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Colossal decision

Just when you thought the Maruti Swift diesel was the car for you, along come the new Chevrolet Sail U-VA and updated Ford Figo. Should you reconsider?

What?s new?

The long waiting period for diesel versions of most mainstream hatchbacks is ample proof of their popularity in India. Sure, they cost more to buy than petrol cars, but their lower running costs (courtesy their greater fuel efficiency and the lower price of the fuel itself) and better resale value (an outcome of their better fuel efficiency) seem to be the deciders for many.

The latest contender in the diesel hatchback segment is the new Chevrolet Sail U-VA. The Sail is a car from General Motors India?s part owner Shanghai Automotive Corporation?s Chinese portfolio. Now before you discount the Sail for being a Chinese product, you should know it?s been thoroughly re-engineered for India. Its suspension is built to take on the worst of our roads, it?s got the same Fiat-sourced diesel engine as the Maruti Swift, and its already robust body shell has been strengthened too. The Sail?s surely got the right ingredients but does it have what it takes to beat the Figo and Swift?

Ford?s Figo, for one, adds to its strengths of value, practicality and efficiency with recent tweaks to styling. Then there?s the hugely popular Maruti Swift, which brings a dash of fun to this practicality-oriented arena. So, which of these cars offers the best blend of comfort, performance and fuel economy to be worth your hard-earned money?

Performance

Sail U-VA HHHH

Figo HHHH

Swift HHHH

As mentioned before, the Sail and Swift share their 1.3-litre turbodiesel engines, though different tuning means their power outputs are slightly different. The Sail has a power rating of 77bhp, while the Swift?s engine is good for 74bhp. Where the two also differ is in how they deliver their power.

While neither car feels particularly peppy at low speeds, it is the Sail that has the smoother and more immediate power delivery. There is a slight shove around the 2000rpm mark, after which, the Sail pulls forward rather well.

This manner of power delivery also helps the Sail post quicker in-gear times than the Swift and overall performance is rather good.

In comparison, the Swift takes noticeably longer to deliver power below 2000rpm. Cross this mark and there?s a spike in power, and this can be a bit irritating in stop-and-go traffic. However, if you keep your foot down on the throttle pedal, it is the Swift that is the more rewarding car to drive. The engine builds revs rather quickly and, correspondingly, helps the Swift deliver the quickest dash from 0-100kph. In fact, the Swift?s diesel engine is almost petrol-like in the way it revs to 5000rpm so, given enough space, you may even find yourself holding onto each gear longer than needed, just for the fun of it.

On the contrary, the Figo?s 68bhp, 1.4-litre turbodiesel engine is at its best in traffic. That?s got a lot to do with this motor?s ready responses and instant delivery of power at low to medium speeds. It?s also got the lightest clutch of this trio and its gearbox has a nice mechanical feel to it. For the record, gearshifts on the Swift are nice and light, and those on the Sail are slickly executed as well.

In city confines, you?d be happiest driving the Figo. The Ford is happy to amble around in third gear, even at speeds as low as 30 or 40kph, and tap the accelerator and the Ford gathers speed quite rapidly. This is in total contrast to the other two cars here, which need you to execute almost twice as many downshifts. However, the Figo tends to run out of breath on the highway, particularly when you have to execute a high-speed overtaking move.

In terms of engine refinement, none of the three cars really impresses. That?s not to say these engines are like the truck-like diesels of old, it?s just that they?re not as quiet as they ought to be. Where the Swift?s motor has a sharp clatter at idle, the Sail?s engine noise is accompanied by a very audible whistle from the turbo after 2000rpm. And the Figo sounds gruff and gravelly at all engine speeds.

What are they like inside?

Sail U-VA HHH

Figo HHHH

Swift HHH

The majority of cars in this segment are owner driven, so front-seat ambience gets more emphasis than rear-seat comfort. And it is here that the Swift feels the most special. It?s got the most contemporary-looking dashboard, and the overall level of fit and finish is easily the best. The smartly bolstered front seats also offer great support. Where the Swift loses points is on visibility from the driver?s seat. The thick pillars on either side of the front and rear windscreen mean you often have serious blind spots to deal with.

In contrast, the Figo?s large glass area gives a great view out and also makes the cabin look larger than it is. The new blue plastics on the top of the dashboard (a part of the update) also add a touch of youthfulness here. In terms of design, the dashboard looks quite basic, but it is user friendly and also the most solidly built. But the Figo?s front seat isn?t all that nice. The seat-base is a tad short and the height adjustment is quite odd too; it doesn?t raise the entire seat, but merely alters the angle of the base.

Curiously, driver?s seat height adjust is absent from the Sail altogether. The seats are quite comfortable, though, and come with nice bolstering for the lower back. What?s also nice is the feeling of space inside the cabin, helped in no small part by a dashboard that extends far forward towards the windscreen. However, the dash itself looks quite ordinary and is finished in rather hard plastics. Beige and tan tones do uplift the cabin ambience to an extent, but there are many bits that seem out of place in a car of this price. The digital tachometer beside the speedometer is hard to read, and the indicator stalks seem as if they?ve been lifted from the cheaper Spark.

The rear seat is also not all that comfy, and the hard cushioning is largely to blame for this. But if you are looking for sheer space, there are few cars in this class that can better the Sail. There?s lots of legroom and the upward-sloping footrests under the front seats only add to the comfort.

