[sprinter]

[quote=maverick88;5135350]Hello folks,


Now, I need some help from all of you wonderful people. I am looking to buy a new car and I am confused between the following cars.

1) Honda City V
2) Hyundai Verna SX
3) Kia Seltos HTK Plus IMT

Heart says Kia Seltos but mind says Honda City. I am from Mumbai and my primary usage is in the city

Hi Maverick

Add to the list Skoda Kushaq Ambition, Creta SX & MG Hector Shine and that was my dilemma. Heart vs. Mind thing. But believe me City grows on you every time you see it on the road or in some parking or in the showroom (the multiple times I visited the showroom my fondness just grew. I took TD of city in 3 different places to make sure my money is going where both my heart n mind is )
Plus you get to possess the top end of either manual / auto against the mid range of other cSUVs for similar price range (City petrol trumped Verna already for me both in style, safety and brand). For me the decision was tough but a decision in deed had to be made and I chose City (Had been thinking to buy a creta for over 2 years but this city just charmed me). Excitedly waiting for the delivery.

[sedanlover2021]

Anyone installed a Dashcam in the new Honda City model? I am thinking of installing one on my VX model. What I don't want is to void any warranties due to wiring etc. hence asking the good people for process on how to approach this and leads on any plug and play dashcams. Thanks

[sumeethaldankar]

Originally Posted by sedanlover2021

Anyone installed a Dashcam in the new Honda City model? I am thinking of installing one on my VX model. What I don't want is to void any warranties due to wiring etc. hence asking the good people for process on how to approach this and leads on any plug and play dashcams. Thanks

It migt void the warranty if you would hardwire the camera in the car. If you simply use the USB plug in socket it will not void any warranty. Those sockets are for such accessories.

[sprinter]

Hello experts

When I took a test drive of Honda City, since the dealer didn't have a CVT model for TD, a new car to be delivered was given for TD. I noticed the yellow engine sign on on the panel. Is it possible that the dealers tamper with the odometer or something in new cars or is it regular?

[sonil.luthra]

Originally Posted by nTorq

For those who have the V or VX variant of the new City, do you think it is possible to swap the halogen bulb in the low beam projector setup with the LED bulb from the new Amaze? I was trying to figure out how I can get white lights on City VX and I realised that Amaze comes with that setup (sort of). Instead of buying some after-market LED for City, is it better to go for the LED used in Amaze? Will I need to change anything else if I swap the bulbs? Please advise.

I Have upgraded my VX MT lights to LEDs. I have Osram night breaker led in low beam projector and Osram premium LEDs in fog lamps and high beam.

Link : https://www.amazon.in/OSRAM-46211CW-.../dp/B08L91YL5F
Link : https://www.amazon.in/Osram-HB3-4900...dp/B08L91VQY6/

I got night breakers via a cousin who came from Germany. For H7 you can use the below link.
Link: https://www.amazon.in/Osram-45210CW-.../dp/B08L93GX5K


P.S all are plug and play and won't void your warranty.

Pro tip: change all interior lights and number light to white led from Osram.

[nTorq]

Originally Posted by sonil.luthra

I Have upgraded my VX MT lights to LEDs. I have Osram night breaker led in low beam projector and Osram premium LEDs in fog lamps and high beam.

Link : https://www.amazon.in/OSRAM-46211CW-.../dp/B08L91YL5F
Link : https://www.amazon.in/Osram-HB3-4900...dp/B08L91VQY6/

I got night breakers via a cousin who came from Germany. For H7 you can use the below link.
Link: https://www.amazon.in/Osram-45210CW-.../dp/B08L93GX5K


P.S all are plug and play and won't void your warranty.

Pro tip: change all interior lights and number light to white led from Osram.

Awesome! Thank you. Do the LED H7 lights work well with the projector setup that we have in the VX? Any difference in brightness level? Also, I noticed that the link that you sent has 25W lights, whereas the stock halogens have 55W. Does this mean that the LED ones will be less bright?

