Finding a 6/7 seater

Problem statement:

Dear friends of ours have moved to a new city. Though they got the Nexon with them, they need to start looking at a second car: a 6 or 7 seater to add to their fleet. 

Aditi & Abhishek - with their top of the Line Nexon

I'll reveal a bit more: these guys have moved out of a city called Mumbai. Hence they are (i) spared of the ridiculous property costs and are coming to terms with their new found extreme richness (ii) Having escaped the wretched city, they are overwhelmed by that phenomenon called happiness. 

We attack this problem statement after collecting requisite ammunition: the options available in the market and trying to match them as per the requirements of the couple.

We have with us the Tata Safari, Ertiga/ XL6, Mahindra XUV 700, Kia Carens, Alcazar, THE Toyota Innova, and the other niche guys: all vying to be taken home by the lovely people.

If one has romanced with anything that closely resembles to 'work experience and execution' in life, experience recommends to remove the garbage first. 

And this is precisely what we will do for the first option.

Suzuki XL6/ Ertiga 

Stretch the Swift = Ertiga

So XL 6 and Ertiga are out. No dear Maruti: You could offer cheap service, longevity of cars etc. But stop trying to rely too much on that and forgetting engineering, finesse and the need to stay abreast with technology. Though at a decent price, the terrible engineering and obsolete components make them seem extremely expensive to me. Correction: replace that phrase 'terrible engineering' with 'no engineering': the first model was not even engineered - they started stretching the Suzuki Swift until it broke in the workshop; the end result was a longer Swift with new row of seats that could collapse at the slightest impact. On the good side: it would spare its occupants from prolonged suffering with the guarantee of instant death in case of an accident. Also: Lets be clear: putting leather upholstery on a terrible product is not termed luxury, when the core design is horrible. In that sense, XL 6 should be charged with dacoity. And I will not let my friends be the victims here.

Tata Safari

We do venture into the Tata Safari territory but as the family already has a cool Tata Nexon, maybe a brand change would be fun. But maybe it could reign supreme in terms of design and drivability.

One more plus: in its current avatar, this is suspiciously more of Land Rover territory that Tata.

XUV 700 and the Mahindra affair

Stunner: XUV 700

An imposing road presence, a ship load of electronics and screens: In short, XUV 700 is a stunner. But so are all new cars at any showroom. The driving position and the height do give you that 'feel like God' feeling and I have witnessed people on the road running in panic when I am driving a Mahindra spiritedly. 

Root Cause analysis of that to follow and it revolves around the critical role these cars have played in all nefarious activities. 

Stunner: inside as well

I have no qualms in admitting that I have little faith in these machines from our dear manufacturer which does a better job at tractors (fan of the 265 DI). Like everything else, all products look spectacular in the showroom, but their mettle is proven only with age. And Mahindra has not proven much to me here. 3-5 year old XUV 500s or Scorpios are incredibly rattly, have buggy electronics and I would rather pick up a 10 year old Japanese/ Korean over these machines. They serve me well to explain the concept of 'Cost of Poor Quality' - with ample quantitative data at the spare parts bazaar: where at time of me buying a wiper blade or a polish for my Honda, I found many Mahindra owners desperately scavenging for turbo-chargers, electronic components, etc. for their stalled vehicles. Bolero being an exception here - though of a different league and for a different purpose.

To give Mahindra a fair chance, I decided to have an unbiased assessment to gauge the candidature of the XUV700 for the suave couple.

XUV - the dream car for many

My inhibitions apart, the problem for Mahindra's candidature was a different one in this scenario. It was what they call a 'Fitment challenge' . At the outset, my friends seemed far too sophisticated for a XUV700. They seemed to have little in common with the paan spitting politicians throned in the rear or goons found in driver's seat in Mahindras. While ruggedness of a Bolero has a purpose to it, that of the XUV is crass and reeks of deceit.

Still, to give a fair chance, I decided to dig for something dark in their life to have them qualify for a Mahindra Scorpio/ XUV700. Who knows: Maybe some part of their wealth was ill gotten, being on the wrong side of the law. My scheme involved tricking Aditi & Abhishek to a dungeon, which had ample of those ancient torture tools in supply, tying their limbs and commencing my interrogation. Here are the results:

Mahindra fitment questionnaire 

https://gifs.com/gif/the-laws-of-physics-does-not-apply-in-bollywood-jROG1Y

Sigh… Truth being told, we were personally invested in justifying the Mahindra fitment for these guys for our own little devious scheme. A few minutes ago, Bugga and I had talked about the downward trend of the macroeconomic indicators these days and their degree of potential correlation (adverse) with our job security. A Mahindra available to borrow from friends, could indeed help our kidnapping business take off if times called for it.

