[adabass]

I am returning to India after 4 years and looking to buy a car. I never owned a car before, but now will need one as I am married now and also possibly parents coming and living with me. Some of my criterias for selection is -

1. Price - I dont want to compromise on quality but I also dont want to spend a lot on my first car. I am thinking of something in the range of 4-6 lacs.
2. Interior space - I am 6"2' and would like to have a car where I can drive comfortably and an avg person (5'8") can sit behind comfortably.
3. Safety - Should definitely have frontal airbags. Side and curtain airbags are plus.
4. Manueverability - Ability to squeeze in tight corners, traffic and parking spots.
5. Boot space - Ample amount of boot space to put 2-3 large suitcases.
6. Mileage - Should not have to line up at a fuel station every week.
7. After sales support - Ability to get good service, parts et all.

I am not too worried about power and acceleration. For that I am planning to purchase a bike if I need the thrills. Based on the above factors the little research I have done - three names stick out - Fabia, i20, Swift. With the tbhpian's experience and knowledge - Which one among these three would you suggest? Am I missing any worthy option?

[iTwenty]

I would suggest you check out the Ritz and i20.If you can get past the looks of Ritz, you will find it to be better than Swift in all departments.Stay away from Skoda if After Sales is a priority.
My advice is TD both Ritz and i20 and decide.

[nairrk]

i20 seems good among the others (style as well as strong car).
However you also want good boot space, for 2-3 large suitcases?
wonder is this possible in hatchbacks?

[kartho]

Originally Posted by adabass

4. Manueverability - Ability to squeeze in tight corners, traffic and parking spots.
5. Boot space - Ample amount of boot space to put 2-3 large suitcases.

I20 fits the bill for most of your requirements, but i am a little confused that you are expecting a huge boot in a car with good Maneuverability and in a price range of 4 - 6 lakhs ?? There are cheaper sedans that could probably just about fit in your budget, but I wouldnt expect them to be as fuel efficient as a Hatchback or meet your safety requirements !

I wouldnt consider a Fabia due to Skoda A.S.S. reputation and not so advanced engine IMO. Evaluate the maintenance costs and you will drop Fabia from your list.

Swift - good car and is FTD with great features and all that, but if you are expecting people to sit in the rear, then you are probably better off with a Ritz. The rear is totally cramped.

Since I20 fits most of your requirments, better you take a look at the boot and interior finish quality for yourself - if you can live with it, then be rest assured, every other requirement in your list will be ticked !

If you can stretch your budget a little more, probably Fiesta also would be a good option, but rear legroom could be disappointing.

[911varun]

@adabass:- Given your requirements, I would suggest you to first take a test drive of all the models you have shortlisted. Fabia is a great car, with features and a very capable engine. I have not so far found any complaints with the A.S.S of Skoda. I have a 1.2 HTP elegance, which has now done 15000 km. I have just spend on an unscheduled oil-change after around 8000 km, which was also not necessary. Its a true modern car compared to I20 and Swift. If you have a diesel in mind, I would recommend you to test drive the Fiat Punto though. Please let me know if you need something more on Fabia experience....

[jigbarai]

Originally Posted by iTwenty

I would suggest you check out the Ritz and i20.If you can get past the looks of Ritz, you will find it to be better than Swift in all departments.Stay away from Skoda if After Sales is a priority.
My advice is TD both Ritz and i20 and decide.

Ritz wont give him the luggage space he is looking for.

Originally Posted by nairrk

i20 seems good among the others (style as well as strong car).
However you also want good boot space, for 2-3 large suitcases?
wonder is this possible in hatchbacks?

Yes, Fabia can easily take 3 large suitcases plus some change here and there, at 300 L. Even the i20 & Jazz should be able to do that.
This Not possible in Swift / Ritz.

Originally Posted by kartho

I20 fits the bill for most of your requirements, but i am a little confused that you are expecting a huge boot in a car with good Maneuverability and in a price range of 4 - 6 lakhs ??

