Big City Life

We Try to Get by... And These Premium Cvt Hatchbacks Are Among the Best Tools for the Job!
 

- Rishaad Mody

The 2016 anniversary issue of OVERDRIVE had an excellent piece on the stress factors of driving in the big city. The data showed that daily immersion into the battlefield that is our grossly overcrowded, unruly roads does no favours to your health. Driving in cities like Mumbai is such a mental fornication that I consciously chose to ride my motorcycle at every opportunity. Still, on the days when I simply have to drive, it’s cars like these two that would be my first choice. Even though the stress test data indicated that automatics don’t significantly reduce stress levels, they certainly reduce the effort of driving. I’ll take that happily!

The two cars here, the Honda Jazz and Maruti Suzuki Baleno, both offer well-appointed, comfortable cabins in a form factor that isn’t a handful in heavy traffic. Despite the compact dimensions, cabin and boot space is enough for these cars to suffice as the sole vehicle for a small family. Endearing factors indeed, but most importantly, both cars also offer a CVT automatic gearbox. CVTs promise a much more relaxed driving experience without significant sacrifices on fuel economy. Question is –– which does the job better?