Okay, okay. Before you start with your groans of annoyance and taunts, let me come clean about something. And before you start questioning my sanity, ask your parents and grandparents what their first car was, and what impossible things that the simple car has done for them, and look around, even better, ask yourself what your first car was and how much that simple car did for you without breaking a sweat. It did make you feel proud, didn't it? I find workhorses charming. Particularly the Alto and the Bolero. There is just something charming about a reliable, seemingly indestructible, and reasonably affordable car that just does not give up on you, no matter what you do to it. Whether you are bashing it constantly on the inhospitable Indian roads, or constantly crawling in hopeless traffic, or completely ragging the engine for one more km/h of speed, or hypermiling it to get the best mileage, they just never disappoint you, do they? And when maintenance comes, you are scared that after you have abused the car left, right and center, that after seeing the bill your partner will ask for a divorce (or breakup if you are unmarried). But oh, you get a pleasant surprise, maintenance is so cheap! Parts are easy to get (if you manage to break one), and your roadside mechanic can easily work on it! How good is that?
So, let me start, without further ado, my list of workhorses that not only set new benchmarks in the Indian auto industry as to what is possible, but also won the hearts of millions of Indians, as they still serve India today (or most of them)-
1.Maruti 800/Maruti Alto-Most purists will groan, but I have put them in the same entry because like it or not, the Alto was always meant to be, and still is, a true successor to the original Maruti 800. These two are people’s cars for a reason. They need no introduction. Ask anyone, anyone if someone in their family owned a Maruti 800. Almost if not always, the answer would be a yes. That is how important the 800 was when it entered the Indian market. These 2 cars, the 800 and the Alto, are true all-rounders. Anything, and anything, you name it, they will do it with glee (and a bit of clever modifications). Autocross, rallying, taking your family to Ladakh, cutting through city traffic like an auto-rickshaw, long drive with family/friends, a drive to the hills, getting the best possible mileage, cruising on the highway, they can do it all with a smile. Cheap maintenance, easy to find parts, bulletproof reliability, (even in Ladakh’s inhospitable conditions, this has been proven by multiple people by the way), fun-to-drive nature, small size. This is why you would want one, even today. If you are stretching every penny, or you are a purist looking for a mint gen-1/gen-2 800, want a fun-to-drive commuter that also fits in tight parking spaces, or you live in the desert or the mountains and you want something that can take a lot of abuse and never betray you with a big, fat bill or mechanical issues, and have a service center in the middle of nowhere (because it’s a Maruti), these two are the best options. After all, “Lord Alto” is the “Lord” for a reason, eh?
2.Mahindra Bolero/Bolero Neo-Now, this is as controversial as the previous one. Again, I do not care if purists groan or not, because my dear purists, whether you like it or not, I have again put both the cars in the same entry because just like the previous entry, because the Bolero Neo is a deserving successor to the legendary, original Bolero. Like it or not, the only reason why the Mahindra Bolero is available for sale for the public, the mere mortals, is because of the huge numbers in which it sells, and because the Bolero is a huge money-maker for Mahindra so they want to capitalize on it. Sadly, in the near-future, the original Bolero will get discontinued and will only be available as a fleet vehicle for cab operators in remote hilly areas and as a truck to carry huge loads. Then the Bolero Neo will replace it. Yes, I am one of the Bolero purists that prefers the look of the original Bolero over the Bolero Neo which is a rebadged TUV300 (another long story), but there is no denying that the Bolero Neo is a true successor and deserves a spot. But what is so special about this car, you see it everywhere! Well, my friend, if you were to be a little observant, this car has still been there with its bare-bones interior for a reason. It is indestructible, so indestructible, that Toyotas will get an inferiority complex. And it has its own charm. As that diesel engine chugs along, making its presence felt, the driving position making you feel like you are a king of the road, the rough gearbox and heavy steering and heavy, long-travel clutch, and the old school body-on-frame with old-school leaf springs bouncing you around, just makes for a unique raw and pure experience, something that most people from urban environments and the corporate world might not understand. You want refinement? You want low NVH? A quiet cabin? Go buy another car! But if you want a unique experience, good road presence, and a car that just wont die, no matter how you abuse it, this is the car for you, my friend. Cheap maintenance, economical, parts easy to find, good fuel economy, you name it. This ticks all the right boxes. And apparently, it is loved by Indians!
3. Maruti Gypsy-This car is tried, proven, and tested to be bulletproof reliable (quite literally) by the Indian Army. Even after being phased out, they are used by the Indian Army and its still in service. The Gypsy is a rugged, small, light jeep that can quite literally go anywhere, and driving it on-road is a waste of its true potential, which lies offroad. Most came with 4*4, and the specialty of it not only lies in its reliability, but in its light weight and compact dimensions. Not only can it go over the most inhospitable of terrain with a smile, if it gets stuck, your group of people can literally lift it out of that situation! Yes, I am not kidding. It is a shame that most commonfolk did not buy it. Not only is it an off-roading weapon, but it has also been rallied.
4. HM Ambassador-Yes, yes I hear you saying-,”Bro, this car isn’t even reliable! It constantly breaks down!” But, but, but, if you look at the history of the Ambassador and it’s present, it has been a workhorse for Government officials and police officers, and even high-ranking Army officials, not to mention the CBI and other departments of the Indian Government. Some are still functioning, and still transport Government officials! (Not the Prime Minister though, it has been phased out for safety reasons). Though this car is a grand-daddy and has been phased out, it deserves an honorable mention for its ruggedness (because of which it somehow dealt with no roads), and the fact that it has been used by Indians for so, so long! Not to mention cab-operators who swore by it, because back in the day, a family of 10 with luggage could be crammed into the Ambassador! Yes, that was the amount of space it had because of its massive size.
