Automatic car for my wife

[Need4Spd]

You have basically two real options to choose from:
1) Hyundai - Santro A/T, i10 A/T or i20 A/T - I currently own the Santro A/T- this is by far THE EASIEST TO DRIVE car. Low on power but high FE and easily serviced (when you get the first dings and dents - inevitable for a first time driver in India). Higher models have better safety features - ABS, Air Bags, etc. i10 A/T has vry poor FE for some inexplicable reason.
Price ~4L to 8L

2) Honda - For a non-hatch go with Honda City, It is VERY Expensive compared to everything else in its class but along with the A/T you get everything else safety wise. Price A/T (newest model) ~11.25L

Anything higher and you are looking at 14L+ price tag and a BIG car. In India BIG car == more problems driving, parking, etc. Recommend against a diesel - distance/day is vry less and anybody's first car SHOULD be a petrol .

[riteshritesh]

Originally Posted by pachchu

pardon me ritesh for going offtopic here.

if an AT car were your first car, would it make you 'brain dead' too?

For me....Moving from my AT to MT, needs some 'Gathering of thoughts'.Many times I just try to shift the gear without using the clutch. So yes it has made me semi brain dead. If I hadn't been driving MT for the last 16 years,I would have been completely brain dead
.
My wife refuses to drive any MT now.

My sister,my aunt ,her family of females who drive AT's in the USA, refuse to drive MT's when in India ( not for the traffic but " can't sync the clutch and gear shift' reason).

People who love driving,will adjust to any tranny.
People like me ( who are a vast population ) who drive to get from Point A to Point B get finicky about transmissions.

[suhaas307]

I'd say, the new i20 is a great car. Hyundai has proved themselves in India and have a pretty good after sales record and service backup. The i20 is a feature packed car too, loaded with goodies! Besides, I think it is a beautiful car!

Normally, I wouldn't recommend a Hyundai to anyone. Not a big fan of the brand as such, but nevertheless, it never pays to be biased when you're helping out someone with their decision on buying a new car!

[jaaz]

How come SKODA Cars have been left out?

i10 A/T has vry poor FE for some inexplicable reason.
Price ~4L to 8L

Is it true? Considering that technically i10 should give more milaege since it's a 4 speed AT.

What is the actual FE of i 10 AT? Any users?

[blackasta]

Originally Posted by jaaz

i10 A/T has vry poor FE for some inexplicable reason.
Price ~4L to 8L

Is it true? Considering that technically i10 should give more milaege since it's a 4 speed AT.

What is the actual FE of i 10 AT? Any users?

Its really a skewed picture.

i10 is the first A/T car in India that is being bought by the masses (the fact that santro came in A/T was not known by a vast majority, and mentalities were different then), who expect 15+ KMPL FE from a 1.2L hatch, but can only manage around 10-12 from i10 A/T.

Earlier A/T cars in India used to be big sedans, and bought by those who gave a damn about FE.

Also, a vast majority of the buyers of i10 A/T are first time A/T drivers, and shall need some time to adjust to the style of driving an A/T smoothly and extract a respectable mileage out of it.

Again, most of the owners of i10 A/T have not completed their first 3 services, at the end of which FE increases, both due to engine smoothing out and the owner coming to terms with his car.

[flyingspur]

Originally Posted by jaaz

Is it true? Considering that technically i10 should give more milaege since it's a 4 speed AT.

What is the actual FE of i 10 AT? Any users?

Got nothing to do with the number of gears. And there's a whole thread on the i10 A/T's FE figures, since there's a bunch of owners on the forum. Look it up.

[loving_alaap]

i10 AT's FE is really bad.

IMO the best ever AT car (in terms of FE also) is NHC (Honda city CVT).

You will love the ease of driving & trouble free nature of the car, beside having 12 kmpl fe and a status of Hoda.

Try to find a good used NHC CVT (AT).

[jaaz]

How bad is i10's FE. Can anybody quantify?

Technically FE figures shall improve with No. of gears. And i10 AT is the only small car with a 4speed gearbox.

