[asitkde]

Originally Posted by aargee

Well...Polo is brilliant car; I say this to people all the time - A car is designed to get over a hump, but VW cars have a hump inside the car itself. Why go anywhere else This is the only thing I hate with VW (including Skoda)

Well, Fords do have the hump too. However, in my opening post, I mentioned that the rear room is not one of the priorities, nor is the boot space, this time.

Originally Posted by aargee

Aspire is slightly powered more than GT TSI & hence suggested Aspire over Polo. Plus, Polo is super highly outdated or rather a refresh is highly anticipated soon both on engine & the car itself. VW cannot keep giving the same for years now

I am not too excited about the Figo 1.5 petrol. Too low torque for a 1.5, isn't it? Now you must be talking about the Aspire diesel which I really didn't consider.

Kindly share if you have any information on a Polo GT TSI update, be it the engine or in any other way. I have heard it too, but no definitive information.

Originally Posted by androdev

What you need is a small fun city car, a car that will wash away all the sins of owning 12 cars listening to your finance minster and not doing anything stupid. Well, I say it is time you deliberately do something stupid without breaking the law, or burning your retirement fund. Go get that Polo TSI. There is nothing to update in this car, it is perfect now and it will be perfect in 2020. You don't need Xenon headlamps unless you are a batman protecting Kolkata city in the night. Yes, it is not easy to own like a Maruti car, but you are not a young person starting a family. You should be busy making a bucket list. And why is your son driving a Camry, bad parenting!

I want to nominate you for the award of the best post of January 2017. Great sense of humour and nice writing skills wherein there is a message or two.

Well, 3 of these 12 cars were bought before there was any ministry, let alone finance. One of those 3 was a Toyota Celica. So, not all sins, you see.

Our son driving a Camry has to do with him being a grad student in US, and getting an excellent deal on campus on that used Camry in great shape from somebody who had to move abroad quickly. In three years he has owned the car, he did not have to do anything for the car (except oil/filter and such things) which has proved rock solid through thick and thin. In 2015 summer when we were together in Spain, and we rented a Mini Cooper Countryman and we both drove around in the Pyrenees mountains. So, not so bad parenting either, what do you say?

Thanks again for your refreshing post.

Originally Posted by The Brutailer

Wait for Baleno RS. Best looking of the lot (amazing presence as well thanks to those DRLs). It's small, light and powerful with that Maruti peace of mind.

Polo TSI is a good car but it's all about that engine and transmission (which if you're a manual lover won't matter to you). Other than that, driving dynamics don't impress me much.

Light steering and soft suspension in a car with sporty pretensions don't help much.

Though if I was you, I would've gone for that S-Cross 1.6. One amazing car that!

You already have an amazing petrol car (City), how about you try something different and explosive this time?

Well, your point is well noted. Yes, I really love my Honda City. Even after owning it for 4 years, I look forward to each drive, even short ones. Now how explosive I can be with my new car depends a bit on the financial constraints, as I explained above. Let's see. I will also like to see how bad is the lag on that 1.6, because I have a lot of city driving usually.

Originally Posted by KiloAlpha

So, currently you have a sedan (Honda City) and a hatchback (Hyundai Getz) in your house. Whether you swap your Getz for Polo GT-TSi or S-Cross, the configuration will remain the same. You will continue to have a sedan and a hatchback. Yes, the S-Cross is a large hatchback with higher ground clearance.

The Polo GT-TSi is a fantastic car, BUT, couple of things to keep in mind before writing a cheque to VW:
1. After sales service is hit-or-miss, and could be a headache. Lots of well publicised stories of A.S.S. horrors, and an equal number of not-so-publicised stories of good service exist.
2. While the DSG gearbox is known to fail in hot/humid/stop-go traffic conditions, failures on the Polo are rare. There are ways to minimise chances of gearbox failure, make sure anyone who drives the car follows it.
3. If the road conditions are a major factor, then having a Polo & City in the family is not such a good idea, as both have equal dislike for potholed roads.
4. If long trips consist of just wife and you, Polo will be a good car for it. Any more people, then you will have to use the City.

