[Sheel]

Originally Posted by Vivek Jayan

All that said SUVs simply don't match up to the fit and finish and agility of sedans of the same price range but that's something you sacrifice in order to travel together as a family in relative comfort. Yes there are brilliant handling SUVs but they easily eat up the budget of any average Indian buyer.

Please do check out the Mitsubishi Pajero Sports. While it ain't no Jetta, the quality of components used are good.

Skoda Yeti is a cross over with a 4X4. Have been using one for the past 75,000+ kilometers and frankly, there are no SUV attributes I can associate the Yeti with.

[dockap]

Present car - Mahindra XUV 500 W8 AWD, 4 years and 67k

New car Budget 30 to 50 lakhs OTR Karnataka
Usage mostly city
Running around 1200 kms per month self driven
Will keep car for minimum 5 years so 5 year extended warranty would be nice
Resale value should be at least reasonable
Must be diesel and AT transmission

Choice between
1. Ford Endeavor 3.2 titanium
2. BMW 3GT Luxury line (2015 model)
3. BMW 3 series sports/luxury line (2015 model)
4. Audi A4 Technology pack (2015 model)
5. Estoril blue new BMW X1 AWD Msport ( book and wait for 3 months)

Choice 1 has been booked and I was supposed to get delivery this week but ford diverted my car to someone else booking still on but i got a call from local BMW showroom and ended up test driving the 3 series GT and 3 series Sedan and also the Audi A4.
The Germans are 2015 models and have pretty good discounts.
The 3 series sedan is the fastest among the 3 Germans. low seating and hugs the road. Feels like a sports car but cramped inside and pretty common nowadays.
The 3GT looks royal, has acres of space inside like a segment higher than the 3 sedan or A4. Drive is not as sporty as the 3 sedan but much more comfortable and spacious with a higher driving position and better ground clearance than the 3 series sedan and has a unique look and novelty factor
The BMWs have expensive extended warranty packages i think.
The A4 is also common and looks a bit dated but has navigation and voice commands. More comfortable then the 3 series sedan but nowhere near the 3 series in driving feel. Has option for extended warranty of 5 years for a reasonable rupees 80k.
I feel among the 3 Germans the 3GT has the best mix of looks, comfort, space, ground clearance and sportiness.

what to do now.
1. Wait for the Endeavor may be a question of 1 or 2 weeks. Advantages Superb features, Cheapest to purchase, Cheapest to maintain in the long run. advantage of 7 seater for those rare occasions during family functions. Go anywhere capability. Drawbacks- Low fuel efficiency(not much of a problem) huge size may be difficult to find parking in the city(I have my own parking area at work and at home) and most likely bad resale value.

2. Cancel the Endeavor booking and buy one of the 3 Germans.(I like the 3GT but discount is not as much as the 3 series sedan)
Advantage- Wife feels happy that husband has a German car. Easier to drive and park in the city, better fuel efficiency.
Drawback-Burn a big bottomless hole in my pocket in purchasing,maintaining and repairs and may end up with a heart attack one day if some major repair is needed which is not covered under warranty
The Estroil Blue new BMW X1 AWD Msport is the outside choice. I have never driven a X1 but saw the video of the launch at the 2016 autoexpo and it looks awesome but minimum wait 3 months and most likely it will be cramped inside like the 3 series sedan compared to the 3GT and no discounts.

Please help me decide guys.

[VW2010]

I am not a fan of GT. Will never be. Coming from XUV any sedan will look small and puny. A4 can be skipped simply because its a over glorified Jetta in my humble opinion.

If its finally between GT and Ford. To me Ford makes more sensible choice considering you already are used to the benefits of having a Suv.

If you will be driving it and not chauffeur driver go for the 3 series. You wont regret it. If you are going to spend your time not on wheels, i would suggest to seriously look at the Merc C lass and Skoda Superb.

[vb-saan]

Originally Posted by dockap

Choice between
1. Ford Endeavor 3.2 titanium
2. BMW 3GT Luxury line (2015 model)
3. BMW 3 series sports/luxury line (2015 model)
4. Audi A4 Technology pack (2015 model)
5. Estoril blue new BMW X1 AWD Msport ( book and wait for 3 months)

The Ford is the outsider in the list; go for it if you want 7 seats and something big on space and presence.
Otherwise I would suggest xDrive X1 xLine. I think that variant is quite neatly priced when compared to the MSport.

