[Mpower]

Update for anyone who is interested. Car has been bulletproof when it comes to reliability. Just regular servicing.

Fuel economy from day one has been very consistent. But unfortunately its been consistently LOW !!!!.

Always 8.xx kpl in typical Bangalore conditions. Never seen double digits EVER although I must say this car does not see the highway. I have told my mom to switch off engine at signals if the timer is > 30s but not sure if its being followed lol

Although I realize there is a price to pay for not struggling with gears and clutches, I can't help feel shortchanged when I hear guys driving Citys and Corollas report better FE numbers. So I must say this is one glaring weak point of this car.

Originally Posted by F150

Any chances of getting an 1 yr update and the experience so far ?
Overall FE till date ?
Expenses on Servicing:
Any issues that might have cropped up ? I hope nothing came up till now.
Frankly speaking AT is the way to go, driving in city with MT is becoming more strenuous by the day. Wise decision.
Shocking to know that you didnt get alloy wheels even on the top end ASTA with sunroof.

[krdeshmukh]

Originally Posted by Mpower

There was never any doubt in my mind that the perfect runabout for Indian conditions was a small but luxurious hatchback with automatic transmission. Naturally I was very keen on the Santro A/T when it first debuted several years ago. But for one reason or another, the decision to get one kept getting postponed. FF to 2008 where we sold the OHC and got a Civic. It's a fabulous car on the open road but feels large and cumbersome in the chaotic and narrow streets of Bangalore. Also both parents being in early 60s it made sense now to look for an A/T runabout. We do have a driver and another car (Wagon-R), but since both are assigned primarily for my dad's office work, they are not always available.

Annual mileage will be pretty low and so pre-owned would have made perfect economic sense. Contenders new were the A-star & i-10 VTVT, and in pre-owned..the i10, NHC-CVT and Santro. Also since a premium car exists in the house, I wondered if we really needed a car with all the bells and whistles? Have a soft spot for Hondas so I briefly entertained the idea of a CVT. Buying used would be a nightmare because I don't have the time and nobody else in the house has the inclination or the motivation. Plus the NHC CVT is larger than ideal.

Besides, it was really a gift for Mataji, so used car didn't seem right and it had to be brand new. Not only new but personally I wanted something newly launched to the market so that I feel good about dropping that much money. A-star A/T came and although is wasn't facelifted or anything, frankly I was pretty excited about it initially. Both parents are small/medium build so they would have no trouble fitting in one. Esp my mom who clearly told me smaller the car, more comfortable she feels. 3-cyl would mean lower maintenance and better FE at the risk of refinement... at least in theory. But twas something about the A-star and it failed to excite me.

Firstly I wanted ABS and Airbags and the Astar was missing one (forget which) even on the top end model. Secondly, I generally dislike grey interiors. What I can't stand even more is light grey. The darker shade is a lot better and looks more upmarket. You sit inside the A-star (I have to squeeze myself in thanks to my size) and you are greeted by a mass of dull grey everywhere. Plastic quality and feel is like one of those large size Rubbermaid trash cans popular in the US. So these 2 were the deal breakers for me. Otherwise it's a small car that's feels pretty solid and not built like a tin box and is priced cheaper than the i-10 A/T. I also learnt that the ARAI numbers for the Astar is only ~½ kpl better than the i-10. So, bottom-line the A-star felt like the VFM choice but simply did not feel special.

As far as new launches, it seemed like Micra CVT was coming but no information or confirmation on that. Nano CVT would be waay too basic.Honda Brio again would have been an excellent choice but no idea if-or-when the A/T will come to India. *So back on the fence now*..i-10 looking more favorable but still not exciting me since it was not the latest 'n' greatest with 1000s roaming the streets already.

So when I heard about i-10 facelift with VVT engine, it was just the push I needed. I loved the new front end that incorporated Hyundai's new corporate look with BMW style flame surfacing. S-H-A-R-P like an E90. The segment best FE of the VVT Kappa2 (I'm a sucker for engine technology) and the premium feel of the interior was another feel good factor. So as soon as I got to Bangalore, started the booking process. Unlike A-star, delivery was promised in 10 days flat. Wanted the car ASAP so plan was to run it on temp plates until Jan 3rd so that it could be registered as 2011. I was travelling quite a bit and so was not able to participate much in the whole purchase process.

Did a short test drive from Trident which was a Sportz model. Liked it for the fuss free driving experience although personally felt that it took some of the joy out of driving. (well I was in a racy mood that day). Frankly I had already decided to go for it so the TD was to check if there are any major flaws. Also couldn't help think that cars like Beat and Figo offer so much more for much less money. Really sucks that we have no choices as far as ATs go.

Offer given was 6.85 OTR BLR for the Asta AT Sunroof with insurance and additional year of warranty. Since I wanted the dual airbags and ABS I had to pay top dollar go for the ASTA with moonroof. I figured rather than whine about it, let me learn to enjoy the pleasure of a moonroof on a cool breezy night. Went ahead and booked at white one. SP was quite aggressive with follow-ups and wanted to invoice the car in Dec (monthly quota). He was calling twice a day till the down-payment was made even came home couple times to get the paperwork filled. Got the car finally on the 31st.

Hi mower,
I am planning to buy the i10 asta with sunroof . My driving is almost 100kms a day in city approximately 2500kms a month. Including 2trips open exp way to Pune. I was really concerned about the mileage of the i10 auto. I needed some solid advice interns of i10 auto petrol/ verna diesel auto ex.
Cheers
Kd

[Mpower]

The i-10 auto is no longer the top choice in its segment. It would be between the Brio & Ritz with the Brio offering more value for money.

Obviously for someone who can afford a Verna D A/T should go for it.... its clearly a superior product.