[Swarup5]

Originally Posted by sedanlover2021

Anyone installed a Dashcam in the new Honda City model? I am thinking of installing one on my VX model. What I don't want is to void any warranties due to wiring etc. hence asking the good people for process on how to approach this and leads on any plug and play dashcams. Thanks

Do check out my setup on

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/car-e...ml#post5127695 (The Dashcam / Car Video Recorder (DVR) Thread)

Update: I have now installed DDPAI Mini 3 for the front and DDPAI Mini for the rear screen. Both work well and registration numbers are clear on low speeds. The night performance of Mini 3 is better when compared with Mini. However, I'm happy overall to have an HD Dash Cam setup with a capacitor within a budget of 10k.

[nTorq]

A failed love story that ended in an arranged marriage!

Once upon a time…
My car buying journey began in December of 2020, when I decided that I needed to upgrade from my 8.5 years old Ritz VDi. The vehicle was (still is, as I haven’t given it yet) was in great condition, but the itch to drive a more modern car pushed me to start looking for options.

At first, I just wanted something under INR 10L, and I did what any Maruti Suzuki customer would do – look for other options from Maruti Suzuki! At that point, in that budget Baleno seemed to be the only option, and I didn’t want to buy something that was about the same size as the car that I owned. I had to quickly increase my budget to around INR 12L to open up S-Cross as an option. I took at TD of the S-Cross, and was immediately disappointed with the lack of life in that engine (along with some quirks like lack of charging ports for the rear seat, mediocre infotainment system etc.) I really liked the looks of the car, but driving it wasn’t impressive at all. I so wish they still had the diesel option in that, which was a beast!

The crushes I had
Disappointed, I started looking at other options, and the immediate ones on the table were Creta, Seltos, and XUV 300. I was not really particular about getting a compact SUV, but since these were the most popular cars out there (and I am a little risk-averse), I decided to stick to one of these. However, while doing some research, I came across the Honda City 5th generation, which was newly launched back then, and I decided to take a TD. Went to Whitefield Honda in Bangalore, and when I saw the car in-person, I liked the way it looked. In fact, I was never a fan of the Honda City’s looks, but for the first time I was liking it. The TD was great, but when I saw the price, it was around INR 15L for the VX version, which was clearly out of my budget! I had to drop it, because of this reason, and decided to look at the other options I had shortlisted earlier.

I soon dropped the XUV 300, as the design is long overdue for a facelift, and I didn’t want to buy something that would get outdated in a year. The remaining options were Seltos and Creta. I test drove the Creta (petrol) in Advaith Bellandur, and didn’t find the engine that lively either. For some reason, I never test drove the diesel version that day, thinking the prices would be significantly higher (strangely, I did not even ask to confirm!). I thought I had to make peace with the fact that petrol engines are indeed that way, and that I will have to get used to the linear power delivery, as against the sudden rush of torque that I was used to in my Ritz. I went to the Kia showroom in Marathalli to TD, but heard the most outrageous statement from the sales consultant there that made me never again consider Kia in the decision making process. He said “We don’t have a TD vehicle, but you can TD the Creta from a Hyundai dealership, and it will feel almost the same!”. One of those instances where you don’t even want to make an effort to explain to the guy that it is NOT the same!

Things getting serious
I got busy with my cousin’s wedding post that, and since I was not fully sold on the Creta’s engine, I never made the booking. A month later, when I was in Mysore, my friend asked me why I hadn’t considered the diesel variant of Creta. I told him that I thought the price would be out of my budget, but to my surprise he showed me that the difference was just around 20-25k! Felt extremely silly, and immediately took a TD of the diesel variant, and absolutely loved it! Wanted to buy it immediately, but of course, things can’t be that simple, right?!

