Benchmarking

• Benchmarking is a strategic process that involves comparing and evaluating the performance, practices, products, or services of an organization with those of its competitors or industry leaders. The goal of benchmarking is to identify best practices, areas for improvement, and opportunities for innovation in order to enhance a company's competitive position.
• In the automotive industry, benchmarking can be applied to various aspects of a company's operations, including product development, manufacturing processes, supply chain management, customer service, marketing, and sales. By studying and analyzing the practices and outcomes of leading companies within the industry, automotive manufacturers can gain valuable insights and learn from their successes.

There are different types of benchmarking that can be used in the automotive industry:

1. Internal Benchmarking: This involves comparing different departments or divisions within a company to identify best practices and promote cross-functional learning.

2. Competitive Benchmarking: This type of benchmarking focuses on comparing a company's performance with that of its direct competitors. It helps identify areas where a company lags behind or where it has a competitive advantage.

3. Functional Benchmarking: Here, companies compare their practices and performance with those of other organizations in unrelated industries that excel in a particular function or process. This type of benchmarking encourages out-of-the-box thinking and can lead to innovative solutions.

4. Generic Benchmarking: In this approach, companies look at organizations that face similar challenges but may not be direct competitors. The aim is to learn from their experiences and adapt successful practices to the automotive industry.

Benchmarking typically involves a systematic and structured approach, including defining performance metrics, selecting benchmarking partners, collecting data, analyzing the results, and implementing improvements based on the findings. It is important to note that benchmarking is not about blindly imitating competitors but rather using their successes as a source of inspiration and learning to drive continuous improvement within the organization.

Mr. D.S. Pughazhyendhii's Requirments:

• 5-7 seats for his family members.
• Budget: Rs. 8-10 Lakhs/-, on-road price.
• Good Mileage.
• Good car for easy commuting within the city and long drives as well.
• He is also fond of big cars.

Suitable cars:

Since he is fond of big cars, we took crossover cars into consideration.

• Maruti Brezza
• Tata Nexon
• Hyundai Venue
• Maruti Fronx
• Kia Sonet

Maruti Suzuki Brezza:

Tata Nexon:

Hyundai Venue:

Maruti Suzuki Fronx:

Kia Sonet:

Model and Specifications:

Car	Maruti Suzuki Brezza	Tata Nexon	Hyundai Venue	Maruti Suzuki Fronx	Kia Sonet
Varient	Lxi	XE	E	Sigma	1.2 HTE
On-road price	Rs. 9.99 Lakh	Rs. 10.30 Lakh	Rs. 9.37 Lakh	Rs. 9.56 Lakh	Rs. 9.79 Lakh
Engine Type	K15C Smart Hybrid	1.2l Turbocharged Revotron Engine	1.2 Kappa Petrol	1.2L Dual Jet, Dual VVT	SMARTSTREAM G1.2
Engine Displacement	1462cc	1199cc	1197cc	1197cc	1197cc
No. of Cylinders		3	4	4	4
Max. Power	101.65bhp @6000rpm	118.35bhp @5500rpm	81.80bhp @6000rpm	88.50Bhp @6000rpm	81.86bhp @6000rpm
Max. Torque	136.8Nm @4400rpm	170Nm @1750-4000rpm	113.8Nm @4000rpm	113Nm @4400rpm	115Nm @4200rpm
Transmission	Manual	Manual	Manual	Manual	Manual
Gear Box	5-Speed	6-Speed	5-Speed	5-Speed	5-Speed
Kerb Weight	1110 Kg	1270 Kg	1082 Kg	965-970 Kg	1152 Kg
Turbo Charger	No	Yes	No	No	No
Fuel Type	Petrol	Petrol	Petrol	Petrol	Petrol
Mileage (ARAI)	20.15 Kmpl	17.33 Kmpl	18.1 Kmpl	21.79 Kmpl	18.4 Kmpl
Fuel Capacity	48 Liters	44 Liters	45 Liters	37 Liters	45 Liters
Suspension Front	Mac Pherson Strut & Coil	Independent, Lower Wishbone, McPherson Strut with Coil Spring	McPherson Strut with Coil Spring	MacPherson Strut	McPherson Strut with Coil Spring
Suspension Rear	Torsion Beam & Coil Spring	Semi-Independent; closed profile Twist beam with Coil Spring and shock absorber	Coupled Torsion Beam Axle with Coil Spring	Torsion Beam	Coupled Torsion Beam Axle with Coil Spring
Brakes Front	Ventilated Disc	Disc	Disc	Disc	Disc
Brakes Rear	Drum	Drum	Drum	Drum	Drum
Steering Type	Electric	Electric	Power	Electric	Electric
Wheel Size	16 inch	16 inch	15 inch	16 inch	15 inch
Tyre Size	215/60 R16	195/60 R16	195/65 R15	195/60 R16	195/ 65 R15
Boot Space	328 Liters	350 Liters	350 Liters	308 Liters	392 Liters
Dimensions (Length*Width*Height)	3995*1790*1685 mm3	3993*1811*1606 mm3	3995*1770*1617 mm3	3995*1765*1550 mm3	3995*1790*1642 mm3
Wheelbase	2500 mm	2498 mm	2500 mm	2520 mm	2500 mm
Ground Clearence	198 mm	209 mm	195mm	190mm	205mm
Alloy Wheels	No	No	No	No	No
No of Airbags	2	2	2	2	4
Safety Rating (NCAP)	4/5	5/5	4/5	5/5	3/5

