Renault Duster- the one who took all the beating during Ladakh trip

When I planned for Leh Ladakh Srinagar trip, the toughest decision was to choose the vehicle. My plan was to rent a car from Delhi and do a round trip i.e. Delhi- Amritsar-Srinagar- Leh- Manali- Chandigarh- Delhi. I had only 10 days and couldn't afford to have for any issues with vehicle in between. Since initially only me and wife was there confirmed for the trip; I decided to go with a 4x4 though one more couple joined us later. When the situation gets tricky and with no one around to help, a 4x4 is definitely a better option than not to get stuck.

So I had two options: Scorpio 4x4 and Duster AWD. Safari was not  considered because of Tata's hilarious reliability and a Fortuner or an Endeavour was just too big and expensive for two of us.  Most of the  car rentals in Delhi offers Scorpio 4x4  and a couple of  them have Duster AWD. I was slightly inclined to Duster, since I had to drive long distances alone and was also not very assured about the reliability of Mahindra. Finally I reserved Duster AWD from Selfdrives.com- Pannu Car Rentals. But one thing forgot to consider was the availability of service centers on the way. While Mahindra has service centers all over the way and even one at Leh, the last Renault Service Center was at Mandi.

My wify with the Duster

This is a risk which I realized much later. I met of group of 5 who drove all the way from Kottayam Kerala to the Himalayas in a Duster They were having problems with the pick up of the vehicle after Manali. Also at Rohtang pass, there back windshield mysteriously broke while stuck in a landslide. The only option for them was to go back to Mandi and get the car serviced which could have taken at least two extra days. But they decided to go ahead with this quick fix.

None can beat Indians on Jugaad!! Tarpolin for windshield

The journey began from Delhi IGI airport at 8:30am day1. The first day's plan was to reach to Manali by late evening. Roads are mostly good with 4 lane highway till Chandigarh. Road widening work is going on between Chandigarh and Mandi, and some of the patches are really bad. In the highways the Duster was a good cruiser. It was composed and stable till 130kmph, but after that it had unbearable vibration on the steering wheel probably due to bad wheel balancing or something else. Also the tall 6th gear helped with the things. But 1st, 2nd and 3rd gears were pretty short and at low speeds especially in Delhi and townships it resulted in frequent shifting. But this was something which helped a lot in the proper off road patches ahead. Though the ride was bit of a stretch four of us reached Manali by around 9pm. The Duster simply glided over bad patched like a champ.The long travel suspension helped in soaking really big potholes without any trouble. And the good ground clearance gave use confidence to dash through the bad sections while other lesser mortals on other cars and SUVs crawled through them.

But the surprising thing was that soft suspension and the high ground clearance didn't result in any disconcerting body roll. I wouldn't say that there was no body roll at all, but was predictable and controllable. Once we crossed Mandi, the roads were good till Manali with lot of corners. Duster was a joy on these good winding roads. A good chassis combined with the amazing suspension tuning, did the work. I would even say there is no other manufacturer who can do a such a good job on setting up suspension for India.

We didn't get much chance to test the off road prowess of Duster. Though the roads are really bad especially after Rohtang Pass till Pang,you won't need a 4x4 to cover this stretch. But Duster's amazing suspension really made it a cake walk. We were so confident that the car we even took the short cuts in Ghatt loops during the uphill sections. Here the Duster simply walked up through really steep inclines off road in sandy terrain without any fuss. The very low ratio of the first gear also helped in this situation. But the trick here is not to let go off the turbo boost. I once went below 1500 rpm and the car stalled while climbing. Thanks to the decent ESC system, I was able to recover from the situation without much fuss.

One more thing I noticed is that even at high altitude, the relatively small 1.5L engine didn't struggle much for breathing. It might be probably because of the larger turbo charger of 110Ps engine. I was able to fully use at Tanglang La, between Pang and Leh. The roads were simply brilliant. Really wide section with flowing corners and freshly laid smooth tarmac, that too with zero no traffic What else do you need to do a hill climp race!!  I was able to touch triple digit speeds even in the up hill sections. The relatively short 4th gear kept me in the meaty mid range of the engine most of the time. With good body control, I was also able to carry high speeds around the hairpins too. The steering which was direct and offered decent feedback, also helped in this feat. It needed some time though to get used to hydraulic set up it has. The brakes was something else which boosted the confidence. It offered good feedback and bite, though the pedal travel was bit more than my liking.