In comparison, the Swift?s rear seat feels quite cramped. Legroom, headroom and width are all just about average, and the small rear windows and predominantly black interior colour theme make this portion of the Swift?s cabin feel smaller still. Leave the space aspect aside, though, and it is the Swift that has a very comfy rear seat. It?s also the only car here to feature adjustable rear headrests.

The Figo does with tiny, almost useless headrests for the rear seat; an oversight. This could lead to whiplash injuries in the event of a rear impact. The Figo?s rear seat does offer the best combination of space and comfort, though. There?s decent legroom and the seating position is quite nice too. On airport runs, you?ll also like the Figo?s large boot, which will easily accommodate two suitcases. Its low, wide-opening sill also makes loading your luggage easy. The Sail?s boot is quite large too, and you also have the option to stow some luggage under the rear seats?a space which is traditionally occupied by the fuel tank. The Swift may have the most space for small items in the cabin (including bottle-holders in the rear doors) but its boot space is restricted. A high loading lip also means you?ll have to toss your bags into the marginal space available. All the cars here give you the option to fold down the rear seat, though the Sail goes one up by having a split rear seat.

Ride & handling

Sail U-VA HHHH

Figo HHHH

Swift HHHH

Ride quality is not a decisive factor for many buyers, but it should be. It is here that the Chevrolet Sail really impresses. Its suspension feels very absorbent over potholes and large speedbreakers alike. The thick tyres also do their bit to cushion you from surface blemishes. What?s also nice is that the Sail maintains its poise over big bumps, which can catch both the Figo and Swift out. Straight-line stability is also really good, but to be fair, the other cars don?t disappoint on this count either, especially the Ford.

Viewed in isolation, the Figo delivers a very pliant ride too, but it does ?thunk? over big bumps. The Figo also tends to bottom out when loaded with passengers, so you need to be extra careful on large undulations to avoid this. This isn?t an issue on the Swift, but the Maruti does not iron out surface imperfections quite as well as the other two cars here.

That said, the stiff suspension set-up also lends the Swift a certain agility around bends that makes it fun to drive on twisty roads. However, it?s the Figo that?s the most fun-to-drive car here. It?s got the better-weighted steering and, thanks to its good body control, it?s really entertaining to drive on twisting roads too.

In contrast, the Sail?s soft suspension makes it roll quite a bit in corners and isn?t a car you?d want to drive with much enthusiasm. Still, for day-to-day city driving, you?ll like the lightness of the Sail?s steering; it requires the least effort to turn.

Buying & owning

Sail U-VA HHHH

Figo HHHH

Swift HHHH

Chevrolet sells the Sail U-VA diesel in two trim levels, though you can have the base LS version with anti-lock brakes as well, which is something we?d recommend. Prices for the Sail diesel start at R5.87 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) and extend up to R6.62 lakh for the top-spec LT version.

The Maruti Swift diesel range starts at R5.57 lakh for the base LDi variant. R5.99 lakh will buy you the fairly well equipped VDi model, but if you can extend your budget, we suggest you buy the fully-loaded ZDi trim that costs R6.82 lakh, but also gets you loads of kit.

The Figo diesel is easily the most affordable car here. Even in its top-most Titanium trim (R5.97 lakh), the Figo is a whole lot cheaper than its competitors. With four variants to choose from and prices starting from R4.79 lakh, there?s truly a Figo for everyone.

Fuel economy-wise, it is the Swift that stretches each litre of diesel the furthest. You can expect the Swift diesel to deliver 14.6kpl in the city and a fantastic 19.5kpl on the highway.

The Figo and Sail aren?t too far behind either. We got 14.1kpl and 13.1kpl in the city and 18.5kpl and 19kpl on the highway from the Ford and Chevy, respectively.

As you may be aware, Maruti has the largest after-sales network in India, so finding service won?t be a problem wherever you may be in India. There are, after all, 1,653 authorised service centres across the country!

In comparison, Chevrolet has 272 service points and Ford?s got 187.However, Maruti is the least generous with its standard warranty. The Swift comes with a two-year/40,000km warranty, which is considerably less than the three-year/1,00,000 standard warranty on the Sail and the Figo?s two-year/1,00,000km warranty.

Contrary to what you?d expect of a car from China (to some extent), the Sail U-VA is surprisingly good. It?s got the most spacious cabin here and its fantastic ride quality really sets it apart. But the Sail?s got its share of weaknesses. The interior doesn?t have an upmarket feel, seat comfort is average and it isn?t as nice to drive as the Ford or the Suzuki. On the other hand, you have the Swift, which brings an element of fun to this segment. It?s got strong performance and good handling, making it a car you?d like to drive. However, the Swift is not perfect. The back seat is cramped and the small boot also marks it down.

The Figo wins because it scores well in almost all areas. It offers the best blend of practicality, comfort and appeal. Sure, it?s not as spacious as the Sail and can?t quite match the Swift for character, but it?s still got lots going for it. It feels solidly put together, rides well, and is well equipped too. Then, of course, there?s that engine, which seems ideally tuned for city use. Perhaps the Figo?s biggest trump card is its pricing; it?s a whole lot cheaper than its rivals. Add all of this and you can understand why the Figo is such a hit.

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First published on: 22-12-2012 at 02:31 IST
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