Cars below 3 lakhs

If your budget for a new car is less than 3 lakhs, then this article is dedicated to you.

There are not many vehicles in this bracket in India. Sadly, amidst rising petrol costs, all the available models are petrol variants. But the good point is that few of them offer excellent fuel economy.

The major models are:

1. Tata Nano
1. Price range 1.52 – 2.11 (ex showroom - Mumbai)
2. Maruti 800
1. Price range 2.11 – 2.54 (ex showroom – Mumbai)
3. Maruti Omni
1. Price range 2.21 – 2.82 (ex showroom – Mumbai)
4. Maruti Alto
1. Price range 2.8 – 3.5 (ex showroom – Mumbai)
5. Hyundai Santro Xing – non AC variant
1. NON AC Price range 2.94 – 2.98 (ex showroom – Mumbai)
6. Tata Indica eV2 Xeta – base variant
1. Price range 3.01 (ex showroom – Mumbai)

There goes the price comparison between the models. True, Nano is significantly lower than the other models in terms of price, but there are other factors too that influence a purchase decision. Lets discuss those:

1. Style
• Nano definitely looks the best among all, given its trendy cute look. Santro Xing Maruti Alto and Indica eV2 are also good but they are quite old models and hence doesn’t look fresh to the eyes
2. Features & Specs

The table seems to indicate that Santro is still the best of the lot, inspite of its age. :)                              

3. Serviceability
• Nano, being the newest among the lot, has lesser parts available in the usual market. But for others, the parts are readily available in nearby stores.
4. Space and comfort
• No doubt, Indica eV2 ranks best in this category. Though the others are not far behind.
• Alto, though with low seating, can be deterrent at times especially to the older generation
5. Safety
• Indica eV2 again with a sturdy body can be considered to be the safest among all. Nano has the lightest weight but still the safety parameters are spot on. Alto and Santro too are safe enough to brush aside any worries. But it’s the Omni that worries me. With no frontal engine compartment, this vehicle still looks extremely unsafe from outside.