Black Beauty: Skoda Laura. EDIT: 5000 Kms Update Needed to change our 3 year old Sx4 which had clocked 32k kms. We needed something more upmarket and obviously had to be of a segment above. What I needed: - Bigger car (of a segment above)
- Comfortable interiors
- Ride and Handling has to be spot on
- Reliability
- Build quality like the germans (My Merc just amazes me every-time I sit in it)
- Good Music System
- Oh yes a Diesel, how can we forget that Budget: Around 15-18Lakhs. Contenders: - New Fiesta: Just felt like testdriving this car. Went to SC Ford at Malad. Exterior wise it looks like from a segment above and turns my head everytime I see one on-road. Loved the way this car looks, the fluidic design really looks out of the world. The body of the car is very solid and feels better built than my friends vento. The steel is of a higher grade than the one used for this range of cars and it is evident. The interiors were very funky and futuristic as well. Loved the wing like shaped centre console. All the controls were driver oriented and that I liked! Few plastics are bad but I forgive ford. The handling since it was the fiesta was just superb I asked the sales rep "Are you sure this is the diesel??". In my opinion it is the best C segment car, but a slightly overpriced.
- Cruze: Went to AVK at versova. First look and wow, love the in-your-face grill. Solid exterior build quality was really built like a tank. The interiors are of better quality than the fiesta and I was expecting the quality of much lower quality, I was surely impressed with the work GM has done. The doors shut with a thud, the interior design was amazing, I liked every bit of it untill the test-drive. Although the car has amazing power the clutch spoils every bit of the drive. Its like driving a aged old TATA, the kickback was very bad. Didnt enjoy it AT ALL
- Laura:AVK and the skoda showroom are neighbors! The dealer was Autobahn. Walked inside the showroom and the receptionist greeted us immediately, asked which car would we like to have a look at and made us meet the Sr. Sales Manager, Nikunj. It was Nikunj who should us the car in the showroom. Really liked the interiors of, the car on display had optional wood and leather which looked good. Didnt even take a TD as I have driven it before. The Laura was in the color I wanted in, BLACK. Boy, she looked stunning. It had to be this.
Varient: TDI Ambient, MT Cost & Discounts: Autobahn had 50%off on the Skoda Shield which was immediately a saving of appx 30k. The owner of the dealership Mr. Choksi is my dads good old friend.
We got an additional discount of 30k.
The laura which was on display had the optional wood inserts and leather, the package was for 50,000. We took that as well since it made the interiors feel classy.
The total came to around Rs.16.80L with Company registration & Insurance offered by the dealer. D-Day:
Went the showroom on the 16th of Feb 2012 to get the delivery of my new Laura. The car had 52kms on the odo and we did the pooja and drove off.
The car just 4 days old covered 200kms and here are my impressions, too early to give FE figures will surely keep you guys updated. Likes: - The understated looks of the car is simply stunning.
- Music system is a boombox, really like it, 8 speakers what more can you ask for?
- Ride quality is superb (maintaining 30psi)
- Comfortable for four occupants, fifth one is not welcomed!
- AC is a chiller
- Engine is barely audible, cant say its a diesel
- Discovered some Audi parts in the engine bay
- My base carpet is black and not beige!! YESSSS, Skoda finally heard us BHPians! No pain to maintain beige carpet.
- The TDI's grunt!!! Just love touching the red line everytime, but then it comes to my mind that this is the run-in period.
Dislikes: - No USB
- Skoda Swing players display is not good, I dont need a touch screen but the music system should have better display
- No skoda, dual horn. This one goes Peep Peep, Why Skoda!?!
- No steering mounted controls
- Skoda removed some useful features like cooled glovebox, automatic rain sensing wipers
- Dated way to recline the front seats, it has a rotary knob which is hard to locate and turn.
- Beige plastic door sills, and other plastics around the sill get dirty with foot marks.
Shootout Time:
Last edited by Y@SH : 19th February 2012 at 16:52.
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