[GKS]

Originally Posted by Need4Spd

You have basically two real options to choose from:
1) Hyundai - Santro A/T, i10 A/T or i20 A/T - I currently own the Santro A/T- this is by far THE EASIEST TO DRIVE car. Low on power but high FE and easily serviced (when you get the first dings and dents - inevitable for a first time driver in India). Higher models have better safety features - ABS, Air Bags, etc. i10 A/T has vry poor FE for some inexplicable reason.
Price ~4L to 8L

2) Honda - For a non-hatch go with Honda City, It is VERY Expensive compared to everything else in its class but along with the A/T you get everything else safety wise. Price A/T (newest model) ~11.25L

Anything higher and you are looking at 14L+ price tag and a BIG car. In India BIG car == more problems driving, parking, etc. Recommend against a diesel - distance/day is vry less and anybody's first car SHOULD be a petrol .

you see thats the problem Hyundai is practical compared to Honda but then there is the question of safety.

Originally Posted by suhaas307

I'd say, the new i20 is a great car. Hyundai has proved themselves in India and have a pretty good after sales record and service backup. The i20 is a feature packed car too, loaded with goodies! Besides, I think it is a beautiful car!

Normally, I wouldn't recommend a Hyundai to anyone. Not a big fan of the brand as such, but nevertheless, it never pays to be biased when you're helping out someone with their decision on buying a new car!

I spent most of life in the middle east and my wife for the last 12years over there its true I have to admit Hyundai is not that popular. My wife keep reminding me that each time we discuss.

Originally Posted by blackasta

Its really a skewed picture.


Also, a vast majority of the buyers of i10 A/T are first time A/T drivers, and shall need some time to adjust to the style of driving an A/T smoothly and extract a respectable mileage out of it.

Again, most of the owners of i10 A/T have not completed their first 3 services, at the end of which FE increases, both due to engine smoothing out and the owner coming to terms with his car.

I agree with you totally, you have to know your car in and out to get the maximum.

[marlinspike]

Based on what I read here the right fit in this scenario would be ANHC A/T.

Though I would opt for i20 A/T, internal space is as good as a Sedan and for ladies who do not want the hassle of clutch gear sync, why add the hassle of figuring out the overhang of a boot. Initially I did not like the i20, now the more I see it the more its flowing lines makes sense and its not that bland as a getz, its ubercool as Hyundai would like us to see it. Get a flashy colour and it would work wonders.

[GKS]

just to keep you all in the picture I called Popular Motors (local Hyundai dealer) to ask about A/T i20, but unfortunately A/T version is not available at the moment but they promised to get one asap, but before the A/T version they will bring the M/T version so that me and my better half can enjoy a free joy ride.

this is called marketing

[jkdas]

Originally Posted by GKS

just to keep you all in the picture I called Popular Motors (local Hyundai dealer) to ask about A/T i20, but unfortunately A/T version is not available at the moment but they promised to get one asap, but before the A/T version they will bring the M/T version so that me and my better half can enjoy a free joy ride.

this is called marketing

I dont think dealers( experience from TVM ones) keep a demo AT as they dont sell lot in numbers. If they bring one, it will be a customer's car. Maybe dealer at Coc may have one as they should be selling ATs more at Cochin.

And the i20 AT is a 100bhp one; it should be peppy enough and should give ok FE coz of the 4 speed auto.

[ACM]

GKS - the I20 Auto best meets your need. The 120 from hyundai fared better in crash tests compared to the Jazz from honda. Though they both got 5 stars, the 1-20 had a higher margin.

[niv26]

Originally Posted by ACM

GKS - the I20 Auto best meets your need. The 120 from hyundai fared better in crash tests compared to the Jazz from honda. Though they both got 5 stars, the 1-20 had a higher margin.

How is safety compared with honda City. I also in dilemma of i-20 AT vs. City AT.

I know it's better option if I consider hatches.. What do you guys think if I compare with sedans with two air bags on highway esp.

[Ramsagar]

i20 is the best of the lot when it comes to city drives etc.
Since your wify is more inclined towards scorpio-AT,why cant you have a have look @ CIVIC-AT, but more expensive.
Else there is no other choice than City & Verna AT

Used vehicles: CRV-AT for a decent price.Also can find Corolla-AT