Enter – the long waiting period for Creta! I made a booking, and I was told that there is a 6 month waiting period for the variant I was going for (E – the base variant). Now, I could have just booked a higher variant and got a quicker delivery, but to me, it didn’t seem like a car that commanded close to INR 19L (at that time). So, I decided to do what most Creta buyers are doing in India – buy the base variant and spend another INR 1.75L on upgrades to make it look and feel (almost) like the top variant. The booking was made in the first week of January 2021, and the wait was frustrating, to say the least! Each week I would call the sales consultant with the hope that somehow my vehicle assignment may have happened magically, but clearly, that was not going to happen. The sales consultant had promised me that he will try and get a vehicle assigned sometime in April, and I was for some reason very sure about it. (Actually, in retrospect the reason was that it was the same sales consultant who delivered my Interceptor 650 the previous year when he was working for Teknik Motors, and even there, he managed to get my bike in 25 days, when the waiting period was 3 months).

The turbulence
Come April, and the entire country was hit with the second wave of COVID-19, and I was severely affected and hospitalized for 15 days. The new car was the last thing on my mind at that time, and I just wanted to stay alive. Never bothered to check about my booking till the end of May, and when I did, it was just more frustration. The production had stopped because of the lockdown, and I was still at 12th position to get my vehicle. The sales consultant now said that it might only be in July that I would get my car, and I could literally do nothing about it!

The rebound
While all this was happening, Hyundai was being quite the villain by constantly increasing the prices, and deprecating features. What I had booked for INR 12.2L had now become INR 13.4 L, and had lost features like cooled glove-box, TPMS, boot lamp etc. The straw that broke the camel’s back was the removal of indicators from the mirrors to make it look like a car from the last decade! It was at this point that my mind did a strange calculation. I was going to spend INR 13.4L on the car, plus another INR 2L on the upgrades bringing the effective price to INR 15.4L, and putting the car in the hands of mechanics that would void the warranty. At the same price, I could have just bought a Honda City VX!

I called up the Honda showroom again, and to my surprise (and relief), the prices of the City had not gone up too much, and it was around the INR 15.5L mark. Immediately made the booking and was told that the waiting period was about a month.

The confusion
After the impulsive booking of the City, I was extremely confused – Do I go with a car that feels premium, but has low torque and mileage, or go for a diesel engine that I so loved, but compromise on the interiors and safety. I spoke to a lot of people, watched almost all YT videos on both the cars, read threads on Team- BHP, and still, nothing helped me firm up my decision. I kept the Creta booking open, and at one point I decided that I will go with whichever vehicle arrives sooner. But as luck would have it, in a few weeks, both the dealerships called me on the same day saying the vehicle is getting allocated in the next 2 days! I now had to make a decision, and cancel one of them.

The breakup
My heart said Creta (for the diesel engine), and my mind said City (for the comfort, features, premiumness, and safety), and I had a couple of sleepless stressful nights trying to decide. My wife on the other hand (who earlier loved the Creta), was now firmly decided on the City. My 5-year-old daughter loved the City after she got to know that the variant of Creta we were buying doesn’t come with a sunroof, but the City did. It was now 2 against 1 in favor of the City, and there was not much I could do. However, my wife was kind enough to say that I should go ahead and buy what my heart says and that she will be OK with the decision.

I almost canceled the City, when I realized that while my heart said Creta, it would be very selfish on my part to not get what my family wanted. Reluctantly, I called up the Hyundai sales consultant and told him I was canceling my booking. He was shocked and surprised that after waiting for more than 6 months, when the vehicle was finally available, I was canceling such an in-demand variant of the car! I told him the reason, and with a heavy heart asked him to re-allocate the black Creta that was assigned to me (which I mentally owned for months now) to someone else! I couldn’t sleep that night, and I was telling my wife that I hadn’t felt that kind of heartbreak since the breakup with my first love in school!

The arranged marriage
Fast forward to a few weeks, got my Honda City VX delivered, and have been driving it for the past week or so, and actually enjoying it. The car does grow on you and is quite the looker. People take note and it certainly has more novelty than the Creta. However, what I often think is, if it was the City I had to go for, I could have bought it back in January of 2021, without having to wait for 6+ months!

