BENCHMARKING

Case:

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, five-year-old boy, his father, and his mother. He visits his native place Madurai which is 500kms away from Bangalore once in 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 with options so that he will buy a good car for his family.

Note: Pughazhyendhii is fond of big cars

From above case we understood requirements and budget range of Mr. D.S. Pughazhyendhii, we will find and suggest the best suited vehicle for him through benchmarking the available cars in the current market.

"Understanding Benchmarking"

BENCHMARKING: Benchmarking is used by businesses to compare the key metrics of their operations to those of other companies and remain competitive in the market.

In Automobile industry benchmarking is structured comparison between similar products, services or processes on some dimensions of performance of cars with features, specifications etc,. For example, it can be used to compare the availability 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. It is particularly useful when comparing not only performance but also practice.

Process benchmarking of this king 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 competing manufacturers and marketplaces.
• Between different sectors using the same process.

There are two types of benchmarking

Benchmarking I	Benchmarking II
Involves product level comparison and analysis of vehicle safety comfort, engine efficiency and its performance.	Involves part level comparison focusing on specific BIW components like fender, hood, B Pillar, roof etc and analysing various properties such as material type, thickness, no of parts and overall weight.

Let us sort out the requirements of Mr. D. S. Pughazhyendhii

1. His family comprises five members including his wife, 5year old kid, his father & mother.
2. He visits his native place Madurai which is 500 kms away from Bangalore once in a month
3. He lives in Bangalore city which is highly crowded and commutes to his office daily
4. Budget is between 8 to 10 lacs on-road price.
5. He is fond of big cars

which seems he required vehicle with following criteria

• 5-7 seater with comfortable seating
• Long range drive performance
• Speed and Efficient
• Enough Boot space for Luggage
• Enough Rear Leg room space
• As he commutes in Bangalore which is heavily crowded and roads with congested traffic Automatic Gear Transmission is best suited and also keeping in mind Fuel Economy is also key factor to save fuel costs. But Automatic Gear Transmission is expensive and Fuel consuming. But let us consider in requirements

• As Indian roads are not that much good and vehicles with good ground clearance would be the best option and he is also fond of big cars Compact SUV's are best suited within his budget range currently available in market

If a person wants to buy a hatchback car, the available Hatchbacks in the market will be compared to features, specifications, comfort, mileage, engine power etc. in the available price range.

Similar way now we will compare 4 Compact SUV vehicles

Maruti XL6

CNG power in the XL6 is available in the Zeta variant, which is the entry-level version of the six-seat MPV. Even in this entry-level model, you get quite a bit of kit, the likes of which include 16-inch dual-tone alloy wheels, LED headlamps, chrome door handles, automatic climate control, roof-mounted AC vents for the second row, button start, cruise control, four airbags and Suzuki Connect.

PRO’S

• Third-row visibility - As last row occupants sit high outward visibility is great
• Premium crossover styling - It does well to stand out from the Ertiga/regular MPV crowd
• Spacious interiors - Large seats offer good support, lots of head and knee room
• Feature list - The XL6 is adequately laden with comfort and safety equipment
• Maruti service - Nationwide network of sales/service/spares, excellent resale value.

CON’S

• Quality, fit/finish - Isn't class-leading, could be better lower down in the cabin
• Not fun to drive - Soft damping makes it less composed over rough roads at high speed
• Expensive now - Prices of the XL6 have gone up substantially over the previous car

Maruti Suzuki Ertiga

The recently updated Ertiga gets a tweaked engine, new gearbox and newer features that put it in line with other Maruti models. It however continues with the well-accepted traits of offering lots of space all around, easy ingress/egress and accommodating seats.

PRO’S

• Comfortable seats – Large, well-cushioned seats with adequate overall support
• Boot Space - The 550-litre enclosure is adequate in case the third row is not in use
• Lightweight - This has a positive effect on performance and fuel efficiency
• Cruising capability – The flat ride quality makes it ideal for traversing long distances
• Easy to drive – Almost feels like piloting a Swift and not a seven-seater MPV

CON’S

• Third-row legroom - Tall people in the second row can limit legroom in the last row
• Interior plastic quality – Feels inconsistent as you start going lower down in the cabin
• Compact MPV - It is still a smaller MPV when compared to the Innova and Marazzo

Kia Sonet

The Kia Sonet packs a punch owing to the handsome looks, feature- loaded cabin (that's been recently updated), and a plethora of powertrain choices. And with so many trims to choose from, there’s a Sonet for everyone.

PRO’S

• Flamboyant styling - Great concoction of modern/youthful looks with a rugged stance
• Refined motors/gearboxes - Peppy/smooth performance, good refinement, frugal
• Easy to drive - Compact size, steering that's light with reasonable feedback
• Good quality - Quality and fit/finish are on par with segment expectations
• Boot capacity - Reasonably sized boot good for occupants to last seven days

CON’S

• Firm ride quality - Never feels settled, bounces at high speeds under full load
• Rear seat space - The rear bench is a squeeze for anything more than two adults
• Rear visibility - Is hampered by the chunky C-pillars and compact rear windscreen

Mahindra XUV300

Mahindra's first-ever premium compact SUV ticks all the right boxes. It looks great, has plenty of features and has a strong diesel engine. Sources reveal that a new, more powerful petrol engine may soon be introduced on the XUV300

PRO’S

• Looks handsome - The majority will agree that the XUV300 has an attractive front end
• NCAP safety rating - This SUV's five-star rating satisfies growing concerns about safety
• Equipment list - The top-spec variant has a long list of features, safety equipment
• Potent drivetrains - The engines respond well to throttle inputs and aid drivability
• Comfortable ride - One of the few cars that offer a plaint ride regardless of the speed

CON’S

• Needs a makeover - An update would help attract prospective buyers to the XUV300
• Interior fit/finish - It is not in the league of segment rivals such as the Venue/Seltos
• Petrol AMT gearbox - The engine feels less refined due to the discernible shift shock

CONCLUSION

From above studies & compared data MARUTI SUZUKI ERTIGA is the best in class vehicle compared to engine performance and safety rating with other competitive vehicles, but interior and infotainment system could be better & petrol variant lags of mileage. If Mr. D. S. Pughazhyendhii can increase his budget I would recommend Variant priced 9.96 lacs on road IN HYD which suits best.

But considering his budget & parameters like Safety, transmission and ARAI mileage the best suited vehicle for Mr. D. S. Pughazhyendhii and his family which comprises his wife, 5-year old kid, his father & his mother is MAHINDRA XUV300 WOULD BE BEST.