[Doge]

Let me try to increase your dilemma here.
If i was in your shoes,I'd probably go for the Maruti. The Scross is more comfortable because of it's ride and more shoulder room at the back. But Ecosport does have comfortable rear seats with decent leg room(three six footers in my family with me being 6'5 always upgraded from an Innova) and a lot more headroom,incase your occupants are tall. The Ford also has more safety kit and is a better built car. As a family car,the Ecosport TDCi is better IMO because of these advantages,unless the shoulder room is a big downer. Also, much better looking.

But, the Scross drives better than the Ford. It rolls quite a lot less since it's not that high of the ground, i think has a better steering and better brakes as well although no complaints from the ford either in this regard. Also, the Fiat motor feels more exciting than the Ford's because of it's less linear power delivery. Drivability is not as good as the Ford but a turbo diesel should feel like it, right?
I wouldn't consider the aspire as it was a little cramped and not as comfortable as others. Quick car though.

[autorahul]

Do keep in mind while test driving that the car shall be used in city significantly more than traffic. What should be more important than high speed cornering is ride quality. If you can get the right balance of both along with meeting your other requirements, you have found your car. Adding to what I have already said above, it seems this is the way I would go.

S-Cross(jack of all, king of none)>Ciaz(ride, space, comfort)=Ecosport(fun)>Aspire(good, but not in this league).

You can even consider testing Honda City Petrol. Its a very smooth engine, nice power delivery, and quite fuel efficient. My Honda City gives mileage of 13-14kmpl in NCR which I deem is pretty good.

[IshaanIan]

The Ecosport is a good car especially at the revised prices it is offered at. Do check it out properly. That said I find the rear bench to be very claustrophobic and the stance of the vehicle to be a bit awkward. Facelift with all-new more mature interiors is also on the way.

S-Cross is dynamically very accomplished although steering feel is lacking, the response, straight-line and cornering stability, braking and suspension damping are all very good. Space is another thing that the car has going for itself. Servicing costs should be less as well. With a remap the 1.3 motor could also lend some fun. This would be my choice

[arvind71181]

Originally Posted by Doge

Let me try to increase your dilemma here.
If i was in your shoes,I'd probably go for the Maruti. The Scross is more comfortable because of it's ride and more shoulder room at the back. But Ecosport does have comfortable rear seats with decent leg room(three six footers in my family with me being 6'5 always upgraded from an Innova) and a lot more headroom,incase your occupants are tall. The Ford also has more safety kit and is a better built car. As a family car,the Ecosport TDCi is better IMO because of these advantages,unless the shoulder room is a big downer. Also, much better looking.

But, the Scross drives better than the Ford. It rolls quite a lot less since it's not that high of the ground, i think has a better steering and better brakes as well although no complaints from the ford either in this regard. Also, the Fiat motor feels more exciting than the Ford's because of it's less linear power delivery. Drivability is not as good as the Ford but a turbo diesel should feel like it, right?
I wouldn't consider the aspire as it was a little cramped and not as comfortable as others. Quick car though.

My preference as of now is S-Cross>Aspire=EcoSport. S-Cross is high on the list as I have driven it extensively and know it well. It is indeed a jack of all trades and the service is also expected to be good. Am going to get a test drive today of the Aspire and the EcoSport over the weekend. One question: The S-Cross is fairly decently quick to the 120 mark and the same engine is there in the Ciaz as well so any idea if the Ciaz is also as sprightly as the S-Cross or not? Also, I have not driven a linear turbo diesel so want to see how that feels. If it makes driving easier in the city, then + points to the Fords!!

Originally Posted by autorahul

Do keep in mind while test driving that the car shall be used in city significantly more than traffic. What should be more important than high speed cornering is ride quality. If you can get the right balance of both along with meeting your other requirements, you have found your car. Adding to what I have already said above, it seems this is the way I would go.

S-Cross(jack of all, king of none)>Ciaz(ride, space, comfort)=Ecosport(fun)>Aspire(good, but not in this league).

You can even consider testing Honda City Petrol. Its a very smooth engine, nice power delivery, and quite fuel efficient. My Honda City gives mileage of 13-14kmpl in NCR which I deem is pretty good.

Yes true, most of the drive is within the city with 3 folks. So in that case the Aspire might also be ok, which a test drive will confirm. As mentioned right now I am leaning towards the S-Cross. City VX is almost 13L in my city while the V is 11.2L. Can you tell me what are the extra things in the VX which really matter? Since I have a base variant right now, would like to go for a top variant this time

Originally Posted by IshaanIan

The Ecosport is a good car especially at the revised prices it is offered at. Do check it out properly. That said I find the rear bench to be very claustrophobic and the stance of the vehicle to be a bit awkward. Facelift with all-new more mature interiors is also on the way.

