Small is beautiful

q: I want to buy a small car between Rs 4 lakh and Rs 4.25 lakh. It should be reliable, have good fuel efficiency with power windows and power steering. I want to purchase either the Swift or the i10. Do you have any other suggestions? The car may run 600km per month in and around Kolkata.

Samrat Banerjee

a: The i10 is a good car. There is no problem with it and it will fit into your budget. The Swift is a bigger car and more comfortable but it is more expensive. If you want to stick to your budget go for a well-equipped i10 but for comfort, the Swift is the better bet.

Palio package

q: I have a budget of Rs 4.75 lakh and I’ve owned the Maruti 800 (2004, 2005 and 2006 models) and the Swift LXi. I now want to buy a diesel car that is economical and has good driving comfort. My priorities are fuel economy, safety and road comfort. What do you think of the Fiat Palio Multijet? I like the i10 as well, but it’s a petrol.

Muhammad Manzur Rahman

a: The Palio Multijet is a good car as it has a brilliant diesel powering it and also is solid and well built. It is quite fuel efficient too. However, if you spend a little more, you can opt for the Swift diesel which is better than the Palio diesel as it is more modern, refined and has better performance.