Petrol Now Rs 424 a Litre — Is a 1,000cc Car Still Big Enough for a Family of Four?

CPC raised 92 Octane petrol to Rs 424 a litre on 2 November, the latest in a run of hikes this year. For anyone shopping on a tight budget, the small-engine question is back on the table: is a 1,000cc hatchback like an Alto, Picanto, or Celerio still practical once you add a car seat, a pram, and the odd weekend trip out of Colombo, or is it worth stretching to a 1,300-1,500cc car even though it costs more at the pump, more to insure, and more on the revenue licence. One side says a 1,000cc struggles the moment you load four adults and luggage up a hill, and resale on the smallest hatchbacks is softer than on mid-size cars when you want to sell later. The other side says most trips here are short city runs, a 1,000cc keeps running costs down every single month, and nobody needs highway power for the school run and weekly shopping. If you've actually run a family in the back seat of both sizes, what broke down, what held up, and what would you buy again at today's fuel prices? ඔයාගේ පවුලට 1000cc ඇති ද, නැත්ද?