All things considered, the S-Cross 1.3 Zeta appears to be the one to go for. On the other hand, there are other alternatives from Ford, Fiat, VW, and Maruti that people have suggested. Check those out.
Another one I will throw into the ring will be the Tata Zest (if you can stomach a compact sedan). Well built, decent ground clearance and has a suspension capable of tackling bad roads.
Or, have you thought about the Honda Jazz?

Thanks for a very balanced response. I have heard about the DSG failures, especially in Superb. Of late, the report is encouraging, I am told, especially after VW switching to mineral oil. In addition, there is a safe upper limit of torque that the DSG is safe with. Polo TSI is well within that.

Apparently the VW Kolkata ASS is not that bad, judging by reports from people I know. People from Kolkata can opine. Dealer experience for me has always been quite good. The SAs do not talk nonsense. I visited them 4 years ago too, when I got the Honda City.

I have so far been a bit allergic to compact sedans, hence did not have a good look at any. Okay, let me have a look at the Zest. I know Tata is coming around.

I am completely disenchanted by that 1.2 iVTEC of Jazz. I test-drove it with a lot of enthusiasm years ago, I don't think I want one.

S-Cross has made an impression on me which no other car has done, this time around. If it had the 1.5 iVTEC engine or something better in petrol (something like the 1.4 boosterjet), I would have been owning one right now. I have never owned a diesel vehicle, and our driving also does not require us to have a diesel car. The Polo GT TSI is petrol, reasonably small, and is automatic - and it drives far better than most hatches I know, being well aware of its softish suspension and light steering.

Hence the quandary.

[androdev]

Originally Posted by asitkde

In 2015 summer when we were together in Spain, and we rented a Mini Cooper Countryman and we both drove around in the Pyrenees mountains. So, not so bad parenting either, what do you say?

Nice! You should flog the Getz for few more years and use the money to travel before Trumps build walls or your son gets owned by his own ministry

Thanks again for your refreshing post.

Thank you for seeing that way, was worried I may have crossed the line. Cheers!

[GTO]

Originally Posted by asitkde

Our problem is, we do not have any specific requirement for the new car, except that it has to be a relatively niche product, solidly built, dynamically very stable, with all possible safety features available within the budget quoted above.

The ex-showroom price of the cars in Kolkata are: 9.86 Lakhs for the S-Cross 1.3 Zeta, and 9.36 Lakhs for the Polo GT TSI - a difference of mere 50 thousand. The on-road prices are within our budget, especially keeping in mind that we enjoy the maximum NCB on the insurances of both cars.

I always like to simplify. You have a budget of 11 lakhs, a City in the house and are looking for a small + enjoyable car to drive through dense traffic.

From what I remember of Kolkata, the traffic is particularly brutal. Hence, your first choice should be an AT and there is no better than the Polo's 1.2L turbo petrol & fast 7-speed DSG. It'll meet your build, safety & dynamic requirements too. On the flip side - and there is just one with the Polo - its long term reliability won't be hassle free. I can assure you that DSG gearbox will let you down one day (if not two). If you are okay with that and get an extended warranty to cover the failure (but not the inconvenience), go for the Polo.

If the DSG scares you too much, choose the S-Cross. In 1.6L guise, it's a beast. You MUST extend your budget a bit and go for the 1.6 diesel. That is the engine that really makes the S-Cross and frankly, it's more European in its behaviour than Japanese. Go on, live a little . What do we work so hard for? The main problem with the S-Cross for you will be the MT (in daily traffic) and turbo lag.

In the end, it all comes down to how much you value long-term reliability. If you are okay with a compromise, there's no doubt that the Polo GT TSI is better suited to your purpose. Because you already have a reliable Honda in the house as a backup, this is the one I'd recommend for your daily commute.

Everything's nice with S-Cross except that it runs on diesel and noise is not well-controlled inside the cabin, at least that was the case with the test vehicle.

