when boots matter. Best sedans upto 6 lacs.

Seventh Place- Hindustan Ambassador- The car still the best rear seat in business. The build is still rock solid but quality levels have fallen drastically. Best for taxis. CNG/ LPG/ Petrol and two diesel options make for a wide choice. A CRDI is planned. HM is planning to sell the Ambassador well into the 22nd century and make it the longest selling car.

Hindustan Ambassador Petrol
ARAI certified Fuel efficiency- 11.9 kmpl cost per km- Rs 4.34
ex-showroom price Ahmedabad- 4,51,715 cost over 5 years driving 12000 kms a year- 12038.10

Hindustan Ambassador Diesel 1.5
ARAI certified Fuel efficiency- 14.6 kmpl cost per km- Rs 2.71
ex-showroom price Ahmedabad- 4,64526 cost over 5 years driving 12000 kms a year- 10454.42

Hindustan Ambassador Diesel 2.0
ARAI certified Fuel efficiency- 14.1 kmpl cost per km- Rs 2.80
ex-showroom price Ahmedabad- 5,10,229 cost over 5 years driving 12000 kms a year- 11312.32

Hindustan Ambassador CNG
ARAI certified Fuel efficiency- 11.9 kmpl cost per km- Rs 2.07
ex-showroom price Ahmedabad- 4,68,343 cost over 5 years driving 12000 kms a year- 9877.14

Hindustan Ambassador LPG
ARAI certified Fuel efficiency- 12 kmpl cost per km- Rs 2.84
ex-showroom price Ahmedabad- 5,25,000 cost over 5 years driving 12000 kms a year- 11595

Sixth Place- Ford Ikon- Ford's signature car Once upon a time has aged well. Design looks dated and the face lift is not exactly well executed. 1.4 Diesel engine makes a good buy but avoid petrol. I am yet to hold a better steering wheel in the Indian market than Ikon's and the car is fun to drive. Running costs and spares are an issue with the car.

Ford Ikon DuratorQ Diesel
ARAI certified Fuel efficiency- 20.6 kmpl cost per km- Rs 1.92
ex-showroom price Ahmedabad- 5,53,000 cost over 5 years driving 12000 kms a year- 11138.99

Ford Ikon Rocam Petrol
ARAI certified Fuel Efficiency- 14.4 kmpl cost per km- 3.58
ex-showroom price Ahmedabad - 4,92,000 Cost over 5 years driving 12000 kms a year- 11788.88

Fifth Place- Maruti Dzire- The best selling Dud(you read it right) from Maruti. The bootjob is the worst carried out on a hatch. The ride is mediocre but handling suffers a lot. The engines are the saving grace and so is Maruti's service and spares network. I cant get over the boot. Maruti doesnt hold the price advantage anymore. Did I mention about the boot being an ugly stickup job?

Maruti Swift Dzire Petrol
ARAI certified Fuel efficiency- 17.94 kmpl cost per km- Rs 2.88
ex-showroom price Ahmedabad- 4,96,225 cost over 5 years driving 12000 kms a year-11151.13

Maruti Swift Dzire Diesel
ARAI certified Fuel efficiency- 21.7 kmpl cost per km- Rs 1.82
ex-showroom price Ahmedabad- 5,81,978 cost over 5 years driving 12000 kms a year- 11524.51

Fourth Place- Tata Indigo CS/XL Dicor-Tata's mainstream sedan or the masses is one of the best sellers in the history of Indian motoring. What lacked in quality and technology was made up by tata with luxuries and price. Space is good compared to competition and so is comfort. Not a driver's car. The new e-series CS sedans get updated treatment from the XL series. It should be a surprise to most on how Tata pips Maruti here but the combination of features, price and space gives Tata an unbeaten advantage.