Advantages and Disadvantages:

Maruti Suzuki Brezza:

Pros:

• Good-looking Compact SUV with improved road presence & mass appeal.
• Well-mannered suspension setup riding on 16-inch wheels and 215/60 section tyres.
• Decent cabin space for a sub-4 meter car. Lots of storage & a powerful air-con too.
• Maruti’s excellent after-sales service, wide dealer network & fuss-free ownership experiences.

Cons:

• Feels more like a significant facelift rather than an all-new product.
• 1.5L petrol engine lacks outright grunt. Tuned for fuel-efficiency and suitable for relaxed cruising only.
• Interior quality and fit & finish are underwhelming for the price.
• 328-litre boot is among the smallest in the segment.

Tata Nexon:

Pros:

• The 1.2L turbo petrol engine in the Nexon offers impressive performance.
• The Nexon boasts big dimensions and an imposing presence on the road.
• The overall build quality of the car is superb and the car definitely feels extremely solid.
• There is an ample amount of space inside the cabin and the seats too are comfortable.

Cons:

• The refinement levels of this motor are not great and it does get vocal when pushed hard.
• The heavyweight of the vehicle too takes a toll on the overall performance of the car.
• The overall ride quality does tend to get a little jiggly on low speeds.
• The Nexon lacks a few features that the other cars in its segment offer.

Hyundai venue:

Pros:

• A mini-Creta in almost every way! Same formula, in a smaller package.
• Precise build & quality (including interiors) are easily among the segment best.
• Balanced road manners, Very easy to drive as well.
• Hyundai's competent after-sales & fuss-free ownership experiences

Cons:

• Diminutive street presence. Looks more hatchback than SUV from some angles, especially the rear.
• Strictly a 4-seater; the rear bench has very awkward seating for the middle occupant.
• Long term reliability of the DCT is a concern.
• Engine noise is very prominent, more so in Sport mode.

Maruti Suzuki Fronx:

Pros:

• Feels better built than some other Maruti cars.
• 1.0L Boosterjet turbo-petrol engine is quick and has minimal turbo lag. Driveability is satisfactory.
• Smart Hybrid system ensures excellent fuel efficiency.
• Nicely tuned suspension glides over small bumps, potholes and road imperfections.
• Maruti’s excellent after-sales service, wide dealer network & fuss-free ownership experiences.

Cons:

• Quality of some plastic parts and fabric upholstery is mediocre.
• 1.0L turbo-petrol although quick, is not exciting enough for enthusiasts.
• Rear seat’s under-thigh support is lacking for taller passengers.
• Lesser height means, despite the smart styling, it doesn’t have the road presence of typical crossovers.

Kia Sonet:

Pros:

• A mini-Seltos in almost every way! Same formula, in a smaller package.
• Sharp & handsome styling. In our opinion, this is the best-looking Compact SUV.
• Well-tuned suspension offers a good balance between ride & handling.
• The auto-clutch manual transmission of the Kia Sonet is a game-changing piece of technology.

Cons:

• Rear seat legroom is just adequate, while its limited width makes the Sonet a 4-seater.
• Waiting periods are already a couple of months long for some trim.
• Kia Sonet comes with a lot of feel-good features but most of them are restricted to the higher variants only.
• The base HTE variant fails to deliver a user-friendly ownership experience, owing to a long list of missing must-have features.

CONCLUSION:

After evaluating the given options, the recommended vehicle for Mr. D.S. Pughazhyendhii and his family is the Tata Nexon. The Nexon offers a mid-size SUV experience with its bold design, spacious interiors, and comfortable ride. It provides a good value for money with its features and advanced safety technologies. Additionally, its size and performance make it suitable for both city commuting and long-distance travel. The Tata Nexon is the ideal choice that satisfies Mr. D.S. Pughazhyendhii's preference for big cars while fitting within his budget range.