All i10 & i20 owners, I need feedback EDIT - Booked i10 AT Asta

[Tejas@perioimpl]

After giving me a huge lecture on how i am wasting money on modifying cars during this drab economy and how we must save money, etc just last night, today my dad decides that he wants to buy a new car. He currently drives and loves the santro (6 year old car) and i don't know what got into him to consider a new car. However, i'm quite happy since i never liked the santro much.

Now coming to the point. My dad loves small cars and would never drive a sedan. He is also very happy with the reliability and service of hyundai and has made up his mind on the i10. I however, feel that the i10 is a glorified santro and the ride and handling is the same. Thus, I'm pushing for the i20.

Initially i wanted to get dad the i10 automatic but considering that the i10 auto is nearly the same price as the i20 top-end one, i would lean towards the i20. Secondly, although we all in the family hate chauffeurs driving our cars, i want him to get one (next year maybe) since i think it's high time he relaxes. Thus again i20 advantage.

Now what i need to know from i10 & i20 owners is their feedback. Pros and cons of the car.
Which good dealer in mumbai? I have contacted Jaybharat since they are the closest.
What discounts offered for the cars.

Another reason we can't get a sedan is that our third parking in the building is at the back and only a hatch can reverse into it, not a sedan.
Also owners please give me feedback on handling, comfort, high speed maneuvering (rarely will happen if ever), braking, & issues with their cars as well.

Owners, what kind of mods/accessories have you put in your car?
I would have waited for the Jazz but no idea when it will be launched.
Earlier i considered getting dad a Reva as well (for him smaller the better - thus his inclination to i10) but a new model is in the offing in a year and thus i don't want to buy the current one and nor can i wait that long.

Frankly, I'm quite confused whether i should push him for the i20 or not. This is considering the fact that he will be driven around after a year or so (hopefully if he agrees).

EDIT: Not interested in skoda or GM cars. Nor do i want the swift (rattles) or A-Star(cramped for my style). Car will hardly be used for 10kms a day. Getz giving good discounts but i think its a generation old car and we normally keep our cars for a long time so resale will be poor. So not considering that as well. Have i missed any other option?

[bullinb]

Buy the i10 - it is an awesome city car and a huge improvement over Santro both in terms of ride quality and comfort. Since your dad has been driving a manual Santro for 6 years I don't see the need for an automatic.

Stay away from i20 - it is overpriced, under powered and most likely will have pathetic resale value. You can put in all the gizmos and goodies of i20 in i10 for much less.

[subbusos]

I own an i10 Kappa sportz and my feedback is based on that:

Positives:
Good engine
Good power to weight ratio
Looks
Sufficiently spacious
Good mileage
Excellent gear box

Negatives:
Tall boy
Little overpriced
Somewhat hard suspension

Strict NO NO to i20 because:
1. Heavily priced - this is the first and foremost important reason
2. May be underpowered due to the power to weight ratio
3. Extra features which we dont actually need... (for e.g. cooled glove box, electric mirrors)

[narayan]

Tejas - why dont u consider INDICA VISTA also ? it has the basic requirement of good rear legrooom and offers more too..

that is if you are not averse to the TATA name. But I feel it would be a good investment. In fact if you pick up the diesel , then you may even indulge in long trips in the same car without worrying about fuel prices( which again should be a concern in these recessionary times )..

bottom line - dont consider just your immediate requirements and select a car, think of possible future requirements also and invest

[bharti22shresth]

i surrently own a santro ziplus(nearly 7 yrs old) and nearly a year old i10(1.1 litre engine).
Here's a short list of pros and cons i can think of.

pros-
1. This isn't a glorified santro. It's got a totally different car in terms of handling, presence, seating etc. etc.
2. The sweet interiors.
3. better driveability. (Endless 3rd gear)
4. Better highway vehicle than the santro. Doesn't have the tendency to take off beyond 100kph.

Cons
1. Interiors are a pain in the A** to maintain. Get darker shade of seat covers. Don't worry they suit the car. Try chocolate brown.
2. Get rid of the stock rubber even before you have actually started the car for the first time. It's pathetic. I made the mistake and am still gonna have to bear them for another 30ks.
3. Doesn't have that awsome exhaust note of the santro but I suppose that can be sorted.
4. The interior's are a bit noisy but that can sorted by the change in the rubber and some dampening if further the need be. (TD it, you'll get to know what I'm talking about)

Nevertheless, both the Santro and the i10 are a hoot to drive. Love them. And for the weight, the i20 does seem a bit underpowered. Had small TD, felt so.

cheers
bharti22shresth

[subbusos]

Originally Posted by narayan

Tejas - why dont u consider INDICA VISTA also ? it has the basic requirement of good rear legrooom and offers more too..

that is if you are not averse to the TATA name. But I feel it would be a good investment. In fact if you pick up the diesel , then you may even indulge in long trips in the same car without worrying about fuel prices( which again should be a concern in these recessionary times )..

bottom line - dont consider just your immediate requirements and select a car, think of possible future requirements also and invest

Originally Posted by Tejas@perioimpl

Car will hardly be used for 10kms a day.

Vista Qudrajet is a good car but not suits Tejas' requirement, since the driving is just going to be 10 km per day. It will become a dead investment which should not be made in these recessionary times...

Vista Saffire may be another choice, but got to get adjusted with its underpowered engine. Otherwise Saffire is good choice and VFM.

[Tejas@perioimpl]

Thanks for the feedback guys. Keep them coming.
Tata brand is something i will run away from for now. Had horrible sales and service experiences with my Tata safari dicor 3.0. So much so that sold it in 2 years.
@ subbusos how is the handling and cornering at 60-70 speeds?