Tata Indigo 1.4 DOHC 100 bhp Diesel(XL)
ARAI certified Fuel efficiency- 17.97 kmpl cost per km- Rs 2.87
ex-showroom price Ahmedabad- 5,60,073 cost over 5 years driving 12000 kms a year- 12210.62

Tata Indigo Dicor Diesel
ARAI certified Fuel effiiciency- 23.03, Cost per km- 1.71
ex-showroom price Ahmedabad- 6,41,7644 cost over 5 years driving 12000 kms a year- 12415.76

Tata Indigo TDI diesel
ARAI certified Fuel efficiency- 19.61 kmpl cost per km- Rs 2.01
ex-showroom price Ahmedabad- 5,23,392 cost over 5 years driving 12000 kms a year- 10742.57

Tata Indigo CS Dicor diesel
ARAI certified Fuel efficiency- 23.03 kmpl cost per km- Rs 1.68
ex-showroom price Ahmedabad- 4,98,241 cost over 5 years driving 12000 kms a year- 10023.51

Tata Indigo CS Petrol
ARAI certified Fuel efficiency- 15.64 kmpl cost per km- Rs 3.30
ex-showroom price Ahmedabad- 413882 cost over 5 years driving 12000 kms a year- 10202.38

Third Place- Hyundai Accent- One of the best selling sedans of its time and Hyundai's trump card along with the Santro. 1500 cc engine not the best in class but doesnt dissapoint either. Looks have aged gracefully. Makes a decent buy for the price. Hyundai's sales and service network is an asset. Ride comfort is good too but not a drivers car. Gear box feels good to hold but not fun to operate.

Hyundai Accent GLS executive petrol
ARAI certified fuel efficiency- 16.36kmpl cost per km- 3.15
Ex-showroom price Ahmedabad- 5,11008 Cost over 5 years driving 12000 kms a year- 11675.72

Hyundai Accent GLS Executive CNG
ARAI certified Efficiency- N/A 14 kmpl estimated cost per km- 1.76
Ex-showroom price Ahmedabad- 5,66,008 Cost over 5 years driving 12000 kms a year- 11194.18

Hyundai Accent GLS Executive LPG
ARAI certified Fuel efficiency- 11.26, Estimated cost per km- 3.03
Ex-showroom price Ahmedabad- 5,47,948, Cost over 5 years driving 12000 kms a year- 12164.43

Second Place- Mahindra Logan is currently the cheapest sedan in the market(not considering the Indigo CS, Logan CS is in the making). Ride is good and comfortable and so is the space(widest sedan in its segment). For a change Logan is the only car to give compay to Ikon in being a fun to drive car and handles really well. Both engines from Renault are decent but a third 1.6 petrol engine is not available anymore. Mahindra's sales and service network is strong. Logan play and Tourer bring some flair and features such as bluetooth and usb car audio, alloy wheels, smoked headlights and graphics.

Mahindra Logan Petrol 1.6
ARAI certified Efficiency- 12.9 cost per km- 4.00
Ex-showroom price Ahmedabad- 5,54,696 Cost over 5 years driving 12000 kms a year- 13251.13

Mahindra Logan Petrol 1.4
ARAI certified Efficiency- 13.87 cost per km- 3.72
Ex-showroom price Ahmedabad- 4,70,388 Cost over 5 years driving 12000 kms a year- 11565.82

Mahindra Logan Diesel
ARAI certified Efficiency- 20.77 cost per km- 1.90
Ex-showroom price Ahmedabad- 5,80,000 Cost over 5 years driving 12000 kms a year- 11573.26

First Place-Tata Manza- India's pride, world's envy. Tata manza is undoubtedly the best Offering from the company and makes the world sit up and take notice. The sedan gets as much space as the Indigo XL and is full of features from bluetooth and USB supported audio and steering wheel controls to rear seat lights. For the price it's the best sedan in the segment. Engines from Fiat help Tata make a better offering to the consumers. Quality niggles do exist and the alignment in panels is below par. Still makes the best buy.

Tata Manza Petrol
ARAI certified Efficiency- 13.7 cost per km- 3.77
Ex-showroom price Ahmedabad- 508627 Cost over 5 years driving 12000 kms a year- 12249.37

Tata Manza Diesel
ARAI certified Efficiency- 20.04 cost per km- 1.97
Ex-showroom price Ahmedabad- 600859 Cost over 5 years driving 12000 kms a year- 11990.36


PS; Toyota Etios India launch 2010 is pending at the moment and hence not covered under this article. Also the Nissan Sedan for India is enroute and will be launced in a few months. Review and opinion on these cars is hence not available.