The interiors of the Nissan Micra carries over the exterior styling traits. The Micra’s cabin isn’t radically different nor is it sporty looking, what really stands out in the Micra is the simplicity. There isn’t an element which would invite people to criticize the car.

The Micra’s cabin is extremely roomy and the generous glass area gives the car a bright and airy feel. Everything has been put together well, the instrument panels, center console, aircon controls and the stereo system are all conventionally placed and there is nothing to complain about the dash layout. The twin glove box, three cupholders and decently sized map pockets (which can also hold a small water bottle) on the doors help stowing away things neatly.

The dashboard on the top end XV comes in a colour which Nissan calls the ‘Greige’ (mix of grey and beige). This colour does not exactly make the car’s interiors look totally upmarket, but it does a good job of livening up the interiors to some extent. The XE and XL variants get pitch black interiors and I actually loved the black interiors more than the ’Greige’ interiors.

The quality of plastics used is very good and there isn’t a spot which looks cheap (except for the key slot on the XE and XL) and the material used on the seats. The AC vents are all finished well and are easy to adjust while the switchgear is top class. The way the indicator stalk feels when you use the indicators is exceptional. The steering feel is extremely nice and soft to hold and wish it could have been a bit chunkier.

The front seats are very comfortable and supportive for most people but the tall people would find it difficult to sit at the driver’s seat. The seat fabric on the mid XL comes in black with a silver theme, the seat fabrics on the mid variant looks better than the top-end XV’s ‘Greige’ seats. The base XE’s seats get integrated headrests (like the i10 and A-Star) and the seats are flat unsupportive and come with a felt-like material which could tear easily on rough use. The XE doesn’t even come with a day/night swappable interior rear view mirror.

Though the front seats are comfortable and the driving position is nearly flawless with great visibility all around, I would have liked the gear lever to have been positioned a bit higher (like in the Ford Figo).

The rear seats on the XL and XV doesn’t come with adjustable headrests and only with integrated headrests, while the XE’s rear bench doesn’t even get integrated headrests. But we guess the base XE is not endowed with any features at all as Nissan could be offering the base XE at a killer price tag.

Only the XL and XV come with a music system with a CD player and Aux-in. A music system is also standard on the XE Plus variant. The XV is the only one that comes with a climate control, keyless remote entry, electrically adjustable/foldable rear view mirrors rear defogger and chrome finished door levers on the inside.

The car comes with a Tachometer as standard across all its variants and the small LCD display shows all the basic info like odometer, tripmeter and fuel consumption indicator.

Final word

The Nissan Micra’s interiors may not be radically new or different. It is conventional, it is very mundane but what really makes the Nissan Micra’s cabin stand apart is the effortlessly elegant design. It is simple, it is a nice place to sit and travel. It is roomy and it is comfortable. The high end variants come with all the equipment necessary and probably even more, like the electrically folding rear view mirrors which fold automatically once the car is locked. The cars cabin is thoughtfully put together and is very well equipped.

Nissan Micra Interiors Image Slideshow

can’t see the slideshow above? Visit the Nissan Micra Interiors Image Gallery to see images

The styling of the last generation Nissan Micra can best be described as ‘girly’. There is no offense in a car looking feminist, but when a manufacturer is aiming to sell the car in 160 markets worldwide, it can’t offer a car that only the fairer sex would like to be seen in one. That is the main reason why Nissan has made the fourth generation Micra’s styling appeal to both the sexes.

At first glance, the front of the car is bold. Not the sharp, edgy kind of bold, but a unique, subtle, soft refreshing kind of bold.

The soft curves on the front give a very pleasing look to the Micra. The narrow ‘grille’ of the car somewhat gives it its cheerful character. Only the top end variant XV gets a horizontal chrome lining cutting across the grille. The Nissan badge sits proudly above the grille.

The side profile of the new Micra looks very similar to the old gen Micra except for the rear end of the roof, which doesn’t slope down but extends a bit and rises gently and then falls, which results in an integrated rear spoiler. The 14 inch wheels fill the wheel wells sufficiently and there wouldn’t be a necessity to beef up the tyres to make the car look better.

The roof of the car features a unique boomerang styled ridge which is more of a technical addition than a cosmetic feature. This boomerang shaped ridge increases the stiffness of the roof and this makes the Micra’s roof lighter and stiffer.

The rear of the Micra is our pick for the best angle. All the mixed feelings about the car’s curvy looks vanish. The small and rounded tail lamps are complemented well by a prominent ridge (which looks like eyebrows) extending into the boot lid, which reminds us of the Toyota Etios’ rear.

The top end XV is the only variant to get body colored handles and exterior rear view mirrors while the base XE and Mid XL get black handles and mirror casing. The XL and XV variants come with rear wiper with wash.

