[evil_grin]

New cars nowadays don't justify their price. In any segment.

Since his usage is high, I'd recommend a used diesel instead of petrol. CNG kits aren't good for the engine for long term use.

Besides the Figo/Freestyle 1.5 TDCi mentioned, I'd also suggest the i20. Coming from a WagonR he'll appreciate the improved quality without huge changes in maintenance reliability.

He can also get used higher run/older Verna and Ecosport in his budget.

[evilmessiah]

Originally Posted by KPR

......A mature suspension unlike of MS. If you're looking forward for build quality ignore this car although it comes with ABS dual Air bags as standard. We have a delta AMT ignis at home and it's a fun city car for sure. The design simply grows on one. The best part it is highly mod friendly.

Agree on most points. Ignis has one thing MS cars usually don't have- personality.

Was wondering about the mature suspension part, though. Could you elaborate?

Also about the mod friendly part too. Were you talking about visual mods or performance mods?

Originally Posted by evil_grin

New cars nowadays don't justify their price. In any segment.

Quote of the day. Agreed 100%. The taxes and duties are obnoxious nowadays. I would rather prefer a well maintained used car (even if it has run a lot of miles) where someone else has taken the hit on taxes and depreciation.

Originally Posted by evil_grin

Since his usage is high, I'd recommend a used diesel instead of petrol. CNG kits aren't good for the engine for long term use.

Besides the Figo/Freestyle 1.5 TDCi mentioned, I'd also suggest the i20. Coming from a WagonR he'll appreciate the improved quality without huge changes in maintenance reliability.

He can also get used higher run/older Verna and Ecosport in his budget.

My pick would be a nicely used and maintained Figo anyday. Both new and old ones are great though they focus on different things. The 1.5 diesel is way more engaging and fun to drive than the i20.

Though I hated driving an i20 (diesel and petrol), I can understand its appeal to a non-car guy. It's easy and forgiving to drive. Same deal with Verna. Found the handling to be loose, but it's really comfortable and spacious.

The catch with an Ecosport is the flinty ride quality. In bumpy roads, it can be rough. Else, the diesel Ecosport is a nice pick.

Adding to the topic: Why not a nice used Arrowshot Honda City if ground clearance isn't a concern? The early model i-Vtecs that were very well maintained would definitely cost less than 7 lacs and its mechanical reliability is also great. I found it pretty easy to use the City in the city (pun intended).

[KPR]

Originally Posted by evilmessiah

Was wondering about the mature suspension part, though. Could you elaborate? Also about the mod friendly part too. Were you talking about visual mods or performance mod

MS has given Ignis a bit stiffer suspension setup than their own other cars maybe to its high GC. So this car is surprisingly stable at highway speeds and at turns with minimal body roll. Regarding mods I was referring to purely visual ones.

[vibmat]

I was in the similar position couple of years ago. I was going to buy Ignis Zeta and finally ended up buying Baleno Zeta. In my opinion the stretch for an equivalent Baleno is worth it because of space features and high resale. Baleno is a very desirable car because of its subtle looks as compared to polarizing Ignis. You may even find a good used Alpha variant for the price of Delta. And since he is already planning to install CNG a sparingly used car makes a lot of sense.

[Shreyas]

Originally Posted by evilmessiah

Adding to the topic: Why not a nice used Arrowshot Honda City if ground clearance isn't a concern? The early model i-Vtecs that were very well maintained would definitely cost less than 7 lacs and its mechanical reliability is also great. I found it pretty easy to use the City in the city (pun intended).

Seeing the OP's cousins usage, I don't think it would work out for him in the area of fuel economy. Yes, it has a stonker 1.5 i-vtec and a decent amount of driving feel, but those just matter to a car guy. Nothing can beat a diesel in terms of fuel economy and city drivability.

(My opinion is purely based on the assumption that the OP's cousin is a average Joe and not a car enthusiast, and fuel economy is a concern. If I am not correct with the assumptions, the City(3rd gen) is one of the best cars to own.)

[BLUEK12]

I was in this exact mix almost a year back. A petrol hatch was required and the top choices were Ignis and Tiago. I'll make it really short for you.

Team Tiago: 1) Safe as a tank.
2) Good ride quality, feels good while going over rough patches.
3) The engine and gearbox feels ancient next to the Japs.
4) A.S.S. is inconsistent and you've to be lucky to have a good experience.

Team Ignis: 1) The K12 and the slick gearbox is delicious, there's always more than enough power on tap.
2) Has good headroom like that of a WagonR.
3) Suzuki A.S.S is dependable.
4) Isn't well built as a tiago.

In short, if your friend needs a rev friendly, hassle free car, go for the ignis. Otherwise, Tiago it is.
The ignis zeta MT falls inside this price bracket and the extra money over the Delta is totally worth it.

[Fernang]

Just my 2 cents - My pick would be the New Wagon R. He can remain in the same family and the driving dynamics would be the same. Ease of Ingress and egress compared to a hatchback would be better. Availability of nearby service centres (because it is Maruti).

The assumption here being that since he's not an enthusiast he wouldn't be bothered about the driving dynamics and the sheer pleasure of operating a steering wheel, priority would be ease of ownership.

[sjain2054]

So many recommendations, here's one more.
Most of the cars under eight lakhs have AMT. Don't buy that. Get the Hyundai grand i10 with the torque converter. If you visit a Hyundai showroom, I'm sure they can arrange for an Asta variant. Its an old model and not in production now but if you look for it some dealer might get it for you.

