[doc&drive]

Let me start this topic by thanking you all in advance.
It was last month i decided to purchase a city car for my wife, who is a debutant.
My requirements were limited that it should be an automatic and a solid build car with good on safety. I fixed a budget of 6 lakh OTR here in Kerala.
I started my hunt for a companion to my BMW X1,
Started with Tata tiago and took a test drive.

Pros
Well built
Good on safety
Decent equipment list.


Cons
AMT - Gear shifts were jerky and it was the first tIme i drove an AMT equipped car.
Interior fit and finish could have been better.

Hence i said no to Tiago.

My second consideration was Hyundai Santro

Pros
Better interior fit and finish
Amt shifts better compared to Tiago.
Better service network

Cons
Didnt have the solid feel of Tiago.
Some interior part reminds me of some compromises.

So dropped Santro as well.

Even though my requirements were minimal as far as i am concerned, I realised i wont get my requirements under 6 lakh. Hence i increased my budget to 8 lakh.

Then i found I10 Sportz AMT

Pros
Well built and had a solid feel compared to Santro .
Feature rich

Cons
AMT gearbox.
Fixed headrest - I realised this is a luxury these days.

I didn't consider Maruti cars as i am not sure regarding them on safety aspect as well as AMT gearbox.

I had a look at VW polo which cost and Jazz CVT which costs around 12 and 11 lakh OTR respectively.
So i was about to make my decision and it was favouring i10 nios.
But to add the dilemma, Ford launched Figo automatic, which I couldn’t resist test driving due to its Torque converter gear box.

Pros
Smooth shifting gear box.
Solid built.
Good handling

Cons
Ford service and long term assistance, as there are rumours that Ford is going to exit Indian market.
Even though gear shifts are smooth , its not a quick car. I felt i10 nios more quicker in 0-100 km/ hour sprint.
The budget is more than 8 lakhs , Titanium variant cost 9.2 OTR and Titanium plus around 9.7 lakh OTR.

I cannot solve this hurdle and i am not able to decide on one car. Should i go for i10 nios , which has a better after sale service, and inside my budget or extend my budget by 1 lakh and to go for Figo titanium, which has a proper automatic transmission.

[2000rpm]

You need to look at the used car market. That will open up a whole host of possibilities.

[carthick1000]

Originally Posted by doc&drive

Should i go for i10 nios , which has a better after sale service, and inside my budget or extend my budget by 1 lakh and to go for Figo titanium , which has a proper automatic transmission.

I think you should go for i10, if you don’t mind the 2star GNCAP. If you do mind safety and overlook the other niggles, go for 4-star GNCAP Tiago. Also Tiago saves you a bit more money.

We had an i10 here in Europe in the past(3rd gen AC3 made in Turkey with 3star Euro NCAP) and it felt pretty solid at highway speeds and felt like one class above. There has been some corners cut for the Indian model, which is the reason for 2star GNCAP. But still it is a very capable platform to take some abuses in rural KL roads too. IIRC, there was also a very informative thread about the structural comparison of different Hyundai models (Indian vs Euro spec) here in team-bhp. You should take a look.

Ford is probably better left untouched given the latest developments. 2000rpm’s suggestion of checking the used market is a very interesting one. Indeed opens up a lot of possibilities and a bit more confusion too

Last but not least, Welcome to team-bhp!

[kosjam]

Have you tried the Renault Kwid? For a change, Renault has launched a good product, and it has a reasonably good reliablity.
The reviews of the AMT gearbox are fairly even, that said, the gear box experience is quite subjective.

[darkLightning]

For your budget of upto 8L the two options which are having good build quality are Tiago and Figo.
Figo's automatic system is far better than Tiago but yes peace of mind will be an issue with Ford India's future out in the dark.
I don't know about the state of Tata ASS in your region but be prepared for adventurous experiences with them.

Maruti and Hyundai both are not in the same league safety wise as the above two.

If you are ready to explore in 8-10L price range then Jazz/WR-V can be a decent and relatively safe option.

However one out of the box suggestion would be to check out Kiger/Magnite,they have good safety ratings and top models come out in the 10-10.5L range, I am not sure but one of their non-top models could satisfy your requirement, plus I heard some news today that there is discount on offer for Kiger.

P.S - I was in similar dilemma as you in 2018, ended up picking Celerio AMT, which is a great car for what it offers but yes not as safe as Tiago/Figo

[lamborghini]

At this budget you have a few hard choices to make:
1) Transmission option : torque converter / CVT (Honda, Ford) vs AMT
2) Peace of mind safety (Tata, Ford, VW) vs peace of mind manufacturer

Also the closer you go towards 10L, given your needs of easy to drive, you may question the advantage of a CSUV with its higher seating and better ground clearance as compared to a hatch.

[AYP]

If you are willing to stretch your budget by a lakh, then along with the Figo, do check out the Baleno Delta CVT as well.