However, these guys were hopeless. Regret to note that my interrogation was a total failure. Not only did these guys check 'No' for all the questions, they also mentioned words like 'please', 'pardon', 'thank you' during the interrogation!

Data also revealed that they had passed their 10th (1st attempt) and I know their path to education has been marred with those premium schools that have too many 9s. (99.999999 percentile was it? Nope, I think i missed some 9s). 

Mahindra is out for them.

Toyota Innova:

MPV or an indestructible tank?

No point harping on the obvious. We all love the Innova and all of us have been ferried in it amply. In its latest avatar, the Crysta is a remarkable drive, gives you decent feedback of the road and makes its presence felt on the road. With angry eyes/ headlamps these days and some effort expended in hiding it's van-ish profile, it is a smart looker too. Though deprived of 4X4 option, it still does a good job when there are no roads. Personally, I have featured in plenty of stories which involve an Innova gorging a large family inevitably late, their million pieces of luggage, zipping across roads and no-roads with supreme comfort, making up for lost time on way, finally disemboweling its passengers and their luggage at the airport, railway or bus station - in time, without drama.

But here is the problem: Toyota knows too well of the market's cognizance of the quality & unsinkability of this product, and they ask for a handsome premium for it. Well, with those dated interiors, the price, and their claim of indestructability, all the best to Toyota to try selling it to the Israeli ground forces to replace their Merkava tank battalions. But I wont allow them into conning my friends of their hard earned cash. My friends are a genuine moderate use family, with no imminent plans of getting into the taxi business. 

Kia Carens

Kia Carens - the smart front 3/4 look

As for the Kia, my experience is limited to a test drive only. All of us were happy when we heard the price of the Carens and had expected it to be (a) a stretched Seltos with scaled down features (b) Cheap Innova which could be floaty while turning & on highway maneuvers (c ) A flimsy build & structure, just enough to do its job of bettering the horrible Suzuki Ertiga/ XL6. 

A test drive allayed all these apprehensions, for this is something unique indeed. I tried to model it as a scaled down Innova or a stretched Seltos, but failed spectacularly. Of course, the interiors are Selto-ish, parts would be carried over. But when it comes to the drive, this one manages a distinct soul.

Looks feature lower in my priority, but the word that strikes me upon seeing it in flesh and blood is 'exquisite' - there is a charm about this when looking from the front and three quarters view. The fresh front donned by unique lamps, the grill being given a miss gets it some degree of handsomeness . From the side though, it is sadly MUV-ish but the rear is fairly modern. To note that you have to look too hard at the silhouette to find its underpinnings common to the Seltos.

On the downside, there is a lot of material inside which reminds you of the Seltos and the seating position - though very comfortable with an upright driving stance, is a faint reminiscent of the ol' king of kidnapping: Maruti Omni. Also, there is ample going around pertaining to safety issues and rating of the Seltos, assuming Carens' case could be similar.

What finally tilts the balance in favor of the Carens is the price. After test driving, I could not believe the number. A tad cheaper than its mate, it makes a Seltos purchase seem like thievery. Note: the author had spent money on the Seltos and had thought it to be the best value for money at that time. I am not alone with this perception: a nine month waiting list proves that the entire market feels that way, and we could expect a price increase sometime soon.

Hyundai Alcazar: 

It is an incredible option and what we say for Carens ticks for this with a lot more. Though this has different underpinnings that the Carens, I just cannot come to terms in recommending this full heartedly at that price difference over its sister brand. Sorry. If the price difference between the Kia and Hyundai narrows, perhaps we may take a look very seriously. 

Jeep Meridian: 

Expensive. But more worryingly, we are scared about it aligning to its peers' strategy and escaping the Indian market. Chevrolet's and Ford's recent exits have rekindled this fear. Yet with its core SIV underpinnings, I believe it could have the potential to keep the Ford Endeavor (now defunct) fans interested. This is perhaps the only option left for them without needing to switch to the Japanese (Fortuner) 

Skoda Kodiaq: 

Lots of bling, good price, but no Skodas to buy in India please (This line is carefully thought through and drafted by a Skoda owner).

MG Gloster: 

Living is China, I can say MGs are firecrackers when it comes to avionics loaded for that much money . In India at the moment, I feel the prices are not that competitive yet. In its home market, there is a huge difference between the Germans>Japanese/Koreans> MG/Roewe. So thanks, but no thanks to this beautiful video game^. MG India - please stay true to who you are and give up that British brand deceit. I see Morris Garages motif getting larger and larger. 

^MGs have next generation tech at unbelievable price, giving max for the buck for the screen loving population of these times. But cant say that for sharpness in driving.

Verdict: 

Those looking for a 7 seater to immediately book a Carens to start their waiting period, think hard in the first month and then: (a) Buy Safari, Alcazar or Innova as per logical analysis, then cancel booking of Kia or (b) Keep waiting for the Carens

Toyota Etios test drive..

