Add up the scores and you\’ll see that this was a remarkably close test. The margins between the two executive luxury saloons are extremely slim but for us the Skoda Laura\’s all-round abilities and lower price tag warrant it first place, but only just.
The Laura is a hoot to drive, thanks to its punchy turbo-charged engine, slick gearbox and crisp body control. The engine remains refined even at high revs. The solid build quality is impressive and all materials used inside the cabin are first rate. Sure, it misses on some equipment like power seat adjustment and multiple airbags but it also costs well over Rs 3 lakh less than the Kizashi, which makes it very good value against the Maruti.
The Kizashi is a fine product from the house of Maruti Suzuki. It\’s solidly built, powerful, looks stylish, inside and out, has a long equipment list and comes with generous space.
But the engine lacks refinement, and the interior suffers from some low-rent plastics. The rear seats do not offer adequate under-thigh support to be called supremely comfortable either. And we simply can\’t overlook the fact that this is one of the few Marutis which doesn\’t deliver value for money. Simply put, the Kizashi fails to sparkle in any major area except delivering a comfortable ride.