Don't worry about this factor - you'll get used to it. And one can always drown it down with the stereo's volume knob.

[sups]

Originally Posted by asitkde

Our budget has a flexible max of 11 Lakhs on road in Kolkata.

The Kolkata roads, in case you are not familiar, are rough, there is perpetual construction work, and even the manholes are not level with the road - and we take pride in putting a satellite around Mars. Our total drives are approximately 1000 - 1200 kms per month, distributed approximately equally between the two cars. However, we like to keep two cars, at least as long as both of us are working. And the kilometres do not justify a diesel car.

Thanks a lot for the thread as I am in a similar dilemma for the new car purchase. You saved my time in terms of opening a whole new thread.

Since I am from Kolkata, I can understand the road conditions that you are talking about. I am in Pune now, and road conditions are really not better here through which my family commutes most of the time. My family is mostly chauffeur driven in my Liva diesel. The vehicle has crossed 79K km in last 4+ years. The daily commute road is full of uneven concrete roads, sudden potholes and dips and all kinds of nuisance. There is lot of vertical movement and side by side movement in Liva at the back and this is accompanied by noisy thuds all the time. This is making my wife feel sick lately and hence the biggest criterion for our car search has been pliant ride at the back seat and a cabin with better NVH. This is when S-Cross and few others options came in.

S-Cross 1.3: Pleasure to drive in the city even with the small engine. Significantly better NVH and build compared to my existing Liva, but not like a petrol car definitely. Little stiff ride at low speed and got better with speed. Excellent brakes. I like its understated looks. A strong shortlist indeed. My wife commented that Maruti has started making heaving doors like that of Fiats . We have a Palio stile back home in Kolkata and my family just loves the composed ride at the back.

VW Ameo Highline Diesel (DSG): What a pleasure to drive within the city with the auto gear box and excellent power on tap. But it was a bit slow to respond when the car starts moving from a very low speed. This can be an issue in Stop-and-go traffic, could not test it though. The ride was defiitely better than my existing Liva, but could not compare it with S-Cross as the routes were different. Good NVH for a diesel car with windows rolled up. Since the driver will be driving the car 85% of the time, investment in a VW auto box remains a question mark.

Honda city: Need to test drive it. But I heard that it not very rough road friendly. Since you own one, you can comment better.

Used VW Jetta diesel manual: This probably suits my requirement with its multi-link suspension. I am still looking for a good used one.

Urban cross/Regular Punto: Fiats are always known for their excellent rides. I heard that the latest versions have excellent NVH. Also, Fiat's production facility is very close to Pune. So, hope to have a better service here. If I go for Punto, I can keep my Liva as a 2nd car. Will be test driving it very soon.

Duster 85 PS: This is supposed to be one of the best in terms of ride quality. Need to test drive this as well. However, NVH is quite bad.

All in all quite confused. Hope to take clue from your thread and sorry for posting my own problems in your thread.

[asitkde]

Originally Posted by androdev

Thank you for seeing that way, was worried I may have crossed the line. Cheers!

You didn't at all, I enjoyed your post so much, I read it several times and in the evening read out the full post to my wife at home. She enjoyed it too.

Originally Posted by GTO

I always like to simplify. You have a budget of 11 lakhs, a City in the house and are looking for a small + enjoyable car to drive through dense traffic.

You got it.

Originally Posted by GTO

From what I remember of Kolkata, the traffic is particularly brutal. Hence, your first choice should be an AT and there is no better than the Polo's 1.2L turbo petrol & fast 7-speed DSG. It'll meet your build, safety & dynamic requirements too. On the flip side - and there is just one with the Polo - its long term reliability won't be hassle free. I can assure you that DSG gearbox will let you down one day (if not two). If you are okay with that and get an extended warranty to cover the failure (but not the inconvenience), go for the Polo.

You are very right that the Polo GT TSI fits my requirements quite well, except an assurance of long term reliability on that DSG.

