Feb 24, 2005 11:49 PM
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(Updated Feb 24, 2005 11:50 PM)
Toyota the manufacturers of the Qualis have announced the withdrawal of the Qualis today and have launched the Innova in its place.
I have been a frequent traveler in the Qualis both as a Passenger as well a driver. The vehicle has proved to be sturdy and reliable and I wanted to write on this vehicle for a long time.
The diesel fuelled family carrier is powered by a 2400 CC engine and seats 7 to 8 normal people comfortably. There are different variants of this 15 year old design and the prices range from 5.5 lacs to about 9 lacs.
The first time I sat as passenger and was surprised and could not believe that this was a diesel vehicle, used as I was to the Ambys and Mahindra Jeeps. The ride was comfortable with lots of space, the vehicle does bounce a little on poor roads but overall the passenger has a comfortable ride.
The first time I took this gentle giant for a spin I was shocked at the comfort level in driving it! This was a huge vehicle as compared to my Maruti 800 and I was accustomed to the early Mahindra Jeeps which handled and sounded like a tractor.
I slipped in easily, the engine purred to a start and the gear slid smooth and easy into place. The Qualis glided ahead with no knocking or jerks and was soon humming on the Aurangabad to Ajanta road at 120 kms per hour.
The steering was comfortable and responsive and the vehicle just took the turns in style. In fact I found the Qualis a dream on the Ghat section! I did not even drive my Maruti at these speeds so smoothly on the Ghat sections. There was no wobbling, the tail remained firm and did not wag the dog lol.
The engine was steady and the power transmission smooth leading to easy acceleration and overtaking. One needed to just press the peal and the vehicle shot forward and past. No struggles and engine growls and praying and hoping you would clear the vehicle before that turn coming up. This even on the climbs. Just remember to use the correct gear!
The noise inside was only Hemant Kumar singing some of my old favorites, the outside world and its noise remained firmly outside.
This was the first time I was driving Diesel powered new generation vehicle (New generation compared to the old jeeps and Ambys! The Qualis is a 15 year old design!) and I was surprised and thrilled that such a large diesel vehicle could be handled so easily and smoothly. Gone were the days when you required a Driver for long distance traveling in large jeeps or vans. In this respect the Qualis was a revolution on the Indian roads. Now off course Mahindra has caught up with the Bolero and the Scorpio.
The drawback in the Quails is the rather outdated looks. It looks rather old and staid to my eyes. It does not look like menacing monster that is the Bolero, it does not have the sleek Macho looks of the Scorpio.
The interiors are O.K not very plush or stylish. The seats are adequate. The A/c is excellent and you can load a lot of luggage on the roof. The family prefers the Qualis over the Bolero or the Scorpio when travelling on a holiday.
I think this is the ultimate accolade for this family touring vehicle.
