[heysac]

Originally Posted by Marauder

Although if you go by T-BHP sales analysis,except for the A-star all the other cars you mentioned are in the same segment.

I disagree that both i10 and 120 belong to the B2segment. Doesn't make sense at all!

[luvDriving]

Confused again. I might increase the budget. The Vista is no doubt a favourite but we came across the Mahindra Quanto - there are not many reviews on our forum to make a yes-no inclination.

I will give a visit to Sahyadri Motors tomorrow and see if I can get a test ride. I know that the Vista and Quanto are two completely different things and I would like advice on whether the Quanto would be a good buy for 85-90% city driving in Pune, some highway trips thrown in but not many. Also considering comfort for elderly people, driven by my wife and myself. It is a 3-cylinder so the power is a concern. Also the NVH for a Mahindra diesel.

[Aroy]

Go for Vista with 90PS engine. You will rarely get so much space below 10L.

As noted in previous posts this is the same engine (with VVT turbo) used by Maruti in their higher end configurations, so maintenance will not be a problem. As you have a Tata vehicle and were maintaining it, maintaining another one will not be new to you.

Regarding Exchange, at 1L you are getting a good deal, though you can try a bit more as the cars are just not selling.

Best of luck with your new acquisition.

[rajivr1612]

If premium interior is not your concern why not try Etios Liva. The GD version has ABS and GDSP version has airbags also. You will never complain about lack of space. But you may have to stretch your budget I guess.

[theexperthand]

I have no real experience with Quanto, but trusting the official Team-BHP review, I am concerned over these points :
Bumpy ride quality. Unsettled over any type of surface
Driving experience marred by excessive body roll and a slow, numb steering

Do take an extended TD over bad roads, preferably with your parents occupying the rear seat to make sure that they are comfortable.

Do keep an eye about these too:

Ease of getting in and out - make sure your parents are comfortable getting in and out. Vista is very comfortable for elders, even my grandma (80+ old) find it easy to get in and out.

Driving position: Since it is essentially a mini xylo, I think it will offer a better\more upright position than Vista. Make sure you and your wife and comfortable with the driving position.

Mileage: Not sure how much Quato delivers, but with Vista, you can expect around 20 KMPL.

[ahmad.007]

Originally Posted by luvDriving

Confused again. I might increase the budget. The Vista is no doubt a favourite but we came across the Mahindra Quanto - there are not many reviews on our forum to make a yes-no inclination.

I will give a visit to Sahyadri Motors tomorrow and see if I can get a test ride. I know that the Vista and Quanto are two completely different things and I would like advice on whether the Quanto would be a good buy for 85-90% city driving in Pune, some highway trips thrown in but not many. Also considering comfort for elderly people, driven by my wife and myself. It is a 3-cylinder so the power is a concern. Also the NVH for a Mahindra diesel.

Quanto diesel is supposedly 100bhp, don't know how many horses does it actually deliver, and as far as I know it is not very quick.
I feel the Vista suits you better. Quanto, to me, looks plain ugly and unconventional from the rear, yes, offence M&M. : Kidding, No offence to anyone.

For city 85% city driving, nothing beats the practicality of a hatchback. Quanto might not do well in tight parking spots, etc.
If you don't need the additional 2 sideways oriented seats, then you can avoid Quanto.

Though I personally feel that a spacious 5 seater is better than a cramped 2+2.5+2 seater.
That said, I do not know whether the Quanto's 2nd row is as spacy as the Vista's. What I know, is that most compact MUVs have to compromise on 2nd row space for accomodating the 3rd row.

But, if you really are too keen on getting a Quanto, let me assure you it is a good VFM package.

Sorry, I am probably getting you confused.

[yogibear007]

Originally Posted by luvDriving

Confused again. I might increase the budget. The Vista is no doubt a favourite but we came across the Mahindra Quanto - there are not many reviews on our forum to make a yes-no inclination.

Quanto is a completely different class of vehicle. I doubt you can compare Vista and Quanto in any way. I myself use a car as well as a mahindra vehicle. They are also value for money but for a car owner, these are a different bread of vehicles. usage pattern, sitting position, engine responses, vehicle dynamics, suspension response everything is different and hence if you are not really open for a UV type of vehicle, I suggest stick to a hatchback or a sedan. Vista IMO is a good preposition considering the background discussions in this case.

[Achyuth Vaibhav]

Originally Posted by heysac

Have you driven Active? What effect did localization have on the steering?

How has your experience been with Sunny?

