What makes the Mahindra Verito a value for money car

In the three months since the Logan was re-branded as Verito by Mahindra, the compact sedan has been gradually increasing its sales – from 1,000 in April to more than 1,500 in June. Let’s see if the value proposition of the Verito is compelling enough for it to increase its market share further. The Verito has failed to capture the fancy of Indian buyers even after the re-badging. This is mainly because of its looks, which the regular buyers have failed to identify with. The Verito has however been lapped up by taxi fleet operators. So what makes the Verito a value for money car for some?

Price and Variants

The Verito can cost anywhere between Rs. 4.9 lakh to Rs. 6.7 lakh depending on the variant you opt for. It has two petrol and three diesel variants. The base petrol model (1.2 G2 BSIV) can be bought for Rs. 4.9 lakh in Delhi while the petrol G4 comes at a dearer Rs. 5.1lakh. The three diesel variants include the D2, D4 and D6 which come at Rs. 5.8 lakh, Rs. 6.1 lakh and Rs. 6.7 lakh respectively.

As the above figures indicate, the Verito is essentially one of the few proper sedans available at that price point. So that’s one up for the Verito: it is an affordable sedan. But price alone cannot make it a value for money proposition.

Features

The top-end Verito variant (D6) comes equipped with basic features like air-conditioning, rear and front head restraints, front door map pockets, theatre dimming interior lights, a trunk lamp and a remote operated fuel tank lid.

Other useful features on board the Verito are internally adjustable ORVMs, power steering, all-four power windows and a rear defogger. The car isn’t at the cutting edge of technology but has all the features that one needs in a practical, built for purpose, mid-sized sedan.

It also offers safety features like a headlamp leveling device, driver side airbag, a collapsible steering column, adjustable head restraints and front seat belts, an anti-theft system, front Disc Brakes, day-night rear view mirror, ABS and EBD. All of which make it an interesting sedan at Rs. 6.6 lakh especially since the Tata Indigo XL is its only clear competition.

Engine

The Verito has two engines:  a 1.4 litre petrol and a 1.5 litre diesel. The petrol engine is actually a 1,390 cc, four-cylinder engine that gives you 75 bhp and 110 Nm of torque. While the diesel motor is a 1,461 cc, four-cylinder engine that belts out around 65 bhp of power and 160 Nm of torque.

What all those figures mean is that the Verito is a pretty drivable car. It handles well; it is comfortable thanks to the Macpherson-type suspension at the front and H-Section torsion beam suspension at the rear.

Where the Verito impresses

The Verito, according to Mahindra, has the widest rear seats and the best-in-class boot space of 510 litres, which by any standards is ample. Mileage is the key word in every Indian car buyer’s dictionary and the Verito puts a smile on your face with an ARAI certified mileage figure of 21.03 kmpl (real world mileage will be around 18 kmpl). The Verito has a driver information system, which is a feature you will not find in any car in its segment.

What you will miss

Although the Verito is pretty feature packed at this price point, it does however lag behind the Indigo Xl in two key areas. It lacks a rear AC vent and doesn’t offer as much leg room as the Indigo does. Overall, when you analyze the Verito it is great value for money car and has not picked up only because of one key reason: most people don’t like its looks.