Driving more conveniently with Baleno automatic<\/p>\n
In urban areas across the country, the main problem for most
\ndrivers is the traffic jam. The number of private cars has
\nincreased significantly and traffic jams have become a part of
\nlife during the peak periods, such as rush hour or even holiday
\nweekends. In Jakarta, drivers even take the toll to avoid
\ncongested areas.<\/p>\n
Most times, people have driven out of a traffic jam only to
\nfind that nothing caused it. In many cases, traffic congestion is
\ncaused by a lack of discipline by drivers of both private and
\npublic transportation, or by street vendors.<\/p>\n
But generally, when a \"real\" cause for a traffic jam, such as
\nan accident, stall or overcrowded toll entrance or exit, comes to
\nan end, the mess does not disappear instantaneously. It takes
\ntime for the traffic flow to return to normal. This is no
\ndifferent from a line of cars at a red light, which does not
\ndissipate immediately when the light turns green.<\/p>\n
During rush hour, a traffic jam can take much longer to
\ndisperse than to build in the first place. Growing congestion
\nmoves over the freeway in the direction opposite to the flow of
\ntraffic, affecting it far from the location of the original
\ncause. Sometimes the traffic slows to a complete stop and gets
\nworse when there are heavy rains and floods.<\/p>\n
In such conditions, good public transit is needed to ease the
\ntraffic jam. However, few people are interested in using the
\nservice as there are problems with convenience, reliability and
\nsafety.<\/p>\n
People prefer to use their cars. A traffic jam is then
\ninevitable and motorists experience it as a consequence. Driving,
\nespecially during the rush hour, becomes a nightmare. When
\ndriving a manual car, motorists will have an extra burden, as
\nthey will continuously need to use their gearshift.<\/p>\n
A quick solution for motorists who desire convenient driving
\nis the automatic transmission. Driving is much more convenient
\nwith automatic cars. The right foot is normally used to control
\nthe accelerator and brake. Because there is no clutch, the left
\nfoot is not used at all.<\/p>\n
When the car starts off, the gears are shifted automatically
\nand there is no need for the driver to use the gear stick.<\/p>\n
The changing of the gears is regulated by the car's speed and
\nthe pressure applied on the accelerator.<\/p>\n
The only thing to keep in mind when driving an automatic car
\nis that the brakes have to be applied more often to avoid the
\ntendency for it to pull forward.<\/p>\n
Nonetheless, automatic cars enable drivers to concentrate on
\nthe more important things, such as planning ahead and steering.
\nIt makes driving more convenient, particularly during a traffic
\njam.<\/p>\n
Debate<\/p>\n
In developed nations, particularly in the United States,
\nalmost every car has an automatic transmission. But in Indonesia,
\nthe automatic car is still scarce. People prefer to drive
\nmanually as they think automatic cars are complicated and have
\ncostly maintenance.<\/p>\n
The debate on whether a car with an automatic transmission is
\nbetter than a manual version is actually simple. The manual
\ntransmission was far superior, but that was years ago. Today, the
\ntechnology in an automatic transmission is so refined that many
\nautomatic automobiles are comparable if not better than manual
\nones in both performance and fuel consumption.<\/p>\n
There might be a nagging concern faced by those who drive
\nautomatics that there is a lack of engine control when taking a
\nturn at higher speed. Because of the gear ratio settings, the
\ndriver will accelerate only to brake hard during the maneuver.
\nBut in a manual car, the driver controls the gear ratio thus
\navoiding the use of brakes unnecessarily.<\/p>\n
But it is all about practice. When people get used to driving
\nautomatic cars, they will find it more convenient. Automatic
\ntransmissions will be a need just like the air conditioner, which
\nwas once regarded as a luxury feature but is now considered a
\nmust.<\/p>\n
A manually driven car may give the driver control over the
\ncar. It is this control that attracts buyers to choose manuals.