Do I like the car?
Yes, I absolutely do! It feels like it is from a segment above.

Does it have the same driving feel as the diesel Creta?
No, and that is something I will have to live with. I miss the torque of a diesel engine, and how carefree I could be about the mileage. The 3rd gear in the City is almost useless on a highway, and I will need to get used to aggressive gear shifts for quick overtakes.

Did I make the right decision?
I don’t know if I chose the right car or not, but I for sure know I made the right decision when I see the joy on my 5-year-old daughter’s face when she sits in the car, and when I see the admiration my wife has for the City!

[shibulijack]

Originally Posted by sonil.luthra

Brownie points to Honda for removing sockets and providing just a thimble based horns in the City 5th gen.

Go ahead get rid of that beep beep if you don't like it.

I got mine swapped for Hella chrome trumpet.

Here is a picture for the OEM horn.
Attachment 2124868

You should add a relay and a fuse while swapping.
Follow the diagram below.
Attachment 2124869

Is the relay and fuse specific to hella? Check out this review video where the op swapped the OEM horns with Roots windtone horn:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TU-a...ReviewsbyRishu

[sonil.luthra]

Originally Posted by sonil.luthra

I Have upgraded my VX MT lights to LEDs. I have Osram night breaker led in low beam projector and Osram premium LEDs in fog lamps and high beam.

Link : https://www.amazon.in/OSRAM-46211CW-.../dp/B08L91YL5F
Link : https://www.amazon.in/Osram-HB3-4900...dp/B08L91VQY6/

I got night breakers via a cousin who came from Germany. For H7 you can use the below link.
Link: https://www.amazon.in/Osram-45210CW-.../dp/B08L93GX5K


P.S all are plug and play and won't void your warranty.

Pro tip: change all interior lights and number light to white led from Osram.

TBH, The LEDs in the projector are for sure better than halogen but not the best. I opted for these because of the brand name, there are higher and brighter wattage options available in the market, I feel comfortable driving with fog lamps on.

Originally Posted by shibulijack

Is the relay and fuse specific to hella? Check out this review video where the op swapped the OEM horns with Roots windtone horn: https://www.Youtube.com/watch?v=TU-a...ReviewsbyRishu

It's not necessary to use the relay and fuse. I just added it for my own peace of mind.

[maverick88]

Thanks for your inputs @sprinter, @AutoConsultant, @sam264_2000.

To be honest, I do know City is the more practical car both from a usage as well and reliability perspective. However, I had the following observations during test drive because of which I am hesitating.

1) I currently drive an Ecosport Titanium + Diesel, and driving the city felt like driving a toy car. I felt like I was driving a much smaller car and there was no feel to the driving; I used to own a 3rd Gen City and it never felt that way.
2) The car body and the interiors felt flimsy. I know Seltos got only 3 stars in NCAP, but honestly it feels much more solidly built and interiors are also much better.

Is it just me? Should I may be take another test drive?

[nTorq]

Originally Posted by maverick88

Thanks for your inputs @sprinter, @AutoConsultant, @sam264_2000.

To be honest, I do know City is the more practical car both from a usage as well and reliability perspective. However, I had the following observations during test drive because of which I am hesitating.

1) I currently drive an Ecosport Titanium + Diesel, and driving the city felt like driving a toy car. I felt like I was driving a much smaller car and there was no feel to the driving; I used to own a 3rd Gen City and it never felt that way.
2) The car body and the interiors felt flimsy. I know Seltos got only 3 stars in NCAP, but honestly it feels much more solidly built and interiors are also much better.

Is it just me? Should I may be take another test drive?

You’re right on both the points. The car does feel big, and seems a little tough to manoeuvre. But this could be something specific to the driver as well. I moved from a Ritz to the City, and hence the difference was evident.

