BOOTED VALUE ...the Rs 4.5 lakh - Rs 5.5 lakh shoot-out
Maruti Suzuki Esteem VXi, Opel Corsa 1.4GL, Fiat Siena 1.6EL, Tata Indigo DLX, Maruti-Suzuki Esteem D, Ford Ikon 1.3 CLXi Nxt, Fiat Siena 1.2 EX, Tata Indigo GLX
Meet Joe Average, a 30-something working professional on the way up (the ladder!). Joe's married (happily we'll assume), has a little one with the second en route and has just had another zero added to his pay slip.

Life's just peachy except for the regular squabbles over who gets to use the family hatchback. Joe wouldn't be caught dead taking the bus to office while the missus is getting increasingly frustrated with cabs, ricks and hitching lifts. In any case the hatchback isn't proving to be much help as the Joes try to up their credentials at the local clubhouse. Besides there are his old parents who live with him and have to be taken for some social functions and visits to the relatives around the city

It's time for a second car then. What the Joes want is a three-box with sufficient interior and boot space and with decent get-up-and-go without compromising at the pumps. A ride and handling package not to cause premature delivery but also capable of getting them to the maternity ward in double quick time. Not to forget the street creed to get them that coveted green table at the local club house. All this within a tight budget of Rs 4.5 lakh to Rs 5.5 lakh.

Choices in this price range are quite numerous with five different manufacturers vying for Joe's cheque book with eight different models! Now the Joes don't have the time to walk into five dealerships and evaluate eight cars. This is where Team OVERDRIVE steps in to recommend the best booted car between Rs 4.5 lakh and Rs 5.5 lakh.

So to the qualifying cars. From the Fiat stables we have the head-turning Siena 1.6EL and Siena 1.2EX playing to both the performance and mileage galleries. From the Opel hutch we have the Corsa 1.4GL known for its superb ride quality while the recently introduced Ford Ikon 1.3NXT fulfils the Josh aspirations at this level. The age-old and still-running-strong Esteem VX spearheads Maruti-Suzuki's entry while the Indigo plays Tata Engineering's renowned VFM card. For added measure we have also included the two diesel saloons available in this price band - the Indigo DL and the Esteem D.

In order to better judge all eight cars back-to-back, we lined up the contenders for a three-day head-to-head drive. Through the Mulshi mountains to gauge ride and handling performance, to the OVERDRIVE test track for the data acquisition and performance testing which we did for all of the cars at the same time all over again and through the confines of Pune city to gauge their overall practicality and street creed. Ladies and gentlemen, let the games begin.