New World Order

I WAS RECENTLY CONTACTED BY AN acquaintance from a former workplace about buying a car. The requirements were seemingly simple, and I quote: ‘a petrol automatic SUV around Rs 15 lakh with ample rear space, fuel economy above 18 km/litre, and if seven seats come in that budget, nothing like it!’ Sure. That’s doable. Except that there’s nothing that combines all those parameters that’s available here. Or pretty much anywhere else. The thing is, though, fuel efficiency is always a parameter that has earned serious consideration. Yet, the entire world is gravitating to the SUV body style which takes the basic needs of efficiency and throws them out a considerably large window. They’re taller and less aerodynamic than hatchbacks or sedans, not to mention heavier — often much, much heavier. All that means less fuel efficiency, simply put. Even so, the epidemic continues worldwide and doesn’t look to end any time soon.

So, what we have here are compact versions of SUVs without two of the three key elements that make definitive SUVs what they are: no ladder frame and no four-wheel-drive system. Ground clearance? Yes, they have enough of that. And they’re all front-wheel drive. Why they make sense here is because they’re essentially bigger hatchbacks that can deal with atrocious roads and abysmal surface conditions every day; the likes of which would dismember a low-riding sedan over a period of