Final word

The Nissan Micra isn’t a sporty looking car nor would it capture people’s undivided attention, but it clearly would stand out from the crowd. The Micra’s smart looks are very understated and subtle and the car looks cheerful.

It is the kind of car that can be linked to human emotions and expressions. This car would really make you feel good as you look at it. The car is a very good looking car and in our opinion, the best colour for the Nissan Micra is ‘Brick Red’ (the one which we test drove). This colour perfectly complements the cheerful looks of the car.

We don’t see a point in Nissan bringing out a “sport” or “race” version of this car with racing stripes, decals or alloys. That would be like teaching a poodle how to attack fleeing inmates. The Micra cannot be aggressive, and it should never be taught either. It should remain a simple city dweller’s vehicle that gets people from point A to B.

Nissan Micra Exterior Image Slideshow

can’t see the image gallery above? Visit the Nissan Micra exterior image gallery to see the images

The all new sixth generation BMW 5-series has been launched in India and the bookings are open. BMW India would begin assembling the 523i, 525d and the 530d at its Chennai plant soon by the end of this month. The top of the line 535i would come as a CBU.

Recently i had a brief yet exciting encounter with the all new BMW 535i. The car came in a beautiful mild metallic chocolate color, which BMW calls the ‘Havanna’.

Exteriors:
The car look absolutely stunning and pictures and prints do not do justice to the car’s looks at all. The car looks elegant and beautiful. Note that these are words which we wouldn’t generally associate with a Bimmer. The car looks less sporty and the missing ‘Eagle Eye’ really irks me. But the car’s relaxed flowing lines makes you instantly forget the sportiness of the Bangled previous gen 5-er.

The twin corona headlamps get a whitish light which looks damn beautiful. The sides of the car are typically BMW with a prominent ridge running all the way from the front to the rear. The rear of the car isn’t very exciting and could often be mistaken for the 3-Series. Though the cars tail lamps lights up in a brilliant pattern tp distinguish the 5 from the 3.

Interiors:
The interiors of the new 5-Series are gorgeous and reek of luxury. The contours of the dash, the center console and the armrests are all designed to match the ambiance of the 7-Series. I would say the 5-Series’ interiors are better than the 7′s. The driving position is excellent and all the seats offer good comfort and the plushness of the cabin is something I can’t stop crying about.

The instrument panel is neatly laid out and is very legible, I didn’t like the orange backlit instrument pods, I would have preferred white lit pods. The steering wheel is finished brilliantly and feels chunky and nice to hold. The paddle shifts however are not that exciting and feel quite rubbery to use.

The rear seats are extremely good and there is nothing which i can complain about but tall figures wouldn’t be as happy as I am at the back.

First Opinion:
With the 2010 5-series, BMW has raised the benchmark for cars in this segment. BMW has clearly made the 5-series a luxurious saloon and has attempted to make the 5-series as opulent as possible and has succeeded.

The BMW 5-Series was brought in a haste to dampen the W212 Mercedes Benz E-Class’ party which went off to a flying start. Though BMW launched the car in India, it couldn’t deliver cars as their plant was ready. As of now the 5-Series has started of with a few numbers and the waiting time for a BMW 5-Series is roughly 3 months now compared to a months time for the new Mercedes E-Class.

So once BMW starts assembling its cars and boosts production numbers, BMW 5-Series sales could pick up. This car is very potent and if BMW India manages faster on-time deliveries, the Bimmer clearly would have the advantage over the Merc at the marketplace.

The TVS Scooty pep has been a massive hit and it was getting very common. TVS has given the Scooty pep a new update and has named it the Scooty Streak. IAB got the chance to put it to its paces. Read on to find out how it feels.

Since we are all aware of the Scooty Pep Plus, let me assure you that the Streak is the same Pep Plus, only with a new body. Nothing has been changed mechanically. You still get the same 87.2cc 4-stroke Pep Plus engine that makes 5 bhp @ 6500 rpm and 5.8 Nm of torque at 4000 rpm. That’s decent power but still below the class with the Kristal making 7.7bhp.

Performance is largely similar but a tiny bit smoother. Front suspension is telescopic forks which are better than the conventional ones found on the Kristal and work well. Now that only the styling has been changed, lets talk about that.

TVS has done a good job overall but at IAB, we feel that they have overdone it a bit. The large speedometer and the oversize tail lamps are too awkward. The front is too similar to the Kristal and we feel TVS has lost its originality here. The indicators though, have two chambers and one of them forms the smart pilot city lights and the other sporting a conventional indicator.

The mirrors have been done well. Fuel tank filler moves to the place below the grab handle and this is a very nice move as it removes the chores associated with getting down to fill fuel.

Overall fit and finish is top class and the light weight does really help. LED tail lamps are a first for this segment. TVS’s trademark center stand along with lockable glovebox and Mobile charger are all a part of the standard equipment.

