[PrashantPahwa]

Originally Posted by drmohitg

I recently shifted to Gurgaon from Delhi and the roads here are really bad. Combine that with a near total lack of driving sense and a SUB starts looking like a very lucrative option. Both me and my wife have now mutually agreed that going forward we will only buy SUV class vehicles in India.

Exactly. I have been in the same dilemma for a long time. Gurgaon roads are a mess in monsoon and I have experienced being stuck in 1.5 feet deep water for 3 hours in potholes ridden road. But I want an automatic and in my budget it's either amt suvs or cvt/at sedans.
I want to avoid amt for refinement reasons.

[igp_79]

Originally Posted by jsanket

Hi, how does the seating position of Ecosport help your back problem?
if a sedan or hatchback has good lumber support, it should also suffice?

I think it is not so much the lumbar support as it is the hip point.
I had the Duster with the lumbar support. Though the seats were comfortable, I quite often remember having a dull back ache at the end of a long drive.
Having bought the Compass now without lumbar support, I feel that the back ache is minimal or absent.
I noticed this during the testdrive itself, as I had gone in the Duster with a mild backache. This, I percieved got better, after a short test drive, though i didn't give it much thought at that time.

Maybe, the hip point being a little higher lets you sit a little erect and also the position of the headrests matter. This could differ from car to car and with each person's height. With no one size fits all formula(and this is not a patch on the manufacturer either). Just try out the seats of the car you want to buy.

[jsanket]

Originally Posted by igp_79

I think it is not so much the lumbar support as it is the hip point.
I had the Duster with the lumbar support. Though the seats were comfortable, I quite often remember having a dull back ache at the end of a long drive.
Having bought the Compass now without lumbar support, I feel that the back ache is minimal or absent.
I noticed this during the testdrive itself, as I had gone in the Duster with a mild backache. This, I percieved got better, after a short test drive, though i didn't give it much thought at that time.

Maybe, the hip point being a little higher lets you sit a little erect and also the position of the headrests matter. This could differ from car to car and with each person's height. With no one size fits all formula(and this is not a patch on the manufacturer either). Just try out the seats of the car you want to buy.

Okay! Thanks. Just for information, which variant of the Ecosport did you have? Did it have adjustable lumbar support?

[itwasntme]

If the Kodiaq came in the 177-190 hp tune, it would largely end this debate. Exception being the hardcore mud-plugger SUVs.

Hugely spacious and comfortable, easy to get in and out, luxurious interiors, high GC, and a superb DSG/TDI engine combo.

Frankly can't think of anything lacking apart from potentially inconsistent service experience.

[Samurai]

A question often comes up, do Bangalore roads need 4x4 SUV or a gelding will do. If you are dealing with just potholed roads, even a gelding SUVs will do. In fact, I know many argue that their sedan with superior ride comfort can handle bad roads comfortably.

But my first cousin, who owns a 10 year old Gurkha begs to differ. He lives near Sarjapur road area and has to drop his son to school everyday. During monsoons, he prefers a road that is totally devoid of traffic because nobody ventures there. Here is a video from his daily trip, in fact this video is from today. You can see a Tata Ace guy struggling to climb up. Even a pedestrian can be seen struggling to walk along the road. I am sure many of you are familiar with this road, it connects Sarjapur road to Chikkanayakanahalli through HNHalli lake road.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=007UDvmXCY8

[Lambydude]

My comments are based on my regular drives to my hometown in North Kerala from Bangalore on my sedan - Rapid 1.6 TDI and Scorpio. The route has proper fenced expressways , ghats and bad section of broken roads.
Yes, Rapid provides a much pleasurable driving experience especially in the ghat sections. It just stays planted and cornering is an absolute delight. You also get the direct feel of acceleration as the car is low slung.
Having said that, recently I realised that the driving fatigue is lesser while in scorpio due to the following reasons
1. Higher sitting position in scorpio reduces the glare of oncoming headlights. For me this is a very important aspect. In Rapid my eyes starts paining after sometime while driving at night.
2. Space to move around inside the car. It may not be important for the driver, but definitely a major factor for the passenger when you are travelling with toddlers
3. Ride over broken roads.

There is one more not so quantifiable factor for me for picking SUVs over sedan for highway drives. Which is the perceived sense of security. Please don't confuse it with safety ( airbags, abs/EBD/EPS etc.). It is more about the feeling that a butch SUV is better while driving through deserted stretches of highways especially at night.

