I have spent a lot of time in India, there are little Suzuki and Tata cars everywhere. They all get very very good mileage, but pollute like crazy. I did get to drive one of the Tata “$3000 brand new off the lot” cars. The seats felt like they were made of burlap, the motor was tiny, the ride was rough, and fit and finish, well there was no real finish. But damn was it a great little hauler for $3k and got around 50mpg to boot. Granted this is a very rough estimate as I only put 2 tanks of fuel through it and it was not only driven by me. If you have seen the roads out there and how much we loaded up the little Tata you would be impressed by the thing too.
I’m laughing… All the way to the bank…
And getting there real fast, too; great acceleration!!!
I’m laughing… All the way to the bank…
As well you should be. But only because you bought your car at a reasonable price at the time. Imagine paying what you did ($6k in '01 for a '00 for those not following this thread carefully) or a lot more for the car NOW.
My daily drive is a toyota echo 2001 perfectly maintened so i get high milage on it and i manage to get 470 miles on a tank ( around 11 galons) around 42 miles * gallon i mean the car is not a comfort champion and after 85 miles the cars feels like cra* on the road but is worth the mileage / i used to have a mazda 6 for daily driving now i use it only on weekends ai get aroung 23-28 miles a gallon with that one
If you are happy that is what counts!
I know lots of very happy Mini Cooper drivers which seems to be somewhat similar in size, but that car is a hoot to drive and delivers great mileage for the power/zip.
“But that car is a hoot to drive”… You mean UNLIKE the Metro/Swift? Such hostility toward this car…
Mini Cooper has a bad service record, from what I’ve heard (notably from the Car Talk guys). My Swift’s been routine maintenance only; never a day’s trouble. Would it be so hard to bring this back? Guess so!
As apposed to what? a tricycle? Your legs? Going 0-60 in 12 seconds is not great acceleration in the context of the modern automobile.
I do a fair bit of passing on two-lane roads and have always lived to tell about it. Try it; you’ll like it.
The earlier Mini Coopers were problematic. For the past 3 or 4 years, they have been among the most reliable makes of car. And, everyone agrees that they are a lot of fun to drive–unlike some other makes.
The Swift is sold in Asia, Europe and now in Canada as well. The US is one of the few countries where it is not available YET. With the current rise in gas proces that will soon change, I’m told. The car already meets all the US safety and environmental standards.
Henry Ford II (who hated samll cars) once quipped:“People will pay almost anything for an economy car”. What we are seeing in a typical over-reaction to rising gas prices. A friend of my wife is seliing a 1998 Neon in good condition, and she’ll get more than the blue book price because of the gas scare.
As told in my previous post; I have had experience driving a Metro (albeit only for a day) and I will say, based on my experience. That my Mustang is quite a bit faster than the Metro. I will also say that the HP to MPG ratio on the Mustang is much higher about 400 HP and about 20 MPG Vs. 55 HP and 50 MPG so IMO the Mustang is a much more effecient car.
“Look at the Ford Explore/Michelin problems.”
Actually, it was the Ford Explorer/Firestone problem. Michelin was not implicated in tire problems with that vehicle, or with any other vehicle that I can think of.
So which American car manufacture do you all think will sale the new Swift re Badged?
Bring on the new Fiat 500 
I’ll take the original fiat 500, just like the old beetle v. the new beetle.
Suzuki now has a large enough presence and product range where they don’t need the big three to sell their cars. Their range of vehicles, including the SX4 AWD which is the most fuel-efficient SUV/crossover available, and the Vitara which competes well with the RAV4, CRV and others are all cost competive and should sell well.
“the big three”??
How about the incredible shrinking 2.5?
Sorry Craig; old habits die hard! The correct name would be the 2.5 US manufacturers, since Toyota has now overtaken GM worldwide by several hundred thousand sales over the last year. GM is aiming to become a major force in Asia, with much hight tech research (fuel cells, Lithium battteries, etc.) sourced there and design of a Tata style cheap car in the works in India. GM quality levels are quite acceptable in Asia (except Japan) and the local partnerships, together with the Daewoo capability in Korea means that the US will eventually not be GM’s largest market.
GM already sells more Buicks in China than in the US; the name has considerable prestige, partly because a powerful party official was given a Buick way back and the mark is now standard fare for government offcials.
Other GM ars are also called Buicks, so as not to confuse the Chinese.