The key ring is illuminated with radium rings and this is a very nice touch. The speedometer is also very big and the speedo needle stands in the 6 0′ clock position.

A brief test ride proved that the vehicle rides exactly the same and does everything exactly the same way that a normal Scooty does it. Apart from these, the Streak is the same as the old scooty. We would still prefer the old one as it is cuter, nicer and cheaper as well.

TVS Scooty Streak Image Gallery

We thank Brilliant TVS, Chennai, for allowing us to ride the bike.

What?            Honda CBF Stunner 125
When?           On sale now
How Much?    Rs 59,037 (OTR Chennai)

Build Quality and Styling

Bajaj predicted that people are bored with 100cc bikes and higher capacities bikes are the way to go. Starting with this strategy of replacing 100cc’s with 125′s, we had the XCD and the Flame and now Honda has given us their piece of cake - CBF Stunner. It looks nothing like the ones present in the market, it has an almost mini-Karizma look about it. So is the new kid on the block got any ‘go’ to match the ‘show?’ We find out what the buzz is all about.

They say that ‘first impression makes the best impression’ and in this case, it is 110% true. When you look at any vehicle, the first thing you notice are not the features, not the price, not the economy, nothing but the way the thing looks. You assume things are much better than they actually are once they look great. You think the Stunner should have some 200cc+ power pack and stuff, but it actually sports a modest 125cc engine. The CBF Stunner scores a cool 4.5/5 in the styling department. The aerodynamic front fairing, the girlfriend impressing stepped seat which is the first in its class, yellow springs, racy side panels all add up to make this one hell of a great bike. The Discover, XCD and the Flame are all way down in this department. The stepped seats are a welcome addition which will go down very well with your girlfriend

The bike also sports matte black alloy wheels and a potent 240mm disc brake which add to the list of features. Sorely missed are digital instrument clusters and tachometer which would have added a few more brownie points. The toe only shifter is sporty but may not go down well with aged people (which this bike is not after). The instrument cluster is a carry over from the Shine with some minute modifications. You also get the aircraft style fuel filler cap which looks cool. The front and the rear look good especially in red or yellow paint schemes that is available for this bike. The rear lights and the shape of the fairing are distinct and the indicator lamp pods look like aliens!

For a bike of such high caliber, we found that some parts were sub-standard. The choke lever was wobbling a lot on our test bike as were the switchgear which were below-par. The plastic parts around the instrument cluster felt a touch flimsy. The foot pegs are made of steel which are a sore sight as they are on aluminium mountings.The quality of parts, the paint quality are all top notch and the bike was smooth and vibration free.

Engine, Ride and Handling

The engine is a tweaked version of the unit on the Shine. The transmission though is all new and sports 5 speeds in the universal 1-down 4-up version. It puts out 11bhp @ 8000RPM and 11Nm @ 6500 RPM after the a revision of valve timing was performed on the Shine’s engine.

The engine is butter smooth as is the transmission and make light work of travel. They work seamlessly and expect decent performance and economy. You might feel a crunch in performance at low RPM’s (as torque is produced much higher) esp with a pillion and this only means dropping a gear which is a delight on this super smooth gearbox.

The ride is decent although not as spine friendly as the Discover. The handling and braking is very competent and the non-disc brake version that we test drove had adequate braking power although picking up the disc brake version is strongly recommended. Pillion comfort is a tad stiff but the pillion is seated much higher and this might pose a problem for some as getting up is quite difficult.

On the Road

Honda has come up with a real stunner of a bike. This is by far their best attempt after the Unicorn. This is sure to be a head turner where ever you go and is sure to get people talking. At Rs 50,037(on-road) for the Disc brake version with alloy wheels, it is on-par with the competition. It sports looks of a 200cc bike with none of the drawbacks save for some minor quality issues. At this price and features, the facelifted Discover comes very close but then, the Stunner wins by the tiniest of margins.

We would love to thank Mr.P.Velu (98414 39104) and Mr.Karthikeyan (9941906720) of KUN Motorcycles Chennai for their cooperation. Without them, this report could have never happened.  They were able to give us quite a lot of info about the bike. If you are in Chennai, and after reading our report, you desire to buy one, the right person to contact will be either one of them.

]]> http://indianautosblog.com/2008/09/honda-cbf-stunner-review/feed 16 http://indianautosblog.com/2008/09/tested-and-impressed-the-ultra-motor-marathon-and-velociti http://indianautosblog.com/2008/09/tested-and-impressed-the-ultra-motor-marathon-and-velociti#comments Mon, 15 Sep 2008 15:55:52 +0000 Shrawan Raja http://indianautosblog.com/?p=2360   [ Read More ]]]>

Ultra Motor, the UK-based two-wheeler maker has planned to invest Rs.150 crores in India over the next three years, and what better time other than now, is perfect for checking out their products. Myself and Harry went to one of the Ultra Motor showrooms in Chennai and a series of surprises unwound.

