The Tata-Fiat partnership to sell and service Fiat’s cars seems to be going very well. Of late, Fiat buyers have been treated to a better life than with TVS, who were the earlier ‘in-charge’. And Tata gets closer contacts to one, who has the finest in automotive technologies. But will the Tata people, in an attempt to promote their own product, dissuade people from buying the Fiat and sell them an Indica instead? Naturally they should. But theoretically they won’t. Since the Palios cost more, the dealer will enjoy the better margins on selling them. Besides that, they sell enough of those diesel Indicas that they are not desperate to woe buyers.
To find out, I hopped into my car and headed to a dealership, pretending to be there as a customer who likes to buy a Xeta or Palio, as a second car. To add credibility to the situation, I had taken my mom along with me. We pretended total ignorance as to be knowing nothing about the two cars. I was prepared not to laugh even if they told “Sachin Tendulkar drives the Palio only for the ads. At all other times, he drives a Xeta”.
The level of courtesy they offer in Tata showrooms is exemplary. If I walk into a dealership as a journalist for the New Indian Express, they would treat me well; no question in that. But I was there as a customer and their treatment was still up with the best. When I asked them which of the two cars should I buy, the told me, the Fiat has an up-market image, better quality and reliability and is the one I should buy, if my budget allowed it. When I approached another person for a second opinion, he told that I should buy the Xeta because it is similarly equipped and a lot cheaper. So in a Tata-Fiat showroom, you end up a lot confused than when you entered. And you will probably buy the better looking (and better built) car- The Fiat Palio. So Fiat, everything is working really well. Your quality and marketing strategy has ensured that Tata people see Fiats as superior to their Indicas and promote them.
Both these cars were originally designed with the same requirements, by the same I.D.E.A institute of Italy . Hence the two cars are very closely matched. They are similarly sized, quite spacious inside and are affordable with the Xeta being more so. But if you take them for a drive, the difference is obvious. Compared to the Palio, the Xeta feels like a scaled down truck. The steering that is more horizontal than vertical, the wooden brakes, the vague gearbox and the lack of sufficient insulation in the cabin all makes you remind about the days when, all that Tata could make were trucks. It feels crude and utilitarian. But the ‘big size and the small price’ justifies all these short comings. Performance is underwhelming, but not as much as the Palio. It makes up for a decent family car for a price that is nearly Rs.70000 less than the Palio’s.
The Palio 1.1 has better quality and is more built to last. The way the doors shut and the perfectly aligned body panels, all give you a sense of solidity. Interiors feel richer with beige theme though space is similar. Compared to the Indica, the steering is well positioned and precisely weighted, the brakes feel soft and velvety and the gearbox is crisp. The ride quality of this car is one of the best and with the new engine, the car is reasonably fuel efficient. The only downside to the car is performance or rather a complete lack of it. It weighs 1100kg and puts out a feeble 58bhp from the tiny engine, which ensures that it is more of a garden ornament than a car. It barely moves. And what’s more, the moment the AC is switched on, the engine jerks as if it is going to stall.
Overtaking in this car can teach you a lesson or two on patience. You pull out from behind the slow moving truck, bury the accelerator pedal, look twice in at the speedo to see if you are accelerating, switch off the A C (and still wonder why nothing happens) and 10 seconds later, apply the brakes because the car you saw a mile away is now only a couple of feet away and you have not cleared that truck either. Thankfully, it has powerful brakes, but why? It doesn’t reach any great speeds so as to need them. On level roads, if wind is favourable, it will do 0-100kmph in about 20 seconds.
So like they say, buy the Palio if you have the budget. It is too slow to be on our highways, but power is adequate for the city. And it rides well on our potholed roads. Besides it will start on every morning and everything in it will run through out the day.
To find out, I hopped into my car and headed to a dealership, pretending to be there as a customer who likes to buy a Xeta or Palio, as a second car. To add credibility to the situation, I had taken my mom along with me. We pretended total ignorance as to be knowing nothing about the two cars. I was prepared not to laugh even if they told “Sachin Tendulkar drives the Palio only for the ads. At all other times, he drives a Xeta”.
The level of courtesy they offer in Tata showrooms is exemplary. If I walk into a dealership as a journalist for the New Indian Express, they would treat me well; no question in that. But I was there as a customer and their treatment was still up with the best. When I asked them which of the two cars should I buy, the told me, the Fiat has an up-market image, better quality and reliability and is the one I should buy, if my budget allowed it. When I approached another person for a second opinion, he told that I should buy the Xeta because it is similarly equipped and a lot cheaper. So in a Tata-Fiat showroom, you end up a lot confused than when you entered. And you will probably buy the better looking (and better built) car- The Fiat Palio. So Fiat, everything is working really well. Your quality and marketing strategy has ensured that Tata people see Fiats as superior to their Indicas and promote them.
Both these cars were originally designed with the same requirements, by the same I.D.E.A institute of Italy . Hence the two cars are very closely matched. They are similarly sized, quite spacious inside and are affordable with the Xeta being more so. But if you take them for a drive, the difference is obvious. Compared to the Palio, the Xeta feels like a scaled down truck. The steering that is more horizontal than vertical, the wooden brakes, the vague gearbox and the lack of sufficient insulation in the cabin all makes you remind about the days when, all that Tata could make were trucks. It feels crude and utilitarian. But the ‘big size and the small price’ justifies all these short comings. Performance is underwhelming, but not as much as the Palio. It makes up for a decent family car for a price that is nearly Rs.70000 less than the Palio’s.
The Palio 1.1 has better quality and is more built to last. The way the doors shut and the perfectly aligned body panels, all give you a sense of solidity. Interiors feel richer with beige theme though space is similar. Compared to the Indica, the steering is well positioned and precisely weighted, the brakes feel soft and velvety and the gearbox is crisp. The ride quality of this car is one of the best and with the new engine, the car is reasonably fuel efficient. The only downside to the car is performance or rather a complete lack of it. It weighs 1100kg and puts out a feeble 58bhp from the tiny engine, which ensures that it is more of a garden ornament than a car. It barely moves. And what’s more, the moment the AC is switched on, the engine jerks as if it is going to stall.
Overtaking in this car can teach you a lesson or two on patience. You pull out from behind the slow moving truck, bury the accelerator pedal, look twice in at the speedo to see if you are accelerating, switch off the A C (and still wonder why nothing happens) and 10 seconds later, apply the brakes because the car you saw a mile away is now only a couple of feet away and you have not cleared that truck either. Thankfully, it has powerful brakes, but why? It doesn’t reach any great speeds so as to need them. On level roads, if wind is favourable, it will do 0-100kmph in about 20 seconds.
So like they say, buy the Palio if you have the budget. It is too slow to be on our highways, but power is adequate for the city. And it rides well on our potholed roads. Besides it will start on every morning and everything in it will run through out the day.
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