Sunday, March 16, 2014

BMW X1 - The Most Fuel Efficient SUV for Indian Roads

The BMW AG, the German auto giant, has been pioneers in the field of automobile manufacturing for the last few decades. Their SUV, BMW X1, was first revealed in 2008 at the Paris Motor Show. They started assembling this compact cross over in their Chennai plant in 2009 and by the end of 2010, the BMW X1 became very popular among Indian customers. A face lift edition was introduced in 2013.

Presently, there are three variants of this five seater SUV - sDrive 20d, sDrive 20d Sports Line and sDrive 20dx Line. Built on the BWM 3series platform, this vehicle is designed carefully to suit the Indian conditions. All the variants are fitted with diesel engines. The body comes in six shades; deep sea blue, midnight blue, Marrakesh brown, mineral white, glacier silver and Valencia orange.

The sporty styling, the LED based adjustable headlamps, fog lamps at the front and the rear, a power antenna on top, the rain sensing wipers, the body coloured bumpers at the front and the rear and the power operated ERVMs are the striking features of the BMW X1 exterior.

After the facelift, the interiors were given a dual tone finish that made it more appealing. An AC with automatic climate control and heating facility, leather wrapped steering wheel with an adjustable steering column, leather seats and a digital clock are the prominent features inside the cabin. The cabin is also equipped with a CD player with AM/FM radio and USB ports. For higher variants, a DVD player with Bluetooth connectivity is provided.

Safety features of the BMW X1 include ABS, a central locking and child lock facilities, an electronic engine immobiliser, front and side airbags for front passengers and a crash sensor which sends a message to the nearest service centre. For 20d line and sports line versions, a navigational system, a brake assist unit and an external sun roof are provided.

All the three variants are powered by 1995 cc, 184 bhp, and 380 NM torque diesel engines which give a mileage of approximately 15 to 17 kmpl. The transmission is automatic with 6-speed for the 20d and 20x line variants and 8-speed for sports variant.

The physical dimensions of the BMW X1 are 4454 mm length, 1798 mm width, 1545 mm height and a ground clearance of 179 mm. The wheels are 17" alloy type.
The prices of the BMW X1 20d, 20d sports line and 20dx line are approximately Rupees 27.9, 36.64 and 36.64 lakhs, respectively. The main competitors of BMW X1 are similar SUVs like the Audi Q3, the Chevrolet Captiva and the Mini Cooper Countryman. Competition sure is hotting up in this premium segment.

Ford Fiesta - Old Yet Youthful

Ford Motor Company is the foremost name among global car manufacturers, and it has many cars to its credit. The Ford Fiesta, which originally came out in 1976, is now in its sixth generation. This version was launched in India in July 2011 with both petrol and diesel variants. Ford has introduced upgraded versions of this sedan in recent years.

Ford has designed the Fiesta in conformity to the Kinetic Design philosophy. The thin and tight front grille with chrome slats, the pulled back headlights and huge air drum gives a sporty look to the car. There is a strong steel structure beneath the car's stylish exterior which helps to preserve the quality and enhance driver and passenger safety.

The interiors are spacious enough to seat 5 passengers with ease; however, there could have been a little more knee room. The twin pod speedometer console has driver information display for functions like distance to empty, fuel economy, average speed etc. The steering wheel has controls for various functions and also a rest area for the thumbs. The Ford Fiesta comes equipped with an audio player that has a CD and MP3 player, connectivity for Bluetooth, USB and Aux-in.

The Ford Fiesta petrol variant comes with a 4 cylinder In-line 16V DOHC, 1499cc engine that generates 108 bhp of power at 6045 rpm and yields a peak torque of 140 Nm at 4500 rpm. The diesel engine variant is a 4 cylinder In-line 8V SOHC, 1498cc engine that offers a maximum power output of 90 bhp at 3750 rpm and a peak torque of 204 Nm between 2000-2750 rpm. Both the engines are supported by a five-speed manual transmission gear box. The petrol engine has an option of a six-speed automatic transmission as well. The top speed of the petrol and diesel variants is 190 kmph and 185 kmph with an average mileage of 12.5 kmpl and 17 kmpl, respectively.

Ford has a list of safety features like energy absorbing bumpers, crumple zones, ABS with EBD, front dual airbags, engine immobilizer, door reinforcements, central locking and remote programmable key entry with greeting lamps, child safety locks, anti-theft alarm, day & night rear view mirror, rear seat belts, seat belt warning, door ajar warning, side and front impact beams, traction control, crash sensor, centrally mounted fuel tank and engine check warning, hill-launch assist and reverse parking sensors assist.

Ford Fiesta comes in attractive Moon Dust Silver, Sea Grey, Panther Black, Paprika Red and Diamond White colours. There are 8 variants of this car available in the market. Their prices range from Rs. 8.23 lakhs to Rs. 10.42 lakhs.

Honda City, Nissan Sunny, Volkswagen Vento, Hyundai Verna are the other popular cars in this segment.

Check out more details new on road prices in your city for all the variants, features, photos etc about Ford Fiesta on road price and Other Ford cars in India. Being an Expert writer about auto industry, Alan George enjoys reading automotive articles and blogs online. He independently write on auto industry recent happenings.