The Chevrolet SRV is coming to us like the perfect but late birthday gift. You are surprised to get one after you have ripped through the wrappers of everything else, yet it is sad because you know someone forgot your birthday in the first place. Still you love it because it is exactly what you have always wanted. Let me explain.

There was a time not so long ago when the enthusiast driver in India longed for a car with a modicum of performance. No, that breed was not looking for hyper exotics that they would never be able to afford, but a well built, sporty looking car that developed a minimum of 100 bhp (hello, 100 bhp on Indian roads is equivalent to 150 on European roads, trust me) is what they wanted. Some solace came in the form of the Honda City VTEC – it had the engine and the go but lacked looks and everything else. The Fiat Palio 1.6 GTX promised a lot and satisfied those who committed – but then Fiat had its share of worries in India. Sure, there were more powerful cars, but they weighed an additional tonne and had far too many zeroes in their price tags.

Right when this breed decided to bury their hopes and buy another Honda City VTEC (again 100 bhp, you see) or worse still, settle for a red Swift (it is kind of er… sporty), comes the Chevy SRV. All right, it is a fastback based on the Optra, but who cares – it looks right. Just right. It actually looks like a design study submitted by Italdesign to Alfa Romeo and rejected by the Milanese firm because it smiled too much. The front-end treatment is very ’90s Chevrolet, but the rear-three quarters and even the profile owe it to sporty front-wheel driven Alfas of late. Especially the tapering rear tail lamps.

Therefore, you may argue that it is the hatchback version of the Optra. However, it is a ‘proper car’ in the traditional definition of things. The new generation Daewoo Nubira that resides under its skin was designed and developed with European customers in mind. Moreover, it feels like a loosely built Opel rather than a tightly built Suzuki.

Inside, the familiar Optra settings have been made better by the use of faux aluminum accents and a sportier overall theme. Open the door, sit inside, run your fingers over the steering and dash, and the SRV feels robust and ready. In other words, it is neither the silky and refined perception of the Honda City nor the oh-so-functional and clinical approach of the Swift that you get. Instead what you get is a car that you want to thrash from the word go. And yes, though I am not the most talented to comment on music systems, I can tell you that the SRV is the ideal car for you to chuck the rear seats and load it to the brim with sub-woofers. Moreover, when you play Led Zep loud, its panels will not join the chorus with vibrations for sure.

Unfortunately, General Motors India has decided to launch the SRV only with the fuel efficient and refined 1.6-liter motor instead of the spunkier 1.8. However, new injection mapping ensures that the 1598cc 16-valver develops a neat 100 bhp at 5800 rpm and 14 kgm of turning force at 4500 revs. The problem is this motor uses a rather down-to-earth five-speed manual box to transmit its power. To begin with, there is a great deal of gearbox whine that intrudes into the cabin (on occasions, it even sounds good!) and makes you think that you are about to drive a full-blooded Camaro rather than a Daewoo-derived Chevy.

Then, as I said before, the SRV is thrash-ready and dropping the clutch closer to the redline gets the car to sprint to 60 kph in 5.13 seconds and to 100 kph in 12.05 seconds. Not exactly the numbers that would trouble someone who is used to the old Honda City VTEC, but the story has just begun. The car feels surefooted through the gears and you really want to exploit that motor for whatever it is worth without unduly worrying about valves being sent through the bonnet. Given the space, our test SRV managed 160 kph easily and the car felt safe while at it. Relatively short gearing, while good for fuel economy, is not exactly rewarding for the driver. But manage to engage third as quickly as possible and you will be biting the fleshier part of the power band and loving it.

The ride on offer is nothing short of brilliant for a car of its class (move over Palio, we have a grown-up hatch that rides better) and handling is neutral until you start pushing the performance envelope. It under steers like most front-wheel drivers ought to, but extremely good hands will be able to get the SRV to carry three digit speeds around reducing radius corners with ease. But I can tell you that it is even more fun to push the SRV into tight corners at lower speeds with a bit of help from the handbrake for induced over steer behavior – I managed a neat 180-degree number without any effort, but with more tuition, one can get to go tail-wagging.

Heck, why am I talking about silly stunts with a car that has a fully-grown sister in the Optra? Because, dear reader, with the SRV, you can. In addition, more than that, you would ‘want’ to when your SRV is painted a tantalizing Subaru rally blue. The Chevy SRV is not for those who want maximum car for their money, nor is it, as we found out, the quickest car you can buy. However, for approximately Rs 8 lakh on-road, you get a car with a certain degree of character and one that is surprisingly fun to drive. We also found out that, despite all the antics, the SRV returned 11-12 kmpl on a regular basis – which is phenomenal for a car that is on the heavy side. Then, it is more practical than the proper three-box sedans to live with – at least inside our congested towns.

The SRV is a car that has doors that ‘thunk’ shut while other cars today ‘click’ shut. In the SRV, you ride through potholes while you drive around them in other modern cars. With the SRV you may wake up one fine morning with the intent of going for a long drive with your music for your company while with other modern cars, you commute. It is traditionally individualistic than stand-out-modern-chic. If only we got cars like the SRV some ten years back.

Performance

Look superb, no look back, although it is person specific. Especially I like the curve at the back. I suggest you to go for a rear wing spoiler specially fitted (extra accessory). The SRV without option pack does not have any spoiler but with option pack, it has one roof spoiler (fitted on the roof – rear). You insist for a rear wing spoiler (cost – 7000) as it keeps the rear curve intact in turn that keeps the car beautiful looking, and discard the rear roof spoiler. Actually this model is designed in Italdesign Giugiaro Design Studio that designed Ferrari like cars in the past,,, so beauty is assured,,, Its not a funky/flashy looking car instead it has a solid sporty and aristocratic look that will catch your attention gently. In my opinion, Honda city (new models) is a funky/flashy looking car, there is no aristocracy in it.. SRV is superb in this department.

Engine: 1588 cc, 16V DOHC, VGIS petrol (I guess it is the same engine that OPTRA uses – DOHC is more powerful than SOHC)

Power: 101 PS @ 5800 rpm, (adequate power but initially its a little bit sluggish to accelerate.. don’t know why… may be the car I have driven was just out from cargo.. it did not even have the Speedo meter configured)

Max torque: 140 NM @ 4500 rpm (decent enough to driver in city condition… but baleno is superb in this department… baleno has almost linear torque…)

Transmission: 5 speed manual
Suspension: All independent McPherson Struts (amazing suspension, gentle at bumps and potholes)…

Wheelbase is as big as corolla and bigger than most of the cars in this segment, it is 2600 mm… Ground clearance: very important, it has best in its category… 185mm without option pack (i.e. with 185/65 R14 tyres), and with option pack, it has amazing 195mm ground clearance (i.e. with 195/60 R15 tubeless tyres)… Dash broad is uncluttered, decent, and professional looking… Steering is a bit hard (probably due to the reason – it was very new – just out from cargo)… Horn is not placed well (with option ‘pack u might get a good steering wheel with horn placed well)… Back seats are comfortable and spacious…

Fuel efficiency: Do not know… as there was no meter configured during my test drive… but probably a little bit higher than the OPTRA… as it shares the same engine where SRV is lighter and engine is probably improved… One thing I need to add here about the engine type – there are different types of engines available in the market 2 popular among them are SOHC (Single Overhead Camshaft) and DOHC (Double Overhead Camshaft). To make the discussion short, DOHC is more powerful. Maruti baleno uses SOHC engine, SRV, Corolla uses DOHC. Ferrari cars use DOHC. Therefore, there is no doubt that DOHC is more powerful than SOHC. Now the question comes about fuel efficiency… Technically, if you read the functionality of DOHC engine it should be more fuel efficient than SOHC…

Actually, DOHC engine burns fuel more when required, when you push the throttle for more power, when you want to accelerate your beast to overtake the poor (?) Maruti 800. Therefore, the fuel efficiency for DOHC engine largely depends on the nature of the driver and driving quality. There are examples that an OPTRA giving over 18 KMPL in highway – one rally driver reported it. I do not know how much truth is in it, but I believe if you drive carefully DOHC engine will pay you back. Drive your vehicle gently, accelerate with a little patience, you will get very fuel efficiency out of your vehicle. Otherwise, be indecent and impatient, push your vehicle hard, meet with accident, and pay more for fuel.

Steering: No tilt that has disappointed me a lot… as at this price range most of the cars have tilt steering… Boot Space: Adequate, but not very spacious… Seats: Spacious and luxurious, back seats are positioned in a very comfortable way, Colors: Platinum metallic – I have seen this colored picture only… However, it seems very good… Velocity: It is a blue with probably a shade that symbolizes speed, so the name… Intense Black: good Blazing Red: I do not like red as the color of my car… Accidentally I have taken test drive on this colored SRV… but it was also looking very good…. I will probably decide between platinum metallic and velocity (curious to see how it looks like on SRV). Verdict: I have driven that car for couple of hours and I have just enjoyed driving it…, I am going to buy it…

Being a passenger in the SRV may not be as exciting as taking the wheel, but it is no less luxurious. Legroom abounds, in both the front and the rear. In fact, even with the front seats pushed back to their stops, there was still ample space for backbenchers. At one point, I was driving around with three people on the 40:60 collapsible rear benches, and never did I hear a single word of complaint from any of them. In addition, for coffee addicts, an armrest with cup holders unfolds out of the middle of the rear backrest if need be. For those extended weekend getaways, there is a lot of space for luggage in the deceptively small looking boot. Occupants of the SRV are going to love it, no matter where they are sitting.

When I turned the ignition key for the SRV the first time and revved up, all I wanted to do all day was sit there and listen to the 1.6-litre, inline-four thrum in response to my right foot. The mill is the same as the Optra 1.6, churning out 101PS at 5800rpm and 140Nm of torque at 4500 rpm, but shorter gearing on the SRV (especially the first three gears) means it is quicker off the line than its cousin. During speed tests, the SRV turned in a zero to 100 km/h time of 12.78 seconds and a top speed of 175.98 km/h on the V-box, which was not bad at all for a vehicle tipping the scales at 1230kg. The SRV’s five-speed manual gearbox is fairly slick and precise, and shifting gears on this car is not a chore like it is on some others.

The SRV works in the city, sure, but how does it behave once it hits the highways and our favorite set of twisties? Well, we did take it out on the narrow, winding roads near Pune, and the SRV acquitted itself with grace. Keep the revs northward of the 3000rpm mark and the SRV rewards you with vigorous acceleration. Steering is light and responsive, and at the same time, has tactile feel. Handling is, by and large, neutral and the SRV doesn’t display pronounced under steer like most front wheel drive hatchbacks. Push it hard through a corner and the SRV holds its line, making it ideal for a spot of spirited driving. And the SRV’s 195/60 R15 Goodyear GT3 tyres offered high levels of grip even while cornering hard in the wet, so certainly, the car’s handling/cornering abilities are none too poor.

The SRV employs independent suspension all round – McPherson struts on both axles with an A-frame arm in the front, and dual wishbones and a trailing arm at the rear. Low speed ride quality is not too bad, though it could have been better damped. Things get better at higher speeds, and potholes, speed-breakers, and rumble strips are dispensed with impunity. As a package deal, the SRV offers a very workable tradeoff between supple ride quality and outright handling abilities.

Coming to another very important factor – fuel efficiency -the SRV does reasonably well. In tests, it returned a figure of 9.8kmpl in the city and 17.5kmpl on the highways. Overall fuel efficiency was around 11.7kmpl, which we think is all right for a 1.6-litre engine. The SRV costs Rs 7.84 lakh (OTR Pune), which is sure to attract the young and the moneyed. Shell out an additional Rs 59,971 and you have the choice of upgrading your SRV with an options pack that includes goodies like 15-inch alloy wheels, leather wrapped steering wheel and gear knob, an Alpine music system with a remote, a front bumper that stays relatively undamaged up to speeds of 8km/h and a driver’s side airbag. Just one thing here – we would have liked the airbag to be a standard fitment! So there you have it. The SRV looks good, and drives well. In a market littered with half a dozen boring old hatchbacks, with little or no character, this is one sporty, stand-out car – one that you’ll love driving, and showing off to your neighbors. Yes, we are impressed!

Technical Specification

Car Body Type: Hatchback
Segment: C+ Segment

Engine

Engine: 1598cc, 16V DOHC, VGIS
Engine Type: Petrol
Maximum Power: 101bhp @5800rpm
Maximum Torque: 140kgm @4500rpm
Fuel Consumption: N/A
Gears: 5 Manual
Top Speed: N/A

Features

Air Conditioner: Yes
Central Locking: Manual
Steering: Power
Power Windows: Yes
Driver Seat Adjustment: Manual
Tacho Meter: Yes
Door Mirror: Both Side Electric
Stereo: Yes
CD Changer: No
Fog Lamps: Yes
Body Color Bumpers: Yes
Rear A.C. Vent: No
Remote Boot: Yes
Remote Fuel: Yes
Rear Defogger: Yes
Rear Wiper: Yes
ABS: No
Airbag: Yes
Ground Clearance: 185.00 cm
Kerb Weight: 0.00
Fuel Tank: 0.00
Alloys: Yes

The Aveo spearheads the General’s attack in its quest to regain world domination. Hot looks, decent go and drool-over price are key weapons in the Aveo arsenal. So will it deliver up Indian bastion to GM on a platter? Sirish Chandran dials in from the trenches. The General is in the dumps, but then you probably knew that. Walking the bankruptcy tightrope, saddled with awfully large pension and healthcare payouts and set, any time now, to lose its number one tag, General Motors could not dig itself into a deeper hole even if it tried. Out could be the only way out and if the light at the end of the tunnel is to be anything other than that of an oncoming Toyota, GM has to (among many, many others) expand its Asian footprint. And the General knows it.

