by "cuts_off_prius" (cutsoffprius)
Published 05/24/2017 at 00:48
by "cuts_off_prius" (cutsoffprius)
Published 05/24/2017 at 00:48
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STARS: 8
The visits to Europe posted by the Jalopnik staff reminded me that I didn’t post my car spots here after I returned from a trip to India that happened over a year ago.
I did write this after I came back, however:
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Part I will be car spots from Hyderabad, where I visited family.
Part II is car spots from the capital city of New Delhi:
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These are my highlights from Hyderabad:
A sedan that is ubiquitous in South and East Asia, the Honda City. It’s smaller than a Civic and I’ve always thought this would sell well here in the subcompact category (a la Yaris, Fiesta, Versa, etc.). Chicago, LA, Toronto drivers would love this.
White German sedans are often available to rent for weddings. My parents say white car colors are associated as ‘royal’ in that part of the world. No surprise then that the government cars come in white.
This is a Maruti Suzuki Alto 800. Most Marutis are rebadged Suzukis and in general they are manufactured in India.
Left to right: Hyundai i20, Honda City, some Tata sedan, and a Honda Brio which reminds me of the EF Civic hatchback rear.
Toyota Etios taxi that we rode in for a bit, which is roughly between a Yaris and Corolla in size. Manual, diesel (1.4l) of course and is also sold in South Africa, Brazil, and Indonesia. I don’t know why the driver was literally flooring it in every gear, weaving and shooting for gaps every chance he got like a maniac. Uber drivers drove more normally (by India’s standards). Tried this out in an alleyway and noticed I didn’t have to give any throttle to get going, just slowly release the clutch at the friction point like manual cars over here, so it’s not bad.
Volkswagen Vento - it’s like a Polo sedan.
A sedan that’s even smaller than a Honda City, the Honda Amaze. Side swipe damage is not uncommon here due to the way people drive.
Your standard Maruti Suzuki Swift.
Now this is a pretty cool ride to me. The Toyota Fortuner looks kind of like the North American 4-Runner. It’s based on the Toyota Hilux chassis and shares the Hilux’s diesel engine and transmission. The dashboard also looks like the Hilux’s of the same generation. I’ve even seen some in a neat looking TRD appearance package!
This was one of the nicer taxis we rented for the day on a trip somewhere. Renault Lodgy, which is a rebadged Dacia Lodgy found in Eastern Europe. Honestly, this Romanian manual diesel people carrier was sweet after riding in the other cars. It was brand new too.
Another one of those German weddingmobiles.
A nice angled shot I got of another Renault Lodgy taxi.
VW Polos just chilling, assembled in India. These also get exported from India to different places around the world, I guess to reduce costs. Wish we got these in America, but VW playing, smh...
Jaaaaaaag.
Oh, they make a hatchback version of the Toyota Etios. They are also now offering a slightly lifted one with lower body cladding and roof rails called the Etios Cross.
Volvo XC60 from a nicer part of town.
Merc E220 looking mint!
Hey, that’s my car in the same color! Except it’s a 320d instead of a 328xi and it has back up sensors and a rear sunshade. Soo faaahncy!
A Tata firetruck at a consumer expo. I wonder if this is an all indian design or if it’s licensed off an old British truck like many lorries here.
A newer looking Mahindra Thar, which is licensed off the Willys Jeep. Yes, you can essentially get a new Willys Jeep for dirt cheap in India, although with a probably crap modern looking dashboard.
Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire. There are starting to be more sedans popping up like this, due to some tax bracket that the Indian government has on car sizes. Normal sedans of this size are slightly too long to be in that tax bracket, so they shrink the trunks to make it more attractive to consumers. Jeez, just get a hatchback at this point!
Toyota Innova police. This is a body on frame soft riding MPV based on the Hilux chassis and also shares the Hilux drivetrain. My cousin has one and I rode in it all the time. These come with a quiet 2.5l diesel and the ride felt like a Lexus on rougher roads and speed bumps compared to the tiny matchboxes here.
Mahindra Scorpio. An all-Indian body on frame SUV. Nice enough to be driven on European roads apparently.
This old workhorse is a manual, diesel, body on frame MPV, the Toyota Qualis. Rode in one coming from the airport and it felt like a metal tin can death trap, with very thin doors.
Just a nice shot of a clean Polo.
Of course they get the Ford EcoSport here.
The latest Mahindra Scorpio by the tombs of the Turko-Persian founders of the city.
Hope you enjoyed!
Check out Part II: New Delhi:
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"Panther Brown Tdi Volvo Shooting Brake Manual Miata RWD Wagon Stole HondaBro's Accord." (ningaboss)
05/24/2017 at 01:17, STARS: 0
I learned to drive stick in a Honda city! That generation too.
I miss the shifter in that car.
Was in Karachi Pakistan.
Also how many of these did you see around?
"cuts_off_prius" (cutsoffprius)
05/24/2017 at 01:23, STARS: 1
Nice! I actually did not recall seeing those around there. Does Pakistan have some cars that are not as common in India? Weird, I know Maruti is Indian still.
"Panther Brown Tdi Volvo Shooting Brake Manual Miata RWD Wagon Stole HondaBro's Accord." (ningaboss)
05/24/2017 at 01:26, STARS: 0
Crap ton of Suzukis. They have been around a long time I think they are still sold new!
The Alto and The Cultus are the ones that come to mind the most.
Alto:
"pip bip - choose Corrour" (hhgttg69)
05/24/2017 at 03:50, STARS: 1
i think you’ll find those Tata trucks are an old Mercedes design.
"cuts_off_prius" (cutsoffprius)
05/24/2017 at 19:09, STARS: 0
I rode in an Alto on a previous trip. Hilariously small.
Also reminded me of the Alto Works from Gran Turismo (don’t they both have 63 bhp? lol):
