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Overall, the car is well proportioned and has a wide stance, that gives the car its international look and as promised by MSIL officials, this stance also offers for better drivability, but more of that later, right now we got to see what lies under the hood.
A new engine for a star
The A-Star ushers in a new series of engines for MSIL. Known as the KB series, this engine is a brand new petrol drinking unit that promises better performance and efficiency as it is modern and encompasses technologies of today. Till date the J series engine has proved to be extremely reliable but the time has come to move forward and further enhance the engine.
The new KB 10B engine, the first of the KB series to be manufactured right now is a 998cc, 3 cylinder unit that has a high compression ratio of 10:1 and delivers 67PS @ 6200 rpm and a noteworthy torque o f 90Nm@3500 rpm. It is this engine that will power both the domestic and export versions of the A-Star hatchback.
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The new lightweight aluminium engine boasts of low NVH levels, enhanced fuel efficiency and linear performance throughout the powerband. Salient features of the new engine include an all plastic engine manifold, a smart distributor-less ignition system with dedicated plug top coils and advanced injectors plus an innovative rocker-less DOHC shaft. The engine has been further optimized by using light weight pistons and nutless conrods. All this has lead to the engine having a dry weight of just 47 kilograms.
So, we have a new car and a new engine, but as they say, paper and tarmac speak two different languages and it's in this translation that we get to know just what mettle a vehicle really packs.
A Driver's hatchback
Firing up the 3 pot cylinder engine block, I watch the rev counter steady itself. Idle. The 'retro' tacho, if I may call it that, seems to be telling me that this might be a small car, but it's sporty all right. I take the cue and head out to open roads. I shift my way into 5 th gear just as I finally hit the wide open expressway leading to Greater Noida. I gun the engine to see what everything I've seen and heard about this car till today has amounted to.
The plastic induction on the KB series engine gives out a pronounced purr, the car moves as though there is a bigger engine under the hood, and getting up to speeds where a traffic cop would just love to 'chalan' you at, I found myself pleasantly taken aback by the fact that this car can move and how!
The little engine does its duty well and just loves to be revved. The all new 5 speed gearbox is a tad bit notchy, but a big improvement when compared to 'boxes' that do duty in the Wagon R or Zen Estilo.
The power assisted steering wheel provides decent feedback and even at high speeds it never felt too light or as though the driver has lost touch. MSIL has taken special care to ensure that the driver get his dues in terms of a small hatch that has genes of a sports car.
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The wide stance of the car also helps a great deal in keeping this little 2 box well planted to the road even at speeds above 140 km/h. It's surprising enough as it is, but the only thing that came to my mind was the fact that the A-Star is an out and out driver's car. It's small, manageable, yet has that zest that if I were to reminisce would remind me of the peppiness that the older Zen had.
The A-Star boasts of utilizing gas damped suspension all round, wherein the front suspension has been tweaked for enhanced handling and the rear is more in line with enhanced ride comfort. The best of both worlds is what MSIL has set out to do, and judging from the ride quality it seems that their formula worked. Of course some of the credit in terms of ride also goes to the 155/R13 tubeless tyres that comes as standard on the A-Star.
Braking is provided by ventilated discs up front and drums at the rear. ABS is onboard to ensure proper braking even under difficult conditions, which also adds to the safety of this car.
MSIL has fitted the A-Star with front airbags to ensure a high level of safety. Further to this, the A-Star's body is based on the Total Effective Control Technology (TECT) concept in the form of crushable structures that absorb impact energy and then disperse the energy away from the occupants in the event of a collision. I just took MSIL's word for this, and have no intention of actually testing this feature, but it does feel good to know that such a small car now comes with so many safety measures. The benefit truly goes to the customer.
The brief drive does reveal that the A-Star can live up to its sport overtones, and though I could not get any figures in terms of fuel efficiency, I have been informed by MSIL that the figures will delight me when I do a full blown road test, but from the looks of it, and knowing MSIL's history of providing fuel efficient small cars, I wouldn't really argue with them too much on that front.
As I head back, after my drive I cannot but help to think that the new A-Star is the new hot hatch in town. Other cars in the A2 segment have their job cut out in terms of competition, and the A-Star is sure going to rough things up a bit.
A full blown road test of this new kid in town will reveal more, but from the looks of it, MSIL has a star in their A2 segment portfolio. It's a crowded segment to be in, but the A-Star seems destined to soak in the limelight, for that is what 'stars' do.
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