“The most significant thing is the transition from European and American dominance to Asian dominance,” said GM’s 75-year-old Vice Chairman for global product development, Bob Lutz, an out and out car guy in a bean counter riddled organization. And leading that growth is this – the Aveo – a project apparently signed off by the great man himself and destined for 120 markets around the globe, including America. Reiterating GM’s new found Asian focus, the first market to get the Aveo (the booted and face-lifted Daewoo Kalos badged Chevrolet as all ex-Daewoo cars are these days) is China and we’re next in line signaling the onset of a serious push for volumes on the part of the General’s Indian foot soldiers; volumes that will be bolstered by the UV-A (the previous generation hatchback Aveo) to be launched in the next couple of month and the Spark (based on the Daewoo Matiz) next year.

For now though the Aveo will have to lead the General’s charge; let us hope she is up to it. STYLE and BUILD Say what you may of Daewoo, at least they hired the best in the world to design their cars. Italians penned both the Matiz and Optra and now this, the Aveo, benefits from the attentions of Giorgetto Giugiaro himself; designer of every third landmark car there is. Little surprise then that she turns heads wherever she goes and so well executed are her lines and exterior detailing that on the style front no other C-segment car can hold a candle to her. The most striking feature is the beefy nose highlighted by two prominent ridges running from the bonnet and into the bumpers, flanked by the now de rigueur clear lens headlamps. Though the huge chrome grille with an even bigger bow tie slapped into it isn’t terribly subtle, overall she exudes a big car feel that’s missing from cars of this segment.

Strong muscular lines and a hunkered down stance gives the Aveo the look and feel of a scaled down Optra and that’s a good thing viewed any which way. The family resemblance is most prominent in profile, the flared wheel arches and strong and high shoulder line giving it a modern Euro chic look while the alloys on the 1.6 that hark back to the Optra, cement the family heritage. At the rear she gets a tiny boot spoiler and thick slab of chrome running on the bootlid between the tail lamps. A touch too garish if you ask me but I love the triangular tail lamps with twin beams for the brake lights that look like afterburners when lit up. The 1.4 makes do without the chrome strip, a good thing that, but gets awfully plasticky wheel caps garnished with absurdly large wheel nut extensions. A further fly in the style ointment is the under-tyred look that is fast becoming part of the Chevy (nee-Daewoo) styling DNA. Running on 14-inch rims shod with fat 185-section rubber, GM has not skimped on rubber but such is the flare of the wheel arches that she seems to be running toy wheels, spoiling the overall balance. Not that you’ll dwell on it for too long since once inside you’ll fall in love with the beautifully executed cabin.

It is a mighty fine place to spend time in with the beige upholstery imbuing the cabin with a light airy ambience, enhanced by a genuinely spacious cabin that can seat five in comfort. There’s significantly more interior room than the competition despite GM indulging in a spot of packaging creativity in giving the rear seat back additional recline angle to compensate for the tight headroom. The two-tone dashboard with dimpled soft-touch black upper and beige lower is very European and you’ll love the semi-circular dials again whacked from the Optra. Quality of materials is top rate while equipment levels on the top end LT variant include a decent (if slightly tinny sounding) in-dash CD player, leather wrapped steering wheel (equipped with an airbag), wood inserts in the dash and a leather wrapped gear knob. The top-end 1.4 version gets silver garnishing in place of the wood finish (I wouldn’t mind either) and the Optra 1.6’s (non-airbag equipped) steering wheel.

Both versions also get height adjustable seats and tilt-adjustable steering column but hard as I tried I couldn’t settle into a comfortable driving position. Either my arms were too stretched out or my knees banged against the dashboard. Shorter drivers will find the gear lever set too far back and adding to everybodys misery is the horn which, on the 1.6, can only be operated by two thumb pads at the extremities of the (very large dia) steering wheel. Going by the top-notch interior fit and finish, I would love to report excellent build quality, and on the whole, the 1.6 deserves top marks.

However on the 1.4 the driver’s side door alignment was already going south, the power windows conked it on the second week of the test and then the whole car shut down after the ECU fuse blew thanks to the GM technicians hot wiring the power window fuse. Let us hope this is a one-off problem and we would only be too glad to induct an Aveo into our long-term test fleet to see if build quality is up to the mark expected these days. One area of concern is the safety rating, the Aveo getting two stars and a strikeout in Euro NCAP crash worthiness ratings, and that is the airbag-equipped variant. Which essentially means you really do not want to be involved in a prang in the Aveo, most definitely not a big one. STYLE: 4.5/5 BUILD: 3/5

Engine and Transmission

It is a familiar story here, the 1.6-litre unit being the same as found under the hood of the Optra 1.6, except here it has forfeited 2 horses and 1Nm of torque. Apparently, this ECU has been completely mapped by engineers in India and the losses are probably to compensate for better drivability, efficiency, and emission compliance. The 1598cc ex-Daewoo twin-cam engine makes 102PS of power and 147Nm of torque, breathes through 16 valves, and is governed by a 32-bit ECU. On the 1.4 variant engine capacity is down to 1399cc resulting in 94PS of power and 127Nm of torque.

Both engines get VGIS (variable geometry intake system) that alters the length of the inlet tract (529mm at low revs reducing to 300mm above 4400rpm) for better low down torque without the associated drawbacks at higher revs. As seen in the Optra it also improves the all important fuel efficiency. Being of the same family it’s little surprise to learn that both engines are mated to the same gearbox from the Optra 1.6 which in turn employs the taller gear ratios from the 1.8-litre Optra; all in the interests of better efficiency. And aid fuel efficiency the gearbox does what with the recalcitrant shift and long imprecise throws putting you off gear shifting altogether, ensuring you keep her in one gear (preferably one of the higher ones) for as long as feasible.

Though the 1.6 engine is a familiar unit it feels a little rougher than in the Optra, maybe because there’s a little less NVH damping. There’s also a noticeable flywheel effect, revs lingering for too long when the clutch’s depressed. Not that it’s a problem, mind you, especially when pottering around in the city where the torque (we’re talking 1.6 here) allows you to keep her in higher gears. But stretch her to the extremities of the rev range and she is not terribly pleased, taking on a harsh and gruff note and then banging against the rev limiter with all the intensity of a Muhammad Ali upper cut.

Engine: 3/5 Transmission: 2.5/5 Chassis and Suspension Not only can the Aveo’s family tree be traced back through her styling and power train but her on-road manners are so much like the Optra’s, it’s uncanny. Storm down on the highway and she is rock steady, exhibiting the same planted and sure-footed manners that have earned the Optra high praise. And thanks to the long travel suspension, her ride quality, especially at speed, is pretty darn good.

At low speeds tough, she exhibits a bit of a jiggle, characteristic of torsion beam rear suspension set-ups that are employed in packaging and cost interests. Sharp bumps do cause the rear to jack up but over typically broken roads, she rides well than any other car in this segment flattening rough patches with the panache of a much larger car. Build speed and damping improves dramatically, a full complement of five (that sees the rear squat like Dhoni behind the wicket) not hampering ride quality one bit. Hard as we tried, she rarely bottomed out at the rear making her an ideal car to throw a chauffeur in. All the more since your chauffeur isn’t going to throw any hills at the Aveo. And that’s just as well.

The bureaucratic gearbox, unenthusiastic engine, and awkward dash that your knees keep banging into are joined, in the hills, by body roll and an express ticket to under steer central. All of which gets aggravated in the 1.4 that, on tight hairpins, keeps falling out of the power band necessitating constant shifting and leaving you exhausted at the end of the day. The steering too, decently weighted albeit a touch too heavy for city parking, is vague and imprecise and the large diameter steering wheel does not encourage enthusiastic sawing.

It takes big commitment to hold her at the limit in the hills, the rear getting unsettled while braking in anything other than a straight line. But I am being a bit too harsh here. Cars such as these are not used for hill climbing and out on the highway she comes into her own with no other mid-size car capable of fast and comfortable expressway mile munching as the Aveo. Neither does many D-segment cars, either, the Aveo chewing fast open corners with competence and at the same time comfortably clearing towering speed-breakers that our municipal corporations seem to take a perverse pleasure in erecting everywhere.

Body Styles, Trim Levels and Options

The Chevrolet Aveo comes in four-door sedan and five-door hatchback configurations, and both are available in one of three trim levels — Special Value, LS and LT. Special Value models come in at around $10,000 and offer basics like power steering, an AM/FM stereo, tilt steering wheel, split-folding rear seat, 14-inch steel wheels, tinted glass, body-color mirrors and door handles and, on hatchbacks, a rear wiper. LS models add air conditioning and carpeted floor mats, as well as the availability of major options such as ABS, CD/MP3 player, alloy wheels, and an automatic transmission. The LT adds power windows and locks, a CD/MP3 player, remote keyless entry, cruise control, 15-inch alloy wheels, and upgraded seat fabric.

Power trains and Performance

The Chevy Aveo has a double-overhead cam, 1.6-liter, four-cylinder engine that delivers 103 hp and 107 lb-ft of torque. A five-speed manual transmission is standard, and there is also, an optional four-speed automatic with an electronic “hold” feature for second-gear starts when driving on slippery surfaces. Fuel mileage estimates are 27 mpg in the city and 35 on the highway with the manual gearbox and 26/34 with the automatic — comparable to the Hyundai Accent but less efficient than the Toyota Echo and Scion xA.

Safety

The Chevrolet Aveo comes with three-point seatbelts for all five passengers with pre-tensioners in the front. ABS is optional on LS and LT models, and it includes Electronic Brake force Distribution for shorter stopping distances. Side airbags are standard across the board for 2006. In NHTSA crash tests, the Aveo earned a five-star rating (the best possible) for its protection of front occupants in frontal impacts.

Interior Design and Special Features

However, bare bones in appearance and feel, the interior have a user-friendly control layout and a few thoughtful features for a car in this price range. The back of each front headrest has a hook for holding a shopping bag, and the five-door hatch has a flip-forward rear seat that allows for a maximum cargo capacity of 42 cubic feet. Even the sedan comes with a 60/40-split-folding rear seat and offers a decent 11.7-cubic-foot trunk capacity.

Driving Impressions

Subcompact cars have a well-deserved reputation for poor handling and wobbly rides. While the Chevrolet Aveo is certainly no thrill ride, it provides better overall vehicle dynamics than most of its competitors. The steering is direct, the suspension well tuned and the standard engine — while loud and buzzy — is adequate for day-to-day commuting. We normally recommend that buyers in this class opt for a manual transmission, but in the Aveo’s case, the automatic is the better bet: The manual tranny’s gear ratios are too wide, leaving the car underpowered on highway grades and ultimately compromising fuel economy.

Road Test

As lineage goes, the Chevrolet Aveo’s might have a slight pedigree advantage over that of Anna Nicole Smith’s son.This inexpensive car from Chevy is the latest in a particularly motley branch of the automotive family tree-an American-branded car made in Korea. Think Ford’s Kia-built Aspire and Festiva. Think Pontiac’s desecration of that once-revered name, the LeMans, built by Daewoo. These are not cars in the Gear head Hall o’ Fame. I once lived in a flat beneath an erotic dancer who drove a Festiva with a bumper sticker that read, “You’ve been a bad boy, go to my room!” Other than that, the Festiva was not, you know, a stimulating car.

Ah, but we were talking about the new Aveo-which you may pronounce ah-vay-oh or av-ee-oh, your pick. You could also call it a Kalos, since that is the name of the Daewoo model on which it is based. Well, actually more than just “based”-more like “basically identical to”. This refugee Chevy, which is nonetheless featured in the division’s much-ballyhooed “American Revolution” advertising campaign, is built in Bupyong, South Korea, which is not in Wisconsin but is fun to say aloud. Over the last year, GM has also quietly introduced three other Daewoo’s under the Suzuki badge. The General has a controlling interest in both companies.

Forgive us, then, if we were planning to take this car lightly. When it was dropped off in our parking lot, we . . . well, we did not really notice. Chevrolet says the Aveo was styled at Italdesign-Giugiaro in Moncalieri, Italy. And we have no reason to believe the company is lying. Chevy describes the five-door Aveo as having a “particularly striking design”. This is what is known as overstatement. Truth is, the Aveo comes from the same postmodern-dork design school as the Toyota Echo and Suzuki Aerio-both competitors of the Aveo. Tall, upright, and narrow, all these cars violate a certain innate human sense of proportion. Also, the tall, bluff sides of the Aveo make the respectably sized wheels (14-inchers) look like casters under a toolbox. Nothing screams “econobox” quite like really small tires. At 58.9 inches high, the Aveo five-door pokes between two and three inches higher into the atmosphere than a Dodge Neon, Ford Focus, or Honda Civic, but it rides on a wheelbase between 5.4 and 7.4 inches shorter and is an inch or two narrower than those sedans.

There is, nonetheless, beauty inside the Aveo. Pop open one of its flyweight doors and you will find 50 cubic feet of interior space in front and 41 in the rear, despite its modest exterior dimensions. That is about the same amount of interior room as in most of its competitors. Be aware, however, that some of that generous number of cubes is high up around the driver’s head because of the tall roof. But the Aveo, at least the five-door we tested, is a well-packaged device. The rear bench seat sits far rearward in the car-placing rear-seat passenger heads near the backlight. This arrangement sacrifices cargo room-there is a puny seven cubic feet of storage behind the rear seats. But unless you need to take five people and their baggage, the Aveo will do just fine. In the current vogue, the seats are all mounted high in the body. You feel more like you are sitting on a kitchen chair than in a bucket seat. Also, it makes the driver look and feel like a geek.

Being that most practical of small vehicles, a hatchback, you can also convert that rear-seat space into cargo room. Fold the 60/40-split seatbacks, pivot the bench forward, and secure it with tethers to the front headrests, and you get a more-than-credible 42 cubic feet of cargo room. The whole tether thing is a bit cheesy-looking, but it works.

The interior gave us the first inkling this might not be as bad a car as we’d expected. Our test car, a well-optioned LS, costs only $14,160, but the interior is finished in decent-looking, low-sheen plastics. The Aveo doesn’t look any cheaper inside than do several more-expensive, U.S.-built GM models. Daewoo even tried-somewhat half-heartedly-to add a bit of funkiness to the interior design. Strips of dimpled black plastic border the center stack. Kia likely would have just used one big swath of hard black plastic instead. The two center vents are shaped like tubes that protrude from the face of the dash instead of just simple grate-covered holes.

