Its been such a long time I have written anything here. I just got my new Manza Aura ABS yesterday. It all started off with a quest to buy a new car and it had to be diesel. Checked out almost everything around the market - Polo, i20, Figo, Punto, Fabia in the hatchbacks
i20 Magna - excellent car. Actually booked it cos I was already using a 2000 model LE Santro and having seen its reliability and also the petrol version of i20 which my friends already had I decided this was it!!! Then ended up changing my mind !!!
Fabia - freakout car for a hatchback. Superbly built and great engine BUT all CRAP SERVICE from dealers. In fact they didnt bother to even call back for a test drive.
Polo - Nothing but Fabia in new clothes and actually quite boring compared to Fabia!!!!
Figo - decent car but essentially the old Fusion body modified and fitted with the Fiesta engine and effectively toothless according to me.
Punto - another great car but the 90 HP engine was just out of reach
Maruti ruled out simply cos they just copy paste one model to another. And they use the Fiat engine!!!!!
Next cae the sedans -
Again Dzire out straightaway coz its nothing but Swift with a so called boot - outright ugly
Vento - only entry adn top end models no middle and 6-8 months waiting period but superb car
Verna-WOW but alaas again out of budget!
Linea - I have never told my wife also "I love you" but I told this car. What handling what drive dynamics and what looks!!!! This was it...this was it.... (Omar Khayam - rubayat....)
Then all objected to it cos it was so long and felt cramped in the back. The space at the back was the only thing which was a drawback. The rest was just perfect.
Then there was the Manza. This whole exercise started in November 2010 was forgotten by the time it was March 2011.
Now this car ws hardly in my list cos it was Tata!!!
Cut to June first week, The car bhoot was back with a vengenace, took a drive in it with family and yes it was no Indica or Indigo this was far more sperior!. Still not convinced....coz Linea kept playing in my mind in the background.
Saw a new petrol Manza in office - silver color, forcing my inquisitiveness.
Elegant, not freakout like the Linea.
Comfortable inside lust like the old Amby - 3 can sit in the back seat and your shoulders wont rub. And you knees/ feet wont hit the front seats. Beige color fabric, bege-grey double color dash - quite decent actualy and bright inside overall. Then I went back to the showroom for a look at hte diesel. The new "refreshed" version was in the showroom. The top two variatnts had a beige and dark plum combo inside - even more dramatic.
ABS EBD, good ground clearance
Soft pleasant ride. The engine is diesel only at startup after that it sounds like petrol... no sound at all- I drove with the windows open, no sound of a diesel growl. Pedal it and then you will hear the Fiat engine else you will NEVER hear the engine. Close the windows and start the AC the world is different all around now. You could keep a sweater handy though just in case it gets too cold.
Tried a hard acceleration, - this car is NOT meant for racing but it still accelerated quite decently. Drive it like a top end sedan - gracefully and the car behaves like royalty - All class!!!. But again it can climb up to 140kph quite efficiently. Again I repeat no rocket engine. The gear gets a little used to though. not as smooth as i20 or click click like Linea or pucca like a Fiat but still does the job with no ambiguity whatsoever.
So finally decided to book this with the 3rd model = Aura ABS variant.So booked the Monarch Red color and offers they gave me were freak out. I got a crazy deal. I exchanged my Santro and got free insurance, competitive upgrade discount, corporate discount all put to get I paid 5000/ from my pocket. Anyway I picked up the car and so far have clocked 200 km in 3 days!! and Im getting a steady mileage of 18 in city with the AC on. Now coming to actual facts
The not so good things first .
Audio - OEM - Blaupunkt with bluetooth and Cd player and USB port etc but dabba speakers. I'm gonna replace them with my Hertz speakers which I was using on my old Santro.
Plastics are good now but a fews ifs and buts here and there still exist.
No dead pedal if you are used to one like in Hyundai.
The great/good parts
Fiat 1.3L engine need I say more.
Electronics - Steering mounted audio controls, Bluetooth eabled audio Blaupunkt make.
Driver Info System gives dynamic milage, distance to empty, time, outside temperature in clear large dispaly easy to read wit hTrip A & B options
Smooth clutch feels just like a petrol
Clean acceleration, once you are past 2000rpm the fun starts.
Can behave like an automatic in 3rd gear drops down to almost 20kph and can keep going there slowly accelerate to 40-50 kph then change to 4th. Drop into 5th - this is pure highway gear teh car takes off!!! no holds barred.1, 2, 3 gears for city heavy traffic, 3, 4 for medium suburban traffic and 4, 5 for highway. Since I live in bumper city sorry Bangalore anyone who knows Bangalore roads kpws what I'm taking about.
1st service 1000 km
2nd service 10, 000 km
3rd service 20, 000 km
4th service 30, 000 km
Car comes with 2 year standard warranty and additional 2 years extended warranty which is optional. Only accessory fitted is hte reversing sensor - "CIRCUIT I" make, cost 4500/- Got it fitted in the showroom itsel. Now I till tell you in 2 weeks time once I have given for 1st service.
Till then bye.
