dasada , some 100 km north-west of Ahmedabad. The landlord , Mujahid Malik , is a nice person and a wonderful host. While I was engaged in a conversation with him over dinner , he spoke about his plan to upgrade his fleet of Mahindra MM 540s that he had got for the Rann Safari offered by his resort. He was very keen on introducing the new Thar into the fleet and , after a test-drive in our Thar , he was quite impressed by it. He said he was loyal to the Mahindra brand and would definitely include the Thar in his fleet in the near future.
Just two days of travelling and I was already feeling homesick. However; I knew it was impossible to return home. We had entered Rajasthan and were headed for a place called Munabao , a relatively lesser known destination in this biggest state of India. It is located in Barmer district and has nothing except a few huts , a few concrete structures and a railway station. And , yes , a Border Security Force (BSF) post too. Incidentally , I was just two kilometres away from the place that has a road link to my ancestral village in the northern part of present-day Sindh in Pakistan. We were at the international Munabao Railway Station. Even though we had cameras with us , we were not allowed to carry them or even get them out of the Thar. A BSF officer escorted us to the railway station and showed us various concrete structures that belong to various agencies. The feeling of patriotism is at its highest once you reach a high-tension area such as the Indo-Pak border , where you realise that you are an Indian before everything else. But the most exciting part of this adventure was yet to come.
I wanted to see more of Rajasthan , a state with a lot of uniqure aspects , some already well-known. One thing that impressed us the most was how lively this state is. The world knows about the palaces and the rich lifestyle of the former royalty. However , today many people in the state lead a hand-tom-mouth existence , in tiny villages and towns , but still exhibit the true character of Rajasthan. These Rajasthanis know how to smile in the face of adversity. Even a fleeting glimpse of these rugged people and their lifestyle and the modern city-dweller cannot but realise what a miserable life he leads in his hemmed-in urban surroundings!
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‘R’ , they say , stands for royal – a royal class of family cars. This car is all about taking you and your family to places far away from home. It’s about driving in luxury while not forgetting that your family deserves an equally luxurious environment as you travel those unending miles. It’s about taking along the luggage of your complete family too. And , of course , all this with Mercedes’ trademark safety and speed.
The R350 4MATIC makes its own style statement succinctly. The front is aggressive. With sharp headlights
and chrome-lined grille that has the big , three-pointed star placed at its centre , the R-Class talks prominently of the ‘Fascination’ design adopted by Mercedes on their new-age cars. From the side profile , you come to know of the massive size of this car. After all , it carries three rows of seats with ample legroom. The glass-line dips towards the rear giving a pseudo-sporty feel while the roof-line stays flat. The tailgate is flat too. However , what is worth mentioning about the rear end is the wide rear glass that helps in improving vision and the twin , parallelogram shaped exhaust tips that add glamour to the rather bland tail of the R.
The R350 welcomes you with beige leathers and classic wood inserts in the cabin. The front seats are separated by a broad wall that also has voluminous stowage places. Mercedes call this car a 5+2 seater. We agree it has three rows and has a number of seats on offer , but calling the middle bench a three-seater would be an overstatement. The middle seat is not good for anyone but a kid. Also the floor , which isn’t flat and rises in the centre , is not friendly for an adult. The last row of seats isn’t meant for adults too considering the amount of legroom they offer. But it definitely is better than in the other three-row cars available in the country. We can probably call this One a 4+3 rather than 5+2. That apart , the legroom
offered in the first and second rows is phenomenal. Besides , the middle
row can be reclined for a comfortable nap on a long drive. The boot offers space for some light luggage with all seats upright. However , fold the rear two rows down and you can extend the luggage space to as much as 2 , 385 litres.
Surprisingly , the R350 is powered by a 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine. It pumps out 272 PS of peak power and 350 Nm of peak torque. However , since the car runs on petrol , this engine produces its peak power as well as torque at slightly higher revs. With the maximum torque coming into play only after 2 , 400 rpm , the R-Class lacks the low-end punch that diesels offer. Nevertheless , there is an extreme linearity in the delivery of power. Another negative of this motor is its low fuel efficiency. With four kilometres to a litre , the R is an expensive vehicle to drive around in the neighbourhood. Add to that its huge size and a rather big turning radius , and the R-Class turns out to be a pain in urban areas. A highway is where it wants to be and a highway is where it feels most at home. The R350 delivers a comfortable ride with its optimally stiff suspension. Just for comparison , it feels better than the ML on the highways and the credit for that also goes to its slightly lower height. For a faster drive , you have the option of stiffening up the suspension as well. Among the driving modes , there is E (for economy) and S (for sporty) , which can be toggled through
with the push of a button on the centre console. The ‘S’ mode will shift up the gear change points and the car will rev more in each gear. A positive from the powertrain comes in the form of the 7G-TRONIC transmission that shifts through the cogs smoothly while contributing its bit towards improving the efficiency.
On the features front , the R-Class scores high with its 4MATIC system , which is a permanent all-wheel drive system that helps in obtaining maximum traction in treacherous conditions. Electronic Stability Program and Electronic Traction System are standard for maximum safety. The entertainment package includes a couple of LCDs for the rear passengers.
No doubt the R350 is a luxurious traveller. It can take a large family along with its equally large luggage. It offers comfort and safety too , not to forget an impressive road presence with its size and distinctive design. However , a petrol engine will not be the choice of most in the Indian market with its extremely low efficiency and the ever-rising petrol prices. At almost Rs 80 lakh (OTR , Pune) , the R-Class doesn’t come with an alluring price-tag either. You ought to be a royal family to have this one standing in your garage.
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