Cabin Layout
The cabin has a very basic layout, matching the utilitarian exterior. There’s a hard-plastic dashboard with lockable glove-boxes at either end and the gear-lever right in the middle. Right in the middle is a simple instrument cluster with an analogue speedometer and a tiny digital display for information such as a fuel gauge, odometer, time, and a gear indicator. The driver’s seat slides to and fro for adjustability and though you sit high, there’s plenty of headroom and you do get excellent outside view thanks to the large windscreen. The steering wheel is not adjustable and might seem low to some. The cabin for its size is pretty spacious and can accommodate four adults without fuss.
Features
Earlier, during the product briefing, the first slide mentioned features such as airbags, disc brakes, ABS, power steering, reclining seats, and a-c shown as features that you need in a car for a comfortable journey. And I couldn’t agree more. Since the Bajaj Qute isn’t a car, it gets none of the above. Hence, there are no vents on the dashboard but there are vents on both the A-pillars which let in air. For more ventilation, there are sliding windows on all four doors. You do get an old-school music system with a remote. There’s no boot-lid, so you can’t access the luggage space from outside, but the rear seat back-rest can be toppled down to create 400 litres of storage.
Engine
There is a lid on the rear of the Bajaj Qute to access the 216.6-cc, single-cylinder, twin-spark, liquid-cooled engine. You can opt either for a CNG or a petrol version. There isn’t a dual version as yet. The petrol makes 13.1 PS at 5,500 rpm and 18.9 Nm at 4,000 rpm, while the CNG produces 10.98 PS and 16.1 Nm at the same engine revs. The single is paired to a five-speed sequential gearbox which is very easy to use. All you need to do is push the gear lever forward and it shifts up; pull it and it downshifts. The gears slot with a light clunk but the shifts are mostly precise. Compared to a three-wheeler, the performance is an improvement. It gathers pace gracefully without any knocking or jolts and can maintain city speeds without protest. It’s best to maintain momentum and shift up earlier and use the torque to sail forward. On open stretches, the Qute hits the limit at 70 km/h, though it isn’t in a hurry to reach there.
Ride and Handling
Low-speed agility is its biggest strength. Driving in narrow lanes and steering into smaller by-lanes or taking U-turns (turning radius of 3.5 metres) in seemingly impossible tight spots are all part of the DNA. It’s only at higher speeds that the sharp manoeuvrability isn’t confidence-inspiring. The other highlight is its ride quality which, unlike the innumerable back-breaking auto-rickshaw rides, is far superior to its three-wheeler cousins.
Price and Cost of Ownership
It’s also said to be extremely efficient and cheap to run. Bajaj claim the petrol version returns 35 km/l, while the CNG variant does 45 km per kg. According to this, the Bajaj Qute CNG is estimated to have a running cost of less than Rs 1.5 per km, making it more economical than a 150-cc commuter motorcycle. As of now, the Bajaj Qute is available in Gujarat, Kerala, Rajasthan, UP and Orissa where is it priced at Rs 2.64 lakh and the CNG variant at Rs 2.84 lakh (both prices ex-showroom). Recently, Bajaj revealed the Que prices for Maharashtra, with the petrol variant costs Rs 2.48 lakh and the CNG is priced at Rs 2.78 lakh (ex-showroom). This makes the Qute priced very close to some base model cars. The biggest challenge for Bajaj is to convince potential buyers to spend that Rs 1 lakh over the price of an auto-rickshaw.
