Saying Goodbye to Some Popular Cars of the Last Decade

Saying Goodbye to Some Popular Cars of the Last Decade
Popular Cars to Vanish from Indian Roads
Saying Goodbye to Some Popular Cars of the Last Decade
Popular Cars to Vanish from Indian Roads

Ertiga Diesel 1.5

The Maruti Suzuki Ertiga 1.5 Diesel had one of the most proficient powertrains in the manufacturer’s entire line up. While the 1.3 DDiS engine obtained from FIAT was forgotten quickly after discontinuation as there were still better performance options for the popular MPV, the 1.5 Diesel will be sorely missed. Simply, because it was both efficient and powerful in addition to being practical and low maintenance. Owing plainly to the BSVI mandate, Maruti has had to forfeit assembly of this variant, as the entire engine design cannot be remodelled according to the new emission norms despite having been launched at the beginning of this very year.

The E15A 1.5 diesel engine might come back in a new avatar in the future, but come 2020, and we will be saying goodbye to it for the time. The engine was more at home in the Ertiga than it ever could be in the Ciaz – which shared it with the MPV – and came very close to giving the Innova Crysta a run for its money. It is being replaced by a petrol engine which, though it comes strictly as per BSVI norms, will lack the practicality and appeal of a diesel motor running an MPV.

There are not many units out in the market and since it comes with a dual-mass flywheel that need only be replaced due to possible wear, after running for at least a hundred thousand kilometres. Spares won’t be a problem since well, it’s a Maruti and amongst the top reasons for Maruti cars selling like hot cakes all year is their easy maintenance as compared to other brands. So incase you’re wondering about going in for an Ertiga 1.5 Diesel for its space and practicality, we’d recommend you go for it and enjoy its ownership because soon it would be exclusive.

Toyota Corolla Altis

Toyota and Maruti had recently announced a new global partnership venture, as a result of which Maruti’s premium hatch Baleno is also being rebadged and sold under the name of Glanza by Toyota in the same markets as the former. Also included as part of this exploration was the announcement of a rebadged Corolla Altis, which Maruti backed out of seeing how the market was doing. The thought of a luxury car rebadging seemed nightmarish when they looked at the waning numbers of the luxury sedan segment. This caused the entire load of the model’s production to fall on Toyota who made a quick decision to pull the plug on this once popular premium sedan which, along with its predecessors, had given Indian buyers a savoury taste of performance and luxury.

The efficient and purposeful executive sedan came in both diesel and petrol variants. The diesel one will surely not be missed as much as the petrol variant for the simple reasons of maintenance and performance. The petrol engine is lighter and more responsive than the loud and lethargic diesel and makes the 1.8 litre CVT variant the best choice as opposed to the only Toyota sedan that would remain in the market – the Camry. Though the new petrol Camry provides for an excellent experience in drive and comfort, it also comes at nearly twice the cost of the Corolla Altis.

Buying this car, one would have done well if they promised themselves to not worry about the resale value since the executive sedan segment doesn’t have a great order in that area. Service and availability of spares should, however not be too much of a problem, owing to Toyota’s huge network and well-maintained part stocks all across the country.

Volkswagen Ameo TDI

Owing to the significant BSVI change being thrust on the Indian automobile sector, a lot of companies have made a conscious decision of pulling the plug on most of their diesel variants, and Volkswagen is not one to stay behind. It is tough yet seemingly practical choice. Come 2020 and VW will end its many-faced 1.5-litre diesel power train instead of upgrading to BSVI norms. They have also decided to exclude small cars from their diesel-driven range altogether. While the Polo and Vento continue to be popular flagships, the car that accidentally threatened to shake their platforms with its sudden popularity in the last few years – the Ameo – will also face the end of the line because of this decision.

It came with the 1.5 diesel put together with the seven-speed DSG gearbox which was one of the best engine-transmission teams in the German automaker’s line up. With a dual-clutch and a surprisingly well-tuned cruise control system, the Ameo was one hell of a small sedan and also made for a perfect family car which was terrific both for inside the city and the open road.

So if you’re wondering about issues like longevity and maintenance, don’t worry. The 1.5 diesel-DSG combination was designed and engineered for fairly sustained life, and with VW’s dealer and spare network, upkeep should hardly be a problem. What enthusiastic buyers can cash in on, are the end of production and festive season discounts and offers that a lot of showrooms would be happy to pitch to make sure no car gets left behind.