Automatic transmission - sedan or hatchback under 10L

[Tron]

I'm looking for a sedan or hatchback with automatic transmission for my parents who cannot drive a manual transmission. Here are the features I need.

- No cars short listed so far.
- Widely available service network
- Average distance per month - 750km
- Self driven
- Keep for about 5 to 10 years, do not care about resale value

Here are the features I need:

1. Automatic transmission - required
2. Good safety features - ABSOLUTELY REQUIRED
- driver and front passenger airbags - required
- antilock brakes - required
- good crash test ratings - desired
- side and side curtain airbags - optional
- traction control / electronic stability control - optional
3. Body style - hatch back or sedan
4. Budget - upto 10 lakhs, but I might be able to go a bit over.

Please recommend me a car that has these features. Thanks in advance!

[abhinav.gupta88]

See you cant get a honda city with all the features. ( Abs and airbags not standard on the Gxi CVT)
I think the car you can try for is a year old used Skoda Octavia Deisel or
Honda Civic 1.8S AT ( Used) - you can get a good one in the used market

[V-16]

Originally Posted by Tron

I'm looking for a sedan or hatchback with automatic transmission for my parents who cannot drive a manual transmission. Here are the features I need.

- No cars short listed so far.
- Widely available service network
- Average distance per month - 750km
- Self driven
- Keep for about 5 to 10 years, do not care about resale value

Here are the features I need:

1. Automatic transmission - required
2. Good safety features - ABSOLUTELY REQUIRED
- driver and front passenger airbags - required
- antilock brakes - required
- good crash test ratings - desired
- side and side curtain airbags - optional
- traction control / electronic stability control - optional
3. Body style - hatch back or sedan
4. Budget - upto 10 lakhs, but I might be able to go a bit over.

Please recommend me a car that has these features. Thanks in advance!

The only cars available in this segment, brand new, are
1) Honda City CVT and
2) Chevrolet Optra A/T

You have not mentioned if you are agreeable to get a pre owned car.
Then your choice is widened. In this case you have as suggested by abhinav.gupta88, a Skoda Octavia, Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, Honda Accord 2.5 or 3.0 and a host of other cars. If you are looking for a new car only then the features you are looking for are available only in a Chevy Optra but it is very heavy on Gas. If you can wait for a month or two, then there will be the Hyundai Verna available too but pricing is not certain. Should be in that range though.

1. Automatic transmission - required (City and Optra)
2. Good safety features - ABSOLUTELY REQUIRED (City and Optra)
- driver and front passenger airbags - required (I think-not sure, both offer only driver side airbags)
- antilock brakes - required (optra)
- good crash test ratings - desired (both)
- side and side curtain airbags - optional (N/A on both)
- traction control / electronic stability control - optional (N/A on both)
3. Body style - hatch back or sedan (Sedan)
4. Budget - upto 10 lakhs, but I might be able to go a bit over. (Then get a Skoda Octavia or a Hyundai Elantra Crdi for almost all of the above requirements)

[hondadude]

Tron,

If Honda City CVT had ABS and Airbags, it would be a perfect AT car for the budget that you had mentioned but it doesn't so ...

If you can plonk a couple of lakhs more, Toyota Corolla AT would be perfect for your parents. Since new Corolla is round the corner, one can get discounts for the existing one. Also you are planning to keep the car for 5 to 10 years so it won't matter that you aren't buying the latest model. Besides from the looks of it, new corolla doesn't look much different than the existing one (other than new camry-ish front).

Here are the reasons why Corolla fits your requirements perfectly

- Rock solid reliability. It is a Toyota after all.
- Good safety features including ABS & Airbags
- Comfortable seats and good ride. Ease of egress and ingress.

[vasudeva]

With the kind of requirement you have, Corolla AT is the only choice. However, it would be at least 1.5 (for H3) lakhs over budget. City CVT is around 8.5 but has no `safety features'. However, I am sure its body integrity and inherent safety would be quite high. Yes, it does not have ABS and other gizmos, but is within your budget. Both cars are expected to be phased out in 2008-09 but both cars are very good to own, with good peace of mind.

In used, there might be other options, but I have usually stayed away from the used car market, except when selling my old cars.

Used Option: Consider only Civic and Corolla. No Optra 1.8AT, Skoda or Laura ATs. You may get a 2006-07 model within your budget. Go to Honda/Toyota dealers' used car sales.

[Tron]

Thanks everyone. I'm thinking only of new cars, not used. I am generally wary of the reliability of American cars, so it's either Japanese or Korean (or European, but none of them seem to be within my budget).

