Driving more conveniently with Baleno automatic
Driving more conveniently with Baleno automatic
In urban areas across the country, the main problem for most
drivers is the traffic jam. The number of private cars has
increased significantly and traffic jams have become a part of
life during the peak periods, such as rush hour or even holiday
weekends. In Jakarta, drivers even take the toll to avoid
congested areas.
Most times, people have driven out of a traffic jam only to
find that nothing caused it. In many cases, traffic congestion is
caused by a lack of discipline by drivers of both private and
public transportation, or by street vendors.
But generally, when a "real" cause for a traffic jam, such as
an accident, stall or overcrowded toll entrance or exit, comes to
an end, the mess does not disappear instantaneously. It takes
time for the traffic flow to return to normal. This is no
different from a line of cars at a red light, which does not
dissipate immediately when the light turns green.
During rush hour, a traffic jam can take much longer to
disperse than to build in the first place. Growing congestion
moves over the freeway in the direction opposite to the flow of
traffic, affecting it far from the location of the original
cause. Sometimes the traffic slows to a complete stop and gets
worse when there are heavy rains and floods.
In such conditions, good public transit is needed to ease the
traffic jam. However, few people are interested in using the
service as there are problems with convenience, reliability and
safety.
People prefer to use their cars. A traffic jam is then
inevitable and motorists experience it as a consequence. Driving,
especially during the rush hour, becomes a nightmare. When
driving a manual car, motorists will have an extra burden, as
they will continuously need to use their gearshift.
A quick solution for motorists who desire convenient driving
is the automatic transmission. Driving is much more convenient
with automatic cars. The right foot is normally used to control
the accelerator and brake. Because there is no clutch, the left
foot is not used at all.
When the car starts off, the gears are shifted automatically
and there is no need for the driver to use the gear stick.
The changing of the gears is regulated by the car's speed and
the pressure applied on the accelerator.
The only thing to keep in mind when driving an automatic car
is that the brakes have to be applied more often to avoid the
tendency for it to pull forward.
Nonetheless, automatic cars enable drivers to concentrate on
the more important things, such as planning ahead and steering.
It makes driving more convenient, particularly during a traffic
jam.
Debate
In developed nations, particularly in the United States,
almost every car has an automatic transmission. But in Indonesia,
the automatic car is still scarce. People prefer to drive
manually as they think automatic cars are complicated and have
costly maintenance.
The debate on whether a car with an automatic transmission is
better than a manual version is actually simple. The manual
transmission was far superior, but that was years ago. Today, the
technology in an automatic transmission is so refined that many
automatic automobiles are comparable if not better than manual
ones in both performance and fuel consumption.
There might be a nagging concern faced by those who drive
automatics that there is a lack of engine control when taking a
turn at higher speed. Because of the gear ratio settings, the
driver will accelerate only to brake hard during the maneuver.
But in a manual car, the driver controls the gear ratio thus
avoiding the use of brakes unnecessarily.
But it is all about practice. When people get used to driving
automatic cars, they will find it more convenient. Automatic
transmissions will be a need just like the air conditioner, which
was once regarded as a luxury feature but is now considered a
must.
A manually driven car may give the driver control over the
car. It is this control that attracts buyers to choose manuals.
Some people still fancy a manual transmission because they feel
they can control the cars. There are also people who think that
an automatic car is complicated and needs expensive maintenance,
and that it can not be manually operated if the engine or battery
suddenly dies.
Every car, whether it is manual or automatic, should be
regularly maintained. The drivers or owners should check the
battery and other components regularly. Therefore the cars will
last longer.
Due to a lack of information, not too many people are aware
that automatic cars are easy to drive. A driver just needs to
start the car, select Drive (D) and is off. Motorists do not have
to worry about changing gears thus enabling them to concentrate
on the road. An automatic transmission is especially convenient
to have when caught in a traffic crawl.
In the past, when people were asked whether they wanted to
drive an automatic or a manual, the answer was almost always for
the latter. Now, however, almost every car in the developed
nations is an automatic.
In a city where a traffic jam is a regular occurrence, speed
rarely exceeds 40 km per hour. Many drivers would likely prefer
to have an automatic transmission as they would not have to shift
gears repeatedly.
Baleno
Leading carmakers are shifting toward creating more automatic
transmission cars than manuals. Consequently, they are now
concentrating on creating better cars with automatic
transmissions.
Automatic transmissions are the wave of the future, and nearly
all of the latest cars are automatics.
Among the leading carmakers is Suzuki, which introduced its
Baleno automatic late last year. Under local distributor PT
Indomobil Niaga International, Baleno was first introduced to the
public here in 1996.
Indomobil marketing manager Bebin Djuana said the automatic
transmission was introduced to complement the Baleno line in
Indonesia.
"Unlike in other nations, particularly the U.S., automatic
cars in Indonesia are still unpopular. I believe, though, that
people here will soon regard the automatic transmission as a must
have," he said.
Bebin said the automatic transmission had come a long way and
would continue to be a trend for the future. "With greater
advancements in technology, automatics may one day be the only
way to drive."
He said that maintaining automatic cars was actually not as
complicated as what some people might think.
"The price of an automatic car is usually more expensive than
a manual one, but consider the convenience you get. And, with
careful maintenance, owning an automatic car will also have more
benefits in the long run," he said.
The automatic Baleno is powered by a sporty 1.5-liter fuel-
injected multivalve four-cylinder engine coupled with a five-
speed manual gearbox. The car features include comfortable seats,
stereo and CD player, air-conditioning, power steering, power
windows, power mirrors, remote keyless entry, central locking and
an engine immobilizer with alarm.
The maximum output of a Baleno is 105 ps/6,000 rpm. Its
maximum torque is 13.1kg-m at 4,500 rpm transmission. The fuel
distribution applies the electronic petrol injection (EPI) system
which allows the Baleno to have a stable maximum power even when
fully loaded.
The controls on the Baleno are easy to handle, with a
particularly precise gearshift, and the overall balance of the
car feels right on the road. The neatly geared steering makes it
go anywhere it is supposed to go. Handling and cruising are fine
on smooth roads, and good on rougher surfaces.
The Baleno is quite considerably different in looks and in
feel to its rivals. The drivers seat is comfortable, and
passenger seating is as good as it looks. With such
specifications, it looks and feels like a serious contender in
the choice of mid-sized passenger cars. The Baleno is a more than
competent car in this particular class.
"Driving away a Baleno is outstanding value for money. It is
designed to appeal to medium-car buyers looking for something out
of the ordinary," Bebin said.
He said Suzuki was well-respected for its good products, both
here and in the international market. In addition, Indomobil is
also well-known for its after sales service throughout the
country, he added.
"Suzuki is determined to expand its reputation beyond being
the world's foremost carmaker, and we are quite optimistic that
the Baleno will have a place in Indonesia," he said.
The Baleno comes in six colors: black, Bengali green pearl,
thistle green metallic, mercury silver metallic, cobalt blue
metallic and imperial red metallic. The new pricing for the
Suzuki Baleno starts from Rp 138.5 million for the manual and Rp
147 million for the automatic.