Let me share a text message exchange this afternoon with my nephew (son of my elder brother, eldest of the next generation in our family) who lives in Mumbai and drives a Skoda Superb (I took ride in his car in the past, buttery smooth):

Me: I am looking at Polo GT TSI to replace our old Getz. It has a turbo petrol engine with direct injection. In addition it has the DSG automatic transmission.
People are saying that, the DSG, while a technological marvel, is still not very reliable and it's very expensive to repair. Since there are a few DSG failures in Superb, I am asking you.

My nephew: The biggest USP of the Volkswagen family is the DSG gearbox, used across Volks, Audi and Skoda. It is flawless and makes the car a pleasure to drive. I have no issues in 4.5 years. Initially, when DSG was launched 8-9 years back, there were some issues but they have been sorted out since. You can safely go for it. One of my team members has the GTI. She says it is superb.

Me: Great to hear this. Thanks. On the GTI there are paddle-shifters, but the GT TSI does not have that. I still have the Honda City, and it is driving ever so beautifully. As a second car, I am thinking of a small automatic.

My nephew: I don't think you need the paddle shifters on indian roads. I have hardly used them in my car.

Seems to me that the problems with the DSG may be going down in number. Dealership people also told me that it would be hard to find DSG problems especially on the Polo.

Originally Posted by GTO

If the DSG scares you too much, choose the S-Cross. In 1.6L guise, it's a beast. You MUST extend your budget a bit and go for the 1.6 diesel. That is the engine that really makes the S-Cross and frankly, it's more European in its behaviour than Japanese. Go on, live a little . What do we work so hard for? The main problem with the S-Cross for you will be the MT (in daily traffic) and turbo lag.

More than the money, I am a bit worried about city driving in dense traffic if the turbo lag is really too much. In traffic like this, one needs to fill up an empty space on the road as quickly as possible. My City does it effortlessly. I need that sudden small bit of power surge. On the open roads and on the highways, the 1.6 would be a jewel, I can imagine.

Originally Posted by sups

Thanks a lot for the thread as I am in a similar dilemma for the new car purchase. You saved my time in terms of opening a whole new thread.

You are most welcome. We can search together. However, from your post I gather that your requirement is a little different than mine. While we do not have much of a requirement for rear room and boot in this car, you seem to need those for your family who sit in the rear seats, unless I have misunderstood something.

S-Cross 1.3:

VW Ameo Highline Diesel (DSG):

Honda city:

Used VW Jetta diesel manual:

Urban cross/Regular Punto:

Duster 85 PS:
[/quote]

From your list, I will get the S-Cross without much further thought (and I will not let the driver have the DSG).

[sups]

Originally Posted by asitkde

Seems to me that the problems with the DSG may be going down in number. Dealership people also told me that it would be hard to find DSG problems especially on the Polo.

This is what I was told by the VW sales person while test driving Ameo. While he acknowledged the earlier DSG issues, he confirmed that recent generations are flawless. It seems you would go for Polo TSI (great choice indeed) and in that case please do not forget to get the additional 2 years extended warranty. By the way, how did you find the composure of Polo versus S-Cross or your Honda city in terms of pothole absorbing capability in Kolkata road?

During my used Jetta search in Pune, I came across a August 2015 Polo TSI run for 5000 km with a quoted on road price of 8.5 lakhs. I would have picked that up had it been meant for a self-driving car.
[/quote]

Originally Posted by asitkde

While we do not have much of a requirement for rear room and boot in this car, you seem to need those for your family who sit in the rear seats, unless I have misunderstood something.

From your list, I will get the S-Cross without much further thought (and I will not let the driver have the DSG).

You are right, my requirement is mostly the rear seat ride quality, but not the boot though. And as you said, it seems to be S-Cross for me. I am planning to go for an extended test drive of S-Cross before taking the final call. If I get a well maintained Jetta manual diesel, then the situation will be different though.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by asitkde

Seems to me that the problems with the DSG may be going down in number. Dealership people also told me that it would be hard to find DSG problems especially on the Polo.

