Looking to buy a first car? Here is a list of the most affordable cars in the Indian market today. Each of these cars are different from one another. Read on to find out which one suits your needs best.
India has given a new dimension to the car market, specifically the affordable car market. Nowhere else in the world can a person buy a brand new car Rs.1,60,000. This is partly because cars in India do not have to meet any safety norms whatsoever, one of the primary reasons why the market can develop and produce cars at such low budgets. Besides safety, people in India also expect very little in terms of kit and performance from cars. In other parts of the world all of these low budget cars would be considered technologically obsolete and would not meet the health and safety norms, as a result they would be banned from entering a market. In India so long as something has four wheels, four doors, some seats and windows, it is considered a car.
Another reason for the availability for such affordable cars is that the Indian car buyer expects so little out of a car. But that is not a bad thing considering safety as a whole. An individual is much safer in a car than on a motorcycle, also with such extreme weather conditions in the country people can travel in comfort and be cloistered from the harsh conditions outside. These reasons along with many more together are responsible for an ever growing car market in India and across the world.
Here is a look at the contenders. There are primarily five cars. From Tata we have the base model petrol Indica and the market shattering Nano, from Maruti Suzuki there are the 800 and the Alto, and from Hyundai we have the base model Santro. Another car worth mentioning would be the Mahindra Reva, an electric car which is more expensive at initial price but worth a look, considering running costs and maintenance issues.
Without further ado let’s evaluate the biggest gossip in the market, the Tata Nano.
Tata Nano
The Nano comes with an efficient 625cc engine with 35 break horse power delivers 18 km/pl in the city, put the air conditioning on and you can expect figures to dip to 16 km/pl. The base model is priced at Rs.1,60,000 on road New Delhi. For that money you get four doors and quite a lot of space in between. The kindest thing one can say about the car is that it is built to a price. Everything in the car feels cheap, but from the looks of it at least it should all be worth the price.
Practicality
The Nano has plenty of cabin space with excellent head and leg room and can accommodate five people easily. However there is no boot because the boot space is full of engine, instead Tata has left you some space under the bonnet to store a bag or two but not more. One of the biggest plus points of driving a super mini is that you can see out the back very well which means that it makes life very easy to park and manoeuvre in reverse. In the Nano however due to the engine occupying space in the back, rear visibility is not as good. Also opening the bonnet to refuel can be embarrassing. What I failed to understand is why the car is equipped with power windows but no power steering! Probably for packaging reasons I suppose.
Ride and Handling
Then comes the really bad part, the driving dynamics of the car. While the driving position is good and visibility out of the front of the car is very good. Nothing else is. The steering is wooden, let me put in context to another car, a Mark 4 Ambassador, that had a much better steering than the Nano. The brakes have only two settings On and Off. Press the pedal and nothing happens, nothing happens and then the wheels lock up all of a sudden, it’s terrible and unsafe. The clutch is heavy and shifting gear requires more effort than arm wrestling. Depress the accelerator pedal and not much happens ever. Frustration while trying to overtake another car can be epic. The suspension does not do a good job of absorbing bumps in context to its competitors. The handling is iffy and it is not recommended for enthusiastic driving. And while the height of the car is good for practicality, it compromises on the handling and it tends to roll a lot. The Nano does not come with stabiliser bars or anti roll bars, as a result one should take the appropriate measures while driving such a tall
Car with wheels the size of coins. Also, be warned while being over taken by a bus or truck as it makes the whole car vibrate.
Finance
The CX version starts at Rs.1,60,000 and Rs.1,90,000 for the metallic paint versions. This is without air-conditioning and power windows and body coloured bumpers. The LX comes with all of the above at Rs.1,90,000 and Rs.2,10,000 for the metallic paint version.
100% finance is available at 15% rate of interest. But it is recommendable to go for the 80% finance at 5% rate of interest.
Verdict – Buy the cheapest model and make sure you have a driver or your stress levels are bound to go up. Reliability can be an issue.
Mahindra Reva
The Mahindra Reva is the first and only completely electric road legal vehicle in India. The first thing one will notice while driving it is that it’s not much different from a golf cart. The Reva has an automatic gear box which means that the driver is left with two pedals – brake and accelerator. There is no noise from the electric motor as you drive around. While one cannot expect any form of performance out of it, overtaking and reacting suddenly with the accelerator pedal should have been better, a lot of planning has to go into overtaking. Combined with the mileage issues as you cannot charge the car on the corner of the street, does stress you out mentally, there is always a little voice at the back of your head that’s telling you ‘be careful’! The Reva starts at Rs.3,56,000 and is available for finance at 15% rate of interest.
Practicality
Even for an average person the interiors are cramped, the rear seats are completely useless for passengers and the boot is tiny. Visibility out of the car is very good. The interiors feel cheap, mind you, leather seats are optional. The top model comes with air-conditioning, demister, fog lamps and body coloured bumpers.
The biggest problem with the Reva is the power it runs on. While its very clean and kind to the environment. On full charge the Reva will do 60 km. But imagine, it is a cold rainy night and you are stuck in traffic. Your brain has to work extremely hard to choose between headlights, heater and wipers, coupled with the tension of running out of juice, the experience is bound to be very stressful.
