Benchmarking

AIM

Benchmarking with presently available cars in the market as per the requirement.

THEORY

BENCHMARKING: Benchmarking involves a structured comparison between similar products, services or processes on some dimensions of performance. For example, it can be used to compare the availability and delivery of features in a product and in this form often provides the basis of consumer tests and reviews. These look at products and services and provide recommendations based on which is best or some form of ranking amongst competitors.

Process benchmarking can operate at several levels:

• Between similar processes in the same factory or service branch.
• Between different factories or service branches.
• Between different competing organizations.
• Between different sectors using the same process.

Benchmarking remains an important tool within this framework and continues to provide the motivation for change in many sectors. This focus on waste and its reduction led the researchers to think of the successful systems as being ‘lean’ – rather like an athlete who carries not extra weight or fat and is therefore able to perform better.

Benchmarking is focused on the manufacturing process itself to:

• Improve quality
• Decrease manufacturing times
• Reduce scrap and rework
• Increase production

OBJECTIVE

Benchmarking of five-seater car.

RESULT

Que: Mr. D.S. Pughazhyendhii is a married man who lives in Bangalore which is a highly crowded city. His Family comprises five members including his wife, a five-year-old boy, his father, and his mother. He visits his native place Madurai which is 500kms away from Bangalore once a month. Also, he will be using his car to commute to his office. His budget falls between 8 to 10 lakhs on road. Please suggest to him options so that he will buy a good car for his family.

As the customer is fond of big cars, here I'm looking forward on SUV model cars.

1. TATA PUNCH

The Tata Punch is priced between Rs 5.83 lakh and 9.49 lakh. The Punch is a five-seater micro-SUV. TATA Punch Accomplished is designed for the city dweller who loves to make a style statement with every drive. The persona is loaded with a host of features to complement the customers’ active metro life. As far as looks are concerned, the Punch looks attractive. Up front it appears imposing thanks to the high bonnet and puffed-up panels. What helps the Punch look even more imposing is the size. Compared to its competition it is wider and taller and is just a bit shorter in length.

Safety: While buying a car, the most important as well as the basic thing that we should take care is about the safety that the car provides. Apart from the aesthetic appearance that the car provides, it is a necessary factor that we should be safe while driving.

In terms of safety features, the Punch comes with the same list right from the base variant. You get dual airbags, ABS with EBD and ISOFIX child seat anchorage points for the rear seat. If Tata would have offered more airbags in the higher variant or even ESP, the safety package could have looked even better. Also, the Punch has scored a 5-star safety rating in the Global NCAP crash test, making it the third Tata model to score a 5-star safety rating after the Nexon and Altroz.

Key specifications of TATA PUNCH Accomplished AMT Dazzle:

Mileage (ARAI)	18.82 Kmpl
Engine Displacement	1199 cc
Max Torque	113Nm@3300+/-100rpm
Max Power	84.48bhp@6000rpm
Transmission type	Automatic
Fuel Capacity	37 Litres
Seating Capacity	5-Seater
Boot space	366 litres
Safety (NCAP Rating)	5 Star

PROS:

• Striking looks
• High quality cabin
• Great interior space and comfort
• Ride comfort over bad roads
• Mild off-road capability
• 5-star Global NCAP safety rating
• Value for money

CONS:

• The petrol motor, it is good for city commutes but out on the highway, it lacks outright power which stops it from being versatile.
• Dated touchscreen infotainment system
• No charging port or cup holders for rear seat passengers

2. MAHINDRA XUV300

Maximum seating capacity is five. Safety features onboard consist of up to seven airbags, corner braking control, and front and rear parking sensors. The XUV300's value, practicality and SUV quotient aren't its main attractions. Its indulgent packaging, sense of solidity and fun to drive nature are, and will impress you enough to tempt you to open up your wallet a bit more for this Mahindra.

Key specifications of MAHINDRA XUV300 W4:

Mileage (ARAI)	20 Kmpl
Engine Displacement	1497 cc
Max Torque	300nm@1500-2500rpm
Max Power	115bhp@3750rpm
Transmission type	Automatic
Fuel Capacity	42 Litres
Seating Capacity	5-Seater
Boot space	259.1 litres
Safety (NCAP Rating)	5 Star

PROS

• Comfortable even over bad roads.
• Feels premium because of class-leading safety and convenience features.
• Stable and fun to drive because of steering and good grip.
• Overtaking on highways easy.

CONS

• Premium experience let down by quality issues like poorly fitting panels, mushy switches and flimsy stalks.
• Small boot will be a hassle if it’s the only car in the family.
• Cramped footwell, no space for dead pedal for driver
• Not the most spacious or comfortable backseat in the class

3. RENAULT KIGER

The sub-4m SUV is a five-seater. Safety equipment onboard includes ABS with EBD, up to four airbags, and rear parking sensors. Renault is offering two petrol engines with the Kiger: a 72PS 1.0-litre naturally aspirated motor, and a 100PS 1.0-litre turbocharged engine. A 5-speed manual transmission is offered as standard. If you desire an automatic, the non-turbo engine is offered with an AMT whereas the turbo engine is paired with a CVT.