About the quality of plastics, I noticed it as well. While the areas you normally touch are of good quality, I noticed some flex in the door panels when you press them. Didn’t expect it in a car of this segment, and was surprised. The doors also generally don’t feel that heavy (typical of Japanese cars I guess), but they have a decent ‘thud’ while closing. The boot is extremely light, and for almond not used to it, it is very much possible to slam it hard, thinking it requires that kind of force.

[Goldenboy]

Originally Posted by maverick88

The car body and the interiors felt flimsy. I know Seltos got only 3 stars in NCAP, but honestly it feels much more solidly built and interiors are also much better.

Is it just me? Should I may be take another test drive?

The City in India hasn't been crash tested yet, but the Thai City which looks and weights the same scored 5 stars in the Asian NCAP test, which is the only reference point we have to go on.

I would also add, weight alone isn't the only determining factor in terms of crash worthiness. A lot of cars are getting lighter even as higher strength steel is being used. One of our family friends in the Middle East has been driving Germans since the 1990s and has often told us that the cars have gotten much lighter over the years, and the thuds a lot less satisfying. Apparently in the 90s they felt like real tanks, which isn't the case now.

[shibulijack]

Southern Honda, Tirunelveli Showroom experience:


I was trying to get a test drive of Petrol CVT for a while but neither the website form worked nor the contact numbers on the internet got back to me. So I visited the showroom in person and was quite disappointed to see the sad state of Honda showrooms here down south. There was literally no one in the entire showroom (quite a big one) and only a couple of cars were on display. After a few minutes, one of the SAs approached me and when I asked for a test drive, he said, “sir, you should book TD at least one week in advance”. I was shocked. Apparently, there’s only one CVT TD vehicle covering two entire districts - Tirunelveli and Nagercoil! Good thing I’m not in a hurry to buy a car anytime soon. So I registered for a TD and asked about the price and offers. “Sir, this is Honda city, there are no offers for this car. If you want offers, take Jazz”. Such arrogance! When enquired about corporate offer, he said we will know only after booking the vehicle whether there’s a discount or not (is this really the case coz it sounds silly to me!). The final quote was ~18,25,000 for ZX CVT. He tried shoving the basic kit which I firmly dismissed. He also tried persuading me to take some VAS such as Teflon coating, underbody and silencer treatment etc… Overall, it was an okayish experience and I expected better from Honda.

I’ll update the thread post the TD next week.

Random observation: I tried adjusting the driver seat to my preference and the arm rest was almost useless! I’m 5’8” for reference. I missed the adjustable sliding armrest of my previous Verna.

[Swarup5]

Originally Posted by maverick88

Thanks for your inputs @sprinter, @AutoConsultant, @sam264_2000.

1) I currently drive an Ecosport Titanium + Diesel, and driving the city felt like driving a toy car. I felt like I was driving a much smaller car and there was no feel to the driving; I used to own a 3rd Gen City and it never felt that way.
2) The car body and the interiors felt flimsy. I know Seltos got only 3 stars in NCAP, but honestly it feels much more solidly built and interiors are also much better.

Is it just me? Should I may be take another test drive?

My few thoughts on the same . PS: I was previously a ford user before City so i understand your spot.

1. Ride and handling are certainly much better in Fords (that is their major selling point too). City feels a little vague at higher speeds and cornering at times, nevertheless it's not as light as that of Hyundai or Maruti.
Also remember TDCI on Fords with a turbo is obviously much better when it comes to the sheer power on tap . City, although powerful and NA isn't going to come close to the Diesel torque, obviously. However Naturally aspirated vs Turbo is another debate all together with both sides having enough takers.

2. On Kia seltos , i had a very similar dilemma however what just pushed me away from Kia was not just a 3 Star NCAP ( in fact borderline 3) but also the overall showroom experience . They treat you as if you are being given a huge favor by accepting the booking , let alone the delivery times and After sales. They certainly need to raise the standards of how they treat every customer. Link (The 5th-gen Honda City in India. EDIT: Review on page 62)to my experience with my journey on why i ended up buying a City after my outgoing Ford.