The build up-

Right after we finished our bit with the red colored R15, where me and harry took turns to play Rossi, and points for each person we gain attention from, it was time to head to our next destination- An Ultra Motor dealership which sold electric scooters! What a shift. This was like having a midday meal in a 7-Star hotel and hours later, heading to a roadside dhaba to have dinner. We were feeling sick. 0-60 times were the hindmost thing on our minds as we chuckled and doubted whether the electric scooters could do 40, leave alone 60.

The entry-

We were cordially greeted into the showroom and the first bike which caught my attention right away was the Marathon. My goodness! Can electric bikes look so pleasant? Maybe this is some kind of a delusion, I thought to myself. It rested there, in the corner of the showroom, treated in grey and looked more or less like the Suzuki Access 125. But what the hell? It’s nevertheless an electric scooter which causes cyclists on road to look like Micheal Schumacher. “Don’t believe what you see, Jaz” I uttered to myself as the athletic looks of the marathon made me take the second, third and the fourth glance. It was good looking, no doubt.

The Marathon-

The Marathon is 48V/250 W scooter employs a Brushless DC motor to drive its rear wheel. It’s beefed up appearance and lofty seating wins all my brownie points. The lead-acid battery pack, which is maintenance-free, sits underneath the seat is a removable form, meaning you don’t need to carry the scooter to the plug point behind your TV in the drawing room. The battery slips out neatly, although it’s heavy, but with a little extra effort, it can be plugged into any of the sockets in your house with the help of a charger set which the company gives. The storage area neighbors the battery area and is of a decent volume to ingest a medium-sized hand bag. The scooter also boasts of visual enhancers like multi-reflector headlights, taillights and alloy wheels which blend in perfectly with the bike. Drum brakes are offered both on the front and rear wheels, which look puny but then, what more do you need to halt this 75 kg bike that can top just 25kph? So, from this instant onwards, my metamorphosis had commenced.

Marathon Picture Gallery

Marathon Test Drive-

I sat on to the Marathon, positioned my arms and body suitably. It felt easy, and the seating posture seemed perfect. The wide seats felt nice, just as if I was in a Honda Activa. Wait! What do I do next? I don’t hear anything. I can’t see any smoke or smell exhaust gases. Is the motor active or am I doing anything wrong?

Janagan, the chief of operations of the dealership, helped me out by turning the key and assuring me that it was OK and everything was how it’s supposed to be. I twisted the throttle, and whoosh..the torque was impressive. More than what a TVS Scooty or a small sized scooter would kick out. I progressed out of the dealership slowly, and as I opened the throttle, hmm..things didn’t actually move fast. Something which I was expecting.

To my disappointment, the Marathon, inspite of its size and features could only do 25 kph. 25?!! Yup. But then there is a brighter side to it.

The ride and handling-

The ride was astonishingly smooth. The dampers were doing an outstanding job in absorbing road shocks, and there was absolutely no vibration what so ever. It was like riding on air, and riding slowly. As I entered a sparsely populated road, I opened the taps and heard this whine from the motor under me. It was soft, but it reminded me of the noise that originates from superchargers. If Ultra could use a microphone and some speakers to amplify that noise, I would buy one just for that. It felt good. I was hooked. The only short fall was the handle bar. It felt loose and wobbly and to an extent unstable and gave you the feeling of an over-inflated front tire. Something that Ultra should work on in their prototypes of upcoming scooters.

I began thinking. Perhaps looks aren’t everything. The sound is addicting. The ride is smooth and vibration-free, but the maximum speed? C’mon. Ask him again, is it 25 Kph Janagan?

“It is,” he replied, however he said there were things which I required to consider before shaping an opinion. These were what he elaborated on

No need for a driver’s License/ Registration

If I can walk out of an electronics shop with a 30-inch plasma TV, why can’t I walk out of a two-wheeler showroom with a bike? Easy. It saves money, energy and more importantly time. It takes a major part of a day for a vehicle to get processed through the RTO (At least for my little sis’ TVS moped, it did). The rider doesn’t need a driver’s license either. Just the ideal vehicle for your 16 year old who wants something to go to school. Furthermore, it’ll do only 25 kph, so you don’t need to bother about over speeding, or accidents or the dangers brought about because of them.

100 Km range- Unmatched and saves headache-

The extended range comes in handy for your lengthy trips. You genuinely don’t have to bother about the batteries running out when moving little by little in a traffic jam with the lights turned on which is not the case with most of the electric scooters available in the market today. The 100km range is unparalled and as far as i know, the best in the market.

