All three run on transverse-mounted four-cylinder diesel engines that drive the front wheels. But apart from this, they are as different as chalk and cheese. The Fiat has the largest motor, a massive 1910cc block of an engine with a curious combination of basic mechanicals and high-tech electronics. A naturally-aspirated SOHC, eight-valve unit, this indirect-injection engine uses a chip-controlled diesel pump and engine sensors. Start-up and idle clatter are average for a diesel, but rev up and it smoothens out instantly.
A strong bottom end and optimal gearing make the Petra a breeze through traffic, with immediate throttle responses and plenty of torque. In-gear acceleration figures confirm this: in third, the Petra trots from 20-80kph in 15.37 seconds. Highway pace is decent too, the Petra proving itself a capable cruiser, provided you stay below 110kph. Overtaking with any urgency is quite frustrating. Above 3500rpm, the engine gets boomy, and you hit a wall, after which performance increases but marginally. Flat-out acceleration is the poorest in the test; perhaps it's crying out for a turbo — we sure are!
The fastest in a straight line is the 1405cc turbocharged Indigo, which hits 100kph in an impressive 18.25 seconds. The Indigo may have the smallest engine, but the turbo means it makes 62bhp and marginally more torque than even the Petra. Above 2500rpm, the power spikes, and keeps rising till 4000rpm. The result is considerable passing power on the highway, but some turbo lag and sluggish responses below 2000rpm. This means lots of unpleasant downshifting in city traffic, especially with the balky, lazy gearbox. The integration of the powertrain with the chassis and refinement levels too are in need of improvement. Driveline shunt is evident, and the engine becomes strained and noisy above 3500rpm.
The Esteem diesel surprised us with its performance two years ago, and it does so still. The 1.5-litre Peugeot TUD 5 engine makes only 57bhp, but when it's pulling the least kerb weight, it can keep pace with the beefier Indigo. It gets to 100kph in 18.8 seconds but falls behind before the 120kph mark. The small motor has decent low-end grunt and the gearshift is brilliant as always, but the ridiculously tall gearing blunts driveability. Top-end whack is fine, and the motor goes happily past 5000rpm without screaming blue murder. The Esteem D cruises well on the highway too and feels surprisingly refined. It can’t overtake like the Indica, but can outpace the heavier Petra.
Refinement levels of all three diesels were acceptable for the class. The Petra's engine — sitting on liquid-filled engine mounts — sounds particularly loud from the outside, but once you're inside its vault-like cabin, it's the least noisy.

No contest here, the Petra wins hands down. Its stiff chassis, fine-tuned suspension and overall body control are far ahead of the competition.
Despite its portly dimensions and the 160kg engine in the nose, the Petra is surprisingly agile. You do get a nose-heavy feeling every time you attack a corner with enthusiasm and the front end tends to bob mildly on undulating surfaces; however, the delightfully crisp and well-weighted steering makes it the most responsive car to drive. It feels the best balanced of the lot with the front and rear suspension working well together, inspiring great confidence.
On the highway, the Petra sits on the road like a rock and feels the safest too. One serious weakness is the poor turning circle, which can make a simple U-turn into a three-point one.
The Petra's ride is again in a class of its own. Though there is a hard edge at low speeds and over rough surfaces, the overall cushioning effect is outstanding. The monsoon-ravaged roads of Mumbai were child's play for the Petra, which glided over the moonscape effortlessly, the quiet suspension working unobtrusively. Brake feel, an earlier weakness, has been addressed to some extent but the pedal still feels spongy.
The Esteem's ride at low speeds is surprisingly decent. Surprising because its small wheelbase and light weight go against it. Maruti's engineers have worked hard to improve the damping characteristics and the suspension soaks up smaller bumps pretty well.
It's only at speed and on uneven surfaces that the Esteem gets bent out of shape. The lack of chassis rigidity, a choppy ride and over-light power steering make it a bit nervous at speeds. You simply don't feel as confident as you do in the Petra. The compact dimensions and effortless steering pay off in town, but the high boot lid makes the Esteem a pain to park.
The ride quality of the Indigo is also on the stiff side, and you can feel the firmness more acutely than in the Petra. Ride height and suspension travel are generous and you can bang through potholes and ruts without hitting the bump stops, but the suspension is noisy and feels clunky. Ride quality improves at higher speeds, but the Indigo is nowhere near as composed as the Petra. Steering feel is also poorer, and it doesn't weight up in the same linear way.
Overall, the Indigo's handling is just not as cohesive or as well tied-down as the Petra's.

The heaviest car in the class with the largest motor, the Petra as expected did not top the fuel-efficiency sweepstakes. A city figure of 11.1kpl and 15.7kpl on the highway are acceptable but far from the class-topping Esteem, whose light weight and small efficient diesel motor makes it the most frugal. The Esteem's city figure of 14.57kpl and 18.1kpl on the highway are simply amazing. The Indigo figures are marginally better than the Petra’s. The former returns a very ordinary 11.3kpl city figure and 16.6kpl on the highway.

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