Honda Civic

The Honda Civic may not be as automatic a choice as it once was due to improved competition, but its variety of configurations, high fuel economy and ease of ownership keep it among the best compact sedans and coupes.
Pros

Comfortable and composed ride; good fuel economy; spacious interior; wide variety of engines available; available coupe body style.
Cons

Finicky sound system controls for most models; coupe's cramped backseat; hybrid's small trunk.
What's New for 2015

For 2015, the Honda Civic gains a new SE trim level. Offered only in sedan form, the Civic SE slots in between the LX and EX sedans.

Ford Mustang

TECH SPECS
Base price: $30,349; $54,949 as tested (GT Premium)
Engine: 5.0-litre DOHC, 32V V-8
Drive: Six-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Fuel economy (litres/100 km): 15.2 city; 9.3 highway
Alternatives: Chevrolet Camaro Convertible

RATINGS
Looks: It looks good, in a tough, purposeful way, even with the top up. Differences from the coupe go beyond just the roof; a revised “muscle line” on the rear body-side, and recontoured trunk lid, give it a more linear appearance than the tin-top.
Interior: The range of at-the-wheel adjustment is less than optimal, and the cockpit design favours form over function, yet without appearing especially rich in fit finish. But it can accommodate four mid-size adults.

Technology: Mechanically, it’s the most sophisticated Mustang, yet still preserves that traditional pony-car persona. Adaptive speed control is a pricey $1,600 option on the test car, likewise the $2,000 for a package that includes an audio upgrade, memory seats and blind-spot monitoring. On-board IT includes most features and capabilities you’d expect, interfaced through the little-loved SYNC with MyFord Touch.

Performance: One of the smaller V-8s among its peers, the 5.0 is more a revver than a torque-monster so you need to row the gears to extract the best from it. Handling is on the fun side of competent, but lacks the taut balance and precision of the coupe. It’s no coincidence that the hard-core Performance Pack chassis set-up is not even available on the squishier-bodied convertible.
Cargo: The trunk is 19 per cent
roomier than on the old car and Ford claims its 323-litre volume (12 per cent more than Camaro convertible) can accommodate two large golf bags, even with the available premium audio subwoofer. Unlike in some European convertibles, cargo volume is unaffected by whether the top is up or down.

Fiat AVVENTURA

First unveiled at the 2014 Auto Expo, the new Avventura is a compact crossover model from Fiat India. It is based on the Punto platform and shares majority of its underpinnings and interior with the former. It is the Italian automaker’s entry into the now trending hatchback-based compact crossover segment which has been getting a lot of attention from Indian buyers lately. Other players in this segment at the moment include the Volkswagen Cross Polo and the Toyota Etios Cross.

Chevrolet Camaro 2015

Since its introduction in 2009, the fifth-generation Camaro has been the most popular sport coupe on the road. Its stellar performance and refined looks have been a cornerstone of the Chevrolet lineup for years, and 2015 is no different.
To celebrate the success of Camaro, chevy is introducing a Commemorative Edition that features much of the best that Camaro has offered over the years. Available in five exterior colors, and an exclusive Adrenaline Red interior, this special edition is equipped with a host of performance accessories, including a new 20-inch wheel design with high-performance summer-only tires†, ZL1 spoiler, and body-colored accessory front splitter and available hood insert, to name a few. Special Commemorative Edition badging tops off this impressive package

Hyundai Accent 2015

With handsome styling, above-average performance and solid build quality, the 2015 Hyundai Accent represents a strong choice for a small sedan or hatchback in the subcompact car class.Strong acceleration; comfortable and quiet ride; spacious cabin has an upscale ambience; long warranty.

Real-world fuel economy falls short of EPA estimates; no rearview camera or parking sensors available.

The 2015 Hyundai Accent gets a newly styled grille, headlights and taillights, along with some changes to standard and optional equipment. Last year's SE hatchback has been renamed the Sport.

Mahindra Verito Vibe

The Mahindra Verito Vibe has been launched in India at a price of between Rs. 5.68 - 6.55 lakhs (ex-Delhi).

What you'll like:

• Robust build that has proven its reliability with the Logan / Verito

• Lots of interior space. Wide cabin easily seats 3 adults on the rear bench

• The frugal 1.5L Renault K9K engine has excellent driveability on tap

• A comfortable and balanced ride that soaks up bumps with ease

• Mahindra's low cost of ownership

What you won't:

• Boxy and dated design has been made more awkward at the rear

• Low on horsepower when compared to competitors, even hatchbacks

• Bare basic interior design and quality. Questionable ergonomics too

• Heavy steering means maneuvering in the city takes significant effort

• Deep penetration in the taxi segment makes personal buyers flinch

Renault Lodgy 2015

The Renault Lodgy has been launched in India at a price of between Rs. 8.19 - 11.79 Lakhs (ex-Delhi).