Four cylinder beautiful kappa engine. Tc. Awesome interiors and features. Smoothest car. Plus you'll get discounts for sure.

Don't go for AMT Ignis, AMT Tiago etc. AMT Hyundais - however smooth people say they are. Nothing beats a decent TC/CVT smooth car with a wonderful 4 cyl 1.2 Kappa engine (or even the Japanese 1.2 in Jazz)

[asit.kulkarni93]

If he is keen on a new car then the Ignis definitely makes a strong case. I would prefer the MT Ignis over every other MS product under 10 lakhs. Reliable, relatively better built and offers a good ride quality.

If you are keen on a used car look for a Etios diesel. Reasons?

1. It’s a no nonsense sedan with spacious interiors and a huge boot.

2. The 1.4 D4D is reliable and frugal. It may look underpowered on paper but honestly it is quick.

3. It’s a Toyota. Period.

[buntee90]

Originally Posted by sjain2054

So many recommendations, here's one more.
Most of the cars under eight lakhs have AMT. Don't buy that. Get the Hyundai grand i10 with the torque converter. If you visit a Hyundai showroom, I'm sure they can arrange for an Asta variant. Its an old model and not in production now but if you look for it some dealer might get it for you.

One of my friends has a Grand i10 Sportz TC. It is a very competent car no doubt, but for daily run of 70-80KM it will be very costly to run as it has very low mileage (8-14 Kmpl) depending upon traffic conditions. If it were the case of 20-30 KM it would have been a great choice.
I would prefer a used swift/Figo twins diesel for 80km daily run! Powerful, easy to maintain and fuel efficient !

[Archie_27]

He could take a look at a good used Ford Figo, or a used Baleno, which he could find in diesel avatars, if that's an option instead of cng.

Otherwise, a new or used Grand i10 Nios petrol would also work as the engine is nicely compatible with CNG kits from CEV Engineering.

[drsingh]

I am surprised nobody has suggested the obvious choice for a Wagon R owner. The new wider Wagon R with the 1.2 K12 engine.

It shares the Heartect platform with the Swift and the Baleno, has the same engine, same driving feel and ergonomics. Along with a bigger boot and wider space.

Probably the most fuel efficient engine in its class too. And the network effects of owning a Maruti and more Maruti compatible aftermarket mods like CNG.

If going for an auto loan of 7 years duration, it makes more sense to buy new and get better resale at the end of your ownership.

For high running , a CNG is emerging a good alternative to diesel cars. Specially if you live in a city where CNG stations are rising in number.

[AZT]

Originally Posted by SJM1214

He wants to go for a petrol car which can be converted to CNG after one or two years.

Any reason why he doesn't want to buy a factory fitted CNG car direct. Better than getting it done outside after 1 or 2 years.
The Wagon R offers this but Ignis looks better so tough choice.

Off topic but a relative uses the 2014 Swift with CNG and he's happy, zero boot space left though. Car Dekho shows Swift Vxi as 6.94 lakhs OTR in Gujarat.

[Akash.D]

I am in the market for my first car within a budget of 7 lakhs ( can be extended by 50K). I did a lot of research and shortlisted

1. Tata Tiago xz+
2. Honda Amaze SMT
3. Ford Figo Titanium
4. Ford Freestyle Titanium

The on road prices quoted by the dealers are as follows:-

1. Tata Tiago = 6.93 Lakhs
2. Honda Amaze SMT = 7.58 Lakhs
3. Ford Figo Titanium = 7.08 Lakhs
4. Ford Freestyle Titanium = 7.73 Lakhs

Honda Amaze was only available in one colour option - golden brown and I abhor that colour. So, it was out of the equation.

Ford Figo was available in Smoke Grey colour which I liked very much, but the one in stock was 5 months old and there are no other vehicle in stock. So, the Figo is also out of the equation.

Now, coming to the actual problem - FORD FREESTYLE. Although it was a little bit out of my budget I was very much keen on buying it regardless of financial implications. I liked the design, build, features, space and everything the car offered. I was almost on the verge of booking it when the Tata guy showed up and viola, the updated quotation reads Rs. 6.51 Lakhs for the Tiago xz+. Now, the difference between the two is a whopping 1.22 Lakhs, which translated into around 2.5k in EMI for 84 months. The brain says buy the Tiago but the heart is still hooked at the Freestyle. I went for my brain and booked the Tiago and the finance deal is to be done in 2 days. What do you guys think - did I make the right decision?

[Mr. Nobody]

Originally Posted by Akash.D

...

Now, coming to the actual problem - FORD FREESTYLE. Although it was a little bit out of my budget I was very much keen on buying it regardless of financial implications. I liked the design, build, features, space and everything the car offered. I was almost on the verge of booking it when the Tata guy showed up and viola, the updated quotation reads Rs. 6.51 Lakhs for the Tiago xz+. Now, the difference between the two is a whopping 1.22 Lakhs, which translated into around 2.5k in EMI for 84 months. The brain says buy the Tiago but the heart is still hooked at the Freestyle. I went for my brain and booked the Tiago and the finance deal is to be done in 2 days. What do you guys think - did I make the right decision?

I think the decision is logically right. The freestyle is worth only if you go for the diesel or ground clearance is very important. You can also look into the Altroz XM too i guess if you like the cars looks. The money you save with Tiago top end can help a mid carlife upgrade later with new speakers etc.