Ashok Leyland Stile

People carriers have specific roles in India. They enter your life, carry you and your stuff around, and then one day exit without any strings attached. The template for creating them was quiet simple, a box on wheels. But that does not mean that these hard workers can’t get a veneer of style on them. Here is where this new guy steps in. After setting a firm foot in the UV segment with their light, medium and heavy vehicles, Ashok Leyland has decided to further expand its stronghold by entering the passenger vehicle space.

The spearhead that they will use is the recently launched Ashok Leyland Stile. Stile is basically an MPV which in honest definition implies utilitarian design coupled with space and efficiency. The idea is that larger families need bigger vehicles to travel, which need to have space to carry luggage and accommodate more people. Atop this running costs need to be low and with higher fuel efficiency. Now considering there are not many options you have if you want something like that, the Stile fits the bill very comfortably.

Based on the same NV200 platform that the Nissan Evalia is based on, Ashok Leyland has done a lot to distinguish it from its twin brother. However looks are not the priority here, they are just an added advantage, which you do get. It may not look as premium as the Evalia, but then it costs less than the Nissan. Step inside and you get lots and lots of room everywhere. For ease of entry the floor sits low and the doors are sliding. One annoyance is that the driver cannot operate the passenger power window from his side.

The engine powering the Stile is a de-tuned version of the same diesel unit powering the Evalia. The 1.5 litre diesel engine puts out 75bhp of maximum power and 185Nm of peak torque. The overall drivability is satisfying. The Stile picks up and runs around with ease, and does not actually feel very huge while driving. Everything from the steering to the pedals is light and will make long drives less tiring. The biggest advantage one gets is an ARAI certified fuel efficiency figure of 19.50kmpl. This is a significant number for a vehicle of this size. The Ashok Leyland Stile is a reasonable package as a whole. It drives fairly well and has ample space for 7/8 people to complete long journeys in comfort. At a price tag of Rs.7.49 lakh it does make a justifiable buy as a big comfortable people carrier.