I looked up the Hyundai Elantra CRDi, but it seems to come only with a manual transmission. Does anyone know if it's available with automatic transmission?

Corolla AT sounds reasonable in that case. I need to save up more money for that. :(

I can wait until the end of this year, so I hope some other car comes up with these features within my price range. How I wish Maruti SX4 came with an automatic transmission :(

[tsk1979]

Tron, you can get some serious discounts on the Corolla AT.
Check with your dealer.
Once new corolla comes, the discounts will vanish.

In Hatchback space, the i10 may come with Auto Tranny in couple of months and will cost half your budget.

[aaggoswami]

In this range the present genration Honda City with CVT is a good. Corolla is around 1 lakh over your budget.

I am not sure, but as the new Honda City is around the corner, you can push for some discount also.

[vasudeva]

Originally Posted by Tron

I looked up the Hyundai Elantra CRDi, but it seems to come only with a manual transmission. Does anyone know if it's available with automatic transmission?

Corolla AT sounds reasonable in that case. I need to save up more money for that. :(

I can wait until the end of this year, so I hope some other car comes up with these features within my price range. How I wish Maruti SX4 came with an automatic transmission :(

Toyota H3 AT is onroad of 12.8 in Delhi, but it may have a discount of around 75,000-100,000. That gives a price of 12. Bear in mind that the new Corolla may be more expensive. Elantra CRDI is out of production since 18 months, was not available in A/T anyway, and the M/T being sold are of 2006 production. Civic AT has a Delhi onroad price of around 13.7-13.8, with very little discounts.

By end-2008, you may have the new Corolla (higher price). Early 2009, new City?. No news of SX4 with an AT.

[Tron]

Thanks again, everyone. The i10 sounds interesting - need to wait and watch if they release an AT - I would be all up for saving the extra cash

I also just read about the i20 - but not sure if it's worth the wait and the speculation.

If not, it's either Honda or Toyota, just need to save up more money :/

[ravibhat]

I suggest Corrolla AT its excellant choice, i10 AT I feel it will debut only by 2009 March.

Its very sad in India around 8 lacs. bracket AT cars with safety features not available. I am looking for such car only from 13 lacs. bracket AT cars start If we need safety as one of the features.

Regards,

Ravi.

[ikoneer]

What can be considered as a good performing comfortable to drive AT car of the following. I am looking from driving comfort perspective. I dont' drive fast nor do zip driving, just plain city driving.

1. i10 Auto
2. i20 Auto
3. verna diesel auto
4. SX4 auto
5. City auto.

I am planning to go for an AT and though my mind is on the i10 for the cost and good feedback on tbhp, just want to understand the other cars as well.

PS: hope it is alright to ask this question here.

[blackasta]

Originally Posted by ikoneer

What can be considered as a good performing comfortable to drive AT car of the following. I am looking from driving comfort perspective. I dont' drive fast nor do zip driving, just plain city driving.

1. i10 Auto
2. i20 Auto
3. verna diesel auto
4. SX4 auto
5. City auto.

I am planning to go for an AT and though my mind is on the i10 for the cost and good feedback on tbhp, just want to understand the other cars as well.

PS: hope it is alright to ask this question here.

You have mentioned a 5 cars that fall in different segments are can be priced from 3.5 lakhs to 10 lakhs.

Could you please mention your budget/segment. use type (I assume its city driving only) is already mentioned.

Also, I guess this needs to be in the "what car" section.

[.anshuman]

Originally Posted by ikoneer

What can be considered as a good performing comfortable to drive AT car of the following. I am looking from driving comfort perspective. I dont' drive fast nor do zip driving, just plain city driving.

1. i10 Auto
2. i20 Auto
3. verna diesel auto
4. SX4 auto
5. City auto.

I am planning to go for an AT and though my mind is on the i10 for the cost and good feedback on tbhp, just want to understand the other cars as well.

PS: hope it is alright to ask this question here.

All the Hyundai cars here share similar Transmission. If money is not a problem Honda city has the best engine and best transmission here. Verna will be cheapest to run because of the diesel factor.

[ikoneer]

Originally Posted by blackasta

You have mentioned a 5 cars that fall in different segments are can be priced from 3.5 lakhs to 10 lakhs.

Could you please mention your budget/segment

My eyes and mind is on the i10, drove the car once and liked it.

I already have a NHC made the mistake of not buying AT at that time. still have not decided on the budget.

Apart from the budget, i would like to know the pros/cons of the various AT's and from our tbhps perspective.

I will also do the TD and will post here for opinion.