Daewoo might be reaching for a sort-of Beetle/Mini style, but the splashes of style are subtle and inconsistent enough to make them look like little more than afterthoughts applied to an otherwise conventional interior. There are touches of true cheapness inside, too. When you push the right stalk up to turn on the windshield wipers, you might think you’ve broken something. It resists moving, and when it does, it emits a cracking sound, as if you’d snapped a piece of plastic in two. The tiny sun visors, which are too small to block many solar rays, return to their recesses in the headliner with a hollow thwack! These are easily forgiven faults, though, since the car costs only about half the price of the average new car sold in America.

All Aveo has come standard with a tachometer, a tilting steering wheel, adjustable seatbelt anchors, floor mats, and two power outlets up front. These are items one cannot necessarily take for granted in this lowliest ring of the automotive food chain. The slightly cheaper Kia Rio, for example, offers none of these standard. Our LS model added A/C, power windows, power door locks with remote keyless entry, and a CD player with MP3 playback capability.

But availability of amenities does not a good car make. Even the sweetest-singing stereo sounds like the intercom system at Kroger if a buzzing engine, humming tires, and howling winds, drowns it out. Although this particular stereo is not exactly sweet, you can at least hear it clearly, because the Aveo runs in relative quiet. At full throttle, the Aveo makes 76 decibels of racket. Not exactly Lexus territory, but it is quieter than the Kia Rio and virtually all cars one rung higher on the price ladder (Honda Civic, Nissan Sentra, Toyota Corolla, et al.). And the Aveo matches those sedans for quiet at a 70-mph cruise.

That said, the noises you do hear are not especially pleasant ones. The DOHC 103-hp, 1.6-liter iron-block four-cylinder is on the buzzy side at high revs. And despite a dual-path intake intended to fatten a skimpy torque curve, you will need to rev this little motor to move out with anything resembling haste. At 10.2 seconds to 60 mph, our Aveo, equipped with a five-speed manual, is about as sprightly as the 96-hp Kia Rio, and nips the Scion xB by a few 10ths of a second. It trails the Civic/Corolla/Focus camp by an average of about a second.

Because of the paucity of torque (107 pound-feet at 3600 rpm), you’ll be working the tall shifter constantly to stay up with the traffic flow-and you’ll be happy you chose not to pay $850 for the optional four-speed automatic. By enthusiast standards, the Aveo’s shifter has perhaps the worst feel of any on the market. The throws are long-an impression exacerbated by the lengthy stalk. The action is limp. Even while in gear, the shifter flops around as if it were connected to nothing at all. This is not satisfying motoring. Yet we never missed a shift. And judging by our continued forward progress, we concluded that the shifter must indeed be connected to something.

As the shift quality suggests, this is not a vehicle made for the pleasure of operation. It is, instead, a well-realized transportation module-certainly considering the weight and cost constraints in this class. Its strut-front, twist-beam-rear suspension is tuned for a soft ride, in the manner of most Korean cars. Tar strips and gritty pavement are less noticeable in the Aveo than in most Japanese or American small cars. Only large potholes and frost heaves reveal the low-budget mechanicals with a mighty thwack.

In daily traffic machinations, the Aveo feels nimble enough, even with its feel-free steering. It does not feel tippy in the way that tall, cheap cars often do on a curving off-ramp. Its narrow Hankook tires return enough grips (0.74 g) to avoid embarrassing early-onset squealing. And its disc and drum brakes are trusty, returning 199-foot stops from 70 mph with a reasonably firm and linear pedal. That is better breaking performance than that of most other small cars on the market. ABS is a $400 option that our car did not have.

There is a Special Value edition of the Aveo that starts at $9995. But that is an automotive hair shirt, and one suspects it exists only so Chevy can advertise a starting price under $10,000. The LS model, which will be more popular, starts at a still rock bottom $12,585. None of the options on our test car (which raised the price by $1575) improves the driving experience.

So forget the $225 rear spoiler, the $725 sunroof, and the rest, and you will still have a well-equipped small car for less than $13,000. That is substantially cheaper than a Scion (xA or xB) or even an Echo with a similar level of equipment. It is about the same as a Hyundai Accent and slightly more than a Kia Rio. If, however, you buy one of those Korean-brand Korean cars, you get the mondo five-year/60,000-mile basic warranty (with a 10-year/ 100,000-mile power train warranty). But the American-brand Korean car, the Aveo, is offered with a less-generous three-year/36,000-mile warranty. Unlike its predecessors, there is no shame in driving an Aveo. But neither is there pleasure. That counts as a success in this class of transportation.

Technical Specification

Engine

	1.3L SOHC
Displacement	1299 cc
Max. power	70 PS@5500 rpm
Max. torque	105 Nm@2500 rpm
Cylinders	4 in-line
Fuel injection	SEFI
Compression ratio	10.2 : 1
Emission level	Stage III

Transmissions

	Ford B5 manual five-speed transmission
Gear ratios:
1st	3.58
2nd	1.93
3rd	1.28
4th	0.95
5th	0.76
Reverse	3.62
Final drive ratios:
1.3 SOHC M5	4.06

Suspension

Front	Independent MacPherson struts with offset coil spring/damper units and lower L-arms in optimised vertical bushes mounted on separate sub-frame.
Rear	Semi-independent twist-beam with strut-type coil spring/damper units. Dual-path body mounts.

Steering

Type	Fixed ratio rack and pinion with power assistance (PAS)
Turning diameter (kerb-to-kerb)	9.9 m

Brakes

Type	Dual circuit, diagonally split, hydraulically-operated disc front and drum rear. Vacuum servo assistance. Rear brake pressure control valve.
Front	240 mm dia. x 20 mm wide ventilated discs
Rear	180 mm dia. drums with 30 mm wide shoes

Exterior Dimensions

Overall length	4140 mm
Overall width	1634 mm
Wheelbase	2486 mm

Interior Dimensions

Head room – Front	982 mm
Head room – Rear	968 mm
Leg room	1036 mm
Shoulder room	1325 mm

Fuel

	1.3L SOHC
Fuel type	Unleaded petrol
Fuel tank capacity (Litres)	45

Safety

1.3 Flair

S – Standard. O -Optional. na – Not Available.

Laminated windscreen	S
Child-proof rear locks	S
Front and rear side impact door beams	S
Front and rear seat belts	S
Headlamps-on warning buzzer	na
Centre high mount stop lamp	S
Sporty fog lamps	S
Ford Dynamic Safety Engineering (DSE)	S
Central locking and electric fuel cap release	S
Sparkling clear headlamps	S

Comfort and Convenience

1.3 Flair

S – Standard. O - Optional. na – Not Available.

400 litre luggage compartment capacity	S
Interior theme – truffle	S
Instrumentation-black dials	S
Smaller sporty steering wheel	na
CFC-free air-conditioning	S
Tachometer	S
Power windows	na
Two 45 watt speakers	S
Boot light	S

Power and Performance

1.3 Flair

S – Standard. O – Optional. na – Not Available.

Euro III compliant	S
5 speed manual transmission	S

Handling

1.3 Flair

S – Standard. O – Optional. na – Not Available.

Power steering	S
4.9 metre turning circle radius	S
Front suspension – McPherson strut mounted on separate sub frame	S
Rear suspension – Heavy duty twist beam with strut-type coil spring/damper unity	S
Brakes: front disc/rear drum	S

Ford Fiesta is the latest premium mid-sized sedan from Ford. Engineered specifically to adapt to demanding Indian road conditions, the Fiesta combines its high stability with exceptional driving comfort. Fiesta’s contemporary automotive design effortlessly mixes brawn with beauty. It is a perfect combination of style and solidity. Fiesta comes in both diesel and petrol option. Its ‘Dura’ Technology ensures that the drive is exciting smooth and economical. Ford Fiesta is structurally engineered to withstand severe collisions and is loaded with state-of-the art safety features such as ABS (Anti-lock brake system) and EBD (Electronic brake distribution).

The Fiesta 1.6 is a car that doesnt endear itself straight away. There none of the puppyish infectiousness of a Fiat Punto or the innovation of a Honda Jazz. It is very ordinary, albeit in a very well engineered, easy to use manner. The humdrum engine does not exploit the inherent excellence of its chassis, though keen drivers who know their stuff will turn to it before any supermini rival. Super sharp handling is rarely a priority in this sector, and despite our predilection for fun, this must make the Fiesta 1.6 something of a minor disappointment. The potential is there to make it something special but you may have to upgrade to the ST model to realize it.

“It’s difficult to enjoy a small car if you and your passengers aren’t comfortable,” said Martin Leach, Ford of Europe’s vice-president of product development, “so it was imperative to pack a lot of space into a shape that is still small on the outside – to create spaciousness for all five occupants and their cargo. We have packaged Fiesta for sharing with family and friends. That’s where the spirit of sociability and fun really happens.”

Ford engineers pushed Fiesta’s wheels even further to the corners of the vehicle, giving it the biggest footprint in its segment without being the biggest vehicle. The wheelbase is 41 mm longer than before, which helped give rear-seat occupants much-needed knee room. The new Fiesta is also wider and taller than the current model, for extra spaciousness for both occupants and their cargo.

“With new Fiesta, we’ve distilled the design cues that are central to every new European Ford car to their very essence,” said Chris Bird, Ford’s director of European design. “In a simpler, harmonious way, the new Fiesta design clearly signals its package efficiency, its strong driving quality credentials, and that special zest for life.”

Under Bird’s direction, a team led by chief designer Mark Adams created a stylish, taut skin to wrap around Fiesta’s new interior package while expressing energy and agility. The vibrant design signals the spaciousness inside by putting emphasis on the cabin area. The bonnet is short; the glass area is generous and extended with a new third window on the side, giving rear passengers a light and roomy environment.

Pronounced, sharply defined wheel arches, filled with Fiesta’s standard 14-inch wheels and tyres, communicate the dynamic capabilities of the vehicle along with a distinctive body side feature line that dives downward dynamically from the rear of the vehicle all the way to the front. “The new Fiesta has a dynamic visual quality that creates a sense of movement and emotion,” said chief designer Adams. “It invites you and your passengers to have fun.” Creating a friendly face was also important. Fiesta’s new face is engaging, appealing to the heart as well as the head.

First Drive

For almost nine months now, the Fiesta has been coming to India. Now it has finally arrived. Though Ford might not understand plastics too well or for that matter how important fuel efficiency is to our country, they sure do know a thing or two about driving dynamics. To be honest, I was looking forward to drive the 100 bhp petrol Fiesta simply because their earlier three-box was so good. The 1600cc Ikon might have notched up fuel bills that you would struggle to get past George Bush, but it went around corners as flat as a frisbee. Add to that the small steering wheel that had an effect similar to what silicon does to most supermodels – it, um, took excitement to an all-new level.

Therefore, when I got in the driver’s seat of the all-new Fiesta, I was a bit disappointed. Partly because they had got rid of the zestful steering wheel and partly because this one was wearing an oilier suit. Now, I understand that the new generation diesels are losing their smoker’s tag as quickly as they accelerate – thanks to the holy common rail. However, overall, they tend not to be good entertainers.

However, on the desolate Delhi-Jaipur highway, I was warming up to the 1399cc, 8-valve, oil burner pretty nicely, with the ultra long straights allowing me to harness the 68 horses to their fullest, and the Speedo indicating a steady 150 kph. In addition, although the earlier Ford presentation had spoken about liberating more space in the footwell, my left foot was sorely missing a dead pedal. However, apart from that, the rather torques diesel was not working too well for my diesel and me prejudices. In fact, at triple-digit speeds the road/wind noise was proving to be more intrusive than the Donator lump up front.

To say that this diesel is a huge improvement on their current 1753cc (Tide) motor is like saying human beings are better than chimps. However, what really makes this engine special is refinement. Yes, it does speak like a diesel but oh-so softly. The breakthrough, though, is not in the engine per se. The fuel feed has changed. This one comes with a high-pressure common rail system – Tacit in Ford speak. In addition, as with other systems, there is a tiny pilot injection just before the main event giving a small early burn that softens the edge of the big bang. This and the fact that the diesel uses aluminum block means that it weighs just 20 kilos more than its petrol sibling does.

Now, I did not go corner carving with it, but a few imaginary slaloms later, it was rather apparent that the weight saving programmed was paying dividends. Contrary to what you would expect, the diesel is not nose heavy at all nor does the steering require any undue effort. In addition, it is not too bad in traffic either. With most of the 16 kgm of turning force coming in at just over 1400 rpm, all you need to do is stick it in one gear and let the torque do the er… talking. In terms of drivability, the diesel is brilliant.

Something that is a bit of an issue with the petrol, though. The 1596cc, 16-valve, DOHC, Duratec motor that currently serves the Fusion has seemingly been retuned, but is good for 100 bhp at 6500 revs and 14.6 kgm at 3400 rpm. This is not too bad when you have a decent stretch of road, but in traffic, life becomes an endless series of gear changes. With a huge chunk of the power coming in at 3000 revs, the 1.6 struggles to breath fluently in traffic. Show it an open stretch though, and it will pay a fitting tribute to the brilliant Cosworths of yore. Not to mention the noise that it makes, which will get you interested in pressing that right foot harder. This is great, since the aural brews are always accompanied with a lot of grunt right until you hit the rev limiter, which is incidentally at just 500 rpm past its max output!

However, you see the problem with having the meat of its power in the upper echelons means that it is a great car only if your fuel expenses are taken care of by someone else. Ideal for road testers, then. My guesstimate is that the Fiesta should be able to put in a very respectable sub-12 second 0-100 kph run. In addition, given how good the diesel is around corners, it is no surprise that the independent McPherson struts up front and the semi-independent twist beam at the rear do a decent job of keeping the rubber side down. However, given that we ran on the very best tarmac North India had to offer, ride quality remains a big unanswered question.