Beautiful from a distance, but pulsating as you go closer

Though the trip didn't go as planned because of the issues at Srinagar, Duster just turned out to be the best choice on road and off road. The icing of the cake was the excellent fuel efficiency of 13.5kmpl for the round trip.If you are planning for a road trip, it could be a good companion all the way.

How I ended up buying a Polo

This is the much needed clarification on how I ended up buying the VW Polo, that was due for long. Since I bought the car and posted first pictures, I have been getting this question from almost everyone around- What made you change the decision? I just thought of putting an end to it with this blog along with my long term ownership report.

I had booked Baleno from Nexa Aundh-Baner, close to Pune University. My experience was far from what can be called as premium. Once booking was done, getting any details regarding the booking was literally pain in the a**. Relationship manager never used to pick phone, showroom cannot retrieve the details because of some weird system constraint and it was just an endless story. Then one fine day after long 4 months of waiting, I got one more shocker-  Sir you have to wait for another 4 months. I made some quick calls to the friends in Maruti.  With no help seen coming, I called it quits. Cancelled the booking and back to old question- which car to buy?

I had already eliminated Jazz and Figo, so options were Polo, Swift, Punto and Etios Liva. Out of these, it was Liva that surprised me with me space, overall drivability and astonishingly cheap cost of maintenance. If you could overlook bare minimum interiors and a bit noisy engine, then it is car to go to for worry free ownership experience. Punto was a big disappointment with its cramped interiors and odd driving position. Also the powertrain was not really responsive. Swift also didn't live up to the expectation. The test drive car which has done around 40k had all sorts of  rattles and noises.

Another factor that drew me back to Polo was the dealer. My experience at  VW Pune West (B U Bhandari),  was the exact opposite of what I got from Nexa. People were very helpful and cordial and made the buying experience a memorable one. Also I got a good discount too which finally nailed the deal.

I got the delivery of the car by first week of May within two weeks of booking. Meantime all processes regarding loan and registration  were completed..

Thats how she is baptised. @ Alibaug

Long Term Onwership Experience 

By now I have completed about 7500km and is due to for the first check up. Though regular service interval is at 15000km or 1year, after the first 7500km / 6months, car has to be brought for a check up. Till now she has been doing very well and there are no issues at all. :) I have done a long trips as well- one to Goa apart from short trips to Mahabaleshwar and Alibaug.

First things first- If you are a tall guy, its gonna be really tough to find a comfortable driving position. I'm 6' and every time I drive some other car, it makes me realize how really cramped the Polo is. It takes infinitely lot of adjustments to settle down into a comfortable driving position. And the thigh support, just forget about it- the left leg you can rest on the central console has some relief, but the ur right one is gonna suffer. Its better not to talk about the rear seat leg room. My recommendation to VW is make it a two door car and save the costs on rear doors.

But if you have a family of not too tall people, you can live with it, which is same as the case with Ameo. Seats themselves are pretty comfortable and well cushioned. I would say simply its best in class. The fit and finish and overall quality is next level. Barely any noise comes into the cabin, no squeaks, no rattles and everything is perfectly put together. Once you settle into a comfortable driving position (though its gonna take some time), everything just falls in place perfectly- whether it is the controls on the central console which is neatly tilted towards the driver or the steering turn indicator switches. All switched work with a definitive action and feels like built to last. Marutis, Fiats and Hyundai's feels really cheap.

Coming to driving aspect- 1.5TDI engine is a pure joy. Turbos kicks in just after 1700 rpm and then the slight flex of right foot is enough for most over take maneuvers. Even when the turbo is off, from 1000 rpm onwards it pulls decent enough with a light foot. The first two gears are short while the third is relatively long. In city drives, you can manage the show with 3rd gear alone provided you don't drop down less than 30kmph. But the gearbox itself is such a joy to use with its short, smooth precise and definitive throws, you end up changing gears more than required. Adding to that experience is the rev happy engine which goes all the way till 5000 rpm without much complaints. On an average I get 16kmpl in a mix bag of city and highway driving with AC on. If you drive very consciously, you can extract till 21kmpl.

This one from the Goa Trip

About the chassis department- suspension set up is pretty good. Soaks bumps at low speed well, though sharp edges still seep through. At high speeds and at corners is where it really comes on its own. The body roll is controlled and very predictable. Steering though very precise and direct, not much feedback is available.


Overall its a very good package and an enjoyable driver's car provided no else messes with your seating position. :) Pretty happy and satisfied now and hopes it last for ever,even after paid services. :P

Many more miles to go!!