You get a proper automatic with a good feature set. In terms of safety, I doubt if it'd be too different from the Grand i10.

[SNA411]

Nissan Magnite XL Turbo CVT

Automatic? Check. A CVT, no less
Compact? Check. Its a sub-4m car.
Safe? Check. 4 star ASEAN NCAP rating.
Ex-Showroom Price ₹ 8,39,000. Almost check.

[Bibendum90949]

Originally Posted by doc&drive

It was last month i decided to purchase a city car for my wife, who is a debutant

From your post, it appears that the car would also be used by you. Why I think so is because a novice driver(in this case your wife) won't surely be looking at 0-100 sprint timings

Ford service and longterm assistance, as there are rumours that Ford is going to exit indian market.
Even though gear shifts are smooth , its not a quick car. I felt i10 nios more quicker in 0-100 km/ hour sprint.

Jokes apart, if you are zeroing in on Figo AT you should also have a look at the Kiger CVT too but it shoots up your budget further, snap shot of Kochi OTR price attached below for a quick look. The moment one adds safety to the equation, the budget goes for a spin sadly even if the other requirements are basic. If you're not unduly worried about Ford's future here, the Figo AT is a good pick. Seeing a BMW in your garage and in case you like driving, Figo is the one for you.

And if the car is going to be solely used by your wife and she being a newbie driver, even AMT would suffice I reckon since jerks and head nod would be the last thing on her mind as she'll have plenty other things to worry about once behind the wheel. There are very few options in the basic budget if AMT is a no for you which you've realised by now. If you go the AMT route, have a look at Santro AMT and Wagon R AMT, both lacks in safety though.

Welcome to the forum by the way and good luck with your hunt.

[jetsetgo08]

Originally Posted by doc&drive

car with good on safety. I fixed a budget of 6 lakh OTR here in Kerala.

Welcome to T-Bhp.

The short answer to this requirement is, there is no such new car in the 6-8L space. However, if you are open to used cars, the spectrum broadens as mentioned by other members here.

A tip if you have finalized on an AMT. Do check if you are okay with using the handbrake even on slight inclines to prevent the car from rolling back.

[blackstallion76]

@doc&drive:
Its better to go through used car market as driving seems new for the purchase.
There are lots of torque converter cars Grand i10 auto & Honda Brio AT which gives good auto response in most situations and easy to drive within city. No much hassles. Probably Asta variant will have all the bells and whistles. These can be beater cars for short runs every now and then like an activa.

Pls stay away from AMTs, just personal opinion. There are issues still to sort them out. Maruti AMT woes thread gives the glimpse of this.

If new cars with TC or CVT, nothing comes below 8-9L.
If not worried on budget, pick below options:
1) Jazz CVT
2) Magnite CVT
3) Baleno CVT

[dr_TJ]

If safety is a Top priority, Tata Tiago or Tigor AMT should be the default choice.
According to Global NCAP Tests, Hyundais fair even worse than Maruti Suzuki now, but yes Hyundais have better plastic quality and Fit & Finish. And from my personal experience, I found Hyundai Service expensive and also if one is not very mechanically sound, Hyundai will add a whole lot of things to do during the service.

But as the title mentions a automatic car for city, any Hyundai or Maruti AMTs will do the job, with added peace of mind.
If the budget permits, I would surely recommend to stretch it to accommodate a Renault Kiger CVT

[adkrish22290]

I would recommend the Tiago/Tigor AMT in case safety is your Number 1 priority. Otherwise, I would kindly advise you to drop your reservations on Maruti and test-drive a Celerio or Ignis Delta AMT. Ignis in particular has a pretty decent GNCAP rating of 3.

Hyundais too are not really safe cars. Between Hyundai and Maruti, I would prefer the Maruti for its peppy engines and ease of maintenance.

[Phantom 510]

Hyundai Gi10 Nios 1.2 petrol should suit your requirements really well if you're looking for a fuss free, well made and a well equipped car.
1. AMT is really smooth and better than the others, all thanks to It's electronic actuators.
2. Compact size, light steering and tight turning radius makes life easy in the traffic.
3. The 1.2L petrol is a really responsive engine and scores high on refinement. Returns pretty good efficiency if driven well.
4. Interiors are well made and exudes a feel good factor making one believe that their money is well spent.
5. Rear seat is really comfortable for the rear occupants with a relaxed recline angle and healthy under thigh support.
6. It is well insulated and cocoons it's occupants from the outside noise quite well for a car of its price.
7. Rear AC vents needs a mention here. It helps in cooling down the cabin a bit more effectively.
8. Hyundai after sales service is pretty good.
9. Service costs are really affordable.
10. Plush low speed ride quality.

[Jagann13]

Why not try looking at a Renault Kiger or even a Magnite. I would even suggest a Renault Triber if you are okay with the AMT and an okayish engine. Lots of space, practicality and 4-star NCAP on its bags makes it a good city car!