[ashish22]

Folks its that time of the year again where i have to make the car buying decision, which we all motor heads want to experience pretty often! Isn't it?

Parameters

Its the quest to buy a premium hatchback which serves us the purpose of the city commute mostly and occasional highway drives. I would give it the ratio of 60% city and 40% highways usage.

The car will be primarily used by wifey who's on a lookout for an upgrade from her erstwhile i10 1.2 kappa. The i10 will now be used by our grandpa since its quite compact and easy to drive. Also this new car will be used sometimes by me and dad for city driving since its very difficult to drive big cars these days especially in the Delhi/NCR traffic. And we all prefer to self drive our cars. So in a nutshell this car will serve us the purpose to escape from the mad city traffic and yet carry the family in relative comfort and ease of use.

Both me and wifey are big time car lovers and we love to drive our cars fast and aggressively. The car has to be decently powerful and comfortable to use and also need to have all the safety features such as airbags, ABS, EBD etc. Driving pleasure has to be the top most priority. Also it should have decent space (especially in rear), good quality interiors, premium feel and comes equipped with all the upmarket features.

The budget is strictly between 6-7 lakhs and cannot exceed it at any cost. The car should also be extremely reliable since i don't want to take any chances because its going to be used by my wifey mostly.

The running will not be more then 500-700 kms per month as this car will not be solely daily driven. Honestly speaking i don't see this car covering more then 500 kms/month most of the times.

Also we are looking for a car which is not very common. Wifey wants to have something which is quite different from what we usually see on roads.

Shortlisting the Contenders

1. Jazz X (6.68 lakhs OTR, Gurgaon)
2. Swift ZDi (6.95 lakhs OTR, Gurgaon) (ref. carwale)
3. Micra XV Premium Diesel (~6.5 lakhs OTR, Gurgaon) (After dealer discounts)

If i had to make this decision few months back it would have been much easier. We were seriously thinking about the Nissan Micra XV Premium variant. But now we are spoiled with more options in our budget and thanks to the ZDi variant of swift and the price cut of Jazz, these two cars are now the serious contenders. These two cars were not even in the contention earlier.

Another issue which has made this decision process even more complex is the ever rising prices of fuel especially petrol. In the last few months petrol prices have increased so much that it pinches every time you drive a petrol car. Even if our running is not more then 500 kms it would still hurt to drive a petrol car as the prices are insane now and this inflation is only going to get more worse in the near future. Yet at the same time our running cannot justify a diesel car and also there is a possibility of de-subsidization of diesel fuel by govt. which will reduce the benefits of the diesel economy. To make the equation even more confusing the cars which we have shortlisted, irrespective of being a petrol or diesel, are almost similarly priced. They hardly have a difference of 20-30K in the prices. So it doesn't really make a difference of which car we choose on the basis of fuel. I would really appreciate to have deeper inputs on this issue from you people while selecting the car as this is one of the biggest mental block i'm facing.

We have already ruled out other potential cars in this segment because of the following reasons:

1. Maruti Ritz:
Not much of an upgrade over i10. The engine is similarly powered and space is also similar to i10. Also we don't like its shape. Lacks premium value.

2. Chevrolet Beat:
Again not much of an upgrade over i10 and petrol engine is not as good as the kappa. The diesel engine lacks outright performance. Loved the interiors though.

3. Ford Figo:
Lacks the premium value and interiors also look and feel very dull. Space is decent but the car is not very well put together. Rejected by wifey.

4. Toyota Liva:
Boring to look at and boring to drive. I absolutely hate cars which have centrally mounted driver console. Rejected it out rightly!

5. Skoda Fabia:
The car is quite spacious but don't want to have another skoda in my garage. Its a pain to maintain it. The 1.6 is in our budget but the F.E. will not be that great.

6. VW Polo:
Rejected on the similar grounds as fabia and also the top variants of polo will be out of our budget. Both the fabia and polo have very incompetent diesel engines.

7. Fiat Punto:
Love the looks of this car but the only variant i would have considered is 90HP diesel and its way out of our budget. Also i din't really like the steering wheel placement in this car. Its very close to the chest.

8. Nissan Micra Petrol/Swift Zxi:
If i have to buy a petrol car in this budget it will be only honda. I don't think these two cars can offer the same refinement, reliability and performance which can better the jazz engine. So out of contention

9. Hyundai i20 petrol/diesel:
Petrol engine lacks grunt and its the same engine which we have in i10. Diesel engine is very powerful but the steering is a big downer. Also top variants of diesel are out of our budget. Wifey din't like the brown interiors either.

The Contenders scrutinized!

