So it has been more than 15 days since I have owned this car and I believe that I am in a better position to review it. So here goes.
Performance:
Performance of the Cuore is A-OK. My car is on Petrol so it is much better than the ones I drove on CNG, but I do feel that throttle response could be better so that I could teach the occasional aggressive Rikshaw driver a lesson. Still, it depends on what I am comparing to. I drive around a Cultus on weekends and I notice the difference, but Alto is behind Cuore in this department in my experience. Since this is an automatic transmission vehicle, I love how smooth the acceleration is when you depress the pedal. I'd compare driving an automatic car with driving a boat.
Body:
I like the way Cuore looks. It looks friendly, small, and cute. I am also impressed by some of the build materials of the car, since things that stopped working on my Cultus long ago(like fuel button, seatbelt retractor, and trunk support arm) are still working perfectly. When you close the doors, it has a character to it (unlike Mehran, which feels like closing a truck door). The Dashboard is also good and really accessible to the driver. The dials and switches are big like Alto, but I do feel like the Dashboard quality is really bad. The rear passengers, although cramped, have good, cushioned seats. The interior is roomier than Alto and Mehran. The door panels are made of fabric.
Side mirrors are bad. They get swayed by air or bikers easily. Then you have the door locks. I am sick and tired of them getting broken every other day. Yesterday, the central locking went on a vacation trip and started working today! And the absolute worst thing about the body is that there is a new vibration, rattle, or new strange sound every other day. I am very sensitive to these things and it vexes me when I hear a new sound every other day.
Ride Quality:
Smooth. The vehicle is smooth and the shitting is also smooth (gear shifts are almost innoticeable). The steering is so light that I control it with one hand. The car hugs the road tightly with it's grip and you feel connected to the road.
Here's where the best part of owning this car comes in: driving this car in the traffic is effortless. It creeps in the traffic through tiny spaces while the other drivers get triggered and press their horns. The brakes are also super tight unlike in Alto/Mehran. On potholes however, the ride quality degenerates and you can feel that that you are in a small car. The A/C is okay. It's enough for the front passengers to get their faces cool on a very hot day.
Yesterday, a Vigo driver, while talking on his phone, scratched my car in the traffic and when I pressed horn, he says 'Ghalti hogyi yaar' with confidence. With Cuore, I have the confidence that it is under my budget to get the paintjob done or the bumper replaced because I know people here in Karachi Don't think about damaging your property. It's just the way people have become.
Mileage:
Cuore Automatic is not known for its mileage. However, this is what I am getting on average without AC (I will post in detail afterwards on fuel average):
City: 10 km/pl
Highway: 13 km/pl
In heavy traffic, with 4 adults loaded, it even degenerated to 7km/pl. As long as it keeps giving me above 9km/pl, I will show this car immense love. However, I am not in the mood of driving a Cuore instead of a Civic Reborn when they are costing me the same (Cuore is giving me small body works a lot, and then this mileage drop in traffic is unacceptable).
Verdict:
Overall, I am happy. It's what I expected and more. However, a few areas in which I found Cuore lacking are the small works that it keeps on showing and the drastic fuel average degeneration. I will keep this car's engine in top notch condition while leave the outer body ugly since people will find a way to destroy it anyways. This weekend, I intend to get rid of all the vibrations once and for all and then see how this car responds. I would pick it any day over both Mehran and Alto, but keep in mind that Cuore Automatic is even expensive than Cultus of the same year so people know how good the drive of the car is.