Entry Level Petrol Sedan Rivals

20 Aug 2009

Tata Indigo

The affordable set of wheels from Pune-based car-maker, the Tata Indigo offers superior value for money. Very good cabin space, sturdily built underpinnings and decent fuel efficiency together make the Tata Indigo a good entry level sedan. The 1396cc petrol powerplant makes 85PS @ 5500rpm and 122Nm of torque at 3500rpm. The petrol motor is refined and frugal but lacks grunt and the 1065kg mass of the car also significantly hampers the Indigo's performance. In terms of looks and design the Indigo is not really a head-turner. Also the in-cabin feel is not quite up-market and the interior parts quality is just about average. Although the Indigo is cheaper than the D?zire, the Indigo's build and reliability are average and that is where the Maruti Suzuki D'zire surpasses the Indigo in terms of overall product quality.

Renault Logan

The most spacious of the lot, the Renault Logan is a well-engineered product from the French car-maker. The edgy design of the Logan is unconventional and stands out from the rather curvy designs seen on most of the modern-day cars. Built over the wide-body platform, the Logan not only gets phenomenal cabin space, especially for the rear passengers, but also equally remarkable handing too. The 1598cc Renault engine runs fine but the 2-valves per cylinder setup really knocks out all the punch from the car and even with a 1,6 litre motor that pumps out 85 horses and makes 128Nm of torque, the Logan feels sluggish and stressed at higher revs. The fuel efficiency on the petrol Logan too doesn't impress much as the car will run for about 11km on one litre of petrol. The Logan's strong points are space, stability and good handling. However, the Logan lacks styling, interior equipment, performance and fuel economy when compared to its rivals.

Ford Ikon Flair

The fresh update to the Ford Ikon with an all-new 1.3 Litre ROCAM engine brings the dated Ikon back to life. The new motor packs in adequate performance and returns decent fuel economy too. The Ikon always had very sharp and spot on handling characteristics and the new car carries forward the same legacy. The new found vigour of the 1.3 litre engine only adds more charm to the Ikon to make it a great car to drive. Priced extremely competitive at Rs. 4.65 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi), the Ikon Flair is closest competitor to the Swift D'zire with its equally matched build quality, engine performance and up-market feel, but the Ikon Flair loses out in terms of interior space, equipment and dated looks.