Not huge, but both the i20 and the Fabia provide quite a decent boot space.

Evaluate the maintenance costs and you will drop Fabia from your list.

Any basis for this statement ? Or is it just hearsay ? You service the car only once every year. (as opposed to thrice a year in Marutis). The service costs are at par with Hyundai and Maruti. The only difference is that it takes Synthetic Oil which inflates the bill.

Since I20 fits most of your requirments, better you take a look at the boot and interior finish quality for yourself - if you can live with it, then be rest assured, every other requirement in your list will be ticked !

+1 to this note. Fit and finish, overall quality is where Fabia scores over the rest, hands down. But it would be a little easier to live with an i20 than a Skoda.

Originally Posted by adabass

1. Price - I dont want to compromise on quality but I also dont want to spend a lot on my first car. I am thinking of something in the range of 4-6 lacs.
2. Interior space - I am 6"2' and would like to have a car where I can drive comfortably and an avg person (5'8") can sit behind comfortably.
3. Safety - Should definitely have frontal airbags. Side and curtain airbags are plus.
4. Manueverability - Ability to squeeze in tight corners, traffic and parking spots.
5. Boot space - Ample amount of boot space to put 2-3 large suitcases.
6. Mileage - Should not have to line up at a fuel station every week.
7. After sales support - Ability to get good service, parts et all.

Swift/Ritz wont give you the rear and boot space you are looking for.

You havent mentioned if you are looking for only petrol or is a diesel even in consideration? Basically depends on how much are you going to be driving daily.

If it is a diesel, shell out a little more and get the i20 CRDi.

If it is a petrol - TD both the i20 and the Fabia. Pick up the one you PERSONALLY LIKE. You will get hundreds of opinions here on both these cars but at the end of the day you should like what you would be driving daily. Both of them are very well proven cars in their own ranks.

One suggestion -
If you are going to be driving around in City most times and since you are coming from the US, it would be a good idea to consider an automatic, for ease of city driving.
Do check out the i10 AT as well. Should come well within your budget and is absolutely worth the comfort.

[abhinav.s]

You might not want the Fabia what with their horrendous A.S.S horror stories on t-bhp. But somehow i love the looks of this car, fit and finish better than the swift or other hatchbacks.

i20 is a good all rounder and fits most of your requirement. Not sure about 2-3 large suitcases in the boot though. Apart from this it seems to work in favor of all the other points mentioned.

Swift Zxi is the only variant with air bags and ABS. But it lacks rear leg room and does not have a good boot space.
Ritz is considered to be better in terms of space utilization.

Edit: jigbarai has already mentioned that Ritz will not have the boot space. So you have to decide between the i20 and Fabia.

[androdev]

i recently recommended i20 to a friend with similar requirements: safety and comfort with flexible budget. he felt fiesta and i20 had similar rear seat comfort/space. he bought i20 diesel as he wanted a sedan-level comfort in a hatch. his hometown did not have honda/skoda dealerships or jazz/fabia would have been a contender. his work requires lot of travel and he is very happy with i20.

you might want to wait till delhi auto-expo. bound to introduce more options.

i also like fabia and other skoda cars because I own one :-) test drive it and if u like it *much more* than other cars, consider it as an option.

[khoj]

Find my views in Bold in between your shopping list and at the bottom.

Originally Posted by adabass

I am returning to India after 4 years and looking to buy a car. I never owned a car before, but now will need one as I am married now and also possibly parents coming and living with me. Some of my criterias for selection is -

1. Price - I dont want to compromise on quality but I also dont want to spend a lot on my first car. I am thinking of something in the range of 4-6 lacs. i20

2. Interior space - I am 6"2' and would like to have a car where I can drive comfortably and an avg person (5'8") can sit behind comfortably. i20 definitely. Two of my cousin sisters have the i20. they are both 5'8" and other family members are also tall and they fit in nicely with the ladies in the drivers seat. Remember this car was designed with the European markets in mind and therefore the space both in front and rear is very good and you do not reach the end of the seat belts when you pull them out to fit around large frames unlike the Marutis with their limited length seat belts

3. Safety - Should definitely have frontal airbags. Side and curtain airbags are plus. i20 is the only one to give you side & curtain airbags an an option

4. Manueverability - Ability to squeeze in tight corners, traffic and parking spots. i20 as good or bad as other hatchbacks currently in the market.

