Let's face it. Looks are important, even if your car is being used just to take you from A to B. Though looks are subjective, you need to know how good your car is under the skin. Is it tough enough to withstand the rigours of our roads or even an accident? The Palio is the most modern design over here. Face-lifted in mid-2000, it's a stunning design with those gorgeous detailing like those clear headlamps and shapely tail-lights. It is well proportioned, the wide track giving it a squat and purposeful look. The Palio's chassis or body is the toughest around, with an extra helping of stiffness and rigidity to withstand the worst roads in the world. The doors shut with a satisfying thud, a crude but effective test of how well put together the car is. The suspension has been beefed up as well to provide better ground clearance and the springs and dampers tuned for our roads. As a result of all this, the Palio is a heavy car, the heaviest in its class. But what does weight mean to you? A rule of thumb is that the heavier the car the more safe and sturdy it is, but on the flip side weight penalises fuel economy and makes a car more ponderous to drive.

Similar in size and mirroring virtually the same design concept, the Tata Indica is the Palio's natural rival. To many it is even better looking, even though it is such a familiar face. Those exquisitely shaped, large winged headlights, the grille with a grin, and the striking 'Christmas tree' tail-light structure give the Indica a distinct identity. But the Indica's real plus point is its size, even larger than the Palio in key areas like width and wheelbase; this generates more passenger space. Though the build quality and fit and finish are not on a par with the Palio, the improved V2 model should not give owners much to complain about. The Indica is the only one here which comes with an independent rear suspension; however, this has not translated into better dynamics.

The Zen is a car that has aged gracefully. Several minor spruce-ups along the way have helped. Customers still love its cheeky looks, one of the reasons why it continues to sell so well. The Zen, based on Suzuki's 1991 Cervo Mode, was originally conceived with the Japanese car market in mind (which gives a tax incentive to small cars). Light and compact, it comes with that 'halka' Maruti feel which you experience everytime you shut the door. Fit and finish of the Zen is still good after all these years but rattles do tend to creep in after hard use. The Alto, which is essentially the next-generation Zen, is a much more modern car, though ironically the styling is seen to be more conservative. The Alto's chunky design with its fat C-pillar looks more robust than the Zen and not surprisingly it is. The Alto's body is surprisingly rigid and tough for a car of its size. Don't forget the more modern a car the tougher it has to be to meet safety standards. It's not a car that will turn heads, but neither will it turn anyone off.
That honour goes to the Wagon R and Santro. Both these tall boys look like skyscrapers on wheels, the Wagon R more so as it is 70mm taller than the Santro. The Wagon R's elevated proportions, slab-sidedness and van-like profile is the biggest put-off and one reason why the car hasn't taken off as Maruti expected it to. But under that quirky styling is a clever little car with solid underpinnings and neat packaging. The amount of space the Wagon R has managed to liberate in the footprint the size of the Alto's is amazing. It's the same with the Santro, which comes with similar philosophy of a high-rise building. The only way to provide more space within a given area is to go up. Though the Santro is better proportioned, we still can't get used to its hideous styling. But after a few face-lifts and the fact that it has earned an awesome reputation as a great little car for itself, the looks have become palatable to many.

Another sad looking car is the Uno with its outdated body style that harks back to the '80s. But here's another solidly built car in the league of the Palio, one that gives you a feeling of toughness and durability. Quite the opposite of the little 800, the most familiar face on Indian roads. Somehow no one comments on its looks, you just accept it for what it is. The 800 is the lightest car around here, a result of the lack of structural toughness of its bodyshell. Also, fit and finish is not what it should be. The 800's dies are now nearing the end of their lifecycle having punched out more than a million copies.

The Matiz came as a breath of fresh air when it was launched and its stylish looks has been one of its strongest assets. It's a well-designed and packaged car as well. The tight packaging of the engine and stretch of the A-pillar gives it a semi-monospace design that maximises passenger space. In fact, the Matiz has more rear legroom than the Cielo! Fit and finish is also good although quality has been dropping of late.