Fabulous is the word to say. Yeah, I TD'ed the Active and it was great. The localization does not have any effect on the handling prowess, still it's the same, super light system. The localization just brings down the costs, that's all. Brio is bare basic in terms of safety. Regarding the platform question, Micra is in i20 territory.

Cheers,

Achyuth

[vb-saan]

What difference does this perceived notion of i10 class or i20 class makes? IMO, both these cars are in the entry-level hatchback category, and the dimensions are quite similar.

If the top variants are compared, I think the Brio is a better buy, even though it costs around 60-70K more than the Micra Active (Brio VX MT v/s Micra Active XV Safety Pack). A reasonably powerful 4 cyl 90ps engine (compared to the 67ps 3 cyl engine) along with alloy wheels are good enough to justify the price difference. And the Honda may hold its value better when it comes to resale.

If this is going to be your wife’s car, get her to TD both the options and see what is her preference. Since you mentioned that she is a new driver, please don’t skimp on safety features. Happy shopping!

[sgiitk]

To me the fact that the Nissan is a three potter and not a four potter rules it out.

[Shiv_1984]

I have driven my friend's Nissan Micra. It's noisy and underpowered. Not sure about the fuel efficiency but no match for the Honda Ivtec. Spacewise I consider both as same.

[altius]

I think the new and larger i10 grand could be in consideration now, though price wise it would be at or above Brio.

[KarthikK]

Originally Posted by heysac

Nissan has launched Micra Active at a very attractive price point starting 3.5L ex-showroom. I have been debating which car to buy as a second car for wife. She is a new driver so a compact car with low window height would be ideal since her office is nearby.

It seems if one wants to go for a basic version, Active is better but otherwise Brio looks attractive coming from the Honda stable.

Since you mentioned your wife's office to be closeby, it immediately rules out the need for diesel hatches. Among the petrol hatches, Brio would be a good choice considering the no-nonsense ownership experience of a Honda. Nissan Micra is also a good car, but Honda will obviously have the upper hand as far as service network strength goes. Among these 2, Brio will get my vote for being the better overall car. But you never know what's on the horizon with women and their choices. Once they like something for looks or interiors or something like that, it is very hard to change their mind .

By the way, just to increase your confusion - any specific reason you are not looking at Maruti?? An Alto K10 should fit your requirements perfectly - It is a compact, low-slung hatch which is pretty easy to drive for the fairer gender. In fact, I find it quite fun-to-drive as an enthusiast too. It may be from a segment lower, but it will be that much more frugal and no-nonsense. Since she is a learner and might be making a few mistakes initially, a Maruti to me sounds like a better option from that angle as well.

Good luck to both of you with your choice!

[heysac]

Originally Posted by KarthikK

By the way, just to increase your confusion - any specific reason you are not looking at Maruti?? An Alto K10 should fit your requirements perfectly - It is a compact, low-slung hatch which is pretty easy to drive for the fairer gender. In fact, I find it quite fun-to-drive as an enthusiast too. It may be from a segment lower, but it will be that much more frugal and no-nonsense. Since she is a learner and might be making a few mistakes initially, a Maruti to me sounds like a better option from that angle as well.

Thanks for your inputs! We have had too many Marutis: 800, then Zen and Swift My wife used to do a little bit of driving 10 years back but it will be hard for her to digest an Alto since it is from the beginner's segment. If she could drive well she would have tried to go for a luxury hatch (like MINI) and she might do that in the years to come! Unfortunately many people in India like to show off and we need to try to keep up a little if not more.

[luvDriving]

Well final update is that I had a test drive of Quanto.

Pros:

1. Large spacious interiors.
2. Driving position.
3. Complete view of traffic ahead of you.
4. Takes care of potholes adequately.
5. Good performance - pickup from dead stop.

Cons:
1. Definitely had body roll and at low speeds too. A quick jerk to the steering wheel can cause it to roll and this condition is likely to happen frequently in city driving.
2. Fuel efficiency. Of course it is good for a vehicle this size but way lower that the figures I want my next car to deliver.
3. Does not feel planted at all. Somehow feels unstable.
4. Seating a tad less comfortable and the rear seats - well dont think even kids will want to sit there. Additionally there is the issue of safety.
5. The cost of 8.5 OTR Pune is a lot more than what I am ready to shell out for this car.
6. Also the height of the cabin is not something with which my parents will be comfortable. Getting down is also not easy due to the awkward foot step.

So there it is folks. We are going to book the Vista tomorrow. Next thread - Initial ownership Thanks for all your help and suggestions.