What you’ll like:

• An all-rounded & practical 7 seater MPV. 3rd seat row is usable too
• Priced between the Ertiga & Innova. Top variant is ~Rs. 4 lakh cheaper than the Toyota
• Robust, abuse-friendly build & construction
• 109 BHP diesel is fast, refined & fuel-efficient. 84 BHP variant has superb driveability
• Outstanding ride quality. Comfortable over any kind of road
• Car-like to drive. Balanced handling and dynamics
• Features: Touchscreen ICE, cruise control, navigation, adjustable lumbar support etc.
• Boot space of 207 - 1,861 liters. Innumerable passenger : cargo combinations possible

What you won’t:

• Limited 2nd row legroom. This seat lacks the fore & aft adjustment of its competitors
• 109 BHP diesel suffers from turbo-lag below 1,800 rpm
• Boxy, unappealing styling (especially the rear end)
• Low 3rd-row seat means you sit with your knees pointing upward
• 185/65 R15 tyres are too small for a people carrier. Same tyre size as the Swift!
• Renault's service network isn't a patch on that of Maruti or Toyota
• Owners of the mechanically-identical Duster have reported the occasional niggles

Nissan Juke 2015

The Juke puts the “fun” in “funky,” making it perfect for those who want a spry and speedy little runabout that also stands out in traffic. It’s powered by a 188-hp 1.6-liter turbo four-cylinder with front-wheel drive; all-wheel drive is optional. Sadly, a CVT is the only available transmission, which takes some joy out of driving. On the plus side, its light and informative steering makes it easy to fling around back-country curves or to jockey for position on a crowded interstate.

Toyota Corolla

If car shopping were computer software, the Corolla could be the default setting: It has the space, power, and features to meet most people’s needs, but is bland and uninspired. That’s the downside. On the positive side of the equation, it has the Toyota reputation for reliability. As a result, it brings a premium, despite not engaging the driver as do some of its competitors. Still, it remains a bestseller. If you’re more interested in the destination than the journey, the Corolla is for you.

If yesterday's announcement of Fiat's big plans for the coming years wasn't enough, we’ve come to learn from reliable sources that Fiat is all set to launch the all-new 500 L MPV next year as well. Though it looks like a bigger version of the cute 500 hatchback, the MPV is actually based on an extended Punto platform.

Fiat bosses have decided to launch it in the middle of 2013, just around the st

art of the new financial year and after the financial budget. The most likely engine for the car will be a 1.3-litre diesel Multi-jet unit with 90bhp (the same one that powers the diesel Ertiga and Fiat’s own Linea saloon). Fiat is currently working on this engine to improve its fuel efficiency, low-rev response as well as refinement. The other engine could well be a 1.4-litre, 94bhp petrol.

It is still not clear whether the MPV will be sold in its Euro-spec five seat version to take on the Renault Duster, or will the wheelbase be extended to add two extra seats and make it a seven-seater Ertiga-rival. Chances are strong of it being the latter though. At 4,140mm length, 1780mm width and 1660mm height, it is wider than the Ertiga but marginally shorter.

Since it will be based on the Punto platform, it will share a lot of components with the hatchback, which should help keep the price down. Just like the Ertiga, the 500L should appeal to city commuters with its light controls and high set seats that give a commanding view of the road ahead.

The car offers practicality too. The rear seats all slide back and forth, and split-fold 60:40, too. Owners will also be able to fold down the front passenger seat and there are 22 different storage spaces around the car’s cabin. There’s up to 400 litres of storage in the boot with the rear seats pushed forward.

If Fiat can price it right, then the 500 L should retail at around Rs 10 lakh for the diesel versions base model.

On paper, this seems like the right thing to do – take the Linea’s 90bhp motor and stick it in a car that’s a 100kg lighter.
The power-to-weight ratio goes up by 12bhp per tonne and you now have a car that, at least on paper, moves like it looks.
A quick blast on the roads around the Fiat factory in Ranjangaon in the 90HP revealed if the extra horses have made a difference.

And, as far as heart transplants go, this is an easy one.
The Punto and the Linea share the same basic engine, with the only difference being the Linea has a variable geometry turbo while the Punto 75HP has a fixed geometry turbo.
The two cars are also based on the same platform, so it was literally a plug-and-play application.
That they share the same transmission down to the number of teeth on the gear cogs only helped matters.
Fiat tweaked the Engine Control Unit and modified the Noise Vibration and Harshness package and voila, you have the Punto 90HP.

So, what is it like to drive? It starts and settles into a gravelly idle.
Snick the gearlever into first, feel the progressive bit of the clutch and you’ll like the way it moves off the line.
It feels a teeny bit gutsier than the 75HP on part-throttle progress.
The spec sheet says the 90HP makes 20.4kgm of torque at 1750rpm (that’s 0.4kgm more at 250rpm lower than the 75HP).
However, you feel this torque kick in only when the engine is spinning closer to 2500rpm. It is when you floor it that you’ll discover a considerable amount of lag.
Wait a bit, let it spin to 2500rpm, and then, as the turbo kicks in, you’ll feel a bit more punch in the mid-range.
If you keep the engine boiling, it’s possible to make good progress.
It performs best when you upshift at around 4500rpm and stay above 2500rpm.

As you can see from the performance figures, the difference the 15bhp makes is when you drive flat out.
The 90HP gets to 100kph 1.4 seconds faster, and you’ll hit 120kph a huge 3.7sec earlier than the 75HP.
However, the in-gear acceleration times are virtually identical, making it hard to notice the power increase in everyday driving.
Also, the engine gets quite audible when revved hard.

Admittedly, the car we drove wasn’t in its final spec, and Fiat has been working hard to improve on the other aspects of the Punto – there’s improved dashboard trim, better fit and finish and a few more features on the way.
Fiat is also offering the sporty-looking red stitching we had on this Punto’s seats.

The 90HP will most likely be offered only in the top-of-the-line Emotion and Emotion Pack trim when it is launched in the second week of July this year, and it will be sold alongside the 75HP.
We expect it to cost around 15 percent more than its lesser cousin.

The Punto 90HP isn’t that much quicker than the 75HP in the city.
It is best on the highway where you’ll find the extra power complements the phenomenal ride and handling characteristics of the Punto.
With the extra power and the other improvements to the car, what you can look forward to is a more complete Punto.