Running costs, almost nothing-

Think. For how much do you fuel your moped everyday. Be it a 50 cc or a 100 cc, fuel is the same, and the costs are increasing every single day. 10 paise per KM is what the dealership claims, and we wholly agree. 1/10 th of what it would cost for a petrol bike of equivalent performance. 1 unit of charge is what the scooter needs which costs approximately 7 rupees for which it will run 100 kms. A moped of similar size and performance will give a maximum mileage of 75 kmpl? which means I need 1.25 liters of petrol to cover the same distance, which costs around Rs 70(approx). So you can see the facts for yourself.

Eco friendly-

This is one of the crucial reasons why electric vehicles are catching up. The scooter won’t give out any noise or smoke, which earns you an eco-friendly badge. The scooter is surprisingly silent, but the muted whine from the motor is terrific. Has to be experienced to be believed.

The Velociti-

The Velociti looks more or less like the Bajaj Spirit, which was available in the market until sometime back. On 8 hrs of charge, the Velociti will take you 50 kms during which you can touch speeds upto 40 kph. It uses the same battery as that of the Marathon and is found under the seat. The motor though, is a different one. The 500 W motor is brushless DC type and similarly, powers the rear wheel. But the best bit is the disc brake up front which ensures timely stops and induces confidence into the rider. As this being a smaller scooter, and me being a 6-footer, things were a bit cramped, which needed me to sit a little further back, there by intruding into the pillion’s space. As anticipated, the storage compartment under the seat was smaller than the Marathon but the pockets up front, would come in handy to carry notebooks or files.

Velociti Picture Gallery

Velociti test ride-

The increased power meant only one thing- Fun, and wasn’t I having a ball! Especially after driving the Marathon, the Velociti felt exciting. The acceleration was considerably more, and the vehicle could go past the 25 kph mark. At one point, I was doing 40 as per the speedo. And remember, this is an electric bike!

The Disc brakes had enough bite. I could shed speed easily, which gave me confidence to push harder. The handlebar felt balanced and so was the ride. The whine from the motor was even more pronounced. This was the performance I was expecting out of the Marathon. Nevertheless, it was fun.

The down side of the Velociti-

The Velocity is capable of doing 40 kph and thus requires registration and a driver’s license for the individual to whom it is intended for. It also has a diminished range of 50km per charge. Otherwise, the benefits are the same.

The ride and handling-

The Velociti, being tinier than the Marathon, has a slightly stiff ride. This is easily observable during braking when the vehicle exhibits almost zero front dive. Otherwise, the characteristics of both the vehicles are largely the same.

Verdict

After riding both the scooters extensively, the way we conceived electric scooters changed. Yeah, maybe they can’t do a 100 k’s or accelerate to 60 in 5 seconds, but they are totally fun to ride. Part of the fun and the laughter was their low speed, I should admit.

The future is going to be all about electric vehicles. As we looked through pictures of concept vehicles from Ultra Motors, that became more clearer. Janagan claims once Lithium Ion batteries replace the Lead-Acid ones, the same Marathon scooter could do 100 kms in one single charge with a top speed of close to 80 kmph! He also added that Lithium Ion batteries take 15 minutes to recharge compared to 8 hrs for a conventional Lead Acid battery.

To buy your daily supplies, or to get your kids to school which is hardly a few kilometers away or the gym in the evening, an electric scooter makes more sense than a normal moped. We can’t wait to get our hands on the Lithium Ion powered scooters or bikes which promise to be quick and more fun to ride.

On road, the Marathon costs 33,700/- on road in Chennai while the Velociti costs 42,000/-

We would like to thank P.Janagan, Sole Propreitor of Soody Motor, Chennai, for all his help and the knowledge that he gave us. We sure learned a lot about electric scooter, which changed our perception of electric vehicles, once and for all. You can reach Soody Motor at 044 2451 2752 or 09790710242. You can reach the ultra motor website at ultramotor.com to locate a dealer in your State.

]]> http://indianautosblog.com/2008/09/tested-and-impressed-the-ultra-motor-marathon-and-velociti/feed 4 http://indianautosblog.com/2008/09/maruti-suzuki-zen-estilo-sports-review http://indianautosblog.com/2008/09/maruti-suzuki-zen-estilo-sports-review#comments Thu, 11 Sep 2008 16:33:10 +0000 http://indianautosblog.com/?p=2308   [ Read More ]]]>

The Zen Estilo under no circumstances took off, apart from selling in satisfactory numbers through those few post-launch months. It was over shadowed not by competing cars, but by the successful cars with which it shared its display area. The Wagon R, Swift and even the Dzire now have been massive hits, which makes the Estilo the black sheep. The Estilo may have been a bit more popular only if Maruti could have taken off the Zen sticker on it. It’s handling, steering and ride was nothing in comparison to the earlier Zen, and after one point, it turned out to be evident that Maruti had dug its own grave as the Estilo’s sales chart wore a gloomy look.