Originally Posted by sups

While he acknowledged the earlier DSG issues, he confirmed that recent generations are flawless.

The only reason that 'recent' DSGs haven't failed yet is that they are 'recent'. VW says "our DSGs from 2015 onward are flawless". Well, they haven't really logged too many km, have they? Let all of them cross 50,000 km, then we'll talk.

Additionally, some people have already started experiencing DSG failures in <2 year old cars (search the forum).

Go for the Polo if you like it, but be prepared for DSG gremlins.

[sups]

Originally Posted by GTO

VW says "our DSGs from 2015 onward are flawless".

+1 to that. This is exactly what I heard from the VW sales man.

On one hand, one of the strong selling point of VWs is the quick DSG gearbox, on the other hand it is so prone to failure. What a dilemma for the car buyers!

[Rajeevraj]

Originally Posted by sups

Since the driver will be driving the car 85% of the time, investment in a VW auto box remains a question mark.

Would not recommend buying the DSG when a driver is expected to do most of the driving. The DSG is best when you do most of the driving yourself and need the convenience of an automatic with a little bit of the Fun to Drive factor thrown in.

The S Cross probably will work best for your need. Do look at the Duster also. Maybe even the Creta if you have the budget.

Originally Posted by asitkde

You are very right that the Polo GT TSI fits my requirements quite well, except an assurance of long term reliability on that DSG.

Seems to me that the problems with the DSG may be going down in number. Dealership people also told me that it would be hard to find DSG problems especially on the Polo.

Whatever anyone says, the hard truth is that you can never be assured that the DSG will not give any problems. The number of incidents may not be wide spread now, and maybe you will never face an issue. But you can never be sure. There is a Polo/Vento DSG Niggles thread in the forum itself.

Mine is a Vento TSI purchased in 2013 and had this same confusion on DSG worries (it was much higher then as it was the year of launch for both the Polo and the Vento). Finally I went with it as I felt that there is no point letting a potential future failure prevent me from experiencing the joy the TSI+DSG combo gives. 3+ years later, I have had no issues, but the thought of failure is always there. But that does not prevent me from enjoying what is an excellent car.

In short, If you are buying the TSI DSG, this fact will always need to be there at the back of your mind.If you can live with that thought, the TSI is the perfect choice for your needs. Take the extended warranty and do due diligence when driving the DSG. Hopefully you will have a long and uneventful ownership experience.

[djkher]

I recently bought a S-Cross 1.3. The in-city drivability is just perfect. I can easily glide over a speed breaker while staying in 3rd gear, without stalling the car. Granted the pick up post that is gradual but is perfectly workable. S-Cross is a no brainer if you want a spacious hatch which is fairly easy to drive in city and are fine with a Manual transmission.

However given your requirements of driving in dense traffic, the Polo GT TSI makes much more sense and the one I would recommend.
(given that you don't care about rear space much).

Regarding the reliability of the DSG a question to experts:
Is it really a concern given that running would be quite low at 500-600 kms per month?

[asitkde]

Originally Posted by GTO

The only reason that 'recent' DSGs haven't failed yet is that they are 'recent'. VW says "our DSGs from 2015 onward are flawless". Well, they haven't really logged too many km, have they? Let all of them cross 50,000 km, then we'll talk.

Additionally, some people have already started experiencing DSG failures in <2 year old cars (search the forum).

Go for the Polo if you like it, but be prepared for DSG gremlins.

Originally Posted by sups

On one hand, one of the strong selling point of VWs is the quick DSG gearbox, on the other hand it is so prone to failure. What a dilemma for the car buyers!

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

Whatever anyone says, the hard truth is that you can never be assured that the DSG will not give any problems. The number of incidents may not be wide spread now, and maybe you will never face an issue. But you can never be sure. There is a Polo/Vento DSG Niggles thread in the forum itself.


