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       Diesel Option
       Review all variants of Maruti Zen
       Review all variants of Maruti 800
       Review all variants of Tata Indica
       Review all variants of Maruti Alto
       Review all variants of Fait Palio
       Review all variants of Hyundai Santro
       Review all variants of Maruti Wagon R
Source December 2001
 
Diesel Option

Those buying a diesel car have a different set of priorities. Factors like ease of driving, refinement and comfort which are of great importance to the petrol car buyer are often inconsequential to hardcore diesel heads. Hence when rating these small diesels, price, fuel efficiency and the cost of ownership get more weightage than other factors. The Uno Diesel, not available in Euro II, has a limited long term scope and the Zen D has never been marketed adequately. In contrast, the Indica V2 Diesel is Tata's mainstay and is the best supported car in this segment. It's also the most improved.

Uno Diesel
FIAT UNO DIESEL
Engine :1697 cc
Power : 57 bhp
Performance : 0-100 kph 20.36sec
Performance : 0-100 kph 14.00sec
Performance : 0-100 kph 22.00sec
Fuel efficiency : City-12.1 kpl
Fuel efficiency : Highway-15.7 kpl
For : Strong engine, luggage space, comfort and space
Against :Outdated shape, poor dealer support, no Euro II option
Verdict: The Uno Diesel with its strong 1.7-litre engine, functional design and refinement is a better car than the Indica but it's not necessarily a better buy. It is more expensive to buy and maintain than the Indica, is plagueds with niggling problems, and dealer support (now focussed on Palio) is remains a serious concern.
Zen Diesel
MARUTI ZEN DIESEL
Engine :1527 cc
Power : 57 bhp
Performance : 0-100 kph 18.15sec
Performance : 0-100 kph 16.10sec
Performance : 0-100 kph 24.00sec
Fuel efficiency : City-15 kpl
Fuel efficiency : Highway-19.8 kpl
For : Performance, fuel efficiency
Against :Noisy engine, cramped interiors.
Verdict:The Zen D with its TUD 5 engine gives superb performance and fuel economy. It is incredibly reliable and any fears of shoehorning such a large engine into a small body are unfounded. The Zen Diesel's main problem is that it doesn't give what Indians want from a diesel car. Utility. With not much space and comfort to speak of, the Zen D is not the obvious choice in this fight.
Indica V2
TATA INDICA V2 DIESEL
Engine :1405 cc
Power : 53.5 bhp
Performance : 0-100 kph 22.39sec
Performance : 0-100 kph 18.00sec
Performance : 0-100 kph 29.70sec
Fuel efficiency : City-13.7 kpl
Fuel efficiency : Highway-17.3 kpl
For : Design, value for money, space
Against :Sluggish, unrefined powertrain, small boot
Verdict:The diesel Indica in V2 guise is much improved over its predecessor. Refinement and performance is an issue and many rough edges are still present. However, the Indica best suits the bill as an affordable diesel providing low running costs and practicality. It is easily the best value for money package and with reliability issues now a thing of the past, it gets our vote as the diesel to buy.

    

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