Oh and before I forget, the Fiesta is also available with a 1388cc petrol engine that’s good for 82 bhp at 6000 rpm and which as of now comes only in the most basic EXI trim. At Rs 5, 86,000 (all prices are ex-showroom Mumbai) this is the cheapest Fiesta around. The diesel too comes in just one trim level that includes an in-dash CD player as standard and, among other things, gets better interiors than the EXI. All this is yours for a slightly steep Rs 7, 33,000. The top-of-the-line petrol, on the other hand, is the 1.6 SXI that comes with leather seats, in-dash six-CD changer, alloys and some amount of aluminum for the interiors and retails for eleven thousand rupees less than the diesel. The best part though is that for Rs 26,000 more you can specify ABS on either the 1.6 petrol or the diesel. Something that we do not just recommend – we swear by it.

There is one other thing. The Fiesta might be turning heads today, but I am not so sure it will do so even a month from now. With its borrowed design cues – a Japanese front end and C-class inspired rear – it is far from spectacular, and the 175/65 R14s are aesthetically insufficient and make the car look like an American football player – somewhere under all that padding is an athlete waiting to get out. Overall, it certainly does not seem like a design that will stand the test of time, which is why I wish Ford had stuck to their new-edge design theme. Having said that, the interiors no longer resemble the plastics convention that the Fusion is and the instrument cluster is gorgeous to say the least. Interior space though is a notch below the class average.

What we have here is a car that does not look special, drives brilliantly, is cramped on the inside, and has a diesel engine that is a worthy alternative to the petrol. In addition, given that it uses many borrowed parts, it is not exactly brand new but it certainly is more all new than most ‘all-new’ cars.

As it now stands, the diesel Fiesta is a decent option over the current C-segment king – the Honda City. As for the petrol, well I would have certainly recommended it as the car to have if you want something that is fun to drive. However, Honda has just launched a 100 bhp version of the City, so the gloves are well and truly off.

Road Test

This Fiesta has always been one of the best handling super minis, with a package of mid-term revisions adding a welcome dose of quality to the mix. As always, it is a very sensible choice. Although no longer one of the largest cars in its spatially expanding segment, the Fiesta’s tall proportions still give it plenty of cabin space and a reasonably sized boot. Colorful trim now lifts the ambiance effectively, while instruments and switchgear have a quality feel to them that was previously lacking. The driving position is still uncomfortable over longer journeys, though, thanks to a tight footwall and the lack of a clutch footrest.

Driving dynamics are exemplary thanks to well-weighted controls, accurate steering, and nippy responses – both in town and in the country. The only real complaint is with the brake pedal’s sometimes-rubbery responses. It cruises on motorways effectively, too – although with lots of road noise entering the cabin at speed.

Engine choice feels limited next to the more advanced units of some rivals. The basic petrol engine revs happily but can only deliver modest performance, while the more powerful 1.4 sounds coarse when worked hard – and the 1.6 that propels the supposedly “warm” Zetec-S can deliver barely tepid levels of performance. The TDCI diesels are loud but effective, although the basic 1.4 litre unit lacks much in the way of out-of-town urge – we would recommend digging deeper for the brawnier 1.6-liter version. The range topping ST is rapid, but looks expensive compared to faster rivals.

Engines

Fiestas lack external engine designations other than petrol or diesel. Most sold are petrol’s, as the premium for diesel forms a disproportionate part of the list price – blame all that expensive, mandatory environmental gear. From the petrol range, you have a 1.25-litre, 1.4-litre, or 1.6-litre; the smaller two engines are best-sellers but rather frustratingly, Ford did not have these to test. We remember the 1.25-litre as a noisy, cowardly thing with a severe torque deficiency, albeit also very smooth and revvy in nature. The 1.4-litre is much better and well worth its £300 premium. Furthermore, the 1.6-litre we did drive, in sporty, sub-ST Zetec-S trim, was an absolute delight. Slick, with good low-down shove and a pacy feel, it proved quite a sweetie.

So perfectly does it gel with the rest of the car, you will drive it and wonder how the 2.0-litre ST could be any better. The sharp steering reacts keenly, with precision, the ride is not over-stiff yet poise through corners is taught, a checkable nature encourages zappy driving without traits of aggression – and throttle matches steering matches engine matches brakes matches gear change for linearity and progression. What an enthusiastic car, despite the nicely bolstered seats being set too high, despite the slight angle to the steering wheel. It also looks spot-on and, for £11,595, had us wondering if you could ever need any more superminis – exemplary all right.

Petrol or diesel?

The 1.4-litre diesel brought us right back down to earth. It is slow. It is noisy and clattery (if again smooth). It does not even swim with torque, leaving you pinning your foot to the floor when ascending hills, enjoying plenty of time to think where the benefit is in the £600 premium you have spent over the 1.4-litre petrol. Really, you will only see it at the pumps, with a claimed 61mpg average – but then, so hard do you have to drive it, we doubt whether this will be a reality. However, diesel fans, despair not. The 1.6-litre TDCi is massively better – quieter, smoother, less clattery and appreciably more refined, with all the surgery pace we now expect. It is even more economical than the smaller engine (64mpg combined), though at a price: £11,695, a huge £1,200 premium over petrol models and hard to justify despite its excellence.

Harder to justify is the ST’s premium over the Zetec S. Yes, an extra 50bhp means it’s faster, dipping below eight seconds to 60mph, but you’ll only appreciate the differences over 3,000rpm – and it’s a fair bit noisier with it, with an ‘angrier’ engine and exhaust note. The suspension is firmer and limits are higher, but unless you approach them, it feels less involving, as if the wider rubber is clothing feedback. The Zetec S is the sweeter car; the ST is ultimately faster but less satisfying with it. In addition, unless you spend the best part of £500 on stripes for the doors, bonnet and boot, there is not a huge stylistic benefit for the range-topper, either. We would save the £2,000 unless speed is all.

Technical Specification

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DIMENSIONS & WEIGHT 1.4 EXI 1.6 ZXI 1.4 ZXI (TDCi) 1.6 SXI Length (mm) 4282 Width (mm) 1686 Height (mm) 1468 Wheelbase (mm) 168 Track Front (mm) 1474 Track Rear (mm) 1444 Kerb Weight (kgs) 1110 1130 1150 1130 Seating Capacity 5 Turning Radius (m) 4.9 Fuel tank capacity (Litres) 45 Boot space (Litres) 430 ENGINE 1.4 EXI 1.6 ZXI 1.4 ZXI (TDCi) 1.6 SXI Type 4 Cylinder in-Line, 16 Valve DOHC 4 Cylinder in-Line, 8 Valve SOHC 4 Cylinder in-Line, 16 Valve DOHC Construction All-aluminium alloy Fuel System SEFI SEFI High Pressure Common Rail SEFI Displacement (cc) 1388 1596 1399 1596 Compression Ratio 9.75 : 1 9.75 : 1 18 : 1 9.75 : 1 Max. power output (ps/rpm) 82 / 6000 101 / 6500 68 / 4000 101 / 6500 Max. torque (Nm / rpm) 127 / 4000 143 / 3400 160 / 2000 146 / 3400 Transmission type 5 speed manual SUSPENSION 1.4 EXI 1.6 ZXI 1.4 ZXI (TDCi) 1.6 SXI Front Independent McPherson struts with offset coil spring / twin tube damper units and lower L-arms with optimized bushes mounted on separate cross-member with stabilizer bar. Dual-path body mounts. Rear Semi-independent heavy duty twist-beam with low package height coil springs with separate twin tube dampers. Dual-path body mounts. Shock absorbers (front & rear) Gas filled BRAKES 1.4 EXI 1.6 ZXI 1.4 ZXI (TDCi) 1.6 SXI Front Ventilated Discs Rear Self Adjusting Drums Anti-lock braking system (ABS) with Electronic brake force distribution (EBD) Not available Optional Optional Optional TYRES & WHEELS 1.4 EXI 1.6 ZXI 1.4 ZXI (TDCi) 1.6 SXI Tyres (tubeless) 175/65R 14 175/65R 14 175/65R 14 175/65R 14 Wheels 14” Steel 14” Steel 14” Steel 14” Alloy Covers Full Full Full Ornament Hubcap for Alloy Features EXTERIOR 1.4 EXI 1.6 ZXI 1.4 ZXI (TDCi) 1.6 SXI Twin jewel effect headlamps Black Surround Full chrome surround Integrated turn signal lamps in headlamps Y Y Y Y Radiator grille surround Body colour Chrome Chrome Chrome Body side protection moulding Y Body coloured Body coloured Body coloured with chrome insert Rear appliqué Black Body coloured Body coloured Chrome Chrome Bezel on front fog lamps - - - Y Drive & Passenger mirrors Black Body coloured Body coloured Body coloured Grip type door handles Black Body coloured Body coloured Body coloured Dual reversing lamps Y Y Y Y B pillar appliqué (Black-out) Y Y Y Y Clear multi-reflector tail lamps Y Y Y Y Full wheel covers Y Y Y Y INTERIOR 1.4 EXI 1.6 ZXI 1.4 ZXI (TDCi) 1.6 SXI Two tone colour co-ordinated interiors Black and medium stone Front doors with bottle holders (1Lx2) Y Y Y Y Magazine stowage in door trims Y Y Y Y Rear cup holders in floor console Y Y Y Y Cup holder in rear seat armrest - Y Y Y Idol stowage on dashboard Y Y Y Y Front and rear ashtrays Y Y Y Y Driver side & pen stowage in console Y Y Y Y Glove compartment stowage Y Y Y Y Driver & passenger side sun visor with covered vanity mirror Y Y Y Y Retractable grab handles with coat hooks in rear Y Y Y Y Front 12-V power outlet (with plug) Y Y Y Y Driver seat height adjust - - - Y Folding rear seat back (100%) and shingled adjustable rear head rests Fixed Y Y Y Passenger seat back pocket Y Y Y Y Optimum aluminium cuffs on steering wheel (3 numbers) - Y Y Y Leather wrapped steering wheel - - - Y Optimum aluminium finish on AC vent surrounds Y Y Y Y Inside door release Black Optimum Aluminium Optimum Aluminium Optimum Aluminium Gear knob Black Insert Optimum Aluminium Optimum Aluminium Optimum Aluminium Parking brake button Black Optimum Aluminium Optimum Aluminium Optimum Aluminium ICE (In Car Entertainment) 1.4 EXI 1.6 ZXI 1.4 ZXI (TDCi) 1.6 SXI Speakers - 4 4 6 Integrated single din audio with AM/FM radio and single CD stowage bin - Y Y - Integrated double din audio with AM/FM radio and 6 CD in dash - - - Y Roof Antenna - Y Y Y

Ford Endeavour is an SUV, available in both 2-wheel and 4-wheel drives. It is powered by 2.5L inter-cooled turbo diesel that delivers maximum power of 112ps/3500. Ford Endeavour’s high ride height, balanced wheel well openings, and substantial proportions below the body side moldings lend it an impressive appearance. It is quite spacious and can seat seven passengers comfortably with easy in-and-out access to the third row seats.

Ford Endeavour is equipped with all the necessary safety features such as dual airbags for driver and passenger, individual seat belts in all seating positions, 4-wheel anti-lock brake system, a high visibility “command” driving position, side-door intrusion beams, collapsible steering column, child-proof rear door locks, and fuel tank shields.

This vehicle has had its origins from the Mazda Fighter and or the Ford Ranger, which is built for the Southeast Asian markets at the Ford-Mazda JV plant at the Thai port city of Rayong. Its underpinnings remain very much that of a pick-up truck while its engine is a Mazda derived unit used for its low cost of manufacture coupled with the requirements of these markets in terms of emission norms, fuel efficiency and most of all – affordability. A Hiroshima based design team worked to develop the Endeavour aqua Everest and give it the qualities desired by the developing markets. As we finally get to put the Endeavour through the OVERDRIVE road test, we discover all the areas where the engineering team has been able to get the Endeavour up to expectations and those areas, which leave something to be desired still.

Interior Design

Endeavour’s interior gives an impression of spaciousness and luxury. It seats seven passengers comfortably with easy in-and-out access to the third row seats. Its unique dual control air-conditioning system comes with two additional sets of vents for the rear seat to ensure comfort for the centre and rear seat passengers. The interior incorporates many small “surprise and delight” features such as individual cup-holders, creative stowage room, and front seat back map pockets equipped with smaller cell-phone pockets. Overall, the effect is one of thoughtful craftsmanship.

Safety Features

Endeavour is designed to meet all applicable local regulations, as well as additional Ford safety guidelines. Features include dual airbags for driver and passenger, individual seat belts in all seating positions, 4-wheel anti-lock brake system, a high visibility “command” driving position, side-door intrusion beams, collapsible steering column, child-proof rear door locks, and fuel tank shields, among others.

Comfort and Convenience

Feature	Endeavour 4×2 2.5L XLT	Endeavour 4×4 2.5L XLT
Environment friendly AC	S	S
Heater	S	S
Dual AC	S	S
2nd and 3rd Row AC Ducts with Independent Control	S	S
Front Centre Armrest with Storage Bin	S	S
7 Cup Holders	S	S
Leather Gear Knob & Steering	S	S
2nd Row Seat – 50:50 Split, Reclining & Double fold	S	S
3rd Row Seats Fold & Remove	S	S
Power Windows	S	S
Tilt adjustable steering	S	S
2 Sun Glass Holders	S	S
Electric adjustable exterior mirrors	S	S
Rear wiper and washer	S	S
Auxillary 12 V Power Outlet (Front & Rear)	S	S
Premium CD compatiable Audio System	S	S
Tachometer	S	S
Instrument panel light adjustment	S	S
Low fuel warning	S	S
Clutch foot rest	S	S
Portable ash cup	S	S
Remote fule filler release	S	S
Front seat back pockets	S	S
Door map pockets on all 4 doors	S	S
Premium Velour seats and door trim inserts	S	S
Tailgate trim cargo net	S	S
Door ajar warning	S	S

Technical Specifications

Engine Data

Type	2.5L, 4 Cylinder In-line, Turbocharged & Intercooled Diesel
Displacement	2499 cc
Max. Power	116PS/3500rpm
Max. Torque	285kgm/2000rpm
Compression Ratio	19.8
Valves	12V SOHC
Fuel System	Indirect Injection Mechanical Pump
Cylinders	4 In-line

Gear Ratios

	5 Speed Manual Transmission
1st	4.250
2nd	2.356
3rd	1.428
4th	1.000
5th	0.827
Reverse	3.656
Final Drive	4.444

Suspension

Front	Independent Double Wishbone with Torsion Bar Spring, Stabiliser Bar
Rear	Progressive Linear Rate Leaf Springs with Low Friction Pads
Shock Absorbers (Front and Rear)	Tubular Double Acting Type Composite Oil/Gas Filled

Steering

Type	Variable Power Assist

Brakes

Front	Ventilated Disc
Rear	Self Adjusting Drum

Wheels/Tyres

Tyres	265/70 R15 (Tubeless)
Wheels	38.1 cm (15") Alloy

Exterior Dimensions

Overall Length	4958 mm
Overall Width	1805 mm
Overall Height	1835 mm
Wheel Base	2860 mm

Fuel

Fuel Capacity	71 litres
Fuel Type	Diesel

Safety

2.5L XLT 4×2

2.5L XLT 4×4

S – Standard. O - Optional. na – Not Available.