[GT3]

I prefer a sedan for the following reasons:

1) Dynamically better including ride, handling and braking.

2) Cheaper than similarly specced SUV.

3) Better performance and efficiency.

4) Nowadays the road quality is improving and I don't see the need of a SUV for my driving.

Everything said the ONE thing I like about body on frame SUV's are their butch and intimidating looks which no sedan can match. Example: Ford Endeavour.

[vharihar]

I can speak for Bangalore.

If you live in Bangalore and need to own a 4-wheeler, then the decision is easy. It's got to be a SUV. The roads here are so bad that they merit a SUV.

[damager21]

While what you want is first half of the debate, what you get is the other half which needs to be looked at.

If broken roads and water logging are key considerations then SUV is a no brainer. However, there are other must haves which also comes into play - be it features, safety or comfort.

Unfortunately, SUVs currently available in the market trail sedans on features, safety and comfort for 5 adults.

Following is a quick chart where I have highlighted some of these aspects comparing 5 popular SUVs Vs 2 popular sedans. These are all Automatic models which I have compared


Red - For me is a must have
Yellow - For me is a good to have

So if someone is looking for automatic for City driving, both Sedans trounce SUVs almost on all counts. I guess these aspects makes decision more difficult.

So while high ground clearance and water wading capability is important, safety of my family is even more important for me. None of the current SUVs barring Ecosport and Hexa offer 6 airbags. So with Ecosport you have a squeeze for 3 rear passengers while Hexa is longer for City driving

[Lambydude]

Originally Posted by damager21

. None of the current SUVs barring Ecosport and Hexa offer 6 airbags. So with Ecosport you have a squeeze for 3 rear passengers while Hexa is longer for City driving

I'm not sure if you have considered Fortuner, Endeavour, Santa Fe etc while saying none of the SUV's offer 6 airbags..thw top end models of most of the above mentioned SUVs offer 7 airbags.

[actinium15]

Originally Posted by damager21

Unfortunately, SUVs currently available in the market trail sedans on features, safety and comfort for 5 adults.

So while high ground clearance and water wading capability is important, safety of my family is even more important for me. None of the current SUVs barring Ecosport and Hexa offer 6 airbags. So with Ecosport you have a squeeze for 3 rear passengers while Hexa is longer for City driving

+1 to that. I feel that manufacturers are short-changing the customers when it comes to SUVs due to sheer demand. To me it is mind boggling that even for the premium charged for the SUV body-style over an equivalent sedan the feature spec is not at par. Creta v/s Verna, Elantra v/s Tucson comes to mind.

Originally Posted by Lambydude

I'm not sure if you have considered Fortuner, Endeavour, Santa Fe etc while saying none of the SUV's offer 6 airbags..thw top end models of most of the above mentioned SUVs offer 7 airbags.

I'm sure damager21 would have considered the ones you mention had he been targeting those price bands (27L-32L ex-showroom) - the comparative table he's shared are in 12L-17L ex-showroom price band as far as I can tell.
But for the sake of argument, if Fortuner, Endeavour, et al are to be put in the mix, then sedans of those price points (Octavia, Passat, Superb et al), have to be added as well for fairness - and the moment one does that, Sedans start to trump their SUV counterparts again.

[car_crazy1400]

I currently own SUVs, hatchbacks, Sedans, mini SUV & MUV too.

I would rather be driving a fast small car rather than driving a truck. However, our poor road conditions and the Feeling of Might is Right on our state highways, beg to differ.
Plus the upright seating position and ease of egress in definitely better in a MUV / SUV, for aged person like my dad.

[Torqy]

Nothing to beat an SUV's (Ok, Bolero might not be an SUV) "View from the cockpit". The large glass area. Been driving it for the last 10 years. Can never go back to a car.

[nikipedia87]

Originally Posted by damager21

Following is a quick chart where I have highlighted some of these aspects comparing 5 popular SUVs Vs 2 popular sedans. These are all Automatic models which I have compared
Attachment 1687777

Red - For me is a must have
Yellow - For me is a good to have

Good comparison. Although I'm not sure if the BRV has Cruise Control.

[mudhasir]

I have always been inclined to SUV purely for its stance and driving position. I own a Creta and I20 Elite and I must admit that I feel more peaceful and satisfied to drive my I20 as compared to Creta. Off late, I am more inclined to go for a Sedan as compared to SUV mainly due to the luxury touch and luxury feel associated with Sedan