Buying a car/SUV -- BHPians suggestion reqd

[FourXFour]

Hi BHPians,
I am new to this forum. Got information through google. I have of-late started looking towards owning a great car/SUV.
To be frank I prefer SUV. Budget is around 10 lakhs.
Read the reviews of steeroid about Tata Safari and was very impressed.
Points:
1. I have driven car in Western countries usually the automatic ones but never driven in India.
I want to own a car for atleast 5-6 years b4 i could think of a new one

Under such circumstances, what do you folks suggest? Go for a small car now and upgrade to SUV after 2 years or initially buy an SUV?
If SUV then are there any new ones apart from Tata Safari getting rolled out in the next couple of months?

Your opinions highly appreciated
Regards,
4x4 -- we rule the world

Note from Mod - please do not copy from word and paste - creates formatting problems
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[sumitkalindi]

As the SUV market in India is folding out, I would advise you to wait for some time before you go for a SUV. It seems that the prominent SUV's in India are going to get better within ashort time. So It is better teo get a small car now, and go for SUV after this makeover's are complete, since you also have the option.

[tsk1979]

suV scene in india is just coming up. so buy a small car for now. End 2007 is going to be exciting. You will have the new scorpio, the X2 safari, and who knows maybe Toyota jumps in with the Fortuner and Hyundai tries to get in the 10L bracket too.
As for Automatics, I doubt a SuV auto will come anytime soon. right now in 10L bracket one of the good automatics is the Civic.

[Boom Shiva]

I agree. Buy a small car and wait and watch while the SUV market matures. There will be a lot more options in 2 years time.

[esteem_lover]

u have next to nothing in the sub 10L uin the indian SUV market. please dont even consider the safari. its roar is mightier than its bite. consider getting a H.City or a Skoda, if u can expand ur budget a little. these cars will also have decent resale value when u want to upgrade to a SUV.

[FourXFour]

Thanks so much BHPians for your esteemed responses.
Now brings up the second Q since all you folks unanimously decide that I should wait for a good SUV to enter Indian market.
Which small car is good? I read reviews and found Wagon-R and Tata Indigo to be kewl ones. I prefer diesel (fuel is cheap) and would include lot of running in the weekends (around 250-300km avg) with other days rest :-)
Any links that have already discussed would also be helpful.

--FourXFour

[sumitkalindi]

If you want to compare the, indigo and the wagon are, let me sum it up in a single line. Indigo is something you want to be driven into. Wagonr is something better to drive.

Wagonr is a compact and meant to be owner driven. As it is maruti After sales will never be issue, and is cheap, and it needs petrol. Did I tell you it is quite frugal?

Indigo was primarily designed for people, with drivers, it is quite good from the passenger point of view. It is reliable, not very refined, economical, and yes it has the trump card of being a Diesel.

Now lets wait for responses from fellow tbhpian's, personally owning these cars for a up close and first hand experience with these cars.

[himanshugoswami]

I would suggest that you look at the indigo marina diesl. Being an estate, you will have plenty of luggage space, good ground clearance, it is very roomy inside and is quite frugal at the same time being reasonably powerful as well. Hell! I may even be tempted to call it a quasi SUV!!!!

[FourXFour]

Well Sumit got my "dil ki baat" (what i thought). I love driving and hate being driven. Ofcourse a limousine in Las Vegas, I wouldnt mind being driven.
Marina I feel is too big a car. Instead of that I can pay a few more bucks and go for Innova itself.
Any other good diesel cars/jeeps in the 5L segment?
How about Tavera Neo? How much does it cost?

[Boom Shiva]

Hey have a look and Ford Fusion also, it's a good car and pretty well priced now. Very good engine (smaller version of the Mondeo) and versatile.

Downsides are the resale won't be too great and Ford's service can either be really good or really bad.

[Sumed]

If you can wait a bit... the Maruti Suzuki Swift Diesel will be out soon (expected in Oct 2006). That will be in the 5-6 lac bracket!

[Ajay_J]

Originally Posted by Boom Shiva

I agree. Buy a small car and wait and watch while the SUV market matures. There will be a lot more options in 2 years time.

Its very annoying to wait for things to happen once a guy decide to buy a vehicle. At this point of time it should Tata safari (under 10L). Good and cheap SUV.

[gbpscars]

FourxFour,... have you thought over if you want a SUV or a MUV???

Have you counted your needs to be a good looking people mover or something that you can drive "only a bit" off the road?

There is absolutely no Indian product to be called a SUV. Even a Scorpio cant come close to the definition of a true-blooded SUV.

It is there only to satisfy the Indian ego of an off-roader. No hurts meant, this is a true comment from someone who has tried the Landcruiser and a Trooper sometime in life.

You will agree with this after having driven abroad.

So if you are not too confused with the terms of a SUV / MUV, I would suggest you to go with the Toyota Innova,... big, good ground clearance, variety and stable too.

Else if you can put up with a small car until the big drive's market evolves, there are a big range of small to medium sized cars.

All the best in selecting your drive.

Anto

[FourXFour]

Ya most of the folks in my company also suggest Toyota Innova but that looks like a meek car. It has luxury inside but who cares when it doesnt command the presence on the road. People should get scared seeing it (read another thread by Steeroid on his Tata safari) and also should give the majestic presence.
Roads should crack with its weight ;-)
Though I dont intend to do much off-roading but yes plan to drive it on ghat roads, recently been to a waterfall and qualis just couldnt get there. Had it been some SUV, the thrill of crossing the small streams and making 1km by SUV would have been gr8. We had to trek on foot for that distance. I could have shown my friends the guts of my machine too :-)
Now thatz what I was looking at.
But again price constraints. Like instead of buying a 28L vehicle, I could better buy a 30x40 site somewhere in bangalore and build a house and buy a vehicle with 10L.
Anyhow for me SUV would be:
1. a growling engine
2. Good presence on the road
3. Comfort seating
4. ya as my id it should have 4x4
5. comfortable steering and also not too much roll
6. Price <10L

Btw yesterday CNBC announced a new SUV by Ford. Is it land-rover?

Cheers,
4x4

[tsk1979]

4x4 < 10L you have only one option that meets your requirements, the safari.
X2 is still a year away or more, so better wait just till diwali and get the 2.2 crdi which will be launched around that time.