No matter how hard I try, it is hard to keep the Logan out of my mind everytime I see the Etios on the road, in the paper or on TV. The lines, the wheel arches, the same cubic centimetres of the engine, the flat boot with a ‘in your face triangular rear lamps’ and the plain-jane front can't all be co-incidently same.

The Logan-ism is re-instated as I set my eyes on the sparkling new Etios at the Toyota showroom. The interiors are spacious. In fact, the boot claims to squeeze in more bags than the big-bro Corolla. The interiors are smart and simple. The peculiar Air-con vents and the instrumental panel at the centre of the dashboard reminds that something is new and ummm.. different. The quality is not all that great, but the plastics have been smartly used and make an agreeable sight.

Now the test drive started. The acceleration is good and there is ample torque at lower revs. The words ‘Smart and simple’ pop up yet again in my mind. The next thing that pops up is ‘Remembering the Logan, are we??’. The handling is fine and the steering is little too soft; something like the previous-gen Honda City ZX. The transmission is mated brilliantly and though there is no need for shifts at lower speeds, the power peaks at mid range. The low range torque set-up makes it a lovely city dweller. The vehicle is light and Toyota has removed anything and everything it thought was unnecessary. They even upgraded the brake casing to better it for the Indian roads where bouncing pebbles, stones are not uncommon.

As I step out, I feel peculiar as I am happy but not impressed. There is nothing missing here. It is a great deal which smartly packages the right elements to optimize comfort, power and space. Some will pay that price just for the Toyota emblem that comes along with it, because in India, hasn’t Toyota always been enjoyed only by the classes? I would love it some 10-15years later, when I need a nice sedan to haul a family and value proposition is paramount. But today, its different. I don’t want to be that sensible and no-nonsense fellow today. And this is where the Toyota lets me down. It has all the right elements; it maintains that perfect balance. The power is just enough to haul itself, there is ample space and the steering is very practical. However, most will agree that Practicality of the ideal good boy/girl has never impressed my generation. Even a fool can tell that the Etios will be a big hit, the 3 month waiting period post booking points in that direction. Yet the mean looking Fiesta, the street smart Swift and the gorgeous Linea will still attract the youth as the Toyota sadly might be too ‘nice’ for them.
The way Toyota has played with the price with the Etios has got all the competition on its toes. Suzuki is shortening it's Swift Dzire to get the tax advantage and slash its price, Hyundai &Ford are looking for replacements for their existing models. If Toyota manages to maintain similar pricing, God save the hatchback market once the Etios Liva is launched..

Toyota Fortuner: the ploy works

Being a bhp starved Indian, a big motor feel fascinates me. I refer to the instance when you rev the motor lightly and you can fell a big reactive force pushing the front end down by an inch. The big Toyota did just that and I almost jumped!

Heinous looks, a superb engine makes the Fortuner hell of a contender in the premium SUV market. Toyota has smartly given us the aging but proven Hilux (the veggie hauler of Asia) platform for the Asian markets and we see none of the Land Cruiser’s gadgetry coming in here. However, it has been proven that it beats the competition in every aspect; save off road. The good ol' Pajero is still the king there and surprisingly the timid X-Trail fares better in that department. But considering the Indian market: where SUV's are more of a status symbol and hardly 2% are used for the terrain they are built for, I would not ponder on that small fact. In fact, none of the products available are more of hauling trucks than proper off-roaders (The Endeavor’s built on the Ranger platform and not the F-150, the CRV is too soft and now we have a good looking Toyota built on a pick-up).

The sore point is that the Dashboard shares some components with the Toyota Innova. While quality is supreme, you can't digest the fact that you share stuff with a vehicle that costs half as much.

The 3 Litre engine does the job superbly. Toyota has smartly offered only this engine in India. The 2.5L (innova's) engine option is available in Thailand, Malaysia, etc but not India. A proven strategy to maintain a premium and exclusive feel for certain brands. Why, we haven't got the Corolla 1.6 (the real Altis) in India yet, or the Innova 2.0. I guess Toyota is smartly maintaining the 'luxury car' image to have the Corolla competing with the Civic which otherwise should be competing with the Honda City..

To sum it up, a really awesome vehicle with the main selling points being looks and ‘mine is bigger than yours’ mentality. Whatever it is, it has a direct hit on the Indian customer. The response has been so huge that Toyota had to close bookings. It’ll take a year to cater to the present orders..

How Toyota became # 1

Highly recommended.

Throughout the book, the emphasis is on simple principles such as 'removal of waste', austerity, quest for quality and most importantly- continuous efforts for improvement.

Skeptics like me did find a lot of 'hail the great Toyota stuff' but with the book's title, you won't be surprised.

