A beautiful car. Review on Palio - Petrol

I must say it was love at first sight when I saw the Palio. After a lot of useless research (I knew I will buy a palio finally) I bought my galaxy black Palio NV ELX from Sundaram Bangalore. I actually wanted a sport model, but the dealer told me I will have to wait for 3 months. So settled for an ELX. I did not get any discount or anything free unlike the Santro or Wagon R which come with lot of free goodies. I've been using it for more than a year now. So I felt this is the right time for me to review it. Here is my review unbiased.

Good things first

• It looks awesome. Its not wrong saying its still the most visually appealing design among small cars. The hatch back looks real cute. The fit and finish are the best in the class.

  
  




• This is a the most well built car in the segment. you can feel the difference the moment you open/close a door. You and your family will be safer on the highways.

  
  




• There is loads of space inside. More space than the tall boys Santro and WagonR. Only bettered by the Getz.

  
  




• Its a pleasure to drive. The power steering is quiet good. (But I cannot say its the best among the competition). The gear shift is superb (one of the best I've used). Drive this car on a highway, and I'm sure you will love it.

  
  




• AC is effective, though I would love to have an automatic cabin temperature controller.

  
  

As all of you agree there can never be a perfect car. Like the thorns of a rose, here are the negatives

• The interiors suck. They look ancient and the plastics used look cheap. Its high time they upgraded the interiors to something like inside a Getz.

  
  




• If you want good acceleration (pickup), the NV is not the car for you. Its very sluggish and with AC switched on the pickup is just horrible. With four adults in the Palio NV its not pleasure to drive in the city. Hopefully the diesel variant is better.

  
  




• If you are of the type calculating every rupee you spend, this is not the car for you. Its true this is not the most fuel efficient car. My NV ELX gives me 10 kmpl in Bangalore city driving conditions and 14-15 on the highways. You can get better mileage, I've included a few tips in the following sections.

  
  




• The A pillars (the frame around the front wind shield) are very thick. They block your view when you are turning right.

  
  




• The turning radius is big. Parking is not easy as in other small cars.

  
  




• This is not a car for very short people. You will not be able to get a clear view of the road.

  
  

Should you buy?

This is the answer most of the prospective buyers want. Well, I would say if you are the kind of person who is looking for something economical to take you and your family from point A to point B this is not the car for you. This can be a white elephant to maintain for many people. However if you have those extra bucks to pay for something beautiful and classy then go for it. You will not repent. Its a really nice car even with all the negative points.

Dont buy the EL/EL-PS variants. I personally hate them. They dont have any goodies inside and outside also. Also without a power steering its a pain to drive.Go for ELX or Sport.

Service

Coming to service, the Sundaram service people are highly unprofessional, but touch wood I never had any major problems with my car. All my services went well. But there were a few occasions I got pissed off, when Sundaram delivered a car not washed properly after service. It has dust and mud all over, infact it was cleaner when I gave them for service. I was not surprised :) However after shouting at a couple of guys, they apologised and washed it again. Getting it serviced will not be a pleasurable experience, but nothing to worry about.

Finally as promised tips to get better mileage

• Stop the engine if you are waiting for more than 90 sec at a signal.

  
  




• Don't accelerate fast after a traffic signal. I mean the more you push the pedal the more fuel you spend.

  
  




• Don't start the engine with AC switched on. After you start, once you have picked up considerable speed, switch on the AC.

  
  




• Use the clutch only when required. Dont keep your foot on the clutch pedal when not using it. You may by mistake keep it depressed slightly.

  
  




• Change gears at right speeds. Never exceed the speed limits for a given gear. Also choosing a higher gear for a lower speed also affects mileage.

  
  




• Use the right method to check mileage. Fill up the tank fully, drive X kms, again fill it fully. You will know the fuel consumed for travelling X kms.

  
  

I personally tried these once and got a mileage of 12 kmpl (without AC). But I personally hate to have these restrictions while driving. Especially not accelerating fast after a signal. I don't like Maruti's and Santros overtaking my palio after a signal. I make sure Palio is the first :), even if it means burning more fuel.

Hope you find this review useful. Please don't forget to rate this review and add your comments. Happy motoring and don't forget to wear your seat belts.

-Ram