How I decided to buy Baleno

Ever since I finished my MBA and settled in Pune, I was planning to buy a new car. Being a car enthusiast and also working with an Auto OEM, I did some thorough research into deciding which car to buy. But it was a tough decision to make since she will be with me for next 5 - 7 years and also looking at the current market scenario, I'm spoiled for choice.

Just like any other Indian car buyer, first step wast to decide budget: 7-9lacs. On paper there is lot of choice in this segment. Hatchbacks like Swift, i10 grand or Figo; also the more premium ones like Baleno, Punto, Polo or i20, small SUVs like Ecosport, Vitara, TUV 300 and even Duster is in the list. Sub 4 meter sedans were ruled out since I never understood the logic of buying a cramped & ugly sedan when you can get spacious, capable and good looking hatches at the same price.

Looking at the detailed price lists of these cars, I understood that if you want to buy an SUV be ready to shell out 2-3 lacs more. I doesn't seem to be a viable option since I'm already stretching my budget and also I don't they are really worth it. Driving pleasure and interior space will be compromised. All you get is better road presence.

So the only option left are the good old hatchbacks. Since I would be driving around 1500km a month, my choice of fuel was diesel (it was more of an emotional decision since to recover price difference b/w petrol & diesel car, you have to drive the car 1700km every month for 5 years at the current fuel prices!!).  Here is the final shortlist

1. Ford Figo
2.  Maruti Suzuki Baleno
3. Honda Jazz
4. Volkswagen Polo
5. Hyundai i20

Swift was left out only because of its popularity and being priced too close to the bigger Baleno.  Another omission was the Fiat Punto. It is the oldest car in the segment and a replacement is due soon.

Ford Figo
Once the shortlist is being made, the next step was to go for the test drives. There being a new Ford showroom right next to my home, I decided to try the new Figo first. It is the most promising car on paper. Highest power output at almost 100 Bhp and the legendary Ford handling. As expected the engine is a gem. Smooth power delivery, very less turbo lag and good refinement too. Suspension is also well set up, neither too hard nor too soft. Steering didn't offer much feed back and a was bit too light for my liking. But the biggest let down was the overall build quality. The panel gap on the bonnet was big enough for your finger to easily go in. Body panels doesn't flush well, very awkward misalignment b/w bumpers, fenders, doors etc.  Interiors plastic quality is the worst. The top of the dashboard has got shiny plastics which immediately points that it was build to cost. Same was the case with rest of the interiors- door pads, center console everything. Even the wiper and headlamp stalks and the steering wheel have too many rough edges. Now a days we see better quality plastics used even in cars one or two segments lower. But the interiors were roomy enough and seats were also comfortable though I would have a liked bit harder cushioning. Another area which requires big improvement was the sound insulation. There was all sorts of noise in the cabin- wind noise, road noise etc. It was not at all a quite and peaceful place even at high two digit speeds. Summing up the good and bad bits

GOOD- Looks, Engine, Suspension, Interior Space
BAD- Build quality, cheap & hard plastics, noise insulation

Maruti Baleno
Next I headed straight to the closest Nexa dealerships to see whats all the hype about the newly launched Baleno. The experience at the dealer was not so premium and I had to wait for more than an hour to get the test drive. They dint have a proper place to sit down and relax. I guess the crowd at the showroom was far more than what they expected !! But since Maruti is trying to portray it as premium outlet, they should have taken more care to avoid such situations.

Car looks good and have decent road presence. The best angle to view the car was the rear three quarters. Once you are inside car, it has managed to pull off a special feeling, be it the leather wrapped steering wheel or the trendy V- shaped climate control unit. When you look closer there are some cheap bits too like the power window switches or the driver seat height adjustment lever. It is also an ergonomically well engineered place, finding a comfortable driving position is very easy with the height adjust seat and tilt & telescopic steering. The center arm rest is perfectly located. There were lots of space inside the cabin too. Cabin is very wide and there is oodles of leg room for both the front and rear passengers. Boot is really big and also comes with a boot light, but the loading lip is bit too high. My only complaint about the interiors is that, though the seat themselves are very supportive, seat cushioning could have been bit more harder.

On the drive and handling front, she really surprised me. Steering is precise and weighed up well with speed. Even though the engine might seem under powered on paper, it is not the actual case. It felt punchy and quickly gained speed owing to the light weight. Engine felt bit noisy, but I guess its more  due to the complete absence of road and wind noise; just the opposite of Figo. Another area where I am impressed is the suspension set up. Even though the car is very light, at no point it felt skittish. It was as good as if they have done some black magic with it!! Summing up the good and bad

GOOD-Looks, Interior Space, Suspension & Steering set ups
Bad- not really anything bad but could have done with better plastics at some areas


Honda Jazz
The next car up the list was the Jazz. There is no doubt the fact that it is stunner,one of the most flashy car in this segment. I went for the test drive with big expectations. All Honda vehicles I have drive before were excellent.

