Q. I am planning to get a Suzuki Kizashi automatic from a friend who has been using it for a couple of years. Is it possible to get a good CNG kit installed on this car? I have been driving an SX4 automatic with sequential CNG kit installed for the past three years. I know the performance is affected and I am okay with that. Will any other areas be impacted? Please advice.
Raghav Maheshwari
A. Since you are buying a used car which is likely to be out of warranty, you can go ahead and install an aftermarket CNG kit. Maruti doesn’t offer one for the Kizashi, so you will have to have it installed at a third-party workshop. A sequential kit from a reputed brand like Lovato is recommended, and apart from the performance drop, there should be no long-term issues, as the engine is not an overly sophisticated unit — it has been doing duty on Grand Vitaras since 2008.
Always go to an RTO-approved shop for fitment. Choose a place closer to your home/workplace as frequent adjustments may be required during initial stages. Once done, just ensure that you service your Kizashi at manufacturer-recommended intervals and everything should work out fine.
Q. I was told my new Ford Figo Titanium would manage 16.5kpl, but it’s never gone beyond 11kpl. The dealer says this is because the car is new. What do you think?
Peter Dsouza, Bardez
A. While it is true to some extent that fuel mileage improves after the car has covered the first 5,000km or so and the first oil change is complete, you certainly cannot expect a 5kpl improvement. Ensure that you are using a reputed petrol bunk for your fuel and using the ‘full tank method’ to calculate fuel mileage - anything else is bound to be inaccurate.
According to our tests, the Figo should return around 14kpl for diesel and around 11kpl for petrol in typical city conditions, so that’s what you can realistically aim to achieve.
Q. Does the Mahindra Xylo still make for a good buy?
Anitha Ramarao
A. The Xylo has just been facelifted and given suspension changes to improve the driving dynamics. It is nicer to drive now, but still has its flaws. The centre of gravity is still too high, and the overall fit and finish is not as good as the Innova’s. It’s nowhere near as durable either, but it’s good value for money, and the price and interior space is the main reason to consider it.
Q. Iwanted to know if it is okay to use car window tint with light transparency degree of about 50 percent or has it been completely banned in India?
Anaswar T
A. You cannot use tinted films of any percentage legally in India, however, with that being said — you should be okay with films with 80-90 percent transparency on the road. The only other option is to go with fully transparent high UV-blocking films from 3M or V-Kool — but they are considerably expensive than the darker variety.
Q. I want to buy a car under Rs 4 lakh. My priorities are looks, mileage and reliable aftersales service. What would you recommend?
Mohd Saif
A. There are lots of options you can choose from. But considering your priorities, the Hyundai Eon makes the most sense, as it is stylish, reasonably fuel efficient, and Hyundai’s aftersales service is pretty good too.
