A quick add to the already informative 114 pages of Honda City discussions!
I was in the market for a new car mostly for my parents, and also something that my wife would find comfortable driving. Major requirements being;
- Back Seat Comfort
- Automatic Gearbox for the dad/missus
- Ease of use in the city
- No diesel clatter (Tree huggers in the fam)
- In hindsight - a dealer in the city/or at least within 100Kms
- Plush interiors
- A sunroof for the missus
- Decent engine/gearbox combination (all me)
- Highway manners - good to have (I think all cars can ply almost everywhere these days - I went to Auli during heavy snow in a 4x4, although I felt safe that way, people were bringing their Altos to the place, and driving on sleet
The pandemic and the looming uncertainties kept on delaying everything. I decided to check out everything (hatchbacks, sedans, and even CSUVs) between 9 & 15 lacs price range.
Maruti- Couldn't care much about Marutis anymore, although did test drive the S-cross from the stable. Came out unimpressed with the backseat.
Also checked out the Ciaz, although a nice car, and definitely VFM, the heart would just not agree with the plain-Jane Maruti anymore.
Hyundai - Checked out the Venue, and the Creta. Having a Duster in the house kind of swayed me away from the Creta, and the Venue although a good offering at the price range, didn't really feel like it belonged anywhere, except that it is maybe a larger hatchback! Took a look at the new i20, and it felt like the car to buy for the 99% city use that this car would see. But at 13 odd lacs for the top end auto, it felt better to just take the Venue. Put a pin on Venue/i20 and kept searching.
VAG - Waited eagerly for the Kushaq, but it failed to impress with the top variant coming with only 2 airbags, and then the fit and finish of the interiors completely failed to impress. I definitely wanted the car to feel plush inside for the family, and this wasn't going to cut it. With the EPC failures- this was a definite no-go.
Couldn't wait long enough for the Taigun-I expect it to play in similar territory and felt like it was not worth the wait after looking at the Kushaq's failures aplenty.
TATA - I liked both, the Nexon, and even the Harrier. Dad initially vetoed the TATA after testing the Nexon. I called the Harrier to change his mind, both parents immediately agreed to buy the Harrier. I also considered it for a second there but then it wouldn't be the best city car - what with its size and all. Had to make them understand why we weren't getting the Harrier
.
Honda - I never thought I will be buying a 'City' ever. Guess mid-age changes perspectives. 6 airbags, and iso-fix (we don't have them in our Duster) was the biggest draw. Then, we got to test drive the manual ZX, although I did not like the way it drove (too silent, and unemotional for me), I was pressing hard in my mind to make sure this is the family's car and not mine. Thinking per our requirements, and the excellent feedback from the fam-jam, this looked like a winner. After getting the quotation for the ZX CVT (UP), the following was presented;
Ex-showroom price of 14,91,206/-
with RTO/Insurance/Warranty - 17 lacs+
This seemed too high for a City. I wasn't that impressed.
Went back to the drawing board, and decided to get the i20 instead (just coz). Booked the car with Rs. 10,000, and waited for delivery. Major lockdowns happened again, and the car took almost a month to arrive. I had changed my mind by then, and cancelled the booking. The dealer returned Rs. 7000 - apparently company policy to deduct!
Realized that dad hadn't bought a car from CSD ever (Army Canteen) in 24 years, and he is eligible. Went ahead and checked out the car on CSD, and thankfully it was listed. I asked the dealer to send me the revised quotation with CSD pricing (he was happy to hear from me after so long). The revised quote was;
Honda City ZX CVT
Petrol
Golden Brown
Ex-showroom price (CSD) - 13,38,846/-
The difference: 14,91,206 (civil) - 13,38,846 (military) = 1,52,360/-
On-road price (CSD):-
RTO - 1,53,421/-
Basic Kit - 10,500/- (I decided against it initially but purchased it anyway - I would advise fellow BHPians to avoid this overpriced kit)
Extended Warranty - 14,778/-
On-road Total:- (some changes after final order got released)
Car - 10,11,237
Additional Cost (14%) - 1,41,573
Cess (17%) - 1,71,910
Incidental Charges (0.5%) - 5,056
TCS (1%) - 13,298
Total - 13,43,075 + 1,53,421 + 10500 + 14,778
= 15,21,774/-
The Golden Brown arrived on 14 Sept, and feels like a reliable chariot that will do service for a good amount of time. Haven't ordered any accessories yet, and don't think the car needs any. Might get the sunshades when summer arrives. Also thinking of blackening the front grille but don't know how. Nobody seems to have those RS grilles in stock nor do I know anyone who does wrap in my city!
Will keep you posted on any additions, meanwhile enjoy this click.
I was not sure about this colour but the beauty of this is that it seems different at night, and a little different each time you see with the changing light in the day. Maybe beauty lies in the eye of the beholder. Anyway, thanks to the missus for the colour choice.