5. Maruti Wagon-R/S-presso/Celerio- Unpopular opinion, I know. Most car-guys will not even give these cars a second look. But give them one, because they wholeheartedly deserve one. These, if you were living under a rock, are platform siblings to the legendary Alto k10. That is an understatement, because they are the same car, with different body style and space! These three cars have a bad image because they are used as Ola, Uber, etc. cabs, and they are usually abused by their owners. Hell, even us regular citizens abuse them sometimes. These three are every bit as abuse-friendly as an Alto, believe it or not. Still running short of pennies? Have high running? Strap a CNG cylinder behind each of them, and you will be surprised at the ridiculous fuel economy figures that you are getting. And get the factory-fitted one if possible, that will give you reliable fuel economy. Your car is going to get abused? Don’t fret. It will take it without a moment of hesitation. Need a service center in the middle of nowhere? It’s a Maruti, they might have one in the Thar desert, as they say in the ads!
6.Tata Nano-If this car is called “Lord Nano”, don’t be surprised. It has probably earned it. This car is just so underrated, it breaks my heart. It has a bad reputation with plaguing issues, and setting on fire, which never quite healed, no matter how hard Tata tried, which lead to its untimely demise. This car is reliable, fuel-efficient, and reasonably cheap to maintain, so every bit a workhorse. Its tiny dimensions and peppy little engine has enough to cut through city traffic like a rickshaw, cruise comfortably on highways at 100 kmph (top speed is 108-ish though), and climb up steep mountain passes effortlessly in second gear. It also got an automatic and the option for a factory-fitted CNG kit! I kid you not. But what will really get most car enthusiasts excited is that it is rear-engine, and rear-wheel drive! Yes! You heard it right! You do not need a sports car to fulfill all your rear-wheel drive fantasies! This car despite being so small had decent place for four, and is every bit fun-to-drive as you want a tiny hatchback to be. Also, it’s dirt cheap in every aspect. Just be careful of the Tata service center trying to loot you and lack of parts sometimes. If this car is mentioned in this list, it has earned it. Ratan Tata’s vision with this car of displacing families from a motorcycle to a car might not have completely succeeded, but this car has earned a fanbase of its own, and you will rarely see a Nano owner not smiling when he/she mentions his/her car. By the way, if you are a motorcycle owner carrying a family of four, please consider switching to a car. It is the safer, better choice.
7. Chevrolet Beat/Spark- These two are really underrated. Since General Motors had a bad reputation in India, and other factors like tough competition, they sold in okay-ish numbers. But these were nice little peppy cars, with good fuel economy and were actually pretty reliable. Also, you need a small car in tight parking spaces, especially in a city like Mumbai. The Beat even got a diesel engine which had ridiculous fuel economy, and you will still see some cab operators using the Beat Diesel.
8.Toyota Qualis/Innova/Etios-If it is unbreakable, it is probably a Toyota. This is not an overstatement. The reason you would buy a Toyota, is because it would just be so damn reliable, that the word “reliability” would not be enough to describe it. Believe it or not, most Toyotas are so reliable, that you will probably die before the car dies. If you are the kind of guy that wants to buy a car and keep it forever, this is the car for you. This car will not only be there for your future kid’s graduation, but probably also for your future grandkid’s graduation. These three cars fit the bill for a Toyota. This is why they are extensively used as cabs. You will see them even in the most remote of areas, chugging along through the worst of roads. I will not be surprised if I see a mint condition Toyota Innova as a cab with 400000 kms of abuse on it, or even 900000! These cars just keep running! The only thing they ask for is timely service. They just don’t die. And the funny thing is that if you will sell them, you can command a higher price than the price at which you bought it! This applies to the Innovas, they have absurd resale value(if you maintain them), even with high running. The Qualis has been phased out, but I will not be surprised if you see one in mint condition.
9. Tata Tiago/Tigor EV-A wild card entry indeed, ‘cause why not? Surprised? Shocked? Yes, I have mentioned an EV in the list. This car is still quite new, but it is already used by cab operators in Mumbai at least. With its affordable running cost, even in CNG guise, I will not be surprised if this makes a capable workhorse.
10. Tata Indica/Indigo- These two are underappreciated because they have issues and they do not promise Maruti-Suzuki levels of reliability. But, they have also been used by cab-operators. Actually, they were abused by most of the cab-operators, that led to the further downfall in reputation of these two cars. But they have done good service in their day as cabs, so they deserve a mention. After all, which cab operator doesn’t want good space and low running cost? They were used a lot in their diesel guise, and most cabbies fitted CNG cylinders on them. You might still spot one, you might also see many Indica Vistas in their diesel guise.
Honorable mentions include the Tata Sumo, the Tata Indigo Marina, Maruti Esteem, Premier Padmini(Fiat 1100), Toyota Corolla, Maruti Suzuki Ritz, Mercedes W124, Maruti Suzuki Zen Estilo, Maruti Suzuki Omni, Mahindra Armada, Maruti Suzuki Ertiga, Tata Xenon Pickup, Toyota Hilux and the Honda Jazz. Do tell me if I missed one.