The so called “Sports” version is a definition-killer. Nothing can we find in this car which has a  “sporty” touch or charateristic to it. As a matter of fact, don’t even bother visiting the showroom as it is an utter waste of time. Can’t agree? Let us explain why.

For starters, there are no changes at all except for some ‘Sports’ sticker on the rear door panels and the hatch. The so called ‘Sports’ version costs Rs 4,16,266 (OTR Chennai) which is six thousand bucks expensive than the top of the line VXi (non-ABS) and the only considerable upgrade you get is the integrated dual din Kenwood stereo. You additionally get some bits of garnish in the form of one or two stickers, special ‘Sport’ black seat fabric (So Maruti, does the normal version get beige ones?), silver paint encircling AC vents, chrome muffler tip and black color defunct looking interiors.

It retains the same 1.1-liter engine which is reasonably fuel efficient and the entire vehicle is the same, which is the problem. For once, it is very cramped and the overall quality is from the 1990′s (the Estilo is the MR Wagon from the 1990′s) and when you come to know that it shares space with cars like the Swift, SX4 which is a big disgrace.

The modest fact is that the Estilo does need some upgrades like a better engine, transmission, better looking interiors which are near impossible for a car so early in its lifecycle. The reason we think the Estilo has got such upgrades is because it might in all possibility be in for an early exit/replacement apart from the fact that the buzz of “sports” will echo across India during the festive season. We plead Maruti to bury this wounded warrior and bring in an all new Zen which will stay close to the old one’s character.

When was the last time you ever wondered the Indica was getting long in the tooth? The original Indica was launched way back in 1998 and we’ve had to wait 10 long years to get an all new version and we say that the wait is worth every single day. TATA has made a lot of changes to the new version, changes that are very significant and the Indica Vista is a colossal improvement over the present Indica. All these changes contribute to a model that is up there among the best in the market and within striking distance of international standards. After sitting around the car and spending an hour or so with it, we wondered whether this car should wear the Indica badge after all. All the short falls of the V2 have been rectified in the Vista, which will set this cat among the pigeons. We simply love it.

EXTERIORS

The first thing you notice about the Vista is that the styling is similar to the earlier Indica, which is quite good looking, I mean, c’mon. IDEA did a terrific job back then, and since we see the Indica V2 all around, the beauty or its style has faded away. The styling on the Vista is more evolutionary rather than radical (which is best explained by Honda’s design philosophy). This evolutionary styling has reduced the burden on the designers and they have concentrated on the finer aspects of design rather than spending time on designing an all new model.
Looking at the car from a distance, you do feel that TATA could have concentrated more but this is until you take a closer look.

The headlamps look stunning and an art in itself even though they look similar to the ones found on Peugeots. The lights complement the smiling face which is a TATA trademark. The honeycomb radiator grill has a chrome strip on its top border to give it a rich feel. The front bumper is also contemporary with normal circular fog lamps and a rectangular recess split into two parts by a horizontal plane. The central ridge that runs along the bonnet debuts in the new Vista and will be followed in other TATA designs as well.

Along the sides, the wheel arches are more prominent and the Vista looks good without the plastic arches the old Indica gets. The wheels are still small to fill the wheel wells and a bigger rim size would have been better. The turn indicators are incorporated near the steeply raked A-pillars and make a style statement. The body profile is quite similar and it slightly slides down towards the rear. The main point worth mentioning is the large glass house but more on that later. This large glass house has reduced the width of the C-pillar and this is sure to aid visibility while parking/reversing.

The Vista is best viewed from the rear where the long lights and rounded shape make for a handsome design. The long lights run from the roof all the way to the bumper. The light cluster is split above the reverse lights so that an accident need not mean replacement of the entire cluster, which in turn mean less costs. This also shows the strong family lineage also found in the Nano. The rear bumper is neat with embedded reflectors and the hatch door incorporates a stylistic cut bisecting the TATA logo.

The main part of the exteriors, the fit and finish are top notch and the panel gaps are even and the tolerances is tight, which takes the Vista to an all new level. The comparison photos with the earlier gen indica are testimony to this achievement. The doors have external and long rubber beading which results in less noise when being shut and gives that characteristic ‘thud’ sound, which surprised us, and left us in disbelief. We tried opening and shutting the doors quite a few times to reassure ourselves and much to our amazement, the characteristic vibrations and ‘noise’ seems to have taken a hike on the Vista. The door side beading is body coloured in higher models. The bonnet weighed a lot lesser compared to the earlier Indica, a clear indication of weight reduction. Contrary to this, the front bumper was flimsy and elastic. The steeply raked front windshield adds its bit for improving the aerodynamics of the car, while enhancing looks.

