Benchmarking

AUTOMOTIVE BENCHMARKING

Benchmarking is the process of comparison of similar products on some dimensions of performance. Automotive Benchmarking is the process of analyzing the choices of similar products based on the selection factor and deducing it to final conclusion.

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, his five-year-old boy, his father, and his mother. He visits his native place Madurai which is 500 km 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.

Note: Pughazhyendhii is fond of big cars

REPORT

The above case of Mr. Pughazhyendhii leads to the following filters. They are

• The number of commuters is five including a child and hence the vehicle should be spacious with enough legroom
• He uses his car for his Daily office commute and a monthly trip to his native. This would give a total estimate of more than 2500km/month and 20000km/year.
• The budget is from 8-10 Lakhs and he is also fond of big cars
• Based on these underpinning factors the suggestion would be a choice of SUV Vehicle and considering the long run vehicle the viable option would be the Diesel variant which helps to save fuel costs and other upfront maintenance and also has better mileage.
• In a crowded city like Bengaluru Automatic Gear transmission would be best suited but due to budget constraints and fuel efficiency Manual Transmission is preferred

Based on these requirements a detailed benchmarking is done to compare the specifications, advantages, and other considerable parameters

1. TATA Nexon XMA Diesel

Tata Nexon XMA Diesel is our first choice for the above requirements of Mr. Pughazhyendhii. Tata is among the leading car manufacturers in India as well as in other parts of the world. The Tata Nexon 1.5L Revotorq XMA is the new addition to the company’s subcompact SUV, Nexon line-up. The new AMT variant is available in the XM grade and is currently the least-priced option in the SUV’s AMT range. It comes in both petrol and diesel versions. This diesel-powered version in the line-up gets the same 1.5-liter oil burner that powers its manual counterpart. The key features of this car are as follows

• Tata Nexon XMA Diesel provides a mileage of 23.97 km/L.
• The Tata Nexon 1.5L Revotorq XMA features Tata’s 1.5-liter Turbocharged Revotorq diesel engine. In terms of output, the diesel engine makes the maximum power of 108 bhp at 3750 rpm against a peak torque of 260 Nm between 1750 to 2750 rpm. Transmission duties are handled by the six-speed AMT unit, and it additionally comes with multi-drive modes-Eco, City, and Sport.
• It has an automatic transmission which makes it desirable for both daily commutes as well as long-distance drives.
• In terms of safety, it provides airbags at the front passenger frontal airbag and driver frontal airbag. It also has ABS(Anti-lock Braking System) and a central locking system.
• The price of this car is 9.80 lacs which is under the customer's budget.

2. Honda WR-V S Diesel

Honda has a global reputation as a brand and has a long presence in the Indian market. With the launch of the new-age WR-V, the company has emerged as a strong player in this segment. High on comfort and quality, the new Honda WR-V offers a good balance of performance and efficiency, and ride and handling, something that is bound to go down well with prospective buyers. The key features of this car are as follows

• The Honda WR-V S diesel provides a mileage of 25.50 km/L.
• The Honda WR-V S diesel engine the DOHC 1.5-litre diesel engine develops a peak power of 99 bhp at 3600 rpm and torque of 200 Nm at as low as 1750 rpm.
• In terms of safety, it provides airbags at the front passenger frontal airbag and driver frontal airbag. It also has ABS(Anti-lock Braking System) and a central locking system.
• The price of this car is 9.35 lacs which is under the customer's budget.

3. Hyundai Venue 1.4 CRDi MT E

A South Korean company, Hyundai is among the key competitors in the Indian market in terms of providing cars at economical prices. Hyundai Venue 1.4 CRDi MT E is among the low price option in the desirable category for Mr. Pughazhyendhii. The key features of this car are as follows

• Hyundai Venue 1.4 CRDi MT E provides a mileage of 23.7 km/L.
• This car derives its power from the 1.4-liter, 4-cylinder common rail direct injection engine which will produce a max power of 90bhp @ 4000rpm and 219.6Nm @ 1500-2750rpm of peak torque. The engine will come mated with a 6-speed manual transmission.
• In terms of safety, it provides airbags at the front passenger frontal airbag and driver frontal airbag. It also has ABS(Anti-lock Braking System) and a central locking system.
• The price of this car is 7.35 lacs which is under the customer's budget.

4. Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza ZDI AGS

Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza ZDI AGS also finds place in our list as it fufills all the requiremnts in terms budget, fuel economy and other features. The key features of this car are as follows

• Hyundai Venue 1.4 CRDi MT E provides a mileage of 24.3 km/L.
• Maruti Vitara Brezza ZDi AGS is driven by a 1.3-litre DDiS 200 DOHC-based diesel power train that displaces 1248 cc. Maruti Vitara Brezza ZDi specifications of its engine include maximum power and torque values of 89 bhp at 4000 rpm and 200 Nm at 1750 rpm.
• In terms of safety, it provides airbags at the front passenger frontal airbag and driver frontal airbag. It also has ABS(Anti-lock Braking System) and a central locking system.
• The price of this car is 9.65 lacs which is under the customer's budget.

CONCLUSION

After going through all types of cars avaiable in market from different companies we selected four most favaroble options for Mr. Pughazhyendhii which can fulfill all his requirements. A final comparison table given below compares other features of cars mentioned above so that Mr. Pughazhyendhii can make his final call.

Parameters/Features	TATA Nexon XMA	Honda WR-V S	Hyundai Venue 1.4 CRDi MT E	Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza ZDI AGS
Fuel type	Diesel	Diesel	Diesel	Diesel
Mileage(Kmpl)	23.97	25.50	23.7	24.3
Torque(Nm)	260	200	219.6	200
Airbags	2	2	2	2
Power windows	All Windows	All windows	Only front windows	All windows
ABS	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Transmission	Automatic	Manual	Manual	Automatic
Seating Capacity	5	5	5	5
Boot Space(Litres)	350	363	350	328
Price(Lacs)	9.80	9.35	7.35	9.65

Considering all the above parameters TATA Nexon XMA is most suitable for Mr. Pughazhyendhii.