Benchmarking

                                                                                                                    Benchmarking   

Definition: 

Benchmarking is a process of measuring the performance of company’s products, services, or processes against those of other companies' products in the market. The point of benchmarking is to identify internal opportunities for improvement. By studying companies with superior performance, breaking down what makes such superior performance possible, and then comparing those processes to how your business operates, you can implement changes that will yield significant improvements. 

Benchmarking for the given case 

Observations from the given problem statement 

Mr. Pughazhyendhii Requirements of the car: 

1.With Good mileage                ---- (Since he travels minimum 1000kms every month)  

2.5-Seater                               ---- (4 Adults+1 Child)  

3.Good Ride Comfort and safety---- (Since Bangalore is a Crowded city and he also has a child) 

So, with all the above considerations some best cars are listed below: 

1.Tata Nexon: 

Tata Nexon is a 5-seater SUV falls in the price range of 7.28-13.23 lakh. Nexon is available in both petrol and diesel type. Nexon diesel comes with a 1499cc engine with a mileage of 21kmpl whereas Nexon petrol version is powered by a 1198cc engine with a mileage of 17kmpl. It is available in 6 unique colors. 

Pros: Elements such as dual-tone roof and large 16-inch alloys stand out. The Harman-tuned 8-speaker music system performs to its name. The cabin and Boot space are really spacious 

Cons: Not much to speak of but the 1.2-litre petrol-turbo is a bit noisy, Feels a little uninvolving to drive sometimes, Feed rough edges inside out needs ironing out. 

2.Ford EcoSport: 

Ford EcoSport is a 5-seater SUV available in the price range of 8.19- 11.69 lakh. It operates on diesel. EcoSport is powered by a 1498cc engine with a fuel efficiency up to 21.7kmpl. This also comes in 6 different colors. 

Pros: No hard clutch or Suspension Issues. Good Road presence, Built quality and handling. Minimal maintenance. 

Cons: There is little Leg room in the rear seat. The A-Pillar of the Vehicle is Extremely thick which creates a hindrance to driver’s Overall visibility. Stiff suspension is featured which increases handling but in turn affects the ride comfort a little bit. 

3.Hyundai Verna: 

Hyundai Verna is a 5-seater Sedan car available in the range of 9.28-15.32 lakh. It comes in both Petrol and Diesel Variants and also both Manual and Automatic Transmission. Verna (Diesel one) is powered by 1497cc engine and provides a mileage of 25 kmpl. It is also available in 6 colors. 

Pros: Looks aggressive and sporty on road. Ride comfort is outstanding for Indian road conditions. Petrol version is provided with Super refined 1.5-litre petrol CVT powertrain. 

Cons: Verna lacks rear seat space and leg room is small for tall people(6ft/above). Wireless charger tray is too short. Brakes feel Spongy. 

4.Skoda Rapid: 

Skoda rapid is a 5-seat Sedan car featured in the price range of 7.79-13.29 Lakh. It is made available in only Petrol type segment. It has both Manual and Automatic Transmission. Skoda Rapid is powered by 999cc engine and promises a mileage up to 18.97kmpl. It is available in 27 different variants. 

Pros: Classy mature styling and design. Good performance and handling makes it a driver’s car. Comfort of the ride is not compromised despite its good handling. Spacious rear seat space. Good fit and finish of the interiors. 

Cons: No availability in the diesel segment is really a bummer. Short feature list as compared to normal cars. Automatic transmission felt a bit too eager for city speeds.

5.Mahindra XUV300: 

Mahindra XUV300 is a 5-seat SUV car available in the price range of 7.95-13.46 Lakh. It is available in both petrol and diesel. It comes with Automatic transmission. XUV300 diesel is powered by 1497cc engine claiming mileage of 20kmpl and XUV300 petrol is powered by 1197cc engine claiming mileage of 17kmpl. It is available in total of 13 variants and 7 colors. 

Pros: Comfortable even over bad roads which makes it a good off-road vehicle. Big feature list. Simple and fun to drive because of steering and good grip. Punchy diesel engine. 

Cons: Poorly fitting panels, mushy switches and flimsy stalks. Small boot space and a cramped footwell, no space for dead pedal for driver. Not so spacious or comfortable backseat. 

Some of the Key features in these cars are compared in the below table:

KEY FEATURES	TATA NEXON	FORD ECOSPORT	HYUNDAI VERNA	SKODA RAPID	MAHINDRA XUV300
Price	7.28-13.23 Lakh	8.19-11.69 Lakh	9.28-12.32 Lakh	7.79-13.29  Lakh	7.95-13.46 Lakh
Engine Specifications	1.5LRevotorq Turbocharged, 4-Cylinder	1.5L Diesel Engine, 4-Cylinder	1.5 I U2 CRDi Diesel Engine, 4-Cylinder	1.0L TSI Petrol Engine, 3-Cylinder	1.5L Turbo Diesel Engine, 4-Cylinder
Fuel	Diesel/Petrol	Diesel	Diesel/Petrol	Petrol	Diesel/Petrol
Boot space	350 Liters	352 Liters	480 Liters	460 Liters	259 Liters
Fuel Efficiency	21.5kmpl	21.7kmpl	25kmpl	18.97kmpl	20.0kmpl
N-Cap Safety Ratings	5/5	4/5	5/5	5/5	5/5
Air Bags	2	6	6	2	7

Max Power, Torque	108.5bhp,   260Nm	99.23bhp,  215Nm	113.4bhp,  250Nm	108.62bhp, 175Nm	115bhp,  300Nm
User Ratings	4.4/5	4.5/5	4.4/5	4.4/5	4.6/5

CONCLUSION: 

Every car has its own design and  advantage but at the end of the day we have to select one among these. So, with all the above information and knowing Mr. Pughazhyendhii requirements if I were to recommend, I would go with Hyundai Verna because of its good ‘fuel efficiency’ and boot space. Although you might have to compromise with its small rear leg room and there is a possibility of its price going out of 10 Lakh in on road price. 

Now for backup I would recommend Tata Nexon or Ford EcoSport tough XUV300 engine is more powerful both Nexon and EcoSport, its less spacious cabin and makes it a less favorable option and between Nexon and Ford, Nexon makes a safer vehicle than EcoSport due to its high N-cap ratings.