CarDekho's Car Mashup Wishlist

There's no such thing as a perfect car, as much as we would like to think otherwise. The best of automobiles have some fairly annoying quirks which end up being deal breakers. Now, to the petrolhead, there's nothing more off-putting than zeroing in on a car, only to find out it doesn't make you grin when you drive it. They might be good, but they aren't good enough. 

So we did what most petrolheads do – imagined the what ifs. Here's what we came up with – a list of car and engine combos we wish were on offer in India. 

PS: We've been realistic with this one. Do not expect to read about a Maruti 800 with a twin-turbo Lamborghini V10 engine on the list. 

Maruti Suzuki Swift 1.4

While Maruti is mulling over the thought of plonking in the 1.0-litre Boosterjet motor from the Baleno RS into the engine bay of the upcoming Swift, we wouldn't mind if the 1.4-litre K-Series engine from the Ertiga/Ciaz found its way in. The 90PS engine feels smooth and tractable, and you can't help wonder what the engine would do in a lighter car like the Swift. 

Honda Jazz 1.5 i-VTEC

The Jazz excels at being a premium hatch that is as practical as your average MPV. The 119PS 1.5-litre engine from the Honda City will be just right for the Jazz – in case you need to shift something in a hurry. What's more, the Jazz is available with the same engine in international markets, which tells us it isn't too much of a bother for Honda to make it for us. 

Mahindra TUV300 2.2 mHawk

The seven-seater sub 4-metre SUV might have wooed a part of the car-buying junta with its unabashed boxy looks. We think it can do better justice to its claim of being a true blue SUV with a bigger motor and, more importantly, four-wheel drive. Now, Mahindra did introduce a more powerful (100PS) version of the TUV300 earlier this year, but our wish list includes the 2.2-litre mHawk engine in either the 120PS or the 140PS tune. 

Maruti Suzuki Ciaz DDiS320

The S-Cross might not have set the sales charts on fire, but it did tell us what a gem of a motor the 1.6-litre Multijet is. The 'DDiS320', as Maruti likes to call it, is a true torque monster that likes the concept of wheelspin. The Ciaz, on the other hand, is anything but that. And that is exactly what makes the combo interesting. An everyday, unassuming Maruti that can pull like a freight train? Yes, please! Also, don't you think the 1.6-litre engine does better justice to the 'RS' tag? 

Ford Figo 1.0 EcoBoost

There's no other way of saying this – the Figo petrol feels positively underwhelming to drive. While it gets the basic city runs done without a hiccup, it just doesn't feel lively enough when you are in the mood for some fun. Speaking of fun, it would be great to see the 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol motor (from the EcoSport) be the mainstay petrol engine for the hatchback. A 125PS turbo petrol motor paired with Ford's slick-shifting manual gearbox can give the Volkswagen GT TSi a run for its money!

Hyundai Elantra 2.0 CRDi

When we drove the Elantra earlier this year, it impressed us with its equipment levels, fit and finish, and the general no-nonsense approach it took to motoring. That said, the 1.6-litre diesel engine feels a tad too commuter-y which makes the Elantra feel a bit out of place amongst its immediate rivals like the Volkswagen Jetta and the Skoda Octavia. The bigger 2.0-litre CRDi motor that debuted with the Tucson is the perfect cure for this ailment. If this happens, the Elantra catapults straight to the top of the food chain with 185PS and 400Nm on tap. That does sound delicious, doesn't it? 

That's our wish list for now. Got anything to add? Let us know!