[kvsingh13]

Though, I would suggest waiting for the all new BMW X1 (2016) which looks like a real SUV but if not, go for Ford Endeavour 3.2 Titanium. You get all the luxury and SUVish features, the product is a hit, Ford is improving its position in India, all in all a very nice package for that price.

[deetjohn]

Originally Posted by dockap

what to do now.
1. Wait for the Endeavor may be a question of 1 or 2 weeks. Advantages Superb features, Cheapest to purchase, Cheapest to maintain in the long run. advantage of 7 seater for those rare occasions during family functions. Go anywhere capability. Drawbacks- Low fuel efficiency(not much of a problem) huge size may be difficult to find parking in the city(I have my own parking area at work and at home) and most likely bad resale value.

First, you need to decide what type of a vehicle you want in the garage for the next 5 years. If its a sedan, then stop getting confused by the Endeavour.

I see that you have a XUV. Why are you selling it? What is that the XUV missing which you are looking to gain with the next purchase? Those questions will help you find the next car.

And the biggest problem with the Ford for you seems to be the waiting period and resale. The Ford will hold its value much better the Germans listed there and waiting 2 or 3 weeks for a new car high in demand (especially the 3.2 Titanium) is nothing when you are going to keep the car for 5 years.

If you want to get back at the Ford dealer for not keeping the promise, then there are better ways to have your cake and eat it too. Get the Endeavour and let Ford know about the dealer' misgivings. I am sure Ford will be all ears for someone buying their brand new car.

And if Endeavour is a big no, its a question between the 3er and the GT based on which one you will like to drive. The A4 is way too old, and the X1 is still a few months away.

[samaspire]

My friend is in a similar situation. He wants to upgrade from the Vento and I have suggested the new Endy to him. But he has been suggested a BMW also. Can you provide the final prices of the cars in your list.

[dockap]

Thanks guys. The head says Endeavor and the Heart says 3GT. The 3GT luxury line does not have SAT NAV i can manage with a 6k MMI but after spending 50 big ones there is no cruise control .Will take a decision tomorrow morning.

[atthewheel]

Hi,

I have a 320d highline (previous gen.) that's nearly 5 years old and am considering a new car. I'd like a sedan/coupe that's engaging and feature-rich but also spacious. While the GT isn't really an upgrade, I like its roominess, its frameless windows and its foldable rear seats (great play area for my little boys).

What other cars should I consider?

Thanks in advance for your advice.

[sriramv.iyer]

Sorry to add to 30L - 50L confusion - But check this out
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...ml#post3916557

[nidhinsarath]

Originally Posted by dockap

Thanks guys. The head says Endeavor and the Heart says 3GT. The 3GT luxury line does not have SAT NAV i can manage with a 6k MMI but after spending 50 big ones there is no cruise control .Will take a decision tomorrow morning.

Received a call from BMW dealer about introduction of 2016 GT with integrated navigation and a 3year/40000km free service package. But the price is 2L costlier than 2015 model

[nmenon]

This has been an awesome thread to someone like me.

I've been driving an Alto for nearly 10 years and got a couple of chances to drive a Scorpio on a trip to Trivandrum.

I must say I enjoyed the driving position and the commanding view of the road.
And it was quite easy to drive. The real fly in the ointment came in when I had to take a corner. Now being used to an FWD hatch, it takes quite a bit of recalibration to take a corner in this moving skyscraper (which is what it feels like when you come from a small hatch). By the time the 240KM drive was done, I was kind of mentally tired keeping on reminding myself that this is not my hatch and to keep the speeds atleast 20ks below what I would in do in my Alto, but my parents enjoyed the superb comfort and ease of entry compared to the low slung hatch.

Now I'm looking at a new car in a little over a year and somehow something like the Ford Fusion is what comes to mind, high enough to have easy ingress and egress yet nearly as chuckable as a hatch.

Seems for my requirements an S Cross would be the ideal choice of vehicle.

Ultimately the SUV makes sense for bad roads, relative ease of ingress and egress. Space is probably the biggest asset these vehicles (UV's not just SUV's) have.

But for me I want some of that height in terms of ingress and egress but I just can't compromise so much on the dynamics. Today's UV's are well appointed in terms of interiors and safety but they don't offer the driving pleasure that your puny hatch can if you love to drive enthusiastically.

[Rajeevraj]

Originally Posted by dockap

Thanks guys. The head says Endeavor and the Heart says 3GT. The 3GT luxury line does not have SAT NAV i can manage with a 6k MMI but after spending 50 big ones there is no cruise control .Will take a decision tomorrow morning.

