| Shoot Out - 4 Compact Cars |
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| FIAT PAILO vs FORD FUSION vs HYUNDAI GETZ vs OPEL CORSA SAIL - Drivetrain, Performance & Fuel
Efficiency |
Small
cars sure but these small cars still sport the biggest cojones
in their class making them as viable a proposition as any entry
level sedans. Given they do not possess the physical girth as
a sedan would thanks to the boot. But they more than make up for
that with some great performance and efficiency as we will soon
discover.
The Ford Fusion is the big daddy in this lot with its 1.6-litre
engine outputting around a 100PS@6500rpm. This is the most refined
engine in this rag-tag bunch with around a 146Nm of max torque
to boot. Still this does not enhance the driveability of the Fusion
since litre for litre it is the Corsa Sail that has the highest
specific output, its tinier 1.4-litre mill which churns just 88.2PS@6000rpm
giving it around 63PS per litre as compared to the Fusion’s
62PS per litre. This of course endows the Corsa Sail with slightly
better driveability than all the rest. The Hyundai Getz on the
other hand has a very smooth engine but that’s as far as
other Hyundai blocks in the country go. Compared to the others
in this shoot-out it is still lacking in certain respects. Neither
does it feel as torquey, max torque being just a 116Nm nor does
it have the punch, with a max power output of just 82.1PS, to
stir your senses. Of course refinement is of a very high order
indeed second only to the Fusion.
Where the Palio is concerned owing to declining sales Fiat has
had to discontinue production of the 1.6-litre Palio so that put
a twist on this test. Nevertheless the top of the line Palio is
priced very similar to the base Getz and so we could take it into
reckoning as an alternative. The Palio 1.2 may be very well equipped
inside but under the hood the Palio is seriously in need of a
viagra-ous remodel. A max power output of just 72PS and max torque
of 102Nm barely gives her the credentials needed to keep pace
with the others in this shoot-out.
All the cars sport five-speed manual transmission though it is
the Fusion that impresses most with its slick and precise shift
quality. The Fusion for that matter employs the same type of shift
mechanism used in the Mondeo and this is what helps slot the stick
precisely into its gate with suction like quality. The Getz too
has an equally slick ’box and it is quite a pleasure to revel
in its short throws. The Corsa Sail too is quite a slick mover
though the lack of space in the footwell could very well see you
grinding clutch as well as brake pedals at the same instant. The
Palio is the only car that does not feel as much as at ease as
the Fusion or Getz. While clutching/declutching the Palio does
increase physical strain with the clutch pedal feeling heavier
while the shifter gets notchier as the going gets tougher.
The natural presumption when considering hatchbacks is of course
the driving convenience they afford within city limits thanks
to their small dimensions and of course the fuel efficiency, which
the public at large generally perceives to be good. Both these
traits stand true though with this current crop of hatches however
we can now also be treated to a heady mix of performance making
these four the hottest hatchbacks to own in town. |
Opel
Corsa |
Hyundai Getz |
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In
the outright stakes for acceleration it is the Ford Fusion that
leads the way, blazing to the 100kmph mark in just 12.74 seconds.
Not so surprising as the Fusion has the largest displacement engine
churning out around a 100 horses as compared to the others which
are nowhere even close to the Fusion’s blends. However it
is quite surprising to note that the car that comes in second
is not the Getz, rather it is the Corsa Sail that leaves the Getz
in its wake clocking 14.06 seconds to the kilometre, nearly half
a second quicker than the Getz. The Corsa no doubt owes the pleasures
of accelerating quicker to the better power to weight ratio she
enjoys over the Getz, which also sees her recording quicker quarter
miles. Trailing far behind in the 0-100kmph stakes is the Palio
with her speedo needle crossing the 100kmph mark in 16.66 seconds.
The Fusion also tops the speed charts moving right up to a 174kmph
making one of the fastest and quickest hatchbacks in the country
in its class. In such exalted company the top speed mark is a
distant reality for the others in this shoot-out. The Corsa Sail
just about stays close behind the Fusion winging it past 170kmph
without creating much of an uproar while the Getz just about makes
over the 165kmph mark, it too failing to send the blood rushing
to your head as it makes it charge. The Palio is the only car
here that just about makes it past 150kmph in top gear no thanks
to it being tremendously under powered and slightly overweight.
How could any shoot-out ever be complete without that one particular
clincher? So for all those folks who just skip the pages and start
looking for the economy figures here goes. The Hyundai Getz is
the one that comes out trumps with a highway fuel efficiency figure
a little over 16kmpl and the city figures returning over 11kmpl.
Out on the shoot-out drive with a variety of driving scenarios
from highway conditions to inner city traffic including the testing
and photography regimen thrown at her the Getz scored the highest
returning around 10.66kmpl. The Ford Fusion too scores very high
marks and in spite of having the thirstiest block around she covers
around 15.5km on a single litre of unleaded out on the highway
while in the city this figure can drop down as low as 9.11kmpl.
On the shoot-out drive the Fusion however did not fare as well
as the others recording a dismal 9.96kmpl. The Palio 1.2 Sport
and the Corsa Sail stand neck to neck in the pecking order with
the Sail stretching the litre of crude to over 17kmpl on the highway
though in the city this figure drops down to a mite over 10kmpl
with the shoot-out drive seeing her achieve 10.35kmpl. The Palio
on the other hand is not as frugal out on the highway and under
the AC switched off and a steady 80kmph regimen she can stretch
the petro buck to 16kmpl. In the city however she can be a wallet
wringer returning just around 9kmpl. On the shoot-out drive she
did afford quite a decent fuel efficiency figure recording 10.51kmpl. |
Ford
Fusion |
Fiat
Palio |
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