In short, If you are buying the TSI DSG, this fact will always need to be there at the back of your mind.If you can live with that thought, the TSI is the perfect choice for your needs. Take the extended warranty and do due diligence when driving the DSG. Hopefully you will have a long and uneventful ownership experience.

Originally Posted by djkher

Regarding the reliability of the DSG a question to experts:
Is it really a concern given that running would be quite low at 500-600 kms per month?

That's too many doubts/questions from very well-informed and experienced people. Thanks to all of you. I have painfully gone through the forum yesterday to note down the DSG-related issues. Even recently there are problems with relatively newer cars. Not many, but enough to scare me away.

I think my wish of getting a small reliable petrol hatch is fading away. If you read my opening post carefully, long-term reliability was one of the mandatory requirements, because these days we keep our cars for 8 years at least.

So, what do I do now? Coming from a Honda City, I will not be happy with a car with a listless petrol engine. That effortless driving and refinement even through dense traffic has to be matched. The problem is, I do not see options with a petrol engine anymore. That TSI showed promise, but the promise then vanished with the doubts on DSG. The naturally aspirated petrol options are there, but on cars which are equivalent to the City and it makes no sense to me to buy them as long as I still have the City. That leaves me with Ecoboost 1.0L (in Ecosport) and the Boosterjet 1.0L (rumoured to be launched on the Baleno, perhaps soon). I have not driven the Ecoboost, but reports are not very encouraging. The Boosterjet is going to arrive on Baleno, but I am not too intent on buying the Baleno, because I do not think (am I wrong?) the build quality is on par with what I want, say the S-Cross.

Am I then not pushed (if not forced) to look at diesel engines, just for the performance bit? I now understand why I liked the S-Cross more clearly. Because it appears solidly built, safe and reliable, and has an engine that can push that heavy body through effortlessly at low rpm in a manner that is kind of addictive. I have been driving manual transmission for 35 years (only automatic car I owned in my life, long ago, is Nissan Sentra GXE 1992). If the car is built properly with perfect driving ergonomics (like in a City), I would not mind a manual transmission. I would not even know it's manual. Everything happens effortlessly even in dense traffic. That's why I did not care if it had a diesel engine. The diesel engine it is that is giving that 200Nm of torque even on a 1.3L engine. In addition, I felt the transmission on the S-Cross may be just better than the City's, although I drove it for a short time. But the feel of the clutch, and its physical characteristics (height etc) was very good. I did not have to adjust at all, I remember. Very similar feelings, when I took the test-drive of the City, a little more than 4 years ago.

Confessions of a petrolhead - whatever you call it. That's the reality for me in my present predicament.

Last night, I looked at the financial feasibility of the S-Cross 1.6L as well. On road Kolkata it would be nearly 14 Lakhs. A bit stiff with a budget of flexible max of 11 Lakhs, considering possibility of a relatively large investment this summer. Let me see. I already talked with my Nexa SA about test-driving the 1.3 again, and also the 1.6. But he wants to sell 1.3, because I think he has three in stock. I still think, I can be happy with the 1.3 (given that most of my driving would be in the city), but I shall test-drive the 1.6 also.

Now, if I am not averse to diesel engines and manual transmissions, how about the Polo GT TDI? It satisfies the smallness factor. Reportedly, the manual transmission is very good, and people rave about that engine. In its newest avatar (2017 updated), it still delivers 250 Nm of torque. What do you guys say? Can this be what I am looking for? I am considering a test-drive.

Today is Vasanta Panchami - a major festival around here with Saraswati Puja. I am home today. This has allowed me to do the soul-searching.

Kindly suggest.

[Axe77]

Here's how I see it, purely based on prioritising and consequent elimination:

1. Based on your requirements, I feel an A/T should be a must have (heavy Kolkatta driving etc) as a first priority.

On that basis alone I am ruling out any version of the S-Cross or other manual car options listed.

2. You clearly want a car that is also fun to drive. It need not be big since you also have the City, but should be reasonably comfortable I guess.

On that basis I am ruling out any of the A/T hatches that are not very exciting (read Ignis, Jazz, Baleno - these are all CVTs / AMTs and frankly speaking quite underwhelming from an FTD quotient standpoint).