Driver and co-driver airbags	S	S
Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)	S	S
Electronic Brake-Force Distribution (EBD)	S	S
Limited Slip Differential	na	S
Day-Night Inside Rear View Mirror	S	S
Engine Immobilizer	S	S
Anti-Theft Alarm	S	S
Central Door Locking	S	S
Front Fog Lamps	S	S
Side Intrusion Beams	S	S
Child Safety Rear Door and tailgate Lock	S	S
Collapsible Steering Column	S	S
Seat belts for all 7 occupants	S	S
Dual horn	S	S
Fuel tank guard	S	S
Ford Dynamic Safety Engineering	S	S

 

 

Power & Performance

2.5L XLT 4×2

2.5L XLT 4×4

S – Standard. O - Optional. na – Not Available.

2.5L, 4 Cylinder In-line, Turbocharged & Intercooled Diesel Engine	S		S
Manual Transmission 4×2	S		na
Manual Transmission 4×4	na		S
Euro II Compliant	S		S

 

Handling

2.5L XLT

S – Standard. O - Optional. na – Not Available.

Variable power assist steering	S
Front suspension – independent double wishbone with torsion bar spring, stabilizer bar	S
Rear Suspension – Rigid Leaf Spring	S
Shock Absorber Type – Tubular Double Acting	S
Brakes: Front Ventilated Disc/Rear Self Adjusting Drum	S
265/70 R15 Tubeless Tyres	S
38.1 cm (15") alloy wheels	S

Maruti Swift is the most smart and handsome looking hatchback at present in India, offers very good equipment leveles and safety like airbags and ABS in top models, overall its very good option for zen and wagon R owners to upgrade to swift but it lacks boot space and also interiors are not comfortable. Suzuki’s popular small car, the Suzuki Swift has been awarded “Most Fun to Drive” at the annual Japanese Car Of The Year awards for 2005-2006.

The awards, run and sponsored by the Car of the Year Executive Committee, recognised the stylish European design, dynamic performance and high levels of standard equipment and features as contributing factors to the overall driveability of the Suzuki Swift.

First Impression

Maruti Suzuki Swift comes with a number of safety features such as collapsible steering column, front seatbelt pre-tensioners with load limiters, and energy absorbing trim all around. Active safety technologies include dual front airbags, and antilock braking system together with electronic brake-force-distribution. As first impressions go, I came away with a mixed feeling about the Swift. It looks fabulous and drives really well. The power steering gave pin-point control (and this is inspite of the fact that I’m a very ocassional driver). Power delivery seemed to be bit lacking, but I can’t be sure, if this is because of the car or because I was tentative and needed to be careful in the Delhi traffic.

What really turned me off is the shockingly poor quality of the interiors. Cheap plastic and upholstery just gave a tacky feeling. The inside door handle (molded into the interior of the door) when used to pull the rear door shut gives a feeling that the whole assembly would come off. Similar tacky materials, if you saw the lining near the hatch door. The facia for the music system is a far cry from the Swift one sees in Europe. Leave alone integrated CD player and steering controls, one sees a gaping hole where the Casette Player needs to go in.

Surprisingly enough, the outside finish was excellent. It’s almost as if different companies were manufacturing the two parts of the car. Last but very important from my perspective, the drivers seat and footwell is not big enough to accomodate me. In the VXi model (which I sat in while being stationary), the thighs keep threatenign to touch the steering wheel. I have this problem with the Wagon R as well, but not with the Santro. Though while driving the Swift ZXi model, I didn’t notice this. I will probably have to start looking outside the Maruti stable for a suitable car. All things said and done, maybe pricing the car about 10K more for better interiors would still make the car a good deal (Of course I’m betting on the car being available in CSD). Also, I’m just itching to now go and try out the Getz.

Swift Comes in Three Models

LXi – 4.2 L
VXi – 4.4 L
ZXi – 5.4 L

Engineering

The dashboard houses the instrument cluster, the glove box and central console, with slots for the music system, aircon controls, and so on. The centrally-located instrumentation display includes a tachometer, speedometer and digital odometer, as well as a clearly visible digital clock. The climate control system has an easily-operable large circular dial. The material and textures used for the dashboard and car interior are of good quality and make the ride feel opulent. The door trims and other consoles, too, are nicely designed. The driving posture is excellent as the driver’s seat has a height adjuster and a slide range that ensures driving comfort. Leg room is sufficient at the back too. Relax in the back seat: the bench-like seat allows three passengers to sit together comfortably. Or else, it can be folded down to create additional boot space (total luggage storage capacity: 368 hires). Shifting gears is quite quick in the Swift, due to Maruti’s newly-designed short stroke shift linkage.

Fuel efficiency

All Maruti vehicles are economicallypriced vehicles that are certainly fuel efficient, and the Swift is no exception. After clocking almost 500km through both highway and inner city traffic, we figured 11.3kpl in start-stop city traffic, and 13.4kpl on the expressway. In mixed conditions, we logged 12.4. Not bad for a car this swift!.

On the road

There’s a choice of three engines: a 65bhp 1.3-litre four-cylinder petrol, a 75bhp 1.5-litre petrol with variable valve timing, and a 1.3-litre turbodiesel with common-rail injection. There are also three gearboxes on offer, with a five-speed manual, robotised five-speed manual and four-speed automatic gearboxes available on selected engines. Our Japanese-spec test car was a 1.3 petrol model with the four-speed auto transmission, and it had no problem in keeping pace with busy town traffic.

The engine revs smoothly through its range and remains refined even when worked hard; pulling through the ‘box’s four gears is thankfully not a chore. The Swift strikes a pleasing balance between decent ride comfort and control, and although the power steering could use a little more feel and precision, the wide track and long wheelbase give it a sure-footed feel. The engine and suspension will be tuned differently for European-spec cars, but it feels strong and secure on the road, and while it’s not especially sporting, it does what you expect of it. The brakes are particularly noteworthy, combining good stopping power with a well-weighted action. The Swift now drives in a manner comparable with its main rivals.

In the cabin

The cabin is a roomy, distinctive place to travel in with an impressive level of quality to its construction. The layout of controls is simple and clear, although some cheap plastics hinder the impressive overall feel. The seats are comfortable and of a good size with plenty of under-thigh support, and room is generous in the back, even if headroom is a little compromised for taller passengers. Only boot space lets the Swift down: at just 213 litres with the seats up, it’s significantly smaller than a Honda Jazz’s 353 litres.

It’s been noticeable that changes have been afoot at Suzuki recently. With the Concept S and concept S2 – shown at the 2002 Paris Motor Show and the 2003 Frankfurt Motor Show respectively – and a large, successful presence in the Junior World Rally Championship with its canary-coloured Ignis rally cars, Suzuki looks like a brand trying to chisel a niche for itself rather than drown in a sea of anonymity. The new Swift proves that it’s also capable of seismic shifts in the way it produces cars.

The Swift is one of the most intriguing small new cars for some time – more so because it comes from the left-field, from a manufacturer that’s not been associated with producing competitive mainstream cars. But the Swift signals Suzuki’s intent to compete on a global level and to do so they need the right standard of product. We’ll have to wait until we can conduct a proper test on European roads to give a firmer verdict, but on this initial evidence it would appear that Suzuki has succeeded in that goal. You might not be tempted out of your Polo just yet, but there’s plenty of reasons why other supermini makers should be dreading the Swift’s arrival.

Looks

The desirability factor starts from the way an automobile looks and that is one area in which the new Suzuki excels. Suzuki could have easily built yet another brilliant small car and clothed it with regulation, boxy bodywork like, say, the Wagon R. Instead they got inspiration from the right places such as Italy, France and England, and came up with a Japanese equivalent of a Mini, with the design eccentricity of Renault and the glamour of small Fiats. The new age design had to meet new safety regulations, but Suzuki, for a change, didn’t let that come in the way of creativity. The end result is a car that pays homage to some of the very best small cars ever produced.

The front end features ‘lifted-up’, vertically stacked headlamps and a raised bonnet line that meets new pedestrian safety norms in Europe. Well-defined, muscular wheel arches, a waistline that runs the length of the car, chunky C-pillars that suggest strength and the beautiful floating-roof (an effect created by black-taping the pillars) all make the car as state-of-the-art as it gets. Add to that a wide footprint, fat rubber, a neat stance and you get the picture. This is one of those small cars that even those who can afford much bigger cars will appreciate. Seriously, it is difficult to find a flaw in the design of the Swift – I personally would have liked a base version in white with black bumpers, but then it could well be just me. And yes, the five-spoke alloys look much better than the seven-spoked ones. Round one to Suzuki.

Interior

The Swift meant for India is built to a price and it reflects in the interior. Despite following the overall international theme (Suzuki calls the Swift their first World Car), you can see where the bean counters won over designers. Still, the instrument console is clean and well textured, the three-spoke steering really sporty and there is adequate room for five passengers and their elbows. The top-end ZXi version should have been given adjustable steering, electric rear-view mirrors and a quality jukebox along with the automatic climatiser which it gets. Rear seats offer decent legroom but could have been better padded. And pray Suzuki, why cringe on headrests for base models? Isn’t that a basic safety feature? Ditto with the external rear view mirrors – the base model gets just one! Come on!

Power

At the very outset of the Swift project, it was clear that the Indian and Chinese versions would use the existing 1.3 litre engine from the Esteem – albeit revised, reworked and re-mapped. The new generation VVT (variable valve timing) engines on offer in the European Swift would have pushed up the list price by almost a lakh of rupees – hence. So was that a smart move? To begin with, there is nothing seriously wrong with the Esteem motor – it has got adequate performance and decent drinking habits – and it does a good job of propelling the slightly heavier Swift. The familiar 1298cc motor breathes through 16 vales and develops a not-so-anaemic 87 bhp at 6000 rpm and 11.7 kgm of torque at 4500 rpm.

What it lacks is the kind of refinement a decade of engineering advancements have brought in. So it feels a bit stressed as it accelerates from standstill and a bit coarse as the revs build up. The gearbox though, is new, and the new imported ‘gears’ are an important cog (couldn’t help that) in this powertrain equation. Going by the speedo, the first gear is good for 58 kph, second 98 kph, and third, a bloody brilliant 150 kph. Even before driving the car, we knew that the Swift has outstanding dynamics going for it, though we had our reservations when it comes to power-train refinement and performance – I can say that performance was not disappointing, though I expected more on the refinement front.

Ride and handling

This is one area where the Swift scores over its competition. The Indian version rides higher and has an altogether new chassis balance and setup – needless to say, tyres too. It must have been real hard work to get the rubber compound/spring and damper rating correct for our roads, and I have to say the result is outstanding. The Swift can be used to attack corners at speeds that would impress much bigger cars. Remember, the original Mini was a brilliant handler and it won many a laurel. Same with the Swift – this is one car that begs to be driven hard and one Mr Alec Issigonis must be a content man up there. It is also good to see sub-frame mounted suspension underpinnings on mass production small cars. If I must crib, there could have been better feedback from the steering (electrically assisted – pinion driven) which feels not so well-weighted and hence not connected. Full marks to JK Tyre for producing outstanding tubeless rubber for this new generation car though.

Technical Specifications

Body Type
Body Type	:	Hatchback
Number of doors	:	5
Seating capacity	:	5
Engine
Capacity	:	1298cc
Number of cylinders	:	4
Number of valves	:	16
Bore x Stroke	:	74.0 x 75.5 mm
Compression ratio	:	9.0:1
Maximum power	:	87bhp @ 6000rpm
Maximum torque	:	113Nm @ 4500rpm
Fuel distribution	:	Multipoint injection
Transmission
Type	:	Five-speed manual, with synchromesh in all gears, one reverse
Gear ratios	:	1st   3.545         4th   0.966 2nd   1.904     5th   0.757 3rd   1.280     reverse   3.272
Dimensions
Overall length	:	3695mm
Overall width	:	1690mm
Overall height	:	1530mm
Wheelbase	:	2390mm
Track      Front	:	1470mm
Rear	:	1480mm
Ground clearance	:	170mm
Minimum turning radius	:	4.7 metres
Luggage capacity	:	232 litres (with seatback raised) 368 litres (with seatback folded)
Chassis
Steering	:	Rack & pinion, power assisted
Brakes       Front	:	Ventilated Discs
Rear	:	Drums
Suspension     Front	:	MacPherson strut and coil spring
Rear	:	Torsion beam and coil spring
Tyres	:	165/80 R14 / 185/70 R14 (tubeless)
Weights
Kerb weight	:	980 kgs. [LXi] / 1000 kgs. [VXi] / 1010 kgs. [ZXi]
Gross vehicle weight	:	1415kgs
Maximum speed	:	160kmph
Fuel tank capacity	:	43 litres

Toyota Innova is a sleek sedan with ground clearance of an MPV. Innova offers excellent ride quality and luxury coupled with versatile space, superior performance, world-class safety, advanced styling, and solid durability. Innova is equipped with Toyota VVT-I petrol engine or the D4D diesel. Both the engines offer matchless performance. The diesel engine uses the latest common-rail technology for superior performance and exceptional fuel efficiency. This 2.5 L (2494 cm3/cc) engine is specially tuned for Indian conditions, and generates 75kW (102PS)/3600 rpm of power and 200Nm/1400-3400rpm torque.

