90 JULY 2019 → TOPGEAR.COM
Price `40.66 lakh (on-road, Mumbai) Model: Highline, Driver: Agasti Kaulgi, Why it’s
here: Can the Germans do a better job in the segment than the Czech?
1968cc, diesel, 175bhp, 350Nm 13,500km, test kpl: 12
This month marks the end of a lot
of things. One of them, the Passat’s
time with us. It’s been a good four months with this
premium sedan and I have to say, I’ve enjoyed my
time with it. It strikes the prefect balance between
ride and handling, understated and stylish and snob
vs practicality. It’s the most well balanced car I’ve
driven in a long time and gives you absolutely no
reason to complain.
This month, just before we sent it back, the
Passat saw quite a bit of road. Ashok took it to Pune
with his entire riding kit and then ferried some
friends to Nashik over the weekend. And just as he
came back and returned the car to me, I took it out
for a trip with the family. In all this, it gave no reason
to complain and kept all passengers comfortable.
One grouse I have with it though, is that whenGoodbyes and all that
VW PASSAT
Load up,
move out
Unlike the rest of my
colleagues, I live alone
and have the occasional visitor.
However, in an attempt to entertain
myself with something new, I have
taken to pedal power. Yes, cycling,
especially a nice road bike can be
quite addictive. Then again there is a
problem. There are all of two places
in the entire city of Mumbai where you
can peacefully have a go at it. The
Eastern Expressway is one option and
in the early hours of the day allows for
brisk movement.
Here’s where the Ertiga comes in
handy, minus the many rows of seats.
Fold both rows flat and make for an
enormous luggage bay. No need to
take apart a wheel or turn the
handlebar or any of that. Angle it in
and simply roll the cycle in. A quick
fifteen-minute drive and you are
transported to open roads and a
morning session of going at the pedal.
Quite a contrast from the previous
month when it was ferrying three
families for a picnic. Now, to figure a
way to load a motorcycle in it for one
last drive. Goodbye Ertiga, you will
be missed.1462cc, 4cyl, petrol, 103bhp,
138Nm, 5M, FWD Total
mileage: 4,250km Test kpl: 13MILEAGE AND KPL THIS MONTH
0
0 0 0 7 0 0 1 14MARUTI ERTIGA
Price `8.99 lakh (ex-showroom)
Model ZXi Driver Debabrata
Sarkar Why it’s here Does the new-
avatar MPV break new ground?GOODBYE
GOODBYE
the road’s even slightly wet and you try to get it off
the line in a hurried manner, the front seems to get
a bit too overwhelmed and there’s a whole lot of
wheelspin. It’s not that the tyres fall short in offering
traction in other situations though.
In the Passat’s innings here, it managed to win
a lot of battles and proved its mettle in many ways.
Nothing gave way and there’s not been even one
rattle till date. When you go easy on the throttle,
it can deliver even up to 18 kpl on the highway and
when you’re in an enthusiastic mood, it can put a
smile on your face on twisty roads. It knows how
to maintain composure and offer what’s required
from it. It’s got driving modes that alter its dynamics
to a certain extent and has the right creature
comforts to get itself the tag of a proper premium
German sedan.GARAGE LOGBOOK
Looks stylish and understated at
the same time
Rear seat offers plenty of room
Gets a healthy dose of torque right through
the range
Front tyres lose traction a bit too quickly under
decent accelerationMILEAGE AND KPL THIS MONTH
0
0 0 0 5 0 0 1 13