[PetrolRider]

As they say, circle of time exists, there is this time in every BHPian' life comes as in circle; "What Car?". The curse of a BHPian, apparently none of us can escape from the very question, though I doubt, anyone of us would rather want to.

Coming back to topic.

Car is for my native place Bhubaneswar which would be:

1. Chauffeured (we have a driver)
2. Used very scarcely, but we need it (3K in a year)
3. Majority of time the "driven" would be my septuagenarian mom, who just need a car. None of us siblings stay in our native and more of yearly visitors.
4. Length would be limited strictly to 3985 cms, blessings of the bright vision of the architect of our rather spacious house.
5. Stay with us till NGT / SC /Govt / God / anyone with authority bans it

So, what the above implies:

• Point 1 implies to less fancy, less bling and functional with major focus on back seat comfort that driving pleasure. I, specifically and rather to the displeasure of the WOKEs would not want my driver to have any fun at all.
• Point 1 also makes it logical to keeps the price low. I am at this moment self restricting to 7-8 lac OTR.
• Our driver is honest and dependable, but he normally has a beef to pick with car entertain system. The AVN of my current car went kaput within 4 years. Hence, only functional features only. I am also thinking of steel wheels only even though roads are excellent in Bhubaneswar to avoid unnecessary chauffeur related wear and tear.
• Point 2 screams petrol only. 90% of usage will be city while 10% would be NH with max 200 KM a trip range.
• Point 3 requires maintenance friendly. ASS that I can trust with our driver.
• Point 4 limits to B1 segment only. A cm longer ensure damage to car by the garage door especially during our annual "cyclone" month.
• Point 5 implies for a new car and be damn about its resale.

Phew, all these considering, I have come up with below list:

1. Tata Tiago XT with dreaded TATA service which I think I can coast considering the running would be very less.
2. Tata Punch Adventure with similar pondering as Tiago
3. Hyundai Neos Magna with Hyundai reliability. 4 airbags may help it in keeping its 2 stars unlike Marutis those sheds a star with new rules.

Others:
1. Ignis Delta: Outgoing model with scary safety rating.
2. Wagon R zxi: Why not the Ignis then?
3. Swift vxi: Trying very hard but somehow couldn't justify over others to myself.
4. Celerio zxi: When I know it got a big 0 in crash testing, how can I?
5. Citroen C3 feel: I don't know why I am keeping it here!

Something about our current steed that would be replaced. It is a Chevrolet Sail-UVA.

So why I am replacing it?

Well, it is in its 10th Year. The local service center is non-functional. Local FNGs do not like it, because of lack of parts. The "alternate" branded parts carry it so far and causing it maintenance heavy (average 30K a year in last 3 years with 7K running during that time).

What I have to do to continue with our Sail-UVA?

Multiple runs to next city ASS with hope that they can arrange all the parts it needs. It'll take quite a lot replacements and my guesstimate would be nearing about 6 digit expenditure.

I'll limit myself to checkout 2 -3 cars before fixing a replacement, hence please help me optimize and refine my list here.

Timeline: There is a bottleneck in car paper after demise of my father last year. I am planning to go with my acquisition as soon as the papers are in order.

Please, help me out here.

[self_driven]

Originally Posted by PetrolRider

Please, help me out here.

Wow, that's a nicely penned down car buying query! And the shortlist is apt as well. Both Tiago and Punch are great choices as per your requirements. Safety is unmatched + ride quality and comfort is much better than cars like WagonR and i10 Nios. Service and reliability risks generally seen with Tata cars are also mitigated to some extent with your kind of usage.

Next best bet would be something from Maruti. Ignis is a decent car. Swift would be an overkill + not the most spacious backseat. Believe it or not, the brand is working on better safety lately. Alto has performed surprisingly good in NCAP if we look beyond the star rating. But yeah, older products (WagonR, Swift and Ignis included) are still lacking from a safety POV.

I won't recommend Hyundai i10 Nios. Like Maruti cars, it's an unsafe car end of the day irrespective of what the cabin quality will make you believe. I also found the suspension too soft and bouncy last time I drove one in 2021. Don't know if they've made improvements now. Also keep in mind that side airbags will have no effect on rear occupant safety.

Keep us updated on what you decide, good luck

[PetrolRider]

Originally Posted by self_driven

Service and reliability risks generally seen with Tata cars are also mitigated to some extent with your kind of usage.

What I can't understand, how come something in this era has 6 month service duration. . I have to depend on my Driver to handle at least one of the services out of two in a year.

