Don't ignore the UVA

I purchased a UVA-LT model recently in Bangalore after a great deal of deliberation and  exploring websites like car-wale, autocar, zigwheels, what car etc,etc. I hope my experience will help other prospective car buyers who are quite confused with the wide choice available (as I was!) to make up their minds and decide on which vehicle would suit them best. Frankly, as most reviews by experts indicate, practically every car/model is excellent in it’s own way & no one would recommend one car over another. So let me start by defining what I wanted in my new car which helped me narrow down my choice:

1) I am 62 years of age& am finding it increasingly difficult to drive larger cars in Bangalore’s crazy traffic- not to mention parking problems- decided on a  hatch.

2) My use is restricted to about 20 Kms/day in the city on an average with occasional long distance drives. Hence decided on petrol.

3) Don’t need too much power- comfort , economy & safety are higher priorities. The “premium” hatches offer more space, so did not look at the smaller hatches.

4) Will be retiring soon- fuel consumption & cost of owning & maintaining the car were crucial factors.

5) Cost of the car- best value for money.

I narrowed down the choice to Ritz , Fabia, Punto and finally the UVA. I was quite inclined towards the Fabia at first because of the excellent build quality & classy interiors. The test drive was good but what finally put me off was the price-just could not afford the extra lakh! The Punto 1.2 l petrol is available only in the basic version and so tried out the 1.4 l .Enjoyed the test drive, but the interiors in my opinion could have been better. Also, there was an element of doubt w.r.t the fuel efficiency plus my experience with the service of Tata dealers was not very pleasant. I did like the feel of the Ritz-good driving position, smooth engine & transmission . I did not care too much for the looks but it does not matter when you are inside! I thought the final choice would be between the Ritz or the Punto and then thought I would check out the UVA . I was in for a very pleasant surprise starting from the response of the sales staff. The car matched  my requirements and though not zippy, gave me a good confident feel the moment I got behind the steering.The ride quality is fantastic and you can barely hear the engine. It is still too early to comment on the fuel efficiency & the performance, but since I do not use the A.C much, I am confident of getting 12~13 Kms/ltr.Added to this  is the 3 year cashless maintenance offer -coupled with the 3 year warranty, this car is absolute value for money. I hope the performance over the next few months justifies my choice.

Great style,extremely comfortable,great ride quality,overall nice feelMay not be zippy enough for the younger drivers.