Benchmarking
Requirement:
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, a 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 options so that he will buy a good car for his family.
Note: Pughazhyendhii is fond of big cars.
Conditions:
- He has 5 members in his family.
- He wants a big car.
- His budget is between 8-10 Lakhs.
- The car should be suitable for travel in the city as well as on the highway.
What Is BENCHMARKING?
Benchmarking is defined as the process of measuring products, services, and processes against those of organizations known to be leaders in one or more aspects of their operations.
By the study of cars in the market, I have listed down some cars below.
1. Tata Punch
2. Ford Eco Sport
3. Kia Seltos
4. Hyundai Venue
5. TATA Nexon
1) Tata Punch
Price- ₹ 5.49 - 9.39 Lakh*
Specifications of Tata Punch Car
| ARAI Mileage | 18.82 kmpl |
| City Mileage | 14.42 kmpl |
| Fuel Type | Petrol |
| Engine Displacement (cc) | 1199 |
| No. of cylinder | 3 |
| Max Power (bhp@rpm) | 84.48bhp@6000rpm |
| Max Torque (nm@rpm) | 113nm@3300rpm+/-100 rpm |
| Seating Capacity | 5 |
| TransmissionType | Automatic |
| Boot Space (Litres) | 366 |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 37.0 |
| Body Type | SUV |
| Ground Clearance Unladen | 187 |
| NCAP's Rating | 5 Stars |
Pros-
Striking looks.
High-quality cabin.
Great interior space and comfort.
Ride comfort over bad roads.
Mild off-road capability.
5-star Global NCAP safety rating.
Cons-
The touchscreen infotainment system is poor.
2. Ford Eco Sport
Price- Rs.8.19 - 11.69 Lakh*
Specifications of Ford Eco Sport Car
| ARAI Mileage | 21.7 kmpl |
| City Mileage | 13.84 kmpl |
| Fuel Type | Diesel |
| Engine Displacement (cc) | 1498 |
| No. of cylinder | 4 |
| Max Power (bhp@rpm) | 99.23bhp@3750rpm |
| Max Torque (nm@rpm) | 215nm@1750-2500rpm |
| Seating Capacity | 5 |
| TransmissionType | Manual |
| Boot Space (Litres) | 352 |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 52.0 |
| Body Type | SUV |
| Service Cost (Avg. of 5 years) | Rs.3,688 |
| NCAP's Rating | 4 Stars |
Pros-
Solid build quality
Powerful engines
Stable and responsive at high speeds
Good safety features
Cons-
Ride quality needs improvement
Second row on the narrower side
3. Kia Seltos
Price- Rs.9.95 - 18.10 Lakh*
Specificatios Kia Seltos Car-
| Fuel Type | Diesel |
| Milage | 16-21 km/l combined |
| Engine Displacement (cc) | 1493 |
| No. of cylinder | 4 |
| Max Power (bhp@rpm) | 113.43bhp@4000rpm |
| Max Torque (nm@rpm) | 250nm@1500-2750rpm |
| Seating Capacity | 5 |
| TransmissionType | Automatic |
| Boot Space (Litres) | 433 |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 50.0 |
| Body Type | SUV |
| Service Cost (Avg. of 5 years) | Rs.4,628 |
| NCAP's Rating | 3 Stars |
Pros-
Gets Segment-First Features Like Electric Driver Seat And HUD
Comes With UVO Connected Car Technology
Powerful Turbo Petrol Engine With DCT
Cons-
Light Steering Wheel
Clutch Travel Is Too Long
4. Hyundai Venue
Price- Rs. 6.99 - 11.85 Lakh*
Specifications Hyundai Venue Car-
| ARAI Mileage | 18.15 kmpl |
| City Mileage | 10.25 kmpl |
| Fuel Type | Petrol |
| Engine Displacement (cc) | 998 |
| No. of cylinder | 3 |
| Max Power (bhp@rpm) | 118.35bhp@6000rpm |
| Max Torque (nm@rpm) | 171.6Nm@1500-4000rpm |
| Seating Capacity | 5 |
| TransmissionType | Automatic |
| Boot Space (Litres) | 350 |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 45.0 |
| Body Type | SUV |
| Service Cost (Avg. of 5 years) | Rs.2,837 |
| NCAP's Rating | 4 Stars |
Pros-
The 1.0-litre Turbo engine feels sporty
Looks really sharp and edgy
Feels premium on the inside
Cons-
The ride feels a bit too firm at lower speeds
The steering has an artificial heft at higher speeds
5. TATA Nexon
Price- Rs. 7.29 - 13.34 Lakh*
Specifications Tata Nexon Car-
| ARAI Mileage | 21.5 kmpl |
| City Mileage | 18.5 kmpl |
| Fuel Type | Diesel |
| Engine Displacement (cc) | 1499 |
| No. of cylinder | 4 |
| Max Power (bhp@rpm) | 108.5bhp@4000rpm |
| Max Torque (nm@rpm) | 260Nm@1500-2750rpm |
| Seating Capacity | 5 |
| TransmissionType | Automatic |
| Boot Space (Litres) | 350 |
| Body Type | SUV |
| Ground Clearance Unladen | 209mm |
| Service Cost (Avg. of 5 years) | Rs.4,447 |
| NCAP's Rating | 5 Stars |
Pros-
Spacious cabin with comfortable rear seats
Comfortable ride quality
Looks attractive and modern
5-star NCAP safety rating
Cons-
Engine refinement is lacking.
The infotainment system feels dated.
Conclusion-
According to my personal opinion, Tata Puch will be the best option for Mr Pughazhyendhii by considering their conditions for purchasing a new car.
As are looking for long travel once a month and rest of days they want to travel in the city, milage of Tata Punch is much better compared to other opponent cars.
Tata Nexon also will be the better choice, but it has a drawback of engine noise in the cabin. So while driving on the highway for a long drive, the engine will make more noise so that will not be the better choice for Mr Pughazhyendhii.
Kia Seltos have great milage but when it comes to safety, it has only 3 Stars. Hyundai Venue has a good safety rating but has less mileage and steering problem.
So the Tata Punch will be the best option for Mr Pughazhyendhii by considering the price, safety factor, milage and overall performance.