DriveBlog

High on Appeal

The Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout, or APEAL Study, conducted by JD Power identifies the features that consumers find most appealing about their new vehicles, usually during the first 2 to 6 months of ownership.

And again, it's a couple of Maruti cars that find favour with their owners. The new Wagon R MUV moves to the head of the class in the premium compact category while the unputdownable Esteem is once again the crowd-pleaser in the entry midsize segment, closely followed by the Ikon and the Indigo.

This year, the Wagon R has done a commendable job of nudging 4-time champ Santro out of the top spot in the compact car segment. The Zen comes in at number three.

The Unusual Suspects

That the new year gong usually ushers in a rise in car prices is not a fact that will evoke too much surprise from many. But this year, there are a few additional and unexpected reasons that promise to drive the prices of your favourite 4-wheeler up even further.

Now it's MUL too...

Following in the footsteps of its illustrious overseas rivals, Maruti confirms that it will be rising prices on all its models, come the new year. Their luxury sedan, the Baleno, will witness the most bloating on its price tag.

That probably explains why everybody's scrambling to get themselves that new car before the current year is out.

Good December

Smart moves on the part of car buyers in the way they are structuring the deals as well as the impending good news of price hikes for the car dealers are making this December an unusually good one for Indian passenger car sales.

Ninety day wonders

JD Power Asia Pacific's Initial Quality Study (IQS) seeks to provide in-depth diagnostic information on new-vehicle quality after 90 days of ownership. Owners are surveyed regarding problems with their new vehicles. Well, the results of the 2004 India study are out and it's the Maruti Alto and the Maruti Esteem that come out on top of the Premium Compact Car and Entry Midsize Car segments respectively.

Rising fuel prices coupled with unkept fuel efficiency related promises have been the main thorns in the sides of consumers of late.

Continuing it's run of recent surprises, the Fiat Palio with an improvement score of a whopping 52% is the most improved model in the industry in terms of initial vehicle quality. Looks like some of the initiatives that Fiat India is taking are working.

Gaadi No.1!

No, that's not the name of David Dhawan's next comedy caper (For news on that, go here). It is however, the new title that the Hyundai Santro Xing can now proudly stake claim to. This November, for the first time in over 20 years, a non-Maruti model has been pipped at the post and upstaged as India's top-selling passenger car.

For a few rupees more

Whoa, whoa, whoa! Back up that truck for a minute! Today's headlines have way too many car companies planning to hike their prices in the near future. While Hyundai will up the asking price on the Santro and the Accent (GLE) by Rs. 8000 and Rs. 6000 respectively from today, Maruti, Skoda India and GM are expected to follow suit with their own set of price hikes in January 2005.

Additional investments towards making their cars Euro III compliant and upward trends in the price of inputs (read steel) seem to have necessitated this move.

Estatus quo

Indian car buyers continue to be unimpressed by the varied offerings in the station wagon segment, giving the category a complete miss when looking at moving up from a sedan to an SUV. The auto companies, in turn, have reacted differently - while some have stopped production completely, others deliver only on confirmed orders and the rest, quite bafflingly, price them close to their sedan variants.

The B is buzzing

That India runs on compact cars is a fact that's long been evident. That the nation warmed to Hyundai's 'Wah, Kya Xing Hai!' offer during Diwali, therefore, seemed a foregone conclusion - though 27000 bookings in 3 days must have exceeded the expectations of even the most optimistic Hyundai employee. This couldn't have come at a better time for the Santro, as its seen itself lose the lead in the compact car segment to the Tata Indica.

Staunch the launch

The year 2004 has seen the Indian car buyer truly spoiled for choice, with the auto companies laying out a veritable feast of 34 new launches, variants and special editions. Forecasts for the coming year, however, don't hold as much promise with some car makers bringing plans for new product introductions to a grinding halt.