So after looking at all the potential options we have finally shortlisted 3 cars. I'm going to describe their positives and negatives which he have felt below:

1. Jazz X
Positives:
-We really love the looks and interiors of this car and it oozes lot of quality. Also it has a premium value attached to it.
-The petrol engine has decent power and is very smooth and refined.
-This car is the most spacious and comfortable out of the 3 options. Magic seats offer lots of creativity and customization.
-I'm sure being a honda this car will be most reliable and peace of mind.
-Its also not a very common car and even after price reductions i don't think it will be as common as others. This gives some amount of exclusivity which my wifey would love.
-Steering wheel is really nice to hold.
Negatives:
-Being a petrol engine the running cost will be higher. This is one of the biggest negatives of jazz.
-Lacks auto AC

2. Swift Zdi:
Positives:
-Diesel engine is very peppy and refined. The car is a hoot to drive.
-ZDi now comes with all the bells and whistles. Safety features are well covered.
-Interiors are fresh and modern looking
-Handling is also decent and we liked the composure of the car
Negatives:
-Space is not as good as the jazz
-The interiors don't feel as good as the jazz. They lack quality
-I did not like the steering wheel of swift. Jazz steering is better to hold. But the steering response and feel of swift is decent.
-This car is too common on our roads and this is one of the biggest disadvantage from my wifey's point of view.
-Swift ZDi is also the most expensive option among the 3 contenders.

3. Micra XV Premium Diesel
Positives:
-Cute to look at and looks little feminine. Quite a hit amongst the ladies.
-Engine is peppy and very responsive. Zero turbo lag and the drive ability is comparable to our santro. Huge advantage in the city.
-Interiors also look good and very well built.
-Diesel economy and also competitively priced
-Its not too common and thus again a favorable factor for wifey.
Negatives:
-The biggest negative of this car is lack of ABS and passenger airbag. How can nissan miss out on these critical safety features atleast for the top variant. Due to this reason the car is almost ruled out of the contention from our side.
-Rear seats lack comfort and space.
-Nissan service is questionable.
-Steering felt vague and lifeless at high speeds

So there you go guys. I have tried to include as much information as i can from my side. Please help us to select the best option and come out of this dilemma.

We are looking to get the car delivered to us by the first month of January.

Thanks in advance!

Ashish.

[rameshnanda]

Ashish,

OTR for Swift ZDI in Chennai is 7.5L
OTR for Punto 90HP after discounts in Chennai is 7.55L. One of my friend has booked Punto 90HP and going to get the delivery this week. Did you check the prices with your dealers?

OTR of 6.95 for Swift ZDI looks low for me.

[funkyp]

For pure driving pleasure, i guess the swift would win, but if you factor in space, reliablity, premium feel, exclusiveness, there is no touching the Jazz.

Also for your running, diesel just does not make sense. the marginal extra cost of diesel saving would be worth the overall better package of the Jazz.

However, there is currently a huge waiting on the Jazz and Swift. Dunno if thats a criteria.

Also, i would say with about 500 kms running, you rather compare the swift ZXI and the Jazz.

There are multiple threads discussion petrol vs diesel, premium hatches etc. A scan through those can easily help you decide.

[Tapish]

Originally Posted by ashish22

Driving pleasure has to be the top most priority. Also it should have decent space (especially in rear), good quality interiors, premium feel and comes equipped with all the upmarket features.

The budget is strictly between 6-7 lakhs and cannot exceed it at any cost. The car should also be extremely reliable since i don't want to take any chances because its going to be used by my wifey mostly.

The running will not be more then 500-700 kms per month as this car will not be solely daily driven. Honestly speaking i don't see this car covering more then 500 kms/month most of the times.

Also we are looking for a car which is not very common. Wifey wants to have something which is quite different from what we usually see on roads.

Since top priority is driving pleasure and reliability, i would vote for the Swift. Also, since it is a diesel, the fuel costs willl be substantially down. However, in case the running is strictly about 500-700, i believe a Swift ZXI should do the trick as well. You save about 1.25 lakhs upfront which shall pay up all fuel bills for 5 years.

Another point, if novelty is a factor, you shouls consider the Jazz. There are far too many Swift/ New Swift/ Dzire etc in the market.

Originally Posted by rameshnanda

OTR of 6.95 for Swift ZDI looks low for me.

We people in the North have some advantage. Car and Petrol, both come cheap(er).

[mayankjha1806]

Voted for Swift and Jazz, take your pick which ever suits you better. If i was you i would stay away from Nissan Micra, that car has seriously either low GC or extremely soft suspensions which hit even the puny speed breakers on bangalore roads. Worse is at the time of hitting them at crawling speeds they make such racket (As if something will break soon surely).

I TD'd a 13K (4 months) old car and was seriously expecting it to be much better then my 7 year old Baleno when dealing with baby mountains in bangalore (being a hatchback).

[revintup]

TD all the cars.Are you saying your wife being a petrol head herself doesnt have a special liking for one of the cars.Go for that one car.Following what the heart has to say will always leave you with immense satisfaction.

You cant go wrong with any of the cars you mentioned,but my pick would be the jazz.The new swift would be too popular,while the jazz will be a niche one and with the flexi seats she could just pack you in a sack and throw you behind and you would still be comfortable.

[akhilesh]

Since its for your wife I would recommend Micra XV Premium because its the most un-diesel driving of the lot, very convenient and has a lot of comfort and convenience features which the Swift lacks inspite of being considerably more expensive. The only negative in my opinion is lack of ABS.
If its petrol you are looking at then there is no competition, the Jazz it is.

