Apr 09, 2009 11:14 AM
21069 Views
(Updated Apr 18, 2009 05:13 PM)
I purchased this car, amidst a high reluctance from everyone over the issue of poor resale value. Still, it was a sheer pleasure and passion that made me to go for this vehicle. I have no regret on any of my decisions made.
Well, I had 3 cars on my list which had to be sieved out to get ONE grand car. Fiat PALIO Stile Multijet SDX, Maruti Suzuki Swift DDiS VDi and Tata Indica Vista Aura Quadrajet. One can compare these cars on many aspects.
Build and Quality:Here, Palio makes her foothold firm on the ground. The build quality is amazing. The finish, paint quality and body gauging seems extraordinary. Also on the outset it appeals a MACHO look and that’s why I call it as a LITTLE MONSTER. Swift could be ranked next. Paint quality is good, body gauging is not as good as Palio’s but better than Indica’s. Indica, I feel scores lowest in this area. Its body gauging is the least scorer. This becomes a headache when your car has a dent on its face and it needs tinkering.
Handling and controlling: Palio offers a better grip on the road in every aspects like steering, braking, gear shifts etc.. The hydraulic assisted power steering system proves its ability at all speeds and is very comfortable to tackle with. The brakes, unfortunately doesn’t have any room to opt for ABS, still prove to be efficient in bringing the vehicle to a dead halt from a speed of 80kmph within no time, without any drift. The gear shifts are smoother. Palio’s low seating height proves it to be better for handling as you as well as the co-passengers don’t get affected by the rolling action of the car. Swift too has a good handling and controlling capability but due to its seating height, at higher speeds one can experience the rolling action. Swift carries an advanced power steering mechanism called, Electronic assisted power steering system (EPS). It also has an option for ABS but comes for an extra pie. Indica, too, is good on these lines. Again the seating height renders the passengers on a rolling effect.
Performance:All these cars use the same engine 1.3L Multijet (jointly developed by Fiat and Suzuki, although the Fiat carries the name), which holds ‘ENGINE OF THE YEAR 2008’ award. The variable geometry turbocharger fitted in Palio is very responsive and opens up at around 2000rpm. You can feel the thrust at this magnitude. The power delivered makes you enjoy the drive and to tame these 75 horses under your own hood is a sheer pleasure. People complained about the Swift’s constant geometry turbocharger which doesn’t open up even after2000rpm. There were reports of breakdown of Indica too.
Comfort:The suspensions of Fiat are amazingly good. One can cruise the vehicle on a bumpy road at a speed of 40kmph without experiencing any jolt (believe me…I tried it in the test drive of this vehicle). Even when it is fully loaded with passengers the suspensions don’t let you down. The AC, on the other hand, chills out the carat a faster rate; within 2mins of switching ON the AC the passengers on the rear seat feel the chill. And interestingly, this doesn’t come at the cost of the power delivered by the car!!! The space, inside the Palio is like a hall of the house. 5 people can travel in this car for around 800km+ at a stretch without straining themselves. Talking about Swift, the suspensions when fully loaded are responsive. Truly speaking, the suspensions shouldn’t be responsive. I can’t comment on the AC effects for Swift as I haven’t travelled much in that, but people say it’s good enough. The space in Swift makes the rear passengers yell at the designer of this car. Rear leg room is cramp and your leg curses you if you go on a long drive. Indica’s room is as good as earlier. You can stretch yourself to relax an move your body here and there. But, yes, this comes at a cost of its boot space.
Features:Palio, in its top end model, has rear wiper, rear defogger & demister, power windows for all doors, a large 295lt boot space which is expandable up till 950 lt on twin fold of the rear seat, a unique safety feature in its gear knob to prevent accidental engagement of reverse gear and a fire prevention system in the bonnet. Inspite of all these features, It lacks in its interior looks. The interiors have an ancestral look as compared to the present market.
I really don’t know why the Fiat guys aren’t peeping through this very window. You also get wiring done at the factory for 6 speakers (4 doors and 2 rear). But when you are inside this MONSTER (I love calling it again and again)you feel as if you are sitting inside a hull of an armor tank. So safe it is. Swift on the other hand scores well in its interiors, but on the outset this interior resembles a dark room. Everything inside appears dark when you shut all the doors of it with the cooling cover coated windows raised to their extreme. One can find a wiring done for4 speakers. Extra features like ABS, airbags and others come for a price as an option. Indica scores high on this ground. Its interiors are well furnished, with an attractive blue backlit central console (this proves tricky on a fewer occasions). The top end model comes with a 2DIN CD-cum-MP3 player with 4 door mounted speakers. This is an example to reveal how well have Tata’s studied the Indian mind to the fullest extent.
Mileage:Although these use the same heart to pump the energy, the mileage varies slightly. But one can assure a mileage of around 20 kmpl with these vehicles.
The highest mileage I have ever got in my Palio was 25.4kmpl !!! (hard to believe?.... Yes for me too… but it’s a fact)
Everyone have their own passion towards anything. Let your passion drive your heart and logic drive your brains….
But this statement is true….. ‘ONCE A FIAT CUSTOMER IS A FIAT CUSTOMER’
