The lightest of the 17 cars we tested for 0-100kmph-0 has an impressive power to weight ratio of 96bhp/ton even though it boasts of an engine with the smallest displacement of the lot. The other problem areas for the Esteem, especially when it is a test of straightline speed and braking power comes in the form of spindly tyres as well as the small diameter discs and drums.

The new Esteem Vxi that we tested got to 100kmph in 12.27secs, the 6th fastest time. But poor brakes combined with the thin tyres lead to one of the slowest braking times, with only the Accent taking a longer time (just 0.08secs more) to stop. The distance which the Esteem travels before coming to a standstill though is the longest at 64.07m with the Accent coming to a stop nearly a metre before. No wonder car rallyists crib about the Esteem's brakes.

The Skoda Octavia is a blend of both decent aceleration (the 100kmph mark comes up in under 13secs) and good braking. The 195/65 tyres are the widest we have seen amongst the cars below it on the mega test. The car though is not very steady under heavy braking and sways a little from side to side and

comes to a stop in not exactly a straight line. But the time taken to get to a dead stop is on par with the best of the ABS-aided cars and the distance is even better. Though it takes 0.03secs more than the Sonata, it stops in 46.31m, 2.14m less than the Sonata. The Octavia's stopping distance is 2nd-best overall.

The Baleno with 93bhp on tap and a weight of less than a ton has been one of the swifter cars. but what really sets it apart is its gearing, which gets it to 100kmph with only one shift - from first to second.

What we had lamented for long however was the rubber it comes fitted with - 165/80 R13, which though it aids in ensuring a good ride quality, is not good for emergency braking. The car we tested was fitted with broader and lower profile rubber and the inch of extra rubber on each tyre stopped the car in just 3.91secs. To illustrate how much of a difference these broader tyres have made take a look at the normal braking times from 80kmph-0 for the Baleno - just 0.6secs less. For all the other cars the difference is at least twice as much.

The AMG-kitted C-class had the broadest wheels (along with the S-class), the biggest wheels (17-inch instead of the normal 15-inch) and the lowest profile (45).

It was not surprising then that the C200 had the best braking time and distance of all the 17 cars - 3.56secs being 0.16secs less than that of the Sonata and the 45.23m distance it takes to stop is 1.08m less than that of the Skoda Octavia.