INTERIORS

TATA has climbed up several ladders together with respect to the interiors which is twin layered like on the Nissan Teanna. The styling is top notch and multiple textures have been used to good effect. Soft touch plastics are used which combined with three tone interiors look absolutely stunning. The main change is the central instrument cluster which incorporates various tell tales and a tacho, speedo and odo. The dials are very clear and have an electro-luminescent feel to them when lighted up in bright white.It also has the lights for airbags ABS which means these features will be present on future models. There is also a ‘ICD’ light which indicates any malfunction with the instrument cluster.

The AC vents can be fully shut and work well in directing air flow and the knobs are of the right size and feel a lot of upmarket, especially in contrast to the V2. The glovebox requires special mention as it runs the full width of the dashboard towards the A pillars and has huge storage capacity. The Audio system is 2-DIN (CD/MP3) on the top of the line ‘AURA’ variant has good audio quality through 6 speakers. The audio system has an auxiliary input for i-pod and also an USB port. The main feature of this system is a special function which scans through the radio stations, where it pauses for a couple of seconds so that you know what is being played at each station.

The overall quality is up with the best in its class and is within touching distance within international standards. Gone are the uneven panel gaps(at most places) replaced by tighter fitting panels which elevate the overall feel of the vehicle. The doors have considerable width on the inside part and similar to the ones on LAND ROVER (just hinting, not comparing). The same door opening handles are used at all the 4 corners which reduce costs and clear up area inbetween the front seats. The power windows switches are back at the arm rests on the doors, shifted from near the handbrake.

Speaker provision is present on all 4 doors and on the dashboard. The door pockets are very small and can be used for storing a couple of magazines and nothing more. There are two cup holders and some slots for storing coins, cell phones on the center console. Also present are under seat storage trays which are large enough to hide precious things from prying eyes. Also due to the large glass house, the interiors feel airy and is the exach opposite to the Swift. The arm rests on the doors are supportive and the entire interiors use matching beige coloured fabric.

Comfort was one of the earlier Indica’s strong point and that has improved on the new Indica which is considerably larger than the Swift and the Palio! There is huge amount of headroom and legroom everywhere and even a tall chauffeur will not pose problems. The seats themselves are well bolstered and offer good support and comfort. The driver’s seat is adjustable for height and reach while the steering wheel is adjustable for rake. Rear seats are wide enough but even then 3 six footers will be a tight fit.

The overall comfort will blow away the Swift’s and the i10′s and the Aveo’s. Earlier Indicas had awkward pedal positioning with respect to the steering which has been sorted out and finding a comfortable seating position is easy. The steering wheel itself is well designed and is of the right size, which was a major drawback on the V2, its size measuring to the diameter of Planet Saturn. The seats are lower than the indica V2 and offer good all round views, thanx to the height adjustments, which will bring smiles on to the faces of 6-footers. Another TATA trademark is also present – the doors open very wide (almost 90deg) making ingress and egress very easy.

The boot is slightly bigger than the present model but it still is quite small and the struts intrude limiting usable space. Offering some consolation are the 60:40 split seats which offer good versatility. There is a central tunnel that intrudes into rear legroom and the middle passenger might find it a bit difficult, so three well-built passengers at the backseat might be a bit of a squeeze. The seat belts are also sealed in their own place making it look neat, an area that proved to be an eyesore in the V2. The grab handle provided for the passengers is spring loaded.

PROPULSION

Power for the Vista comes from a petrol and 2 diesels. The petrol is a 1.2 CVCP Safire engine making 65ps @ 6500RPM and about 96 Nm of torque at 3000 RPM. This was the engine we has in our test car and it was smooth all the way to its 6500 RPM redline. Also present is the 1.4 Turbo-intercooled engine with 71ps @ 4000RPM and 135 Nm @ 2500RPM . Please note that the DICOR will not be available on the Indica Vista and only the 475 block IDI diesel will be available.

Want more power more refinement? The highlight of the engine range is the 1.3 Quadrajet (1.3 MJT to us) putting out a familiar 75bhp @ 4000 RPM and a mammoth 190 Nm from just 1750 RPM (more than double the 1.2 petrol produces). This engine will make city driving a dream and is expected to be as fuel efficient as ever. This is the pick of the Vista range. Gearbox action feels rubbery and vague but there is noticeable improvement over the previous Indica. The transmission is a 5 speed synchromesh with overdrive. The engine bay incorporates more sound deadening material and another safety feature is that the radiator fan is enclosed in its own chamber. Also we found the engine bay to have more of a ‘Fiat’ feel to it. Parts sharing? You bet.

Indica V2 vs Vista- A picture speaks a thousand words.

The biggest change here is the use of semi-independent twist beam suspension at the rear which eliminates the alignment problems the earlier Indica posed due to independent suspension. The Indica uses hydraulic power steering and diagonal split brakes. The feel of the steering and ride comfort can all be judged only after a full road test which we will bring you very soon. Overall refinement is up which is very evident from the way the central locking system works with less noise. We also found that the hood was considerably lighter compared to the indica V2 which points towards weight saving.