Originally Posted by sriramv.iyer

Sorry to add to 30L - 50L confusion - But check this out
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...ml#post3916557

+1 to this, why not look at the Superb which launches on 23rd. Should fall in the same price bracket as the Endeavour. From initial reports, looks to be heavily loaded and good to drive in spite of being a large car.

[Voyager-1]

I am looking out for a diesel automatic in the D1 segment and I need all your thoughts to decide between Sedan vs SUV.

I currently drive a Fluidic Verna CRDI, have clocked 43K kms in it and have been enjoying it with the DieselTronic box. While I am very much satisfied with the power and the torque, I am looking for an upgrade due to the below reasons:

1. The lack of automatic is making the long highway trips tiring - negotiating dense truck traffic or the last leg of the journeys, which involves navigating lot of city traffic or the endless queues in the tolls. My office commutes doesn't demand an automatic as they are bearable (150 kms/week) and I have the flexibility to leave early and avoid the peak hour traffic. So, here I am, with a peculiar case of needing an automatic mainly for highway runs .

2. I am not yet an intense traveler. Most of my trips have been within 500 kms of Bangalore, 6 to 8 times per year. But, the urge to start exploring far off places has been on the rise. I need a proper highway car that can take my family of 3 (and occasionally 5) to all types of terrain in all seasons and in decent comfort. I am not into off-roading, so no ladder frame SUVs. I am looking for a monocoque SUV/Crossover with FWD/AWD or a sedan with excellent ride and handling without scraping issues.

3. In my experience, during the night drives (pre-dawn/post-dusk), one of the important criteria for highway safety is the visibility and the throw of the light. I instinctively follow this rule during my night drives - my braking distance should be always within my headlights' maximum throw. This limits my cruising speed to around 90 kmph in my Verna even on 4 laned highways. When the seats are placed high up, one can see the throw of the light clearly. This is severely lacking in the Verna because of the low seating (applies to most sedans), even my Santro's headlights have better visibility due to the higher seating than the Verna. So, I always end up straining my eyes a lot.

4. Verna is scraping speed breakers within city with just 2 adults and a kid. So I need either a Crossover with enough ground clearance or a sedan that doesn't scrape.

5. Need a DSG or Torque Convertor automatic. No AMTs.

6. Need to have good low end torque (for quick acceleration to cruising speed), decent to excellent handling, and the additional safety features of the D1 segment.

Cars being considered:
Octavia TDI DSG - It has excellent driving dynamics, in spite of not having independent suspension. Does it have enough ground clearance to take me to all types of terrain? I am not asking about Himalayas, but the destinations within lets say 1500 kms from Bangalore. How is the night time highway visibility at cruising speeds of around 100-110 kmph? Can it seat 4 adults + one 8-10 yrs kid in comfort for long journeys, especially the rear middle seat? We are a family of moderate build and height.

Jetta TDI DSG - I have the same questions as Octavia.

XUV Automatic FWD/AWD - Good highway visibility, enough space for 5 adults, decent ride/handling and enough ground clearance. It doesn't offer the driving pleasure, handling, acceleration, fit and finish of the Octavia/Jetta. But, it is value for the money.

Potential candidates yet to be launched:
Hyundai Tucson - Planned launch in late 2016. Is it worth the wait?

Cars ruled out:
Elantra - very similar to Verna, with the same diesel engine.

Help me with your insights, folks!

[Rajeevraj]

Originally Posted by Voyager-1

I am looking out for a diesel automatic in the D1 segment and I need all your thoughts to decide between Sedan vs SUV.



3. In my experience, during the night drives (pre-dawn/post-dusk), one of the important criteria for highway safety is the visibility and the throw of the light. I instinctively follow this rule during my night drives - my braking distance should be always within my headlights' maximum throw. This limits my cruising speed to around 90 kmph in my Verna even on 4 laned highways. When the seats are placed high up, one can see the throw of the light clearly. This is severely lacking in the Verna because of the low seating (applies to most sedans), even my Santro's headlights have better visibility due to the higher seating than the Verna. So, I always end up straining my eyes a lot.

Do not have specific answers, but a couple of comments. In general all cars in your shortlist will meet your requirements with the xuv the more rugged option. But considering the above quoted requirement ( speed vs light throw), the Octavia maybe the best. Reason is that it comes with adaptive headlights which adjusts the throw based on speed and also has automatic leveling. So I guess you will find it very useful. Overall ,feature wise and quality wise also the Octavia wins.

After sales may be a concern though as compared to Hyundai, but the Bangalore dealers seem ok from the reports here.