Toyota Innova has state-of-the art safety features. These include Global Outstanding Assessment (GOA) body, SRS airbags, large disc brakes, collapsible steering column, high rigidity frame, and side door impact beams. Toyota’s going for the kill with this modern, comfy and hugely refined MPV. Leapfrog is a game that’s played seriously by global car companies. Every new model is launched with the hope that it will vault over its rivals. However, the leapfrog game isn’t so intense in India, where outdated models thrive, and leaving little incentive for manufacturers to churn out their new models. But even so, bringing out new models that leap a generation forward does make a difference. Take the battle between the Hyundai Sonata and the earlier Honda Accord.

When the Korean firm launched its luxury car, it sold thrice as well as its Japanese rival, but the arrival of the latest Accord last year swung the balance sharply in the Japanese car-maker’s favor, and the new Accord has virtually wiped out the Sonata. GM India dropped the Chevy Tavera smack into Qualis territory, and with good results. The Tavera may not have dented the Qualis’ sales but it’s seen as a generation ahead and is selling like hot cakes with a six-week waiting list. However, the Tavera’s advantage is likely to be short-lived for in March 2005, Toyota is planning a jump into this market which could deliver better results than Anju Bobby George did in Athens.

When Toyota launches the Innova, it will be not one but two generations ahead of the current Qualis. Toyota will simply skip over the fourth-generation Kijang (the Qualis is the third generation and the Innova the fifth) and offer the freshest model from its stable. The all-new Innova mini-van or Multi-Purpose-Vehicle (MPV) made its world debut only last month in Jakarta. It’s based on Toyota’s new IMV (for Innovative Multi-Purpose Vehicle) platform, which will spawn five different models for sale in more than 140 countries. The Innova is the second model on the IMV platform, the first being the the pick-up model, the Hilux Vigo, launched just last month in Thailand. India forms a crucial part of the IMV project, which relies on global production and supply bases that are all outside Japan (unprecedented for Toyota) to produce vehicles and components.

India is responsible for the transmissions for all IMV models in the world, while diesel engines will come from Thailand and petrols from Indonesia. Remarkably, India will begin manufacturing the Innova only six months after its global launch. You simply can’t compare the Qualis to the Innova, which looks like a spaceship alongside the boxy Qualis which we are all familiar with. Also, the Innova is really a mini-van, offering practicality instead of a rugged image. The Innova’s styling, though very modern, breaks no new ground and is a typical Toyota van with styling cues from the Previa and the Corolla Verso. It has huge, wing-shaped lights and a simple, inoffensive grille with the Toyota logo placed on a central wedge, making it impossible to mistake it for anything but a Toyota. The shapely bumper with its pronounced air intake and fogs along with the chin spoiler adds a sporty touch.

The short bonnet and raked windscreen accentuate the cab-forward design of the Innova, designed to maximize passenger space, the long wheelbase and vast doors hinting at the amount of passenger space. In fact, the 2750mm wheelbase is 250mm more than the Qualis. The flush fitting, bonded rear windows add to the smooth, uncluttered and slightly bland look of the Innova — the only interesting features at the rear are the pyramid shaped tail-lights.

Unlike the Qualis, based on an antiquated C-section type chassis, the Innova sits on a rigid tubular chassis with modern mechanicals. The front suspension is made up of double wishbones with coil springs while the rear, though non-independent, gets a relatively sophisticated set-up with four links and a lateral rod with coil springs. The dampers and rear coils are decoupled, allowing flexible packaging. The Innova, available only in two-wheel drive, follows the standard layout of a longitudinally-mounted engine driving the rear wheels.

Step into the interiors and you’re in for a shock. You think you’ve walked into a luxury car by mistake — there’s a plushness you don’t associate with cars in this category. The dashboard with its interesting two-tone and geometric design looks and feels better than a Corolla’s, and the plastics, switches and buttons have a tactile feel comparable to a luxury car. Power window switches come from a common parts bin, shared with the Corolla. The stereo system sits high up on the dashboard, topped by a sleek looking Multi-information Display (MID). Only available on the top-end model, it gives useful information like outside temperature, average fuel consumption, real-time fuel consumption, average speed, elapsed time, range/distance at your fingertips. Also, the high-end version features mock-wood inserts and features like Park Distance Control (PDC), a boon while parking in tight places.

Interior space and comfort are class-leading, and the Innova feels far more spacious than both the Tavera and its sibling, the Qualis. The front seats are pretty generous, with seat- and steering wheel-height adjustment on some models. The thoughtfully designed middle row is placed quite high off the floor, allowing a comfortable seating posture. Though not quite as comfy as the Safari’s middle-row seats, the Innova has plenty of legroom and width for the central passengers.

The rear seats are economy class but compared to its rivals, the Innova excels. The middle and rear seats flip forward, and tilt in all kinds of permutations, typical of other MUVs in this market. What’s unique is a 50:50 split for the rear seats. It adds to the versatility of the Innova, but limits the rear-most seats to two passengers. Toyota might use a single-piece bench for the Indian model so the Innova can be certified an eight-seater.

For Indonesia, the Innova gets a choice of two engines, a 2.5-litre common-rail turbo-diesel and a 2.0-litre petrol. Both are expected in India, the diesel expected to lead sales. The 16-valve, twin-cam diesel engine produces 102bhp and 20.4 kgm of torque, quite modest for a common-rail unit of this size. However, Toyota has traded power for economy and though we never got an opportunity to test the Innova, Toyota claims it is the most fuel-efficient vehicle in its class. The automatic version gets additional torque (26.5kgm), which implies that Toyota can tune this engine to suit different applications. No road test was possible, but we were taken for a spin around the Karawang test track. The immediate impression was how silent the diesel motor is. Noise and vibrations are incredibly low and clearly a jump ahead of other diesel MUVs. There didn’t seem to be a lack of power either and with a full load of eager journalists, the Innova managed to canter effortlessly past the 120kph mark. The ride was pretty good for an MPV, but you could feel the lumpiness of the live axle, and the suspension clearly lacked the compliance of a regular car.

Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) is tight-lipped about the Innova’s launch, even though a group of TKM officials, including Vice-chairman Vikram Kirloskar, were present for the line-off ceremony at Karawang. We expect the Innova in India by the end of March 2005 at a price comparable to the Qualis. Toyota officials indicate that the Innova’s manufacturing costs are cheaper than the Qualis, thanks to the huge economies of scale expected from the IMV project (Toyota plans to make 500,000 vehicles on the IMV platform in 2005) and simplicity in manufacturing. The only chink in the Innova’s armour is the shape. Potential SUV/MUV owners may not take to its van-like looks, which lack the tough and rugged image of a Scorpio. However, we have learned that an SUV on the IMV platform is on the way later in 2005 and is expected to look like a mini-Land Cruiser.

Toyota said it was very serious about India, but now we know just how serious. The Toyota Innova is powered by a 2 liter 4 cylinder 16 valve DOHC VVT-i engine which is good for 100kW (roughly 135hp) and 182Nm of torque. This is an improvement over Toyota’s previous flagship budget people mover the Toyota user which only has a 1.8 liter engine with no variable valve timing. Some of the features that the 2.0G has are ABS, driver side air bags, front ventilated discs, rear drum brakes, 15 inch alloy rims and a CD player with MP3 support.

The 2.0E model does not have airbags or ABS but everything else is pretty much the same except the trim level with a bit of chrome here and there and better interior. Both the models have those really pretty Optitron meters which I really like! And they both have load-sensing proportioning and bypass valves. Some of you must be wondering what is this “Load-Sensing Proportioning and Bypass Valve (LSP & BV)�. It’s something mounted to the rear suspension of a vehicle and it senses the weight distribution of the vehicle and automatically varies the amount of hydraullic pressure put on the rear brakes. This helps reduce rear-wheel lock-up during braking.

The most appealing aspect of the Innova after its build, turnout and mechanical hardware has to be the room in the cabin, the flexible nature of the seating system, the practicality aspect of the vehicle and of course the high comfort and luxury levels one can specify on a vehicle of its kind. Large opening doors with well crafted out entry and exit parameters are evident as are the thoughtful touches to the seat backs on the two rear rows, both of which could be made to recline. Also the middle row of seats can also slide fore and aft if the need should arise. If that is not all, the style evident on the exterior is backed up with some of the most pleasing interior treatment, notably in the dashboard and the control layout area. Generous cubby holes abound while the air con system has been devised with blowers directed at occupants on all three rows. A duo-tone trim treatment is adopted and the trim and cloth upholstery is top notch. Air bags for driver and passenger are OE in the top spec V-models while an immobilizer is OE on all three spec versions.

We will have the complete gen on the Innova in our next issue where each and every spec version will be outlined and commented on. The company plans to make a total of 54,000 units of the vehicle in 2005-06 and while the pricing has yet not been revealed, it is thought to be in the band of Rs 6.0 to Rs 8.0 lakh (ex-showroom). The competition, and by that I also mean the likes of the Chevrolet Optra and Skoda Octavia have been warned; the Innova means business, in the nicest possible way of course.

Its trend setting design include sporty and curved mono form design, cutting edge aerodynamics, 3 dimensional front, panoramic windows, semi concealed wiper, etc. Interior of this car is also equipped with surrounding cabin, shift6 and rear console, door bottle holder, mobile charger, glove box, better cargo space, two tone relaxing color interior, adjustable passenger’s and driver’s seats, saddle type headrests, chrome plated door inside handle etc.

Exterior of this car include fog lamps, rear lamps, 3 dimensional grille, superior multi reflector headlamps, towering height etc.

Safety features which always give security to the owner of the car include load sensing promotion valve (LSPV), GOA body, SRS air bags (driver and passenger side), large Disc Brakes, Theft Deterrent System (immobilizer) etc.

It has mainly three models

Innova E
Innova E 2.0L Petrol
Innova E 2.5L Diesel

Innova G
Innova G1 2.0L Petrol
Innova G2 2.5L Diesel

Innova V
Innova V 2.0L Petrol
Innova V 2.5L Diesel

Luxury

D4D (Direct-4 Stroke Diesel Turbo Common rail)
D4D engine technology enables the car to be highly responsive and environment-friendly.

12 Volt Power Outlet
Easy-access, multi purpose power supply in the cabin.

Tilt Steering Wheel
Adjustable height of steering wheel for ultimate comfort in driving.

Integrated Key with Toyota auto alarm (TAA)
Toyota auto Alarm System is integrated with the key for practical use (Types G & V only).

Large Console Box
Large front console can be used for multifunctional storage.

Upper & Lower
Glove Box
Spacious double glove box is useful for extra storage.

Road Test

It looks like UMW Toyota has done it again, with the Innova. Barely a month after its launch, the waiting list is rumored to be 13 months if you put your name on the dotted line right now. It also seems that there have been some conversions wherein many of those Toyota stalwarts who have put their money down for an Avanza have shifted their bookings to the larger Innova.

We got hold of one unit, courtesy of UMW Toyota, and took it to Melaka for a weekend run to check it out. First of all, I must say that the interior space is impressive, and why not? After all, the Innova shares the same base platform as the Toyota Hilux, both models being part of the IMV project, Toyota Motor Corporation’s International Multi-purpose Vehicles exercise to develop and manufacture multi-purpose vehicles outside of Japan. Mooted as a 7-seater, the Innova will easily seat eight people if the need arises. Of course we did not have a family big enough to fill her up, but we carried a whole lot of stuff around in it instead.

The Innova is an easy vehicle to drive despite its large size. From the driver’s seat, you have a commanding view of your surroundings through the generous glass area, and the powerful 2.0 liter engine works well with the 4-speed automatic gearbox to move all of its 1.5 tons without much fuss. Of course it is not a road scorcher; the power is adequate if you are not in a hurry, although it can put on a reasonable turn of speed of anything up to 160 kilometers per hour if given a long enough stretch of road. Anyway, its shape and size is not one that will stir up any visions of race or rally driving. The designers were quite clear in their objectives when coming up with the power and drive train package. It is not made to point and squirt; flooring the accelerator merely makes it change down and make a lot of noise without any appreciable burst of speed. It is better to just apply gentle throttle pressure, and let the inertia be overcome naturally. Understandably, we did not even bother to check out the Innova’s zero to hundred times. However, once it gets up to speed, it is quite easy to maintain a cruising speed of around 140 to 150 kph.

On the road, it is quite well behaved. Straight-line stability is of no issue, and lane change characteristics are quite good actually. The rack and pinion steering arrangement appears to give some benefits here. Unlike the Avanza, the Innova’s gear ratios are better, so you don’t get to hear the engine screaming. Around corners, the Innova handles well for an MPV. The suspension is tuned to be a lot softer than that of the Hilux, and of course the rear coil springs help a lot in this department. The ride is pretty good, although it is a little choppy at times, especially when traversing the wavy stretch between the Cyberjaya exit and Seremban.

Our fuel cost for the trip cost around 22 sen per kilometer, not bad, considering the weight and size of the vehicle. We did not really push the vehicle, so I would venture to say that this figure would be what the average user would experience. I figure the manual transmission model would be about 10 to 15 percent more economical on fuel. In the overall analysis, I find the Innova a practical vehicle for those who need the space and carrying capacity. It looks decent enough with its smooth flowing lines; it won’t win any beauty contests, but it is not ugly either. The engine is powerful enough to serve its purpose while offering good fuel economy for a vehicle of its size, and the interior is comfortable. Priced between RM87,900 and RM102,900, the Innova is good value for your money, especially if you need to ferry people around a lot.

Overall the vehicle has been designed to offer comfortable seating, be it in the front, middle seats and even the rear seats. There is enough space too for a good amount of luggage behind the rear most seats, more or less equivalent to the luggage space in a larger hatchback. The seating offers total fatigue-free ride on long journeys, with its streamlined ergonomics and the excellent driving position one can achieve by adjusting the rake of the steering column as well as the height of the seat. The Innova is indeed a milestone for the Indian user, and a big leap forward for the automotive industry in the country. The advent of the Toyota Innova has certainly made a very significant point. It has beyond doubt elevated the benchmark several levels higher for other manufacturers in our country, while offering the Indian buyer a family car he would be proud to possess.

