[AJ56]

Originally Posted by cooldude1988765

My mother is looking to replace her 2003 Wagon R with a small automatic hatch.
I am only looking at the used car market and would ideally like to spend less than 3.5 lakhs.
Her Wagon R has driven only 50,000 kms in the past 18 years so average usage would be around 50-60kms a week.

I have shortlisted the A star and wouldn't mind waiting for the right one.
All the other cars in the budget such as i10, kwid, celerio etc. are a size larger.

Unfortunately since the A star never sold well there aren't too many used ones around.

I have found this one car which looks interesting and will go to the dealer at some point this week.
Wanted to know if there are any specific problem areas to look for and what would be a good price for this example if everything checks out.

Unfortunately this one does not have any warranty whatsoever and since it is being sold by true value I doubt they will let me take it to a mechanic to get it checked.

Like others have said get the Brio with air bags and the 5 speed torque converter, it’s very similar to the A star to drive, will be much safer and has a much better transmission over the 4 speed found in the A star. Also, the asking price at 3.25L for a 2013 with 50k kms is too much, this thing was 4.95L when new 8 years ago, my Amaze which is also a 2013 petrol auto has a market value of 3.3-3.5L and was 7.5L when new. Factoring depreciation, look to pay a max of 2-2.5L for the A star.

[cooldude1988765]

I totally forgot about the brio.
Will revise my search. Brio is the first choice now.

I think there is a huge demand for small automatic hatches as most of the automatics are priced quite absurdly.

I found a 2011 Corolla altis VL for 3.5 Lakhs. This car definitely costed over 15 lakhs when new.

i10 automatics also seem to hold their value very well. I cant find one for under 3.5 lakhs for a 7-8 year old car.

@androdev you were spot on with the pricing of the brio. The cheapest I could find was a 2016 model run a suspiciously low 7500 km for 4.75

[sidm]

Hi guys,

Landed here as I will soon be looking for a 2nd car (a petrol auto hatch or a baby SUV for lack of a better word). Requirements below :

1. Budget ideally not above 10-12L
2. Need a proper auto. CVT/DCT etc OK, AMT not OK.
3. This will primarily be used for daily commutes of about 25-30km roundtrip in Mumbai and maybe weekend trips to malls. We already have a bigger car for highway trips.
4. Needs to have comfortable seating position as one of us has a back problem. Low Honda City like seating is a no.
5. Android Auto/Apple Carplay is a must.
6. Hassle free ownership experience.

Based on these, I prepared a shortlist of Polo, i20, Jazz, Magnite and Kiger. I am yet to drive any of these (have test driven Vento and owned a City for a while so I guess their hatch siblings would be similar). Let me know if there's any worthy additions I missed or if there's something I should remove from the list given the requirements. Would avoid small sedans / cheaper variants of better cars as we already have a large sedan (Octavia). However if there's something cheaper/smaller (like maybe the i10 NIOS) which fits the bill would be good.

[sunikkat]

Originally Posted by sidm

Based on these, I prepared a shortlist of Polo, i20, Jazz, Magnite and Kiger. I am yet to drive any of these (have test driven Vento and owned a City for a while so I guess their hatch siblings would be similar).

Wow exact position I was in couple of months back, have an Octavia and was looking for city auto car replacing Alto. We started with Tiago budget and finally after test driving all cars booked i20 IVT, delivery this Friday.
I kept trying Polo in all showrooms in Bangalore but was not available anywhere, only one comfortline was in stock which I did not take. Also lack features and cramped.
Jazz for me was boring inside out. Cannot live with it for long
Kiger has the best CVT tuning of all the CVTs I have ever driven. Engine was good and drove well too. But interior quality were pathetic. Also overall build quality felt poor and Renault is a gamble.
Liked i20 for what it offers. Most spacious and premium interiors. Drives okay, felt better than Jazz. Overall felt very premium.

[chaksjr]

Originally Posted by sidm

Requirements below :

1. Budget ideally not above 10-12L
2. Need a proper auto. CVT/DCT etc OK, AMT not OK.
3. This will primarily be used for daily commutes of about 25-30km roundtrip in Mumbai and maybe weekend trips to malls. We already have a bigger car for highway trips.
4. Needs to have comfortable seating position as one of us has a back problem. Low Honda City like seating is a no.
5. Android Auto/Apple Carplay is a must.
6. Hassle free ownership experience.

However if there's something cheaper/smaller (like maybe the i10 NIOS) which fits the bill would be good.