S-Cross is dynamically very accomplished although steering feel is lacking, the response, straight-line and cornering stability, braking and suspension damping are all very good. Space is another thing that the car has going for itself. Servicing costs should be less as well. With a remap the 1.3 motor could also lend some fun. This would be my choice

Yes the rear bench is claustrophobic so I will do a drive to check if the drive compensates for that. I thought it was face lifted recently. Is there another facelift on the way? Remap is a good thought as well

[ani_meher]

I would say consider Ertiga again, trying to go past its looks - which are not bad to begin with. A tall big vehicle that is somehow shorter in length than S-cross or the Ecosport with tyre mounted on the rear gate. Especially since you are considering a 1.3 S cross, Ertiga makes a good contender.

The extra space you get at the rear can be very useful than a good looking car that can't carry your last minute additional passengers.

[lamborghini]

Honestly - pick up the S-Cross.
It is more spacious, and practical than the other contenders, though it loses out on performance. It's biggest shortfall in my opinion apart from the turbo-lag which you are used to, is the boot space - but IIRC, it is still larger than that of the other options you have listed.

Alternately, do check out the Duster as well. It too should have a very linear engine (90bhp), fantastic ride and handling, a decent boot, and is as rugged. You would lose out on the ease of servicing and interiors - but it is still a very good alternative to the Ecosport and S-Cross.

Wouldn't recommend the Ertiga - as the boot space is limited. The minute you embark on a trip with bags - the middle row space is reduced to that of a hatch! No point having a comfy car when it's just you driving, but one that is cramped the minute you go for a long trip with family (when space and comfort matters most).

[arvind71181]

Originally Posted by ani_meher

I would say consider Ertiga again, trying to go past its looks - which are not bad to begin with. A tall big vehicle that is somehow shorter in length than S-cross or the Ecosport with tyre mounted on the rear gate. Especially since you are considering a 1.3 S cross, Ertiga makes a good contender.

The extra space you get at the rear can be very useful than a good looking car that can't carry your last minute additional passengers.

Good points, but unfortunately I do not like its looks at all, so a very difficult choice for me . Thank you for the inputs though. It is a great VFM car, just not for me.

Originally Posted by lamborghini

Honestly - pick up the S-Cross.
It is more spacious, and practical than the other contenders, though it loses out on performance. It's biggest shortfall in my opinion apart from the turbo-lag which you are used to, is the boot space - but IIRC, it is still larger than that of the other options you have listed.

Alternately, do check out the Duster as well. It too should have a very linear engine (90bhp), fantastic ride and handling, a decent boot, and is as rugged. You would lose out on the ease of servicing and interiors - but it is still a very good alternative to the Ecosport and S-Cross.

Wouldn't recommend the Ertiga - as the boot space is limited. The minute you embark on a trip with bags - the middle row space is reduced to that of a hatch! No point having a comfy car when it's just you driving, but one that is cramped the minute you go for a long trip with family (when space and comfort matters most).

Yes, I am leaning towards the S-Cross as well. Duster, I do not find its interiors appealing. Also, the top end and near top end variants are out of my budget. If I had that budget it would have been the 1.6 S-Cross

[arvind71181]

Went to enquire about the Ciaz and the Brezza at the showroom here. The Brezza was quoted a waiting period of 27 weeks minimum. Decided to try the Ciaz.

The space on offer in the rear is phenomenal. Lots of leg room and width is enough to seat 5 as well. The interiors also seem to be well put together though some similarities with the swift are there especially with respect to the window switches. It is really an all round car with all the gadgets that one would probably need. The top variant gets 16 inch wheels as well. Took a short test drive and was ok with it. The car drives very similar to the S-Cross in terms of pick up. Could not test the handling much but I assume it wont be much different from the S-Cross, in fact should be better due to its low center of gravity.

How is the ride over bad roads? Since it was a short test drive, I could not check that aspect. So, looks like there is a new contender as well

[IshaanIan]

Originally Posted by lamborghini

Alternately, do check out the Duster as well. It too should have a very linear engine (90bhp), fantastic ride and handling, a decent boot, and is as rugged. You would lose out on the ease of servicing and interiors - but it is still a very good alternative to the Ecosport and S-Cross.

The Duster is certainly not in the same league as the Ecosport and S-Cross. With a poor structure in terms of crash safety, cheap interiors, and dated feel, it is a more utilitarian alternative is what I would say.

Originally Posted by arvind71181

Took a short test drive and was ok with it. The car drives very similar to the S-Cross in terms of pick up. Could not test the handling much but I assume it wont be much different from the S-Cross, in fact should be better due to its low center of gravity.

How is the ride over bad roads? Since it was a short test drive, I could not check that aspect. So, looks like there is a new contender as well

Ciaz is no where near as sorted in terms of handling and ride as the S-Cross. The suspension simply lacks the maturity of a dynamically capable vehicle. It does have pretty compliant ride in the city and due to its light weight its quite sprightly even with that 1.3. Low-center of gravity is not the only thing that affects a car's dynamic properties

[autorahul]

Originally Posted by arvind71181

Went to enquire about the Ciaz and the Brezza at the showroom here. The Brezza was quoted a waiting period of 27 weeks minimum. Decided to try the Ciaz.