Originally Posted by self_driven

Next best bet would be something from Maruti. Ignis is a decent car.
..
Alto has performed surprisingly good in NCAP

When I start penning down my list, of course my first go to are all from Maruti stable. Like any middle class kid of 90s, my life started with my Dad' M800 and then the Wagon-R F10D.
But, few things holding me back, like
<rant>

• Maruti plastics don't age well. I vividly remember polishing the black plastic bumber of our 1991 M800 with shoe wax to look them black.
• The original Marutis were all about good engines where "kitna deti hai" come piggy backed. Now, these "Kitna deti hai" engines are killing the good part in them.
• Maintaining Marutis are fuss free, because we have accepted the rattling/fading color/parts falling out are features rather than problem. If we don't add much mileage, Maruti maintenance are equally cumbersome and costly. I have never seen anyone trying to fix the color fade of dash plastic in a Maruti, but ofcourse we complain when the German head-light leveler doesn't make that click sound after 5 years.

</rant>

Originally Posted by self_driven

I won't recommend Hyundai i10 Nios.

Yup, planning to drop Hyundai as of now, as owning a Hyundai for last 5 years, all I can say Hyundai's "features" perform better when cared. My driver, though reliable, but not a sucker of car maintenance, I am afraid.

I have trimmed the list to:
Tata Tiago XT
Tata Punch Adventure
Ignis Delta (?) - Just to keep something outside Tata

[KPR]

Originally Posted by PetrolRider

I am at this moment self restricting to 7-8 lac OTR.[*]Our driver is honest and dependable, but he normally has a beef to pick with car entertain system. The AVN of my current car went kaput within 4 years. Hence, only functional features only. I am also thinking of

How about LXI Brezza? The comfort of owning a MS in India is unparalleled. I have seen few videos where rear head rests are installed like OEM in Brezzas. At a Lakh more than your budget you can be assured of a good product. Just that I'm not sure if it can fit 3985 mm.

[self_driven]

Originally Posted by PetrolRider

What I can't understand, how come something in this era has 6 month service duration.

Agree with you. That's a huge inconvenience especially if there is no service centre nearby.

The original Marutis were all about good engines where "kitna deti hai" come piggy backed. Now, these "Kitna deti hai" engines are killing the good part in them.

Actually I still consider Maruti a leader when it comes to sorted mechanicals. Their small capacity engines (1.0 and 1.2-litre) are refined, reliable and surprisingly peppy (don't ask how ) even by today's standards. Only thing letting them down is the flimsiness of their cars.

[PetrolRider]

Originally Posted by KPR

ust that I'm not sure if it can fit 3985 mm.

No, it wont. Neither the Altrose / Baleno / Venue / Nexon / i20 / my saneness.
I think, my ill wishes towards the architect of the house are so overwhelming, over the ages the recipient mailbox was already overloaded and those ill-wishes are bouncing back to me now.

Originally Posted by self_driven

Agree with you. That's a huge inconvenience especially if there is no service centre nearby.
Actually I still consider Maruti a leader when it comes to sorted mechanicals. Their small capacity engines (1.0 and 1.2-litre) are refined, reliable and surprisingly peppy (don't ask how ) even by today's standards. Only thing letting them down is the flimsiness of their cars.

TATA service centers are plenty and are nearby, can not comment on quality though.
No doubt on engine quality of Maruti owning then for 20 years. Ok, I'll have a check at Ignis only if their discount wobble my mind considering it is an outgoing model.

I am visiting my native in May 2nd half, hope to finalize something by then.

[bijims]

Originally Posted by PetrolRider

I have trimmed the list to:
Tata Tiago XT
Tata Punch Adventure
Ignis Delta (?) - Just to keep something outside Tata

Considering your requirements like size, space, features, and usage pattern, the best car would definitely be the Tata Punch Adventure with its 5-star safety, Good looks, SUV-like styling, and feels like a better Value for money buy against the Tiago.

[PetrolRider]

Originally Posted by PetrolRider

I have trimmed the list to:
Tata Tiago XT
Tata Punch Adventure
Ignis Delta (?) - Just to keep something outside Tata

Oh! lord how to get out of this confusion
Get some more kid.

Nah, I am too bad at literature. What I am getting at is, to overcome the confusion on shortlist, one visits the showroom and then come out more confused.
So here is what happened over the weekend.

Disclaimer: I own a Hyundai (H), family owned Marutis (M) for long and I have no lovey-dovey with Tata (T)

T Tiago XT:

Budget - check
Mind and heart and other limbs: check
What I like: Space, backseat comfort, seat position
Why confusion: Boot.

It has a pouch behind the rear seat. I don't think a 24" luggage and a cabin luggage would fit there. No, 60:40 also not helping. For those airport / Rly station trips, I need to work out on puzzle who goes first, people or luggage.

Existing owners, please help.

T Punch Adventure:

Budget - check
Mind and heart and other limbs: check
What I like: Space, back and front seat comfort, seat position, Boot space
Why confusion:

All checkpoint passed. But, my mom is short, kinda too short. I am not sure if her Olympic spirit would be awaken every time she had to scale the back seat.
Cost a lac more over all other options.

