S. Muralidhar

I am planning to buy a car and the choice is likely to be between the Chevrolet Aveo (1.4 petrol) and the Ford Fiesta (1.4 petrol). I would like to know how the two compare on parameters such as fuel economy, maintenance costs, quality and performance.

Abhinav Ratan

The Ford Fiesta 1.4 Duratec EXI and the Chevrolet Aveo 1.4 are priced close to each other, with the former offering a couple of extra features compared to the latter. The Fiesta is still the cheaper of the two.

But if you are looking at performance, the Aveo will be the one to choose. On parameters such as fuel economy and maintenance costs, both the cars are neck-and-neck.. With a slightly higher peak power available on tap, the Chevy will probably be capable of delivering a slightly nippier on-road performance on the highway. But in the city, the two cars will behave similarly. And with the peak torque rating being exactly the same, driveability characteristics in city traffic will be similar, though the Fiesta is about 35 kg heavier.

Both the Aveo and the Fiesta engines are less refined than their 1.6-litre counterparts. Ditto with the refinement and finish levels for the two car's interiors. So, there will be very few distinguishing features between the two cars given their packaging. The fuel efficiency numbers will also be on a par in city driving conditions, with both averaging 8-10 kmpl depending on driving conditions. The Aveo will probably give a marginally higher mileage on the highway.

As regards pricing, the Fiesta 1.6 ZXI costs Rs 6.4 lakh compared to the Aveo 1.4LS' Rs 6.15 lakh. If you are comparing the two on performance and value, this Fiesta variant at a marginally higher price may be the better choice. On the other hand, if the price-value equation is considered because of a funding constraint, the Aveo 1.4 will be the better option and will be as much a fun drive as its 1.6-litre counterpart.

I own a 1999 model Maruti 800 Std. The car has been performing well with normal maintenance, and has done approximately 27,000 km till date. Now, I would like to install an air-conditioner. Is it advisable to do so at this stage? What are the points that should be kept in mind? Do Maruti Udyog's dealers provide such service? I live in Delhi.

Pankaj Lala

Your Maruti 800 Std has only clocked 27,000 km in seven years , indicating a low usage level of barely 4,000 km per annum. It should be possible to install an air-conditioner in the car and the low usage could actually turn out to be a positive feature for this purpose, as long as there has been no other issues with the engine during the ownership period and no alterations made for fitting a gas kit.

Some of the other parameters that should be double-checked for effective operation are the battery and alternator performance. Now, the air-conditioner's operation itself is unlikely to be as effective as would be the case in the Maruti 800 models that were put out into the market after year 2000.

The multi-point fuel injected versions of the 800cc engine that were introduced to meet the Euro II emission norms helped improve air-conditioner performance and reduce the load on the engine.

The best options to choose from would be after-market air-conditioner brands such as Subros or Sanden. These should be available for fitment at most of the big Maruti dealers in Delhi. Total cost of the after-market air-conditioner, including installation charges, would be about Rs 25,000.

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