Specifications

Toyota INNOVA (diesel/petrol)
Engine Type: Liquid cooled 4-cylinder inline
Valve Layout: 16V DOHC
Displacement: 2494cc/ 1998cc
Fuel Injection: Common rail/ EFI with VVT-i
Max Power: 102PS@3600rpm/ 136PS@5600rpm
Max Torque: 200Nm@1400-3400rpm/ 182Nm@4000rpm
Transmission: 5-speed manual
Suspension F: Independent wishbone type with coil springs and stabilizer
Suspension R: 4-link, coil springs
F Brake: Discs (ABS on V version)
R Brake: Drums
Wheels F/R: 15 x 6J (alloys in V version)
Tyre F/R: 205/65 R15 (tubeless)
Length: 4555mm
Width: 1770mm
Height: 1755mm
Wheelbase: 2750mm
Ground Clearance: 176mm
Fuel Capacity: 55 liters
Kerb Weight: 1585/1510kg
Instrumentation: Tachometer, trip meter, digital clock, tilt power steering, door ajar warning, seat belt warning, ABS, driver and passenger side airbags, engine immobilizer.

TVS claims that apache, with a 13.5 bhp powering it, will have the best power-to-weight ratio in its class. Apache promises instant acceleration, wonderful pick-up and a good top speed. The company also says the wide tyres ensure better grip on the road. TVS is also planning to launch an entire set of accessories for the apache, including helmets, gloves, goggles and jackets.

The sporty TVS apache will be available in four colors and sport alloy wheels as standard feature. TVS hopes to gobble up 30% of the premium bike market with the apache. TVS hopes to sell 2 lakh apaches in a year. With the looks that go wit the apache, that does not seem too far-fetched. Around 50,000 premium bikes are sold in the Indian market every year. TVS fiero, another premium bike from TVS has not been doing very well, and the company may decide to phase it out if the apache can grab the volumes.

Design and engineering

The apache looks swell. The new TVS is a macho street fighter, with a short and squat stance. It comes with classy alloy-rims. Attention to detail, paint gloss and overall build quality are good. The apache fairing is distinctive, with the TVS aping the bajaj pulsar’s twin city light format. The apache once again does a pulsar with its silver-coated handlebar, and offers tri-pod instruments. A tachometer and fuel counter is standard fare. Minor observation time: taller riders will find that the apache fly screen can cut the tip of the Speedo console away from view.

Switchgear on the apache is good design and quality. Grips, levers and mirrors are satisfying kit, and everything works and adjusts with a nice feel. Though the new apache makes this next statement understandably debatable, the pulsar retains our vote as best-looking Indian bike. We feel that while the apache is an enthusiast’s delight, the bajaj appeals to a wider audience.

Performance

An air-cooled, alloy single cylinder and dual-valve head equipped engine graces the apache. It deploys industry standard roller bearings on its rocker arms and breathes via cv carburetors. The TVS puts out 147.5cc and is essentially an f2 engine that has received comprehensive tweaks to bring it on par with the competition. It’s an engine tuned towards lean burn character. Induction and exhaust resonators on both sides of the cylinder assist instant throttle response. TVS claims that a high voltage 60 mill joule spark now combusts the cylinder via the apache’s i.d.i. Or inductive digital ignition system.

This potent spark also burns for an extensive period of 1200 micro-seconds instead of 200micro-seconds. The f2’s clutch system has been strengthened for the apache and the gearbox receives a fifth-cog, smoothly shifting in a one-down-four-up pattern. The TVS generates 13.5bhp at 8500rpm with its cable-fed clutch feel adequate. Vibration levels are not cause for complaint. The apache takes 5.70secs to get to 60kph and 22.45s to get past 100kph. It hits a top whack of 107kph.

The apache plants riders into a sporty weight-forward riding position. It chooses a dual down tube frame and sports a perceptibly short wheelbase, with just 1260mm between its rims. Non-adjustable front forks and a rectangular section rear swing arm are present to complement gas shock absorbers. The TVS blends 17inches at front and 18 inches at rear. And though it enjoys the thickest 90/90 section front end and offers the option of a TVS brand 90/90 or thicker 100/80 section rear tyre, the apache would do well to switch to MRF rubber. The apache has a sporty and slightly stiff ride quality.

In a low-speed urban environment, this TVS, thanks to quick handling and that short wheelbase, makes a lethal weapon. Up the speeds to really serious velocities however, and the apache starts to feel a bit out of its element and not as steady as we would have liked. Brake bite is progressive and just right. But an apache in a situation which demands 10/ 10th emergency braking, does not feel as reassuring as it should. This, coupled with its less capable tyre brand, is combined reasons for a long 19.7metre stop-distance from 60kph to zero (brake test carried out with slim rear tyre). Contrary to popular notion, the fleet-footed 150s aren’t all that bad at playing the fuel efficiency game. Riding the apache through the worst possible city conditions, we got 49.6kpl. The highway figure is 53.4kpl.

First Ride

Salivating over the picks? Let’s further the drool factor then by assuring you that the Apache looks even better in the flesh. This new TVS is one handsome-looking motorcycle. Aggressive and macho to the core, it exudes a sporty weight forward stance from tip to toe. There’s fine attention to detail all around, with even the ignition-key showing off a pattern in keeping with the bike’s sporty image. Black five-spoke alloy rims with a partially black brake rotor to match, and gold front-brake caliper will be standard on all Apache variants. The front mudguard starts in an angular peak to run rearwards with a light step. Head on, the tinted fly screen equipped front fairing is unique-twin parking lights twinkling on both sides of a large and painstakingly detailed headlight. The Apache will come with a silver handlebar clamped on to a, sadly, non-alloy triple clamp by a brushed finish alloy piece.

Tri-pod black face instruments read out vital statistics, with a sporty tachometer, trip-equipped speedometer and fuel counter prominent. All-inclusive switches, high mirrors and comfortable grips are present, while the handlebar uses bar end weights. The bike’s fuel tank is smartly creased and stunning from any angle, with effective knee indents on either side. Fuel filling is via a flush alloy lid, and bold Apache decals, among the minimalist graphic details to adorn this sportster, are slashed across its sides. Side panels have been cleverly sculpted and colors-coded to hide their bulk, while the rear fairing tapers smoothly into an integrated brake lamp. Other noticeable details are smart engine cases, a black silencer, gold rear suspension tubes and a deeply stepped seat. The Apache makes itself vocal via piercing dual tone, twin horns.

Fed via a CV-type BS 26 carburetor, the alloy cylinder displaces 147.5cc. Its valve train has roller bearings incorporated on the rocker arms, and TVS has lavished attention on the internals, allowing the cylinder to breathe better. The theme has been to allow lean burn character for crisp throttle response, assisted by an induction and exhaust resonator on either side of the barrel. Inside, a super strong spark now fires the charge, with a claimed 60 mill joules tendered thanks to an inductive digital ignition system, as seen on some Royal Enfield bikes.

Spark duration on the combustion stroke has also increased from 200-1200 micro-seconds, again Helping the motor to dispense quick replies when queried with throttle inputs. TVS has beefed up the smooth working clutch on the Apache. The gearbox is now a positive and well weighted 1-down and 4-up system that uses a heel-and-toe lever. One can safely expect par with the class economy, and instant cold starting character thanks to that fatter spark.

We experienced nippy initial acceleration with a saturated top speed somewhere close to a true 110kph, competently in the region of the Achiever, Unicorn and Pulsar 150. Don’t expect the Apache to be much faster-but it’s surely going to be as quick, if not a little quicker in the lower reaches of its power band. The engine note is a soft throb that builds with quiet composure as the revs rise. There is no drama, no intrusive vibrations, and the Apache always feels forgiving and linear in its power delivery. Among the first things one notice when approaching an Apache is its short wheelbase.

All of 1260mm separates the two rims, the front 17 inches, and the rear 18 inches. Rubber is TVS kit, with a meaty 90/90 section in front, and 90/90 at rear, or a slightly larger 100/80 available as optional. The twin down tube frame has had its stiffness and flexes levels optimized. Twin telescopic forks and adjustable gas charged shocks do duty along with a rectangular swing arm. There’s a forward-biased riding position, with short and low handlebars, that looks uncomfortable. But that’s far from true, sling a leg over and the Apache will allow you to get comfy pretty quick.

Three quick blasts around TVS’s small, but interesting test track were all it took to have us feeling absolutely at home. Neither too sharp a handler nor too soft, the short wheelbase bike feels stupendous in twist and turn situations, ultra flick able yet rock steady, even at speeds around the magical 100kph.The Apache literally threads twisties together and goes through corners like an assassin’s knife. While ride quality and seat comfort felt just right on the smooth factory track surface, we will reserve judgment on these areas till we road-test it. What’s clear up to now is the Apache’s handling is a highlight. Braking on the Apache is reassuring and just as stable as can be expected. TVS’s bikes have always been associated with sound engineering and sweet handling. The one department they failed to raise eyebrows with was lackluster styling. But the Apache has turned that perception on its head. It looks just as potent as it goes.

Comparison

“05 was bit of a let down for performance-minded bikers; not only was there no new pulsar to salivate over but the only new Honda wasn’t really new either, if you know what i mean. Now, as we turn a new page out comes TVS with their long-awaited 150cc challenger, the apache. We pitch it against the best of the 150’s – the bajaj pulsar DTS-i, Honda unicorn and hero Honda achiever – to see if the boys at TVS have done their homework well.”

It had to happen, didn’t it? That it took so long is the surprising bit, not the fact that the fruits of all the waiting have come out so tasty. TVS, after all, have been toiling on the fiero replacement for a bloody long time and it was but a given that their new machine would rewrite the rules in this class. The apache just had to, didn’t it? TVS have been off the enthusiasts’ radar for such a long time that many have forgotten what they are capable of. TVS was the company revered as having the best RandD setup in the country. Forgotten too that this is a company that prides itself on racing (and winning) with their own homegrown bikes. That they floundered in their efforts to tackle the pulsar is common knowledge but forget, we also did, that the fiero (and the subsequent f2 variant) were good enough for it to bag all the major racing titles (super cross, road racing, rally raid etc) on offer.

After all it was not the engineering that let the fiero down; sheer conservatism was her Achilles heel and is something that’s been banished entirely from the apache’s repertoire. Be it style, performance or dynamics, the apache breaks new ground not just for TVS in general but for the 150cc class on the whole. Of course the likes of bajaj auto and the two Honda biggies haven’t been sleeping while TVS were hard at work. Of the three bajaj auto have had it the easiest; the pulsar was so good that it carried through ‘05 without any changes and still maintained its position at the top of the charts. Maintained and grew from strength to strength, comprehensively seeing off the challenge from hmsi’s unicorn.

The latter too soldiered on without any changes save for a new sticker job late last year. The only new entrant in this segment was hero Honda with the achiever, a bike that employed the unicorns mechanicals in existing hero Honda cycle parts and clothed in bodywork from the defunct ambition. Of course as with any bike sporting the Honda badge this was yet another smooth, refined and well built machine, attributes that the apache has to match, and then better, if TVS have any hopes of bagging top honours in the highly competitive 150cc class.

Style and ergonomics: Stunning apache sets a new benchmark

Conservatism has been the underlying theme of all the TVS bikes till date. Be it the moped-like fairing on the first fiero or the mish-mash job on the f2, style is something TVS haven’t been able to get their heads around to. Which, to repeat ourselves, has been the root cause for the lukewarm market response. Now, finally, the boys at hosur have turned a new leaf and in the apache have designed a motorcycle that’s unequivocally the best looking bike on the market today.

Like we said in last month’s road test, nothing looks out of place on this machine and the sheer level of detailing beggars’ disbelief. Just look at the front mudguard, generally a plain-jane item but on the apache it’s intricately styled with slashes, curves and even a central ridge that’s mirrored throughout the bike – in the headlamp, fuel tank and flowing into the seat right up to the tail piece. And then there’s the breathtaking detailing on the tank with its broad shouldered stance, the two-tone side panels with its scallops and ridges, the colored springs of the rear dampers and the fact that the ignition key mirrors the engine crankcase casting. And, oh, forgot to mention the gorgeous split-spoke black alloy rims (17inch front, 18inch rear) and the gold-colored front brake calliper.

If you have to find fault, well, the rear doesn’t really do it for me and why, i ask, do the mirrors have to be spindly units that spoil the flow of the fairing? Overall though the apache is nothing short of brilliant and is finally the bike to challenge reign of the mighty pulsar. Stood on its own though the pulsar is still a gorgeous machine and lest you forget a path-breaking one too. Forget the fact that all the excitement in the 150cc class is down to the pulsar; stylistically the bajaj machine has always broken new ground and pioneered new ideas and themes. Like gas shockers (okay the bullet was the first here), alloy rims, 17inch tyres and even the engine and exhaust finished in black (as seen on the 180), bajaj auto’s designers have laid the template, a template that the apache, when viewed from certain angles, seems to have drawn inspiration from.

However it’s a more modern machine, the apache is, and stood side-by-side the pulsar has to give second best. As for the Honda machines – well style doesn’t seem to be a much of a priority. The unicorn was always a grown-up machine, a bike for the mature 30-plus biker and it continues in the same vein with the addition of an electric starter and graphic package. Which to be honest is a bit garish and overdone for our liking. It’s surprising that while bajaj and TVS have moved to the clean uncluttered look Honda have consciously slapped on stickers on the unicorn to brighten things up. It’s something that would have worked at the turn of the century, on a 100cc machine, but it’s just so passe these days.

It still has an usp in its mono shock rear suspension but what usp does hero Honda have to flaunt? Apart from a new fairing, which again is a tad too much for our tastes and ridiculous pseudo-air scoops under the tank the achiever is all ambition. The tank, side panels, seat, everything is from the defunct ambition while the engine and tranny are from the unicorn. A proper, parts-sharing, cut and paste job which begs the question – why?

