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The Hindu : Virtual MechanicCar and bike questions? We have the answersWe have decided to buy a small family-size car and have short-listed the Chevrolet Spark, Zen Estilo and Maruti Swift. Which of these would be best given our priorities are mileage, low maintenance cost and ultimate driving pleasure? Could you suggest other options too?Nishant GautamThe Swift and the Spark are both very good cars, but your purchase should depend on your budget and usage. If you will be driving the car exclusively in the city, then the Spark is a better bet. If however, you intend to take driving holidays on weekends, the Swift it is. We wouldn’t recommend the Zen Estilo. We also recommend the Hyundai i10 strongly.I plan to buy a Hyundai Santro or Maruti Wagon R. Do let me know about the advantages and disadvantages of the two models that I have mentioned in terms of fuel efficiency, maintenance, level of space and resale value. I heard that Hyundai is planning to stop production of the current Santro Xing (erlx) models. Is it true?SudhirBoth the Santro and Wagon R are tall boy designs and offer lots of space. While Maruti has the advantage of a very extensive dealer network, the Santro is a better drive. Resale of both is good. But overall, we recommend the Santro.If I had to choose between the Santro, Spark, Estilo and Wagon R Duo, which would be the best choice?KannanThe Wagon R Duo offers very low running costs, and that makes it an attractive proposition. However, it compromises on luggage capacity, so choose accordingly. If you’re city based and want a car with low running costs, go for the Wagon R Duo. The Santro and Spark are both excellent cars for the price, but we feel the Santro is still hard to beat as a city car. Also, the residuals of GM cars aren’t very encouraging.I have a family…More