Key specifications of RENAULT KIGER RXT AMT Opt DT:

Mileage (ARAI)	19.03 Kmpl
Engine Displacement	999 cc
Max Torque	96nm@3500rpm
Max Power	71.01bhp@6250rpm
Transmission type	Automatic
Fuel Capacity	40 Litres
Seating Capacity	5-Seater
Boot space	405 litres
Safety (NCAP Rating)	4 Star (ASEAN NCAP)

PROS

• Quirky design stands out. Especially in loud colours like red and blue.
• Super spacious cabin makes it a genuine family car.
• 405-litre boot is the largest in its class.
• Well-tuned suspension feels at home tackling bad road conditions.
• Two automatic options for varying budgets.
• 4 airbags

CONS

• Interior design looks plain and the cabin could do with livelier colours.
• Feel good features are reserved just for the top RxZ trim
• Cabin insulation could be better

4. TATA NEXON

The Diesel engine is 1497 cc while the Petrol engine is 1199 cc. It is available with Manual & Automatic transmission. Depending upon the variant and fuel type the Nexon has a mileage of & Ground clearance of Nexon is 209. The Nexon is a 5-seater 4-cylinder car and has length of 3993, width of 1811 and a wheelbase of 2498.

With its 5-star safety rating, the Nexon was already one of the most talked about urban SUVs in the market. Not to forget, the spacious cabin and comfortable rear seats made it the ideal pick for the family.

Nexon becomes the default choice if you want space for five and a comfortable ride. However, if it's polish and latest tech you're after, the Nexon might feel a little rough around the edges.

Key specifications of TATA NEXON XE:

Mileage (ARAI)	17.2 Kmpl
Engine Displacement	1199 cc
Max Torque	170nm@1750-4000rpm
Max Power	118.36bhp@5500rpm
Transmission type	Manual
Fuel Capacity	44 Litres
Seating Capacity	5-Seater
Boot space	350 litres
Safety (NCAP Rating)	5 Star (Global NCAP)

PROS

• Spacious cabin with comfortable rear seats
• Comfortable ride quality
• Looks attractive and modern
• 5-star NCAP safety rating

CONS

• Engine refinement is lacking
• Infotainment system feels dated
• Lack of automatic transmission

5. NISSAN MAGNITE

Magnite is spacious, practical, well loaded and comfortable to drive. All delivered at a price tag that’s serious value for money. It looks good, seems well loaded, gets a turbo petrol engine and even offers a proper automatic transmission. The Magnite is a remarkably well proportioned sub-compact SUV. Dual front airbags ABS with EBD and rear parking sensors come as standard.

Key specifications of NISSAN MAGNITE Turbo CVT XV Executive:

Mileage (ARAI)	17.7 Kmpl
Engine Displacement	999 cc
Max Torque	152nm@2200-4400rpm
Max Power	98.63bhp@5000rpm
Transmission	Automatic
Fuel Capacity	40 Litres
Seating Capacity	5-Seater
Boot space	336 litres
Safety (NCAP Rating)	4 Star

PROS

• Smartly designed sub-compact SUV. Very well proportioned
• Spacious and practical cabin. A good SUV for the family
• Comfortable ride quality. Bad roads can be tackled with confidence
• Turbo petrol engine offers good driveability and punch.
• Impressive features list

CONS

• Fitment quality is decent but not premium. Doesn’t feel as rich inside as a Sonet/Venue/XUV300
• Not an exciting or fun to drive car, even with the turbo petrol engine
• No diesel engine option
• Nissan’s sales and service network is currently lagging behind the competition

6. KIA SONET

It is a five-seater. Occupant safety is taken care of by up to six airbags, ABS with EBD, electronic stability control (ESC), and vehicle stability management. Four airbags and a tyre pressure monitoring system is now offered as standard. The Sonet is ticking all the right boxes otherwise. It’s delivering on the wow factor with pukka mini-SUV looks, quality interiors and a feature list that’d make you question paying a premium for larger SUVs. It’s being sensible and practical too, with loads of cubby holes and a large boot. You get proper automatics, and the engines on offer cover a wide range of usage.

Key specifications of KIA SONET HTK 1.2:

Mileage (ARAI)	18.4 Kmpl
Engine Displacement	1197 cc
Max Torque	115nm@4200rpm
Max Power	81.86bhp@60000rpm
Transmission type	Manual
Fuel Capacity	45 Litres
Seating Capacity	5-Seater
Boot space	392 litres
Safety (NCAP Rating)	3 Star (Global NCAP)

PROS

• Tall height and bonnet gives the Sonet a strong stance.
• Feature packed: ventilated seats, wireless charging, ambient lighting, Bose sound system and lots more.
• ‘Proper’ automatic options: 7-speed DCT for the turbo-petrol, 6-speed AT for the diesel.
• Comfortable ride quality: equally adept at tackling bad roads and high-speed cruising.

CONS

• Limited rear-seat width limits usability as a 5-seater.
• Silly cost-cutting measures: backlight only for driver’s power window, missing chilled glovebox, adjustable front armrest.
• Automatic transmissions limited to mid-spec HTK+ and top-spec GTX+ variants only.

CONCLUSION

As it is found that our customer is working in Bangalore, in which it is estimated that he had to travel about 20Kms to his office daily for one side. Thus, it can be seen that he had to travel about 600Kms for official purpose. At the same time, it says that he had to travel to his home town which is in Madurai once in a month, thus he had to travel 1000Kms for it. So, it can be found that, he had to travel for almost 1650kms in a month. So, the vehicle he is looking for must be fuel efficient. Considering this factor along with the price between 8lakh to 10lakhs, the vehicle that I suggest for Mr. D.S. Pughazhyendhii is TATA PUNCH. I suggest TATA PUNCH as it provides better mileage with automatic transmission in the available price range. It can also be seen that TATA PUNCH has a NCAP 5-star global rating. So, it also promises the safety for the custome.