Fuel efficiency

As much as we love hooligan engines, fuel efficiency has always been of paramount concern to the buying public. It’s (one of) the reason why the pulsar 180 doesn’t even come close to the 150’s volumes and it’s why the CBZ or even the LML Graptor/beamer could never come close to the pulsar’s volumes.

The newcomers though have done their homework well, hero Honda more so than TVS. Hero Honda’s, traditionally, have always been know for their efficient engines and so it was but a given that the achiever would match the class benchmark but better it, she has, and by a significant margin too. With a best figure of 71.1kmpl and a city figure of 60.3kmpl, her overall efficiency of 63kmpl is way better than the unicorn’s 59.8kmpl that used to be the class benchmark. Even the apache manages to best the unicorn with an overall figure of 61.2kmpl while the pulsar brings up the rear guard with a 58.6kmpl figure.

Ride and handling

Apache’s racing heritage shines through-More than grip, chassis stiffness and weight bias, cornering all about confidence – confidence that the machine instills in you and confidence you, the rider, gets about the bikes abilities. It’s no use having outrageous levels of grip if the machine can’t instill confidence in you to push her to the limits. And that’s where the apache scores – in her ability to make you comfortable right from the off and push her round corners at speeds you wouldn’t dare to on any other bike.

At least not from the word go. TVS talks about incorporating flex in certain sections of the double cradle frame to improve flick ability and cornering properness and it sure seems to work brilliantly with outrageous angles of lean possible on the apache. More than the lean angles it’s the feedback that you get from the 17inch front and 18inch rear that’s truly breathtaking – encouraging you to push and push till the silencer and pegs starts grounding out.

Of all the bikes on test here the apache is physically the smallest (with the shortest wheelbase) and you feel perched on top of the bike. It’s a sporty riding position but without the forward weight bias that can lead to arm aches over a while.
Of course the frame is rigid where it has to be ensuring straight line stability isn’t an issue on the apache. And with twin gas-shocks at the rear ride quality is pretty good too. Sporty too is the riding position of the pulsar though she feels considerably bigger than

The apache. And with the considerable forward weight bias it takes times getting used to the pulsar after a long ride on the apache. Feedback from the front isn’t close to the apaches and on the whole she feels a tad ponderous, all the controls being too heavy requiring more effort. Of course grounding out the pegs is well within her capabilities but it takes more commitment and balls from the rider.

Sporty isn’t a term you’d use with either Honda’s. Both are calm, sedate machines and their characters reflect their underlying themes. While the unicorn uses a monoshock at the rear, the achiever uses twin rear dampers and this possibly gives it the edge as far as ride quality is concerned – the edge over all the bikes in this test. The unicorn isn’t far behind either and in terms of handling there isn’t much to separate the two – both being highly accomplished and composed handlers.

However it’s their commuter-oriented riding position that won’t enthuse the young blooded and neither will it encourage corner carving tendencies? For that you need the apache, the new king of the corner-carving hill. That said, at the end of this test, after long hard days riding guess which bikes was most in demand for the final leg back to the office? The unicorn. Must be said, there is still a strong argument in favors of a for a comfortable, spacious and well-damped motorcycle.

Final analysis

I’m sure you’re wondering why we haven’t bothered to include the CBZ or either of the LML’s in this test. Well, it’s high time the CBZ was give an honorable 12-gun salute while neither the Graptor nor the beamer are anywhere close to the four bikes we have on test here. So why bother?

And so for our candidates for 150cc class honors and first to be shown the door is the achiever. Mind you, as with all Hero Honda’s the achiever is a class product. It has the smoothes and most refined motor on test, is second only to the apache on the performance front and is the most fuel efficient of the lot. And it’s incredibly refined and comfortable too. So why the thumbs down? The achievers problem is it does everything well but nothing brilliantly. It has no usp to speak of and it breaks no new ground in either styling or engineering. In the six years since hero Honda gave birth to the 150cc segment with the CBZ other players have taken mighty steps forward both on design and engineering. So much so that today hero Honda is left to play catch-up and with the achiever, i fear, that too will be a tough ask.

At least the unicorn can still play its twin trump cards – the winged Honda logo on the tank and the monoshock rear suspension. Compared to the other bikes the unicorn is as fast and as efficient but has a more relaxed unhurried manner that will appeal to the mature biker. Heck, after long hard days riding it was the unicorn’s keys that we all fought over – she’s that good.

But it’s the very same relaxed behavior that won’t appeal to the young folk – the folk who’ve been driving pulsar sales through the roof. For them the pulsar still makes a lot of sense – it looks great, goes well, has the most involving motor and is the hooligan bike of choice. However the game has finally moved on and TVS have caught up with what was once the standard bearer. Today, the apache has not only moved the game on it terms of styling but she’s also quicker, more efficient and has far better dynamics as well. And having finally trumped bajaj at its own game, namely pricing, TVS finally have a winner on their hands.

The Bajaj CT 100 is the bike which brought to the fore the fact that the entry level bike market is still alive and kicking, and with rejuvenated enthusiasm at that. For those who like to keep track of numbers, the CT 100 has been selling in excess of 65,000 units monthly. The segment meanwhile has grown by almost 40 per cent in the recent past, while it also accounts for 45 per cent of total motorcycles sold in the country. However, the interesting bit is, it is the urban section of bike buyers who have contributed significantly to this growth.

The CT 100 meanwhile has been in the market for some time now, and is rightly following in the footsteps of her older siblings, with frequent revisions being made to her styling and mechanicals. The CT 100 has already undergone one surgery, that of course being a cosmetic one, with a new front fairing (borrowed from the Caliber 115) being added in addition to introduction of revised graphics and a few paint schemes.

This time though it is a mechanical one. CT 100 now sports 17-inch wheels instead of the standard 18-inch ones, to make her more nimble in city riding. Suspensions too have been tweaked, with the front and rear suspension travel being increased. Up front the travel has increased by 15mm while at the rear it has gone up by 13mm, in order to handle broken tarmac with better aplomb. The spring-in-spring set-up also makes its way on to Bajaj?s entry level offering, in line with the rest of her siblings. The wheelbase too has increased by 10mm.

Tweaks to the engine meanwhile include needle rollers at the rocker arm pivots, roller cam followers and the piston ring (oil ring) being made thinner, all done to reduce friction. Bajaj’s infamous Exhaust TEC now features on the CT 100 as well. According to the company the outstanding success of CT 100 is not surprising as the bike comes with stylish, inviting and premium looks along with mileage of more than 70 KMPL in actual driving conditions. Its superior knock-free engine performance with extremely smooth transmission has made it an instant hit among bike lovers.

CT 100 also comes with a 2-year and 30,000 Km warranty and offers superb ride comfort – thanks to its HD suspension. Its unique ‘ride control switch’ acts like a ‘ virtual instructor ‘ for the rider.

Design and Engineering

Commuter bikes in India have never been showstoppers but modern design is having its say even in this segment. Both the G5 and CT100 are well-built motorcycles, though the G5 benefits from a visible advantage. A larger physique helps this Yamaha look like a ten-year-old in nursery school and many will mistake it to be a larger-capacity bike.
The G5’s tidy bikini fairing, which replaces the more conservative Libero LX face, hides a fuel gauge, another improvisation on the new model. Paint quality, fit and finish, as on all Yamahas, are major highlights. Reshaped dummy scoops under the fuel tank, a fresh set of graphics and dual-tone shades help make this bike a trace better on the eyes than the Bajaj.

Switchgear, levers, grips and handle-mounted choke levers are fine equipment on both rivals, with luxurious push-cancel indicators and pass-light flashers standard on both packages. The G5 fuel tank is well sculpted, with a unique bowler hat-shaped filler lid in chrome retained from the older bike. Side panels, seat and tailpiece all flow smoothly to end in a recessed, bright tail-light. Both bikes in this shootout have high quality aluminum-alloy grab handles. Taking them out on dark nights is a dazzling affair, thanks to sensibly spread headlamp beams and halogen bulbs.

The eagle-eyed reader may spot that the new CT100 now has a slightly larger gap between its front wheel and mudguard due to the one-inch drop in tyre size. The bike retains a well turned-out beaky front bikini fairing and the twin pod easy-on-the-eye gauge counters from its precursor. Its 10.5-litre fuel tank remains identical as do the seat, side and tail fairing bits. A gremlin on this new CT is its ancient kick-lever design, which worked poorly when operated and deserves a change. If there is one smart bit that adds to the CT100’s panache, it is the colorful Spring In Spring or SIS rear suspension units. While the CT100 looks similar to its forebear, a close look reveals an obvious difference.

The drop in rim size from 18 to 17 inches makes the bike appear like a scaled-down version of its sibling and, seen side-on with the G5, is certainly the smaller of the two. There’s a positive side to this downsizing – this bike could become the average short Indian’s bike of choice. Compared to the CT100, the G5 is bigger and benefits from better styling and quality feel. But the Bajaj does not lag far behind; in spite of belonging a perceptible notch lower in the segment ladder.

Chassis and build

The chassis in the new CT 100 is the same tubular-type, with single down tube and the traditional tubular swing arm that the older Caliber bikes used to feature. The wheelbase has been marginally cut to about 1,225mm compared to the Caliber’s wheelbase which is some 20mm longer.

The suspension set up is identical to the Boxer series bikes, telescopic in the front and the hydraulic, double acting, swing arm type in the rear. Overall, the chassis, slightly shorter wheelbase and the saddle position go on to enhance rider comfort and, while it does not allow you to challenge every turn and curbs the urge to speed up, it still gives the ride the right amount of stiffness for a bike in its class.

The improved engine mounts substantially reduce the vibration in the CT 100. Bajaj’s previous attempts at manufacturing bikes in the entry-level have been prone to considerable levels of vibration and harshness in the long run. But the company’s RandD department has obviously worked on the CT 100’s engine mounts and chassis to considerably lower the vibration levels. It is only past the 70 km per hour mark that our test bike showed signs of some vibration setting in.

Engine and performance

The new CT 100 sports the same four-stroke, 99.27cc engine as on the Boxer. Only the configuration of the block is a bit squarer than the older burner. The new construction enables the same engine to better burn the fuel in the combustion chamber, enabling the engine to generate more power and better torque.

This has been achieved by tinkering with the engine block and without employing more expensive technology such as the Bajaj’s digital twin-spark ignition (DTSi) or the four-stage digital ignition maps that TVS employs on its Centra and the new Victor GLX 125 engines.

The CT 100’s engine develops a class leading 8.2bhp of peak power at 7,500 rpm and a maximum torque of 8.05Nm at 5,500 rpm. Though the bike’s peak power kicks in at a high rpm-level, the loads of low-end torque that it comes with enables it come up with the right kind of performance for the rider whose usage is largely restricted to commutes within the city. Compared to the CT 100, the TVS Centra and the Hero Honda CD-Dawn offer peak power of only about 7.5bhp.

The CT 100’s low-end torque enables the rider to get a near knock-free performance at speeds that would have been impossible with the earlier Boxer engine. This engine’s torque spread gives the bike quite a high level of low-speed tolerance. As a result, frequent shifting into a lower gear is not required. The feel of this performance is clear when the rider can let the bike slow to just 25-30 km per hour even while continuing to be on fourth gear on a flat stretch.

Focus on fuel efficiency

The low-end torque is only one of the features that add to the CT 100’s ability to come up with a high mileage number. Of course, the most important bit of equipment in the CT 100 that aids in improving the bike’s mileage is the “Ride Control” switch. The CT100’s unique ride control switch enables the rider to select between the economy and power mode. It effectively gives the rider two options to choose – the economy mode for outstanding mileage or the power mode for pick-up and performance.

According to Bajaj, it is observed that inadvertently motorcycle riders speed up in a lower gear or cruise at lower speeds in higher gear. This causes a lowering of the bike’s performance in terms of drivability and mileage. To achieve the best fuel efficiency, motorcycles need to be driven in a specific range of rpm or speed in each gear. This is what manufacturers do while testing the bike’s fuel efficiency under standard test conditions.

In the CT 100, unlike other bikes where the rider has to take his eyes off the road to look at the speedometer console for deciding the range of best fuel efficiency or where the bike’s internal selection system kicks in to choose the mode of operation (economy or power, as in the TVS Victor and Centra), the ride control switch acts as a “virtual instructor”.

Bajaj’s RandD, which came up with the blue manual selection switch, has achieved a lowering of fuel consumption by simply reducing the play of the throttle. When the ride control switch is flicked on, the rider feels a small resistance at the throttle whenever a gear change is required. The mild resistance, somewhat like the tightening of a spring-loaded mechanism, reduces the amount of fuel wastage during quick spurts of acceleration and when the bike is slowed down.

The advanced throttle responsive ignition control system (TRICS) technology, which helps in controlling ignition map selection based on load or operating conditions, has also been introduced on the Bajaj CT 100. Thanks to its digital ignition with twin maps that helps in ensuring optimum delivery of fuel economy, the ride control switch, the TRIC system and the low-end torque, the CT 100 manages to come up with a decent mileage performance.

Technical Specification

Engine
Type	4  stroke
Cooling Type	Air Cooled
Displacement	99.27 cc
Max Power	8.2 bhp( 6.03 kW) @ 7500 rpm
Max Torque	8.05 Nm @ 4500 rpm
Ignition Type	C.D.I
Carburettor	Keihin-Fie
Transmission Type	4 speed gear box
Electrical System
System	12 V, AC+DC
Head Light	35/35 W
Horn	12 V, DC
Chassis
Chassis Type	Tubular construction
Suspension
Front Suspension	Telescopic
Rear Suspension	Swing arm type with dual co-axial springs (spring-in-spring) and hydraulic shock absorbers
Tyres
Front Tyre Size	2.75 x 17, 4/6 PR
RearTyre Size	3.00 x 17, 6 PR
Brakes
FrontBrakes	Mechanical expanding shoe, Friction type
Rear Brakes	Mechanical expanding shoe, Friction type
Fuel Tank
Fuel Tank Capacity	10.5  litres
Reserve Capacity	2.2  litres
Dimensions
Overalllength	1945 mm
Overall width	770 mm
Overall height	1065 mm
Wheel Base	1235 mm
Kerb Weight	109 kg