Ride and Handling
The Reva is a pretty neutral car to drive around, not much happens no matter how you treat it, which can be a good thing for safe drivers. The suspension is a little stiff and bumpy and you can get a better handling car for that kind of money. It has a ‘boost’ setting which can be used while overtaking, but to be honest even if you drive on boost all the time it is not going to make much of a difference.
Verdict – The whole point of a car is freedom and convenience. With the Reva one can never drive outside a carefully calculated radius.
Hyundai Santro
Sticking with affordable cars the base model Santro is available for Rs.3,06,000 ex-showrooms.
Practicality
The Santro is spacious for a small car. It has a decent sized boot, headroom all around is good. The only issue is rear seat legroom which is cramped, it can get uncomfortable over long journeys. Mileage is decent in the city and on the highway. Cabin quality is best in class in terms of materials used for various cabin components.
Ride and Handling
It is a basic car without air-conditioning or power steering. But the ride is decent and the engine is peppy for city driving. No sweat at all to drive the car around town. The suspension absorbs the bumps well for a car this cheap. The handling of the car at speeds is decent but a bumpy road can upset its composure. It has the best driving position and driving dynamics of all cars within the price bracket. This is one of the few A segment cars in the market that is capable of highway cruising. It has the best gearbox amongst all its competitors.
Verdict – The best driving car in its class.
Tata Indica
The base model petrol Indica is available for Rs.2,84,000 ex-showrooms. First things first, if you are looking for a very spacious car at the lowest price possible, look no further. The Indica has acres of headroom and legroom, the boot is big and the seats are spacious, an ideal car for the Indian market considering how many people can get into a car at the same time around here. However the materials used in the interiors of the car are below par. Everything from the plastics to the seats feel cheap. The panel gaps on the inside as well as on the outside are not always even.
Ride and Handling
The Indica is rubbish to drive, full stop. The steering is vague and has no feel, the car rolls around like a canal boat on the ocean. The suspension fails to inspire even a remote feel of confidence on the go. It does however absorb bumps quite well for its price. The performance from the engine is mediocre but due to its weight the give from the engine is further hampered. The gearbox feels antique.
Practicality
With its spacious cabin and boot this is by far the car that offers the most space for the money. Visibility out of the car is good as well. Five adults can easily travel around the city in comfort in this car.
Verdict - If you are looking to accommodate the most number of people in a small car, this is it.
Maruti Suzuki Alto
There is a reason why the Alto has been the best seller in its class for 4 years on the trot. It’s brilliant. The base model costs Rs.2,50,000 ex-showrooms. The Alto scores top marks for everything.
Practicality
Cabin and boot space are good but not great. Legroom and headroom are decent for passengers in the back and in the front. Visibility out of the cabin is excellent and the Alto is a joy to park and reverse. The Alto has the highest mileage for any car in the market. The materials used to build the car are very good, considering the price of the car.
Ride and Handling
The car drives well, the engine has good performance, handling at all speeds is brilliant, it absorbs bumps decently at low speeds, cabin space is good, materials used for the car inside out are decent for its price. At speeds the suspension cannot cope with bumps, but at its price that should not be a complaint at all. The driving dynamics are excellent. The gearbox is smooth and on the whole the car inspires confidence in the driver.
The top model comes with power steering and air-conditioning for Rs.3,07,000 ex-showrooms. This is the one to go for, if you are looking for a good small car that is cheap, sensible and reliable.
Verdict - The best bet for a cheap, practical, and easy to run and maintain car is the Maruti Suzuki Alto. Reliability is excellent and spare parts are cheap. Also, access to service centres across the country is excellent. Buy one and enjoy no nonsense motoring.
Maruti Suzuki 800
Although the 800 does not meet the current emission norms in Indian Metros one can purchase them outside these cities. The Non AC model is available for Rs. 2,05,739 on road and the AC variant for 2,26,652. The car as I always emphasise is known for its fun to drive factor and bullet proof reliability.
Practicality
The 800 can seat four adults in comfort. Visibility is excellent out of the car. The boot is small though. The driving position is spot on. Slotting the gearbox into 1st and 2nd gear could have been made more comfortable.
Ride and Handling
Keep the car below speeds of a 110 kph or so and ride and handling is spot on. Above a 110 the nose of the car starts to lift and the steering goes light due to the lightweight engine. The driving dynamics are excellent. Just point the steering wheel at a barely manageable gap and stand on the accelerator the car will shoot out at the target with 0% steering error, its perfect. However, the suspension doesn’t react well to potholes and the ride can get quite bumpy. Because there is just enough power to wiggle about in the city a keen driver will always enjoy driving it at the limit as it is so controllable and offers so much feel from every mechanical component. There is no power steering in the car but because the engine is so light, one hand is enough to turn the steering from lock to lock even when the car is stationary. The steering offers so much feel and is so accurate that it can put a lot of expensive cars to shame.
Verdict: The most fun to drive car in its class.
Pre-owned cars
Apart from the above options if you really do want to spend less than 2 lakhs on a car it would be best to go for a certified pre-owned Maruti Suzuki from its True Value outlet. The cars that are covered under warranty are well maintained, along with a one year warranty you also get 3 free servicings. Considering the reliability of Maruti Suzuki cars, it would be the best buy.
Go for a pre-owned Alto preferably the LXI from Maruti True Value, and you’ll go to bed knowing you have not gone wrong.