Some stuff about the 'Toyota culture' that stuck on long after I had finished the book . Some of these are:

Zero tolerance for waste: Examples are plenty

Zeal for improvement: No matter how good your process is, there has to be a better way to do it- that's what everyone in this corporation swears by. This philosophy ensures that change becomes a religion.

Worrying all the time: Achievements are somewhat downplayed and there is always talk of the problems the company faces. The American leadership gave a very honest insight how different it was for them in their initial days not to blurt out their acheivements at Toyota.

Calculated moves: There's no need to start on how much research Toyota does before starting a new project. The objective is: Take your time to plan well, but once decided- move fast. All products we see in the markets are a hit. Our Indian Qualis is a perfect example: Toyota looked at the market and said- ok we need a competition for the Tata Sumo. They didn't bother to develop a new vehicle or bring their elite offerings. They simply revived their two decade old Qualis and the rest is history. A couple of more pages added to Toyota’s success stories.

The book tries to convince you that Toyota America is a very 'American' company with a Nascar racing team to prove it (haha). However in the later part the author mixes up and says how deeply rooted Toyota's value system is and how great the Toyoda family is. I had a feeling that Toyota America is suffering from an identity crisis??!!

Success stories of the Prius and the Camry are a treat for the car loving population.

Besides knowing about the Toyota way, you might start thinking about implementing Toyota practices in real life.

America, Deutschland- strike back!!

My heart aches everytime I see articles like these. Though I do like Randy Cohen's pieces, this one in particular is not entertaining for emotional motorists.

http://ethicist.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/08/dont-sell-hummer-kill-it/

There's a lot of noise about how inefficient and wasteful the American trucks and European sedans are. I do not have much to say to counter that. True: Hummer, GM Tahoe, Masserati and Ford F-150's may be called something close to ecological disasters. On the other hand the Japanese and the Koreans are the heroes of the day coming up with more sane cars that saved the day with their miles per gallon/ kilometres per litre figures.

They say on that in the last decades, GM, Ford, Chrysler have been focused on the short term profits. Which is why they made big cars/ trucks for bigger profits. So being focused on a long term strategy and defining new markets (refer to Toyota Prius) is the thing to do eh? Learn from the Japs they say- the way they develop vehicles based on market requirement; sometimes even defining a new market.

I beg to differ here. I love the Jap production and management techniques: zero inventory, reduction of waste and the zeal to improve. My earlier post does tell you that I would buy a high performance Jap street car if I had the money.

However, I do not believe in the sustenance of this model for long. It lacks one big thing: Creativity..

Definitely, these guys have been creative coming up with high quality and high performance engines. They did use lot of their brains to 'kaizen' all waste.

Despite this, the Japanese have been unable to come out with a product that is 'Revolutionary and crazy'. Try this simple exercise:

1. Look at the Ford logo and think of their fantasy products:

Mustang, Ford F-150, Ford GT, Land Rover (once upon a time) are some you dream to have.

2. Clear your mind and start with GM or Chevrolet

Humvee, Corvette, GMC. Pontaic GTO might be there in your thought process.

3. BMW

The legendry M-5, the Z8, the 5 series

4. Chrysler

Dodge Viper (grab the life by its horns!!), Jeep Wrangler

5. VW

Who are we kidding??!! Any Porsche!! 911, Boxster: anything.. Audi R8, the Lamborghinis as well..

6. Mitsubishi

You'll come up with only the Lancer Evo/ Spyder

7. Toyota

Lexus?? Nah.. That’s a very good car but not exciting enough..

So in all- Nothing. The MR-2, Celica were considered to be failures by the great company itself.

Right: nothing. Though all their cars have been masterpieces and have redefined quality and performance, none have the 'wow/ oomph' factor. Practically built for practical people.

If you get my point, you'll see that these tough times have been good for ones who are sensible. Kindly note that there is some level of insanity that comes with creativity. It's difficult to expect a piece of art from Toyota, Isuzu, Honda. Difficult to realize today, but I assure you we do need some of that 'insanity' for a better future.

Historically, Japanese manufacturers have emulated and improvised whatever's been created on the other side of the world. For eg- GM and Ford were the leaders in hybrid engine development, but Toyota and Honda had the guts to develop and sell Prius and Insight respectively: at loss propelling the brands to unimaginable heights.

What about the rest? Should Arnold Schwarznegger swap his Hummer for a Toyota Yaris/ Nissan Micra?? Detriot big 3, German beauties: we need you guys to give us something crazy and spectacular to drool on!! Cleanse your insides and get back to what you have always done: defining the future of automobile..

With this, I wish all the best to the Chevy Volt, the 2010 Mustang and the Focus. Hope these products help the companies to restore their lost glory.

With Alan Mulally running Ford and Jim Press (former MD of Toyota America) hopping on to Chrysler, I pray for speedy recovery of the giants.