Automotive Benchmarking

BENCHMARKING

• Benchmarking (in terms of cars) can be said as the various comparisons between the features of the cars mostly between similar segments or categories.
• Say if someone wants to buy a ‘Sedan Car’, the comparisons will be made between the available sedans in the market. Here benchmarking will be based on various scenarios.

• For example, ‘The price range’ so that we can narrow down the number of selections for us.
• Another example can be ‘User Compatibility or Requirements’ if someone wants to buy a sedan for only its looks then the premium features will be more important for that person whereas if the users want to buy the car for the highway riding purpose, he will surely look at the performance point of view or engine specifications

CASE STUDY

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 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.

OVERVIEW

• Tata Nexon is surely the SUV car which we can’t miss when we talk about the price range under 10 lacs.
• If we look at the earlier versions of Tata Nexon, it was already a good car.
• The 2020 upgrade and changes have taken it to the next level.

BASIC SPECIFICATION

Engine Type Capacity, Cylinder Max Power Max Torque Transmission Length x Width x Height (mm) Boot Space (liter) Turning Circle Radius (mm)

1.5l Turbocharged Revotorq Engine 1497 cc, 4 cylinders 110@4000 260@1500-2750 6-speed manual / 6-speed AMT 3993 x 1811 x 1606 350 5.1

PRICE Diesel-Manual – 8.95 lacs Diesel-Auto – 9.60 lacs

MILEAGE City – 15 to 17 km/l Highway – 20 to 21 km/l

HIGHLIGHTS

• Currently the only car with BS6 diesel engine in India.
• 1st Indian car to get 5 Star Safety Rating by Global NCAP.
• Comes with the 'Car Connect' feature (A major safety system that lets you operate the car by your smartphone.
• The braking system includes ABS, EBD, and ESP SYSTEMS.
• EBD (Electronic Brake-force Distribution) system distributes the braking force in all four wheels equally to avoid disbalance of the car in the sudden application of brakes.
• ESP (Electronic Stability Program) controls the excessive wheel-slip in the slippery road and prevent roll-over on tight cornering.
• Massive boot capacity (3001), Spacious rear side (enough for 3 members), Xpress cool system,3 Driving Modes Dual front airbags.

NEGATIVES

• Lacks practicality in terms of basic storages like Cup Holder and Side Door space.
• Front View Judgement might affect first-time drivers.

OVERVIEW

• Viterra brezza by Maruti generates one of the best sales in this segment.
• 2020 version comes with major changes in its Engine and minor but noticeable changes in design.
• Availability of service by Maruti is one of the major reasons we can’t miss this car.

BASIC SPECIFICATION

Engine Type Capacity, Cylinder Max Power (kw@rpm) Max Torque (Nm@rpm) Transmission Length x Width x Height (mm) Boot Space (litre) Turning Circle Radius (mm)

1.5l K series Turbo Engine (BS6) 1462 cc, 4 cylinders 77@6000 138@4000 5-speed manual / 4-speed AMT 3995 x 1790 x 1640 329 5.2

PRICE Petrol-Manual – 9.10 lacs Petrol-Auto – 10.20 lacs

MILEAGE City – 17 to 18 km/L Highway – 19 to 20 km/L

HIGHLIGHTS

• Available with BS6 petrol engine
• One of the safest car with a Global NCAP Rating of 4 Star
• Massive headroom at the rear side.
• Brezza has great practicality in terms of basic storage like side doors and cup holders.
• Powerful Car performance, thanks to the new BS6 1.5l engine.
• Automatic folds in Side Mirror.
• Brezza comes with the 60:40 rear seat fold. Thus, when the rear seats are folded when there are no passengers at the back, the storage space increases greatly.
• Comes with Dynamo which saves the brake energy.
• Has cooling feature in the front dashboard storage to keep your drink cans cool.

NEGATIVES

• Exterior road noise is evitable when the car is on the highway or at speed.
• No rear Ac vents and Not so good Music system
• Interiors feel less premium compare to this price segment.
• No Diesel Engine in BS6.

OVERVIEW

• Hyundai Venue has been launched at a competitive price which makes it a strong recommendation.
• The venue is the first car in India to give a dual-clutch transmission option in its automatic variant.
• Hyundai is also one of the biggest players in Car servicing sector of India.

BASIC SPECIFICATION

Engine Type Capacity, Cylinder Max Power (kw@rpm) Max Torque (Nm@rpm) Transmission Length x Width x Height (mm) Boot Space (liter) Turning Circle Radius (mm)

U2 CRDi Diesel 1492 cc, 4 cylinders 98.6bhp@4000 240.26@1500-2750 6-speed manual 3995 x 1770 x 1605 345 5.1

PRICE Diesel-Manual – 8.90 lacs Diesel-Auto – 9.10 lacs

MILEAGE City – 18 to 19 km/L Highway – 20 to 21 km/L

HIGHLIGHTS

• Premium Driving Experience with a smooth ride
• Blue Link Option (smartphone connection with your car for enhanced safety)
• Comes with 3 years of warranty with Roadside assistance
• Comes with an Air purifier that cleans the air in the car to maintain a healthy cabin atmosphere.
• Comes with a wireless phone charger
• Has an option of six airbags for better safety
• Comes with Eco Coating Technology that keeps the air conditioning system in an initial state for a long time.
• The sloping roof profile reduces forward airflow resistance and rear spoiler effect for improved fuel economy and driving stability.

NEGATIVES

• Rear space is slightly low compared to other cars in the segment.
• Ground Clearance is low compared to other cars in the segment.
• Doesn't have an option of Sports Mode.

FINAL VERDICT

Given the condition, the best car that will be suitable for Mr. Pughazhyendhii will be TATA NEXON

TATA NEXON suits all of the requirements of Mr. Pughazhyendhii, His 5 family Members will feel comfortable in this car, thanks to its spaciousness. Also, owing to the traffic in Bangalore, the diesel variant of the car will be more suitable for him for better pickups And better handling. Tata Nexon also comes with major safety upgrades which already gives this car a superior edge over the others. The ample amount of boot space also ensures enough luggage that can be carried by him to Madurai and lastly the Mileage offered is very good. In short TATA NEXON is a value-for-money Product.