There are some nice touches like the provision of two 12V DC points at the front and at the rear parcel tray and the flowery roof fabric which adds flair.The rear seat head rests (which are rather uncomfortable) are designed in such a way that they reduce interference of driver’s vision while reversing, which along with thin C-pillars add few brownie points for safety.

VERDICT
Overall the Vista gives even more car per car and this is very evident when you consider the fact that it gives more bang for your buck and is considerably bigger than the Swift which is the current leader. The car starts at 3.48 lakhs for the base TDi and going up to 4.88 for the AURA Quadrajet. At this price this is certainly the car to go for in this segment. For all those who think passenger cars from Tata Motors are trucks dressed in a car’s skin, should drive the Vista before uttering one more word. This car will set a new benchmark in this segement and we can’t wait for the next-gen Indigo based on the Vista. Trust us, it’s that good.

If you liked our review, drop us a comment. If you absolutely loved it, then you might want to send us a note on where we need to improve on our future reviews. There’s a lot coming your way in the following weeks, so make sure you bookmark us and visit us everyday.

What?              Bajaj Discover 135 DTS-i
When?             On sale now
How Much?      Rs 59,955 (OTR Chennai)

Bajaj’s Discover was launched in 2004 and what a success it has been. It was the benchmark (it still is) and many have tried to dethrone it, but in vain. Of late, it has been under threat form TVS Flame and Honda Cbf Stunner. Ive left out the Gladiator as it hasn’t set the sales chart on fire but still remains a good proposition. Also left out is the XCD which is just a step up on the Bajaj BYK in terms of size and honestly it would have met with much better success had it been a bit bigger than it actually is as any one who is tall will surely find it very small. That’s where Bajaj has positioned the Discover 135, appealing to all those who want a bike a notch bigger than the XCD.

So the Discover then, we had earlier seen the 150cc Discover at the Auto-Expo which is yet to make it, meanwhile Bajaj has found time to give it a facelift to keep it fresh. When you look at it for the first time, what catches your attention are the new fake scoops on the fuel tank something very similar to the ones found on the XCD, but they incorporate the turn indicators this time. The sides get new graphics which are quite similar to the earlier model. Also tweaked is the front headlamp fairing which is more curvacious and the transparent tinted glass is slightly raised to give a 3d effect. The black theme for the wheels, engine and all other bits and pieces in between are what we have come to expect of any Indian bike today.

Scoops with integrated indicators

Black powder coated theme

17 inch alloy wheels

The bike retains its 17in aluminium alloy wheels and Nitrox gas charged shock absorbers at the rear. I have to concede that this is the only bike which is spine friendly from this class apart from the XCD, a trademark of all Bajaj bikes. Switchgear feels as solid as ever and the other uplifting feature is the digital speedometer console very similar to the pulsars, which is the third in this segment (after the XCD and Flame).

Digital instruments are cool

Nitrox monotube gas charged shocks, second mudguard missing (tyre hugger)

Switchgear of good quality

There are some of new features on the bike but there are an equal number of features that have gone off it. The exposed chain is gone, replaced by the oridinary closed box that encapsulates the chain. Also missing is the chrome finish silencer. Bajaj removes the chrome bit when they launched the black theme in their lineup but even then there was a piece on the silencer that was made of shiny chrome. Now, even that is gone replaced by a dull aluminium finish. Alloy triple clamp has also bowed out of the new Discover range. Tyre hugger or the second mudguard is sorely missed too. All the features mentioned above are not visible to the oridinary customer unless he has a keen lookout for such minor points and overall the new Discover still is the best bet.

Alloy silencer cover

The 135cc DTS-i equipped engine is untouched and produces a class leading 12.92 bhp @ 8500rpm (13.10ps) and uses Bajaj’s famed twin spark plugs and Exhaus-Tec resonator chamber to improve low end torque. All the other technical aspects remain the same. Performance remains the same with 0-60kph in around 5sec and topspeed of 105kph (Manufacturer claims). The 240mm hydraulic brakes (optional) are confidence inspiring and is mandatory for anyone aspiring to buy this bike. A brief test drive cleared my doubts and this is still the best bike in the 125cc segment and performance is very close to that of the 150cc bikes. It is also quite nimble at 133kgs (dry weight) and its on-road (Chennai) price of Rs 59,955 is on par with the competition. So Discover makes a strong point for itself and it still the benchmark and the best in the segment.

Bajaj's trademark Exhaus-Tec improves low end torque

Aircraft type fuel filler cap missing

Bike pictures and test ride courtesy Mr B.Magudobthi KLN BAJAJ,Chennai

IAB