P.S. You can ask your wife to drive the Punto 90 HP and see if she likes it.

[creative420]

Seems like you're already in love with Jazz. (I'm only asuuming after reading the way you've praised it and have comapred it to ZDI.)

Anyway...my vote goes for Jazz too. Your monthly usage will merely be about 500 kms, so whatever money you save from investing in a ZDI...you can run your Jazz for a year with it. A year is not too much but the comfort of driving a Jazz. The space inside it. The number of head it turns. I say it's a better deal than the other two cars. Go for it!

[VW2010]

From the price point if diesel is a strict no-no then Jazz is great VFM with the new price cuts.

But if you want a ride that is fun, fast, torqy and just enjoyable, the swift ZDI wins over the Jazz anyday for me.

Swift has so much power within its limits as well as drives so well that its a pure drivers car.

Jazz looks classy but its too old now which needs a facelift or even enhancements.

[Ricky_63]

To my mind a used Jazz (if at all you want to consider it) may make sense if the running is realistically around 500 kms / month

Having said that I personally like the diesel Micra. Cute little run around car, I do not have any idea of maintainance costs though...

If you consider maintainance costs - I feel the Swift would be the best bet. So bottomline is there are pros & cons to each of them.

Let me say one thing which may help, more than all the advice on the forum..

Buy the one the wifey wants - period

Believe you me, peace of mind wali advise hai !!




Cheers

[CtrlAltDel]

Originally Posted by rameshnanda

OTR for Swift ZDI in Chennai is 7.5L

are u sure about that, coz Maruti's website says that it costs 6.48 ex-Showroom. In that case is total cost - tax+insurance+sundries - around 100000???

I agree with Ricky_63 regarding the used Jazz. Its resale would have fallen steeply after the price cut and I bet a good one around 2 years old would be available for a steal.

If you are firm about Diesel, Swift ZDI it is!

[noopster]

Ditch the Micra. Despite the high-spend advertising, this car has failed to pick up as much as Nissan would lke. Excusivity is fine but you don't want to end up in a situation where you don't have bargaining power with the carmaker. Also, lack of safety features is unacceptable in a top-end variant.

Honda Jazz is a great car and will meet your requirements to the T. Except, as you rightfully pointed out, it will pinch you every time you tank up. A tankful will put you back over 3 grand. That sucks- ask someone with 2 petrol cars in the garage!

Swift Zdi is the perfect car for you, and it gets my vote. At just 27K premium over the Jazz X (as per your figures) it is totally worth it when you consider your running costs will be lower by almost half. Except for the painful wait (6 months?) this should be your next car.

By the way, I don't get the statement about "only Honda" in the petrol segment as a consideration in eliminating the Swift Zxi. The Swift's K-series engine is butter smooth and powerful to boot. You may ant to take a closer look if you're inclined towards petrols.

[bluevolt]

As your running is just 500-700 KMs, I don't see any reason for you to go for a diesel. Go for petrol and feel the luxury.

Have your wife TD the Honda Jazz; I guess this is the right car for you.

As the festival season is just about to start, you may get some offers from Honda dealers also. Do checkout both Pearl Honda & Ring Road Honda to see which one gives you best offer.

[RadiantKarma]

Just listing your own requirements below for quick reference:

Originally Posted by ashish22

• Both me and wifey are big time car lovers and we love to drive our cars fast and aggressively...Driving pleasure has to be the top most priority.
  
  
• The car has to be decently powerful and comfortable to use and also need to have all the safety features such as airbags, ABS, EBD etc.
  
  
• Also it should have decent space (especially in rear), good quality interiors, premium feel and comes equipped with all the upmarket features.
  
  
• The running will not be more then 500-700 kms per month as this car will not be solely daily driven. Honestly speaking i don't see this car covering more then 500 kms/month most of the times.
  
  
• Also we are looking for a car which is not very common. Wifey wants to have something which is quite different from what we usually see on roads.

Man, none of the car you've listed meets all your requirements. Jazz does not meet your topmost requirement of fast, aggressive driving. Also, don't think it's loaded with features either. Micra misses out on ABS. And Swift, even the new one, I can almost see it on the roads all over!

But looking at the order of priority, Swift it is for you. And at least for a while, it's not common yet! But why ZDi?. What's wrong with Swift ZXi for 500 km run? Not willing to settle for 1200 cc petrol engine or what?

And you hardly need a vote for this. The choice is pretty clear for you really. Just decide between petrol and diesel.

[rameshnanda]

Originally Posted by CtrlAltDel

are u sure about that, coz Maruti's website says that it costs 6.48 ex-Showroom. In that case is total cost - tax+insurance+sundries - around 100000???

I agree with Ricky_63 regarding the used Jazz. Its resale would have fallen steeply after the price cut and I bet a good one around 2 years old would be available for a steal.

If you are firm about Diesel, Swift ZDI it is!

Yes. It is almost 1L for the registration. Life tax is at 10% + Registration cost + Insurance + Essential accessories. ZDI costs 7.5L in Chennai.