The Grand i10 NIOS has the most un-AMT like AMT there is, due to the use of electronic actuators. The expected jerkiness of an AMT is most curtailed in the Hyundai.
The Magnite/Kiger CVT twins offer the most value here, if you can deal with the so-so interior quality and the ASS gamble of Renault & Nissan.
In my opinion, no car completes all your requirements well. You will need to forego one or two of these. Also, the Amaze CVT could be worth a look, assuming it has higher seating than the City.

[aditya101]

Originally Posted by sidm

...[*]Need a proper auto. CVT/DCT etc OK, AMT not OK.
...

Please elaborate on your choice.

I am in the market for an automatic for my father and want to understand this as a non-AMT rules out most of the options in the market.

Thanks in advance.

[no_boundaries]

I've been contemplating upgrading my Celerio AMT with a Baleno CVT.
I've based on the following factors -

1. CVT is a logical upgrade from AMT once you've been imbibed in the automatic car world. Its just simple and not fussy
2. With 10 -11 lakhs budget I feel its more space and value for money compared to other cars in prices range. Moreover, I can use my saved up money and take a 3 year EMI to clear the cost.
3. Strictly looking at top end variants I feel its sufficiently kitted for the $$
4. The car's primary driver would be my wife, and I rarely, with my 6 year old on tow hence it needs to be a beater and rise up to the highway cruisability too sometimes
5. I want to get the safest hatch in its class but honestly none comes close in this price bracket for a fully loaded variant.
6. I'm 6'1 with a heavy built so seating comfort in baleno was just spot on

Does it make sense ?

[akash_v12]

Originally Posted by no_boundaries

I've been contemplating upgrading my Celerio AMT with a Baleno CVT.

Hi!

A lot of things to put the Baleno as a top contender for you. However, remember that the Baleno is possibly getting a facelift within the next month or so.

- CVT does seem like a more logical upgrade as compared to a DCT. Keep in mind that the rubber band effect is still pronounced. If you don't mind the minor difference in the exterior, go for the Glanza if it is an immediate requirement (due to the longer warranty) or just wait it out for the facelift.

- The Baleno is light and highway abilities are definitely not where it shines. The Altroz (because it's heavier) & the Polo (due to the driving dynamics make more sense here). The Polo doesn't get a DSG/DCT anymore. It comes with a 6-speed TC, if you're willing to overlook the small compromises that come with a VAG product, go for it. Rumours are that the Altroz will also get an AT box very soon.

Now it's up to you. Whether you can wait for the new Baleno or you'd prefer a car immediately.

[sidm]

Originally Posted by aditya101

Please elaborate on your choice.

I am in the market for an automatic for my father and want to understand this as a non-AMT rules out most of the options in the market.

Thanks in advance.

My current drive is a DSG (2019 Octavia 1.8) and the one before that was a CVT (City). As explained earlier, this would be a second car. I have no experience of an AMT and assume it would be a downgrade considering my budget of 10-12L should be sufficient for a non AMT auto hatch. Hence this condition.

Of course, I do plan to try it out in a test drive of an AMT car. If its as convenient (and reliable) will consider this as well.

[no_boundaries]

Originally Posted by akash_v12

A lot of things to put the Baleno as a top contender for you.

I had a Polo GT before and I absolutely loved it. However that car is very cramped for 3 and not spacious at all. Though the new polo is a good package overall it won't work out for me owing to the limited space and the 3 cylinder motor. I'm really longing for a smooth 4 cylinder engine.

I loved the Altroz however the petrol engine just doesn't impress, its flat and if I may dare say, not even as engaging as the Celerio. Hence that's off the list as well.

I'm not in a hurry and I think I will wait for the facelift but I'm also apprehensive how it might turn out. I really like the current design - its simple and yet striking. That's a gamble I need to make.

[no_boundaries]

Originally Posted by sidm

I do plan to try it out in a test drive of an AMT car. If its as convenient (and reliable) will consider this as well.

Do consider the Swift in its AMT guise. It's a competent product and ticks many boxes. In my opinion the AMT works like a wonder with 4 cylinder engines than the 3 cylinder ones in the MS stable.

[sswaroop]

Originally Posted by sidm

Based on these, I prepared a shortlist of Polo, i20, Jazz, Magnite and Kiger. I am yet to drive any of these (have test driven Vento and owned a City for a while so I guess their hatch siblings would be similar).

In mid-2019, with my Dad as the primary user, I had test driven the i20, Jazz and Amaze CVTs and ended up with an i20 CVT. Oodles of space in the Jazz, but we found the interiors to be boring and power to be low. It was too slow in the city itself. The i20 was better and more nimble, although a bit low on space. During our ownership for the past 2.5+ years, it has been driven for only about 13K Kms(Thanks Covid) with a few short highway trips (300-320 kms max one way). Rear seat comfort is poor, and can pretty much feel a lot of the bumps along the way. Front seat comfort is good. Mileage in Bangalore traffic is around 7-8kmpl according to MID. I expect the new model to be similar. It's okay as a city vehicle though.