The space on offer in the rear is phenomenal. Lots of leg room and width is enough to seat 5 as well. The interiors also seem to be well put together though some similarities with the swift are there especially with respect to the window switches. It is really an all round car with all the gadgets that one would probably need. The top variant gets 16 inch wheels as well. Took a short test drive and was ok with it. The car drives very similar to the S-Cross in terms of pick up. Could not test the handling much but I assume it wont be much different from the S-Cross, in fact should be better due to its low center of gravity.

How is the ride over bad roads? Since it was a short test drive, I could not check that aspect. So, looks like there is a new contender as well

I had a feeling Ciaz would suit your requirements very well hence was suggesting it. Here in NCR, there are offers on it too, and pretty huge demand because of SHVS, allowing to escape odd-even rule.

In terms of 0-100 Ciaz narrowly moves ahead of S-Cross as per Motorbeam reviews(only one to quote figures of 1.3 engines of both), but not by much (0.9 secs).

Regarding ride, here is a quote from our Team BHP review.

Originally Posted by Aditya

Ride, Handling, Steering & Braking

Ride quality is a strong point of the Ciaz. Unlike the overtly stiff SX4, the Ciaz has a soft suspension and at slower speeds, ride quality is very absorbent. The compliant suspension soaks in bumps competently. Sharp jolts are hardly ever felt in the cabin. Owners will love this aspect of the car and the lesser variants with 15" wheels should ride even better (our test car had 16" rims). Expressway ride comfort is good as long as the road is flat. On undulating highways however, the car has a tendency to pitch & bounce. It doesn't ride flat at speed like the Europeans. Due to the soft damping, there is some vertical movement on uneven roads and it can feel wallowy. Solution? Drive easy on a typically Indian highway.

[arvind71181]

Took a test drive of the EcoSport and the S-Cross over the weekend.

EcoSport: Drives extremely well and the acceleration is mostly linear. I am sure it can go to the lower triple digit speeds very quickly. Very stable and the ride quality was also good, though I did not go over many potholes. Took undulations in the road well. Road noise does not creep into the cabin and audio system for my noob ears is very good. Ford is quoting 11.6L for the Titanium + model including 2 years extended warranty. The sales person though was dissuading me from going for the top end saying 6 airbags and leather seats are the only difference (while it is not) and asking me if I am not confident of my driving . This spoilt the otherwise smooth TD experience. Another negative was the 2 Ford dealers that I went to did not have the Aspire for test drive so I am yet to drive it.

S-Cross: Went to Popuar NEXA in Nandanam and the treatment was far better here than at the Ford dealership. Took a test drive only to compare the rear space compared to the EcoSport. The family members agree that the leg room is more and also for some reason, the width is also more inspite of both the vehicles being the same width (thicker doors probably?). So the decision would probably be between the EcoSport and the S-Cross 1.3 Zeta. Ciaz I guess is out as the ride and handling of the S-Cross feels better than the Ciaz. On second thought, even the acceleration seems better even though the weight of the Ciaz is less. Maybe I am biased. Also, the Ciaz is a bit too big for me within the city is what I feel.

Decision time coming up soon!! Will have to talk to the other NEXA dealers to see if there is any difference in pricing. Will update this thread soon, hopefully

[landcruiser123]

Originally Posted by arvind71181

Took a test drive of the EcoSport and the S-Cross over the weekend.

Will update this thread soon, hopefully

Given the choice, the S-Cross is a much better choice compared to the EcoSport.

Are you not considering the 1.6 Diesel?

[arvind71181]

Originally Posted by landcruiser123

Given the choice, the S-Cross is a much better choice compared to the EcoSport.

Are you not considering the 1.6 Diesel?

My budget is capped at around the 11L mark and its not possible to stretch it to 15L . And NEXA here has said that they are not taking bookings of Delta and Zeta variants for 1.6 (which in itself would be a stretch as the Delta 1.6 was costing ~13L OTR. Since the car will see highways only 10% of its lifetime, I thought the 1.3 is good enough for my needs as of now

[IshaanIan]

Originally Posted by arvind71181

width is also more inspite of both the vehicles being the same width (thicker doors probably?)

While the door panels are thicker in the Ecosport, it is also due to the fact that it has a shorter wheelbase so the rear seats sit more on the rear wheel arches than the rear bench in the S-Cross in order to provide adequate leg-room so the rear bench on the ecosport itself is narrower and more constricted. That's what I feel.

[vb-saan]

Originally Posted by arvind71181

Took a test drive of the EcoSport and the S-Cross over the weekend.

If it’s not the top-end 1.6 S-Cross, I would suggest sticking to the Ecosport. The Titatnium+ is so well-loaded on comfort and safety features.