H Nios Magna:

Budget - check
Mind and heart and other limbs: Heart went on a 'hartal', some limb followed.
What I like: Boot
Why confusion:

Back seat placed too low. My mom would be happy, but not us.
Once, after I donated blood on some camp, I started loosing sense and the doctors there put my leg up and head down. I had similar feeling in the backseat of Nios.

M Ignis Delta:

Budget - check
Mind and heart and other limbs: Limbs went on indefinite 'hartal'
What I like: Boot, 60/40 rear seat split. Front seats.
Why confusion:

Back seat depth made the accumulated fats on my thigh hung like bulldog' cheek (why I wore shorts). 20 years back, it would have been non-issues, but as I age, these things matter. I am not sure, if the back seat would be that comfortable on those occasional highway dashes.

They have medicine syrup holder on their doors, unique feature I must say.

---
The Hyundai SA advised me to wait for Exter, which as per him would be launching this month.

Continues

[Chetan_Rao]

Originally Posted by PetrolRider

...
2. Wagon R zxi: Why not the Ignis then?...

Given you're considering Marutis, why not the WagonR?

Nothing quite like it for senior citizen ergonomics + space + short urban drives use case. Take it from someone who bought it for the exact same reasons.

Buying a car for a senior citizen is tricky, because the objectively better/best product in OUR eyes could well be useless for their specific needs. A good car, ultimately, is one the end user is happy with, not one that ticks the most boxes on a theoretical 'better car' checklist.

We finally chose the WagonR because it was the only car Ma could get in & out of both rows without discomfort in her knee. We got the 1.2 liter because Dad still loves to drive and the little K12 is fun (loves the ergonomics too, but won't admit it ). They're both super happy with the car and take it everywhere.

[rajivtelang]

Originally Posted by Chetan_Rao

Given you're considering Marutis, why not the WagonR?

Nothing quite like it for senior citizen ergonomics + space + short urban drives use case. Take it from someone who bought it for the exact same reasons.

Buying a car for a senior citizen is tricky, because the objectively better/best product in OUR eyes could well be useless for their specific needs. A good car, ultimately, is one the end user is happy with, not one that ticks the most boxes on a theoretical 'better car' checklist.

We finally chose the WagonR because it was the only car Ma could get in & out of both rows without discomfort in her knee. We got the 1.2 liter because Dad still loves to drive and the little K12 is fun (loves the ergonomics too, but won't admit it ). They're both super happy with the car and take it everywhere.

Had it gotten atleast 3 stars in crash test I would have considered a couple of years ago. I went with a Tiago instead.

[PetrolRider]

Originally Posted by Chetan_Rao

Given you're considering Marutis, why not the WagonR?

Simple and only reason, we had extremely pleasant memories with our 2004 Wagon-R (F10D).
When we were searching for a replacement in 2013, Dad hated the 2nd generation WagonR. 3rd gen is even more distant. Sorry to say, current WagonR has genetically noting in common with the original Wagon-R other than the moniker (they even wont carry the hyphen anymore).
To be very blunt, for me, current gen WagonR is nothing but a trimmed down version of Ignis (Heartect, K12, tall boy?). That is why I kept Ignis only , which eventually we didn't shortlist also.
Sorry Chetan, I could simply write "I don't like it", but the emotional breakdown has to be let out somewhere and what is the best place for it than T-BHP?

[PetrolRider]

Originally Posted by PetrolRider

T Punch Adventure:

Budget - check
Mind and heart and other limbs: check
What I like: Space, back and front seat comfort, seat position, Boot space
Why confusion:

All checkpoint passed. But, my mom is short, kinda too short. I am not sure if her Olympic spirit would be awaken every time she had to scale the back seat.
Cost a lac more over all other options.

Finally booked the Punch Adventure variant in tropical mist color. Delivery expected after 4 weeks as per the dealer.
Booking details here (The "I Booked my Car" Thread).

Thank you everyone for your help / support / input for the informed decision.
Went neck to neck with Ignis in final round with quiet a bit discounts thrown in by Maruti against 0 discount by Tata. But at the end safety criteria prevailed.

[aniketi]

Voted for others.

I will go with Maruti Ignis. It has following advantages -

1. 1.2 Liter K series engine is a gem.
2. Best average, superior engine compared to other manufacturer's. Proper 4 cylinder engine.
3. Good ground clearance.
4. Good features for the price you pay. Zeta variant has Keyless entry, Alloy wheels, Spoiler, Roof rails, Infotainment system, Steering mounted controls, Electrically operated mirrors, rear wiper too & few more. Nobody is offering all these features within 8 lakhs OTR (Currently good discounts are going on)
5. Funky SUV type styling, I quite like it.
6. Not very common on roads, you get uniqueness.
7. Don't have cheap car or budget car tag like some others.

I am in same dilemma right now and finally booked Ignis Zeta variant after considering all these cars. I find Ignis best value for money after checking all cars.