\nSome people still fancy a manual transmission because they feel
\nthey can control the cars. There are also people who think that
\nan automatic car is complicated and needs expensive maintenance,
\nand that it can not be manually operated if the engine or battery
\nsuddenly dies.<\/p>\n
Every car, whether it is manual or automatic, should be
\nregularly maintained. The drivers or owners should check the
\nbattery and other components regularly. Therefore the cars will
\nlast longer.<\/p>\n
Due to a lack of information, not too many people are aware
\nthat automatic cars are easy to drive. A driver just needs to
\nstart the car, select Drive (D) and is off. Motorists do not have
\nto worry about changing gears thus enabling them to concentrate
\non the road. An automatic transmission is especially convenient
\nto have when caught in a traffic crawl.<\/p>\n
In the past, when people were asked whether they wanted to
\ndrive an automatic or a manual, the answer was almost always for
\nthe latter. Now, however, almost every car in the developed
\nnations is an automatic.<\/p>\n
In a city where a traffic jam is a regular occurrence, speed
\nrarely exceeds 40 km per hour. Many drivers would likely prefer
\nto have an automatic transmission as they would not have to shift
\ngears repeatedly.<\/p>\n
Baleno<\/p>\n
Leading carmakers are shifting toward creating more automatic
\ntransmission cars than manuals. Consequently, they are now
\nconcentrating on creating better cars with automatic
\ntransmissions.<\/p>\n
Automatic transmissions are the wave of the future, and nearly
\nall of the latest cars are automatics.<\/p>\n
Among the leading carmakers is Suzuki, which introduced its
\nBaleno automatic late last year. Under local distributor PT
\nIndomobil Niaga International, Baleno was first introduced to the
\npublic here in 1996.<\/p>\n
Indomobil marketing manager Bebin Djuana said the automatic
\ntransmission was introduced to complement the Baleno line in
\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
\"Unlike in other nations, particularly the U.S., automatic
\ncars in Indonesia are still unpopular. I believe, though, that
\npeople here will soon regard the automatic transmission as a must
\nhave,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Bebin said the automatic transmission had come a long way and
\nwould continue to be a trend for the future. \"With greater
\nadvancements in technology, automatics may one day be the only
\nway to drive.\"<\/p>\n
He said that maintaining automatic cars was actually not as
\ncomplicated as what some people might think.<\/p>\n
\"The price of an automatic car is usually more expensive than
\na manual one, but consider the convenience you get. And, with
\ncareful maintenance, owning an automatic car will also have more
\nbenefits in the long run,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The automatic Baleno is powered by a sporty 1.5-liter fuel-
\ninjected multivalve four-cylinder engine coupled with a five-
\nspeed manual gearbox. The car features include comfortable seats,
\nstereo and CD player, air-conditioning, power steering, power
\nwindows, power mirrors, remote keyless entry, central locking and
\nan engine immobilizer with alarm.<\/p>\n
The maximum output of a Baleno is 105 ps\/6,000 rpm. Its
\nmaximum torque is 13.1kg-m at 4,500 rpm transmission. The fuel
\ndistribution applies the electronic petrol injection (EPI) system
\nwhich allows the Baleno to have a stable maximum power even when
\nfully loaded.<\/p>\n
The controls on the Baleno are easy to handle, with a
\nparticularly precise gearshift, and the overall balance of the
\ncar feels right on the road. The neatly geared steering makes it
\ngo anywhere it is supposed to go. Handling and cruising are fine
\non smooth roads, and good on rougher surfaces.<\/p>\n
The Baleno is quite considerably different in looks and in
\nfeel to its rivals. The drivers seat is comfortable, and
\npassenger seating is as good as it looks. With such
\nspecifications, it looks and feels like a serious contender in
\nthe choice of mid-sized passenger cars. The Baleno is a more than
\ncompetent car in this particular class.<\/p>\n
\"Driving away a Baleno is outstanding value for money. It is
\ndesigned to appeal to medium-car buyers looking for something out
\nof the ordinary,\" Bebin said.<\/p>\n
He said Suzuki was well-respected for its good products, both
\nhere and in the international market. In addition, Indomobil is
\nalso well-known for its after sales service throughout the
\ncountry, he added.<\/p>\n
\"Suzuki is determined to expand its reputation beyond being
\nthe world's foremost carmaker, and we are quite optimistic that
\nthe Baleno will have a place in Indonesia,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The Baleno comes in six colors: black, Bengali green pearl,
\nthistle green metallic, mercury silver metallic, cobalt blue
\nmetallic and imperial red metallic. The new pricing for the
\nSuzuki Baleno starts from Rp 138.5 million for the manual and Rp
\n147 million for the automatic.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/driving-more-conveniently-with-baleno-automatic-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}