Oct 11, 2004 01:21 PM
12686 Views
(Updated Oct 11, 2004 01:25 PM)
Estates have not really sold well in india.but the marina looks like it will change it all.one reason why they have not done well is that they have been priced too high and the parent companies themselves have not had a good take off.(baleno,fiat,opel).but the marina has it all.the price is low and both indica and the indigo have reserved a majority of the sales.
first the looks.the front is like the indigo.i guess tata wants to make an identity for itself with the chrome strip on top of the grille(like in the sumo,indigo and indica).when viewed from the side the marina looks elegant indeed.the rear is a bit different from the indica.there are the full length tail lamps but it looks different from that of the indica.a sleek chrome strip is also present but it looks like a flimsy add on.the rear bumper is also different.you get 14'' tyres with alloys,the alloys are only optional even on the high end versions.there is also a spoiler with an integrated vertical stop light.the marina is definitely better than the indigo in looks.
styling-8.5/10
the fit and finish is not up to the mark.there are many gaps between panels and joints.even the build quality is low compared to the other competitors.i have a feeling tata has built the marina with a budget in mind.
fit,finish and build quality-6.5/10
the marina is available in both diesel and petrol versions.both are from the indigo.anyway i'll tell you the info.the diesel is a turbocharged indirect injection 1405 cc that pumps 62 bhp,the petrol is a 1405 cc MPFI and gives 85 bhp.the petrol is refined but could be better.the diesel is refined and silent.it meets euro III norms.
diesel engine.-9/10
petrol engine-8.5/10
the place where the driver will spend most of his time,the interior.the dash looks similiar to that of the indica.but it has some dark green finish which is according to me is not very nice.you get a commanding view when you drive the car.seats are comfortable.the speedo and tacho dials have a chrome surround.it is a white dial for the petrol and black for the diesel.there are two rows of forward facing seats.it is an estate and so the space in the rear is crucial.the space is average(670 litres with the seats and more than 1300 litres with the seats folded.this is average in estates.the rear struts intrude massively into the rear.that reduces the actual usable space.finally build quality can be better.
interior-8/10
performance is good on both diesel and petrol versions.both are quite quick the petrol manages 0-100 kmph in around 14 seconds.the top speed is 160 odd kmph.the diesel is a bit slower ofcourse.it takes a bit more than 18 seconds for 0-100 kmph and its top speed is 140 odd kmph.but you have to keep the revs high on the diesel to get good performance.
performance petrol-9/10
performance diesel-9/10
the feature that matters the most on indian roads,fuel efficiency.the marina diesel which will make up most of the sales does not dissapoint.it gives around 12 kmpl in the city and more than 18 kmpl in the highway!but the petrol is not really good.in the city it gives less than 10 kmpl and in the highway it gives around 14 kmpl.all the estates in india are available only in petrol versions(except the palio).so here tata has got its act right.
diesel efficiency-9.5/10
petrol efficiency-8.5/10
lets sum up now.the marina is priced at 5.08 lakhs for the petrol top end and 5.58 for the diesel top end.this is just a few bucks more than the indigo.if you are going to buy an indigo,just put in a few more bucks and get a marina(because if you are satisfied with the build quality of the indigo then you must be satisfied with the build quality of the marina).the marina is an exellent car(only in india for indians).up to you now.
OVERALL RATING-8.5/10
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