Immediately into the test drive, one thing I noticed was the sound insulation. I was able to hear lot of road and wind noise. I checked all the windows and doors just to make sure nothing is open. Since it was a diesel variant, I asked the dealer to hand over the keys of a petrol car. It felt no different. It could either be because of the poor insulation of wheel wells or the tires are too bad. Honda is using the most skinny tires among this lot, may be to improve on paper fuel efficiency.

The diesel engine also doesn't feel very lively as a 100Bhp should be. It hesitates to rev, unlike the Honda petrols we are used to. In gear acceleration is good, you can easily pull away from lower speeds in a higher gear. But it is the top end which is lacking. Ford engine felt much more nicer and easier to drive though both are having similar power outputs. I think it is partly because of the gear ratios too.

Interiors are good. Steering felt nice to hold. Dashboard looks different. Its a love or hate thing. I am not much fan of the touch screen controls for the aircon. Dashboard could have been finished better. There are lot of cup holders, bottle holders and cubby holes. It is a very practical place. Front seats offer superb comfort, but the rear seats could have been better. The back rest is too short and could be problem in long journeys. Also the dual color interiors in the lower variants is not working in its favor. All black interior of VX trim definitely looks much more premium.

So summing up

GOOD- Space, looks, features
BAD- not so great engine, noise insulation, rear seat comfort and space

Volkswagen Polo
Polo is the bread and butter for VW India. It is the only model from the group companies which sells more than 2000 units a month. Diesel engine in the polo is a gem. Oodles of torque, free revving, very linear power delivery and strong mid range . No doubt that this is the best engine in the class. Suspension is also set up very nicely though bit on the sporty side. Steering is very precise and direct though it could have weighed up bit more at high speeds. But that would be just nitpicking.

Exterior fit and finish is also excellent. Panels gaps are identical all through out the car. You can hardly find anything which is not properly put together. And looks are also good. The evergreen European design. It has aged gracefully over the years and facelift has brought the much needed freshness.

Interiors are also well build, no place you can find some bad plastics. Everything is put together so well that it can easily last for one's life time. But it looks bit too old, like one generation back. Instrument cluster though is very rudimentary, it lacks the wow factor of Jazz's or Baleno's unit. Seats are well cushioned and offers the best support. The only area it lacks is the space. Even the front shoulder room is less and foot wells feel cramped. If a six footer is sitting in the front seat, forget about accommodating a passenger behind him. Summing up

Good- Evergreen design, built quality, awesome diesel engine
Bad- space, space & space or the lack of it!! & high the maintenance cost that VW group cars are notorious for.

Hyundai I20
To be frank I was never a big Hyundai fan. I don't find their cars to be well engineered. Though the specs might look good on paper, when it comes to actual driving all Hyundais' have always been disappointing. But when the new I20 was launched, good reviews started pouring in from all quarters. So went to the Hyundai showroom with big expectations only to be disappointed. Steering lacks feedback, it is neither precise nor linear. You won't be having any confidence to push it into corners or tight gaps in traffic. Engine and gearbox felt potent enough, but it is the steering which takes away all the goodness. Ergonomically also, i didn't find it very comfortable. Suspension was another problematic area. it is s too softly sprung that at high speeds the car is very unstable. The whole set up just feels like one for old retired people (to pamper them with the plush ride) or those who wants to do show off with all the bells and whistles. If you enjoy driving, this is not definitely not your pick.

Interior fit and finish is good, seats offer decent support. Good enough amount of space for both front and rear passengers, though not as much as you get in Jazz or Baleno.

Just like every other Hyundai, the exterior design has aged super quickly. It has already started looking dated. I know its completely a matter of ones perspective. So summing up

Good- space, built quality, lots of features
Bad- steering, suspension


 So coming back to the question I started with, which one to buy? Polo was vetoed by my wife for the lack of interior space. Jazz and Figo was ruled out primarily because of road, tire & wind noise, I20 for being too dump to drive. So I decided to go with the Baleno for being the best all rounder though it doesn't outshine the competition in any parameter except for the theoretical mileage (I guess all these cars should return near identical fuel efficiency in practical driving conditions). I have being waiting ever since I made the booking and its turning out to be longer one owing to its high popularity!!