A trip to the Maximum City
An oncoming trip to Mumbai with the family had me worried. It is called Maximum City and I think it refers to traffic. Thankfully, Ed lent me his long-term Jeep Compass which solves two problems. It is spacious enough for my family and their irritatingly huge luggage consignment. More importantly, the Compass features a nine-speed automatic gearbox so I can comfortably crawl through Mumbai’s never-ending traffic snarls.
It’s also a diesel and an efficient one at that. Out on the expressway, I turned on cruise control and set it just below the speed limit. The Jeep ambled along in a relaxed manner, returning upwards of 18kmpl in the process. It was the long weekend after 15th August so the entire city of Mumbai seemed to leave for a long break. I could see lines of vehicles stuck in a jam in the opposite lane, extending as far as the eye can see. Thankfully, it meant a clear path for me and I could keep up pace inside the surprisingly empty city.
After the family function concluded, a call was taken to stay back in Dongri, a quaint coastal hamlet hidden in Mumbai. We set off at 1am from Andheri, in pouring rain soon to get stuck in traffic due to the crater-filled roads. That’s where the Jeep shined. Its rugged and comfortable suspension means you can simply drive through in utter comfort leaving other cars and hatchbacks behind. Soon we reached our destination and were fresh enough to explore the next day. The Jeep easily survived Mumbai. Maximum car for the Maximum city.