[cooldude1988765]

Originally Posted by cooldude1988765

I totally forgot about the brio.
Will revise my search. Brio is the first choice now.

I think there is a huge demand for small automatic hatches as most of the automatics are priced quite absurdly.

I found a 2011 Corolla altis VL for 3.5 Lakhs. This car definitely costed over 15 lakhs when new.

i10 automatics also seem to hold their value very well. I cant find one for under 3.5 lakhs for a 7-8 year old car.

@androdev you were spot on with the pricing of the brio. The cheapest I could find was a 2016 model run a suspiciously low 7500 km for 4.75

An update to the car search, after multiple test drives we have decided on the Jazz VX CVT. Have placed a booking for a new one last week as all the used cars seem atrociously priced. Wait time is around 8-10 weeks apparently.
In the mean time trying to scour the used market for a reasonably priced 3 year old car. In case I find a good deal will cancel the booking for the new car.

On a side note picked up a used Micra CVT for my wife who is still very unsure of her skills.
The car was my long time friend's and was sparingly used by his sister. 2013 model with 33000 kms. It has a few small niggles due to non usage for the last year or so. Luckily the car was serviced last month and even though the car is old, the price was very attractive so bit the bullet.
I am using the car since the past week and have identified a couple of issues. Will use for another 10 days to identify all issues, then fix them and then hand it over to my wife.

[RSM_TorqueZoner]

I have always known the car I wanted. But this time around, it is for my mother. And I am not so sure. I live in the US and my mother in India. Unfortunately, after some exhaustive research, I am at the exact same point with zero additional information.

Requirements:
1. Hatchback
2. Has to be CVT. Yes it is for my mother, but even then, I really cannot fathom buying an AMT. No matter how hard any one argues on how "refined" AMT's are these days, I am not going for it. Period.
3. Budget under 11L OTR Kochi. Anything above doesn't justify my mother's use.

Do I have any option other than Jazz/ Amaze/ Magnite/ Kiger?

Amaze, Magnite & Kiger have been ruled out. Jazz has the better build and Magnite/Kiger feels cheap. It is also a size bigger for my mother's liking. And Jazz soon goes out of production!

Seriously, what kind of a situation is this? All I want is a Non-AMT hatch!

Altroz & i20 aren't pulling strings anywhere, my mother did not like them either. They are not being considered for multiple reasons, I don't want to elaborate further making this post an essay.

So, does that mean Jazz remains my only option? Yes it soon goes out of production. And it is just a practical car, not an exciting one. Yet, it remains the only option.

Someone please prove me wrong! It can't be this bad. Clearly, I have to be missing something.

Also, I don't mind waiting till the end of the year if there are any exciting launches around the corner - nothing I could find though.

[colcol]

Originally Posted by RSM_TorqueZoner

I have always known the car I wanted. But this time around, it is for my mother. And I am not so sure. I live in the US and my mother in India. Unfortunately, after some exhaustive research, I am at the exact same point with zero additional information.

Requirements:
1. Hatchback
2. Has to be CVT. Yes it is for my mother, but even then, I really cannot fathom buying an AMT. No matter how hard any one argues on how "refined" AMT's are these days, I am not going for it. Period.
3. Budget under 11L OTR Kochi. Anything above doesn't justify my mother's use.

Do I have any option other than Jazz/ Amaze/ Magnite/ Kiger?

Amaze, Magnite & Kiger have been ruled out. Jazz has the better build and Magnite/Kiger feels cheap. It is also a size bigger for my mother's liking. And Jazz soon goes out of production!

Seriously, what kind of a situation is this? All I want is a Non-AMT hatch!

Altroz & i20 aren't pulling strings anywhere, my mother did not like them either. They are not being considered for multiple reasons, I don't want to elaborate further making this post an essay.

So, does that mean Jazz remains my only option? Yes it soon goes out of production. And it is just a practical car, not an exciting one. Yet, it remains the only option.

Someone please prove me wrong! It can't be this bad. Clearly, I have to be missing something.

Also, I don't mind waiting till the end of the year if there are any exciting launches around the corner - nothing I could find though.

Unfortunately, you are not missing anything. Waiting till the end of the year will likely make the situation worse. The Jazz might go out of production and the other options would see price hikes.

If you are willing to look at an AMT, the only option worth considering would be the Ignis, in my opinion. You would compromise on the transmission and on the build quality somewhat, but the size would be more to your mother's liking and, of course, cost a fair bit less.