5. Boot space - Ample amount of boot space to put 2-3 large suitcases. i20 most certainly. It will easily take 2nos. of 30" or 3 of 26" with space for small bags left over. This is without using the split seat fold down option. No other hatchbak including the Fabia can match the boot space. marutis are good for one 26" and that is it.

6. Mileage - Should not have to line up at a fuel station every week. i20 is par for the course. My cousins use their i20s as the active duty car as in daily runs to school, the markets and other social activities that ladies are engaged with and I have not heard my brother in laws complain regarding the fuel consumption. In fact I now see them more often in their i20s on our weekend outings than in their sedans( Optra & Fiat Palio Weekender).

7. After sales support - Ability to get good service, parts et all. i20 = Hyundai. Extensive countrywide presence so A.S.S. is not an issue.

I am not too worried about power and acceleration. For that I am planning to purchase a bike if I need the thrills. Based on the above factors the little research I have done - three names stick out - Fabia, i20, Swift. With the tbhpian's experience and knowledge - Which one among these three would you suggest? Am I missing any worthy option?

I personally have a Swift Zxi and I will advise you to avoid it like the plague. If you were in collage, or fresh out of it then maybe but looking at all of your criteria NO! I bought mine in Nov. last year how I wish I had waited another month for the i20. Fabia is a horror story do not even go there. From the current lot of cars I would have recommended the Ford Fusion but it has no air bags so it is out on that count, otherwise it also checks in all other parameters.

The VW Polo is being launched in another 2 weeks, you may want to TD that before you put your money down otherwise you will find that i20 is the one.

[arnabchak]

i 20 sreams itself loud.
Stay away from Skoda like Plague.

If you can wait for a while, you could also consider the Ford Figo expected in March.
VW Polo launch is just round the corner too.

[DieselAddikt]

Originally Posted by adabass

1. Price - I dont want to compromise on quality but I also dont want to spend a lot on my first car.

In that case, stay away from Skoda. I20 or Ritz will serve you well.

I just came back after a discussion with my friend. His relative's Fabia has been in the workshop for the past 3 weeks stating that the spare parts are not available. It is bad considering that he has driven it for less than 2K kms.

[oss]

i20 among the 3 you've mentioned. If you can wait for couple of more months, you will have Figo to consider.

[DieselAddikt]

Originally Posted by jigbarai

Any basis for this statement ? Or is it just hearsay ? You service the car only once every year. (as opposed to thrice a year in Marutis). The service costs are at par with Hyundai and Maruti. The only difference is that it takes Synthetic Oil which inflates the bill.


+1 to this note. Fit and finish, overall quality is where Fabia scores over the rest, hands down. But it would be a little easier to live with an i20 than a Skoda.

Definitely not hearsay my dear friend. I just came back to my seat after listening to what a person had to go through. After all, a 2K kms run car should not be at the Service Station for 3 weeks if 'Quality' was that great. And we have enough samples in our forum that shows Skoda is NOT taking 'Quality' seriously. The quality of the sheet metal or the plastic inside may be good. But i doubt whether the mechanicals and electricals are as reliable as the others.

Sorry for being off topic.

[Berj79]

Wait for the fabia vrs, it will launch in 3-4months from now, it will be india's first true performance hatch,

[jkdas]

adabass; search for Skoda in this forum to know about Skoda's after sales and service and other issues. And check market share.

i20 all the way IMHO.

If looks isnt an issue, you may wait for Logan estate.