IMO, based on the above, you should narrow your options to GT TSI and the Ecosport (yes - I am reopening the Ecosport option).

The GT TSI will clearly be THE MOST fun to drive and but as indicated by many, you must be prepared to bite the possible bullet of DSG gremlins even today, if you select this. Also, I suspect the upkeep of this will be the costliest amongst the listed options. If these aspects are acceptable, then you must go for this.

The Ford Ecosport is roomy enough yet compact i.e. has respectable space, recently refreshed, well equipped and is also a quick A/T gearbox. If you want to side step the DSG risk, I feel the Ecosport could be the sensible yet fun enough to drive option. A bit of heart and a bit of head without being overboard on either count.

Hope this helps.

[androdev]

Short version:
Get Polo TSI, or just continue with Getz. Why do you want a big fat diesel manual car? The only reason you are looking to buy a car is to beat the blues of city traffic, and Polo TSI is remarkably built just for that. I can assure you that no TSI owner will discourage you from buying it, isn't that good enough?

Long version:
I have a Honda City AT and I like the motor but hate the go-kart feel of the car. It has extremely poor NVH - I don't even realise if a window was rolled down on a busy road. TSI will be more fun than Honda motor and Polo offers great build and NVH, etc. I have driven lot of cars and this car is an unbelievable product under 10 Lakhs.

Polo TSI is a very popular car with people who also own high end luxury cars. The reason is simple: Maruti is trying to build a premium car using a parts bin of budget cars. VW is building a budget car using a parts bin of luxury cars.

I admit the ownership of Polo TSI can go wrong, but look at the overall package of ownership experience:

1. First 4 years, you are covered under warranty with a history of quick and hassle free repairs. Repeat failures are rare in recent versions.
2. VW dumped lot of technologies that didn't work (Pump Duse vs CRDI, etc.) but they are fully committed to DSG and it is more than 10yr old tech.
3. Polo 1.2 is a small engine, with good factor of safety and your usage is less.
4. Your next best option (Diesel + Manual, yuck!) is more expensive, needlessly bigger and gunning for your knees. Keep the difference in the bank to cover any potential life threatening Polo reliability issues.
5. After 4 years, I expect your son to gift you a Tesla

Haven't you managed a career, built a house, raised kids, eaten home cooked food? Can't you deal with a sub 10Lakh car ownership?

[Rajeevraj]

Originally Posted by Axe77

The Ford Ecosport is roomy enough yet compact i.e. has respectable space, recently refreshed, well equipped and is also a quick A/T gearbox. If you want to side step the DSG risk, I feel the Ecosport could be the sensible yet fun enough to drive option. A bit of heart and a bit of head without being overboard on either count.

Hope this helps.

Different view on the Ecosport AT. It is definitely not fun to drive- Gets the job done ok and handles most situations, but the DCT is quite unpredictable, is not anywhere close to the VW DSG's and is mated to the wrong engine in a heavy car (Would have been much better with the Ecoboost range).

And the DCT is not without its own problems. It has a very poor opinion in the US and there are actually lawsuits filed against Ford for this 'Unpredictable Gearbox' in both the US and Australia.

My comments are based on the fact that I own a TSI DSG and we have a Ford Ecosport AT in my home town. For the kind of use case we have, it is pretty ok, but if I had got it for myself, would have been disappointed big time.

[Axe77]

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

Different view on the Ecosport AT. ....

My comments are based on the fact that I own a TSI DSG and we have a Ford Ecosport AT in my home town.

I'll definitely defer to your opinion on this - its certainly better informed. I'm going only by my perception of the DCT and what I may have read about it.

I do agree its nowhere like the explosive TSI (I drove it once and it absolutely plastered the widest grin on my face). But wouldn't it still be far better than the other A/T options like Baleno and Jazz? My recommendation of the Ecosport was actually more as something that's better than the other options, unless of course even that is not the case.