EDIT: This is primarily my dad's car. I will drive it maybe once in two months or so. So the whole power issue is not too much of an issue. My dad rarely goes above 60kmph. I have a modded OHC for my needs. Basic need is ease of driving, safety and comfort (front and back).

[raul]

There is a pretty detailed i20 thread here with test drive reports and reviews. That should be useful to get a perspective on the i20. I personally feel its a great buy for everyone except performance oriented folks. The engine is sedate and just about makes do. Apart from that everything from build quality, ride quality, comfort, equipment levels, gizmos, safety. space is good. It's a nice modern car, just not powerful. Definitely recommend over i10 if you have the budget.

Apart from that there is the Fabia and the Jazz is also expected soon but I suspect it going to be pricey, folks already think the i20 is pricey, the Jazz will be more expensive, and the Fabia has a unrefined motor but those who own it have only good things to say about space and comfort.

[mobike008]

I am a 4-month old i10 Kappa Owner.

Even though i drive it very very sparsely and whenever i take it out for a spin,it never ceases to put a smile on my face. For a car of this segment, it is quite a scorcher, good ride, handling is also much better than say a Santro.

It's driving seat is high and quite comfortable and most amazing is the gear shift position, absolute pleasure derivation from this gear shift position.

Space is much better than any other car in this segment and way more than the older santro ( i had one for about 4 years)

Interiors are superb and give you a decently rich feeling

I dont see much negative except that its a breeze for city driving and if you plan to use it more for highway then change the stock tyres. Also, the FE is nothing to rave about. It is just about average.

I would rate this better than a Swift P

[subbusos]

Originally Posted by Tejas@perioimpl

Thanks for the feedback guys. Keep them coming.
Tata brand is something i will run away from for now. Had horrible sales and service experiences with my Tata safari dicor 3.0. So much so that sold it in 2 years.
@ subbusos how is the handling and cornering at 60-70 speeds?

EDIT: This is primarily my dad's car. I will drive it maybe once in two months or so. So the whole power issue is not too much of an issue. My dad rarely goes above 60kmph. I have a modded OHC for my needs. Basic need is ease of driving, safety and comfort (front and back).

Its handles and corners quite well at 60-70s. I have touched 140s during my highway trip and felt quite comfortable. Ofcourse, its bit harsh once you cross 100 kmph mark. This can sorted out with good rubbers. I didn't change the rubbers, still I feel quite comfortable with its ride, comfort and handling. Its power steering is quite and I get a good feel during the high speeds and it has a butter smooth gear box which I love.

Initially I thought of waiting for i20, but decided against once I heard that its going to have the same engine as i10 1.2 and would be priced above 5.5 lacs for the base. If its priced at 5 lacs, then its worth buying but it would be missing the ABS and Air Bags.

I would give 5 stars for its ease of driving and the top end Asta with out automatic gearbox would cost 5.5 - 5.6 lacs, makes perfect choice and provides saftey. I would definitely choose i10 for your requirements, since thats the perfect match. If you have budget and want the extra features which we can live without them, and city driving - i20 may be the choice, though its over-priced heavily. I would give max 6 lacs to the i20 Asta not 6.6 lacs as in Bangalore. If its some other state, its worth only for 5.75 lacs max. Otherwise i10 is the way to go compromising the following:

1. Less space compared to i20, Getz, Vista, Palio etc. (But it has enough space for a family, once I have stuffed 3 adults during a long drive of 350 kms and they didnt had any complaints)
2. Slight overpriced say by 15-20k.
3. Hard suspensions
4. Rubbers needs upgrade (Its negligible though)

If we need to reject i10, it can be because of the above said points.

[sam003]

Hi I am owning i10 1.1 iRDE for almost a year now, first year is round the corner. Covered 9,500 km so far mainly on city driving. And 1-2 occassion on Highway.

Pros
1. Good interiors.
2. Good Gear Level position.
3. Plenty of space of small stuff.
4. Excellent pick-up
5. Good mileage.

Cons
1. Thin tyre in Stock, you have to change it to min 175 like me other member does here.

[Tejas@perioimpl]

Originally Posted by raul

There is a pretty detailed i20 thread here with test drive reports and reviews.

Apart from that there is the Fabia and the Jazz is also expected soon but I suspect it going to be pricey, folks already think the i20 is pricey, the Jazz will be more expensive, and the Fabia has a unrefined motor but those who own it have only good things to say about space and comfort.

Gone through the thread.
Fabia maybe a great car but i am very skeptical about the service. Don't think i can wait for the Jazz.

Originally Posted by mobike008

I am a 4-month old i10 Kappa Owner.

Thanks for the info

Originally Posted by subbusos

3. Hard suspensions

Thanks for the detailed info. Don't plan to use it for highway driving. How hard is the suspension; let's say compared to the santro?

[subbusos]

Originally Posted by Tejas@perioimpl

Thanks for the detailed info. Don't plan to use it for highway driving. How hard is the suspension; let's say compared to the santro?

I have never driven a Santro. So cannot comment that. But one of my best friends who owns a Santro Zip Plus (Its now 7 years old) said its much better than his Santro after driving my i10. Not sure of the latest Santro though.

[finneyp]

Tejas, have a look at Chevy Spark too.

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by Tejas@perioimpl

Thanks for the detailed info. Don't plan to use it for highway driving. How hard is the suspension; let's say compared to the santro?

In my experience, i didnt find the suspension as hard as Subbu is describing and shouldnt be compared with a Santro's suspension since the Kappa is way way ahead in everything when compared to the santro ( including suspension).