[GeeCee21]

Ladies and Gents,

Coming to you live from Hyderabad, this is my first post since my long essay was approved by the powers at TBHP. Glad to be here finally!

I have been consuming copious amounts of info regarding cars in the 55-70 L range..scratch that..nothing starts at 55L range - it all starts now above 60L(ex showroom). So let’s say I am in the market for a SUV/crossover in the ex-showroom range of 60-65L.

There is enough material out here including a pretty exhausting poll conducted a few months back where I recall Volvo was marginally ahead of X3, and then other brands queued up behind those two.

Rather than reinvent the poll again, let me explain where I am at and what I am considering.

For context, and since this is a bit of intro I have graduated from Maruti -> Palio -> Yeti -> BMW X1 in the past years. And now the itch to move up a level, but has to be a crossover/SUV. This is one topic where both my wife and I agree violently.

Barring the yet-to-be-launched Nexus 350 and recently launched X3 (for which the 1 and only dealer in Hyd does not have a test vehicle) I have test driven Volvo XC60, Audi Q5 and Merc GLC 200d. I excluded Merc GLC petrol since it is not 4/AWD drive and that again is my one big consideration. Another few considerations for us is a SUV that is smooth to drive in the city, can handle occasional long drive on highways, ease of driving, maneuverability and plush interiors. We have two boys - one stepping into teenage soon, so space and comfort backseat equally important.

At this point, here’s my head for each of the options:

Volvo XC60 - I pre-booked it when the announcement was made. Like the plushness and luxury, but concerned about:
1. Lots of features but on-the-ground usability remains a question mark?
2. Like the seats particularly because they are ventilated (does it make a huge difference?)
3. No dampeners
4. No drive modes
5. Relatively sluggish, needs to be pushed hard to perform
6. Resale a few years down the road as I intend to usually keep cars no more than 5’ish years
7. Price, after the hike of 1.5L post launch is now in sniffing distance of Germans

Audi Q5 (Tech) - Good overall package, though concerned about
1. Pretty boring inside / out
2. Quality of material a few notches below Volvo/Merc GLC
3. Roomier - at least back seat - than other 3 options
4. Decent feature list, incl collapsible spare tire, back window blind.
5. Lacks ventilated seats which in this part of India might be relevant
6. Quite a few worrisome comments about service and reliability of Audi (my closest brush has been with sister Skoda and never had an issue there tbh)
7. No discounts forthcoming, as yet!
8. Available after 3 months..surprising to hear!


Merc GLC - Late entrant in the fray but some observations
1. Loved the D motor, punchy yet refined - only D now left in the fray actually
2. Easiest to handle/drive amongst the lot, good MBUX, in-seat massager
3. 2022 model has improved audio, interiors are lovely
4. Some irritants like partial sunroof, no memory seats, only available in beige or black interiors
5. 2nd row least spacious but given we are 5’8 max not a major pull down
6. Significant concern abt next GEN GLC launching at some point - How far out does anyone now is this launch?
7. Pricey next only BMW, but again this is D motor so comparison might be a touch unfair

BMW X3 - Had to include the big brother in the mix (though X1 being sold as we speak)
1. Not driven yet but knowing the pedigree it would be fun though my X1 is 20d
2. 2022 model has improved audio, interiors are lovely
3. Had a pretty decent maintenance experience with X1, no major issues tbh
4. Priciest of the lot naturally
5. Lack of any support from the monopolistic dealer situation in Hyd - I hear from Bangalore friends that there is some discount/corporate support for them

Couple of other points.
1. Lexus is out of contention given it’s mid-range model will be close to 70L ex-showroom. I don’t want to go that far
2. I haven’t obviously mentioned a number of available/missing features. Two reasons: Didn’t want to repeat what’s already in other threads and reviews, and also because some features like wireless charging or wireless car play aren’t too big a deal for me.

Now, for conclusion before I offer it up to you all for debate and thoughts. At this point, my preference is as follows:

A. GLC - If the next Gen GLC is not going to happen for at least another 15-18 months, I would simply take this home. Tell me why I shouldn’t?

B. BMW X3 - No offence to the four-rings but given my past experience and reliability of X1 my loyalty leans here. Go on, try to switch my mind to Audi or GLC.

C. Audi Q5 - Not a pushover by any means, smooth drive but what about cost of maintenance and reliability of gearbox. What can change my mind?

D. Volvo XC 60 - Well crafted, well engineered but coming from BMW experience (even if X1) this hasn’t set my pulse racing. Why should I consider this now given the price is barely noticeable from Germans - at least Audi and GLC?

What do you all Petrolheads think?

[Sahil]

I would suggest the Q5 for you. I think all these brands are near equally reliable. Audi gearbox issues are a matter of history. Even if the horror were to come back, the warranty and even goodwill warranty would cover it.

The reason I suggest the Q5 is because it will be a welcome change after your X1. An Audi will feel more special and a new environment. Whereas the X3 would seem like a familiar bigger brother of your X1.

GLC and XC60 are just too long in the tooth now to consider.

[Turbanator]

Originally Posted by GeeCee21

B. BMW X3 - Go on, try to switch my mind to Audi or GLC.

Welcome to the forum!

None of the vehicles you have mentioned probably meets all of your requirements. Have you thought about keeping that X1 little longer and saving bit and move to the higher segment? Why do I get a feeling that even if you buy something from above, you will start getting itchy in few months

Ideally, you should be looking at an X5 as an upgrade but if that’s little difficult, I will ignore the attitude of the dealer and consider an X3. The newer one does look better and am sure that engine will be an upgrade over the X1. Discounts on X3 are not possible as there is waiting at most places now.

[lamborghini]

Welcome to the forum!

All of these cars bring something different to the table, and you should see what would fit your requirements best.

BMW : With the 30i engine, this is hands down the best SUV to drive. That being said, the rear seat support isn't great and the interiors wouldn't wow you given you're coming from the X1.

Volvo : XC60 is a relatively understated, feature loaded vehicle. The Air suspension, ventilated seats etc. make driving around that much more comfortable as compared to it's peers and the interiors still stand out with the materials used everywhere. Maintenance could be on the higher side due to these features, but many of them do impact the drive and with extended warranty the maintenance cost wouldn't be much higher. Would be my pick as a family cruiser.

Audi : Q5 with it's warranty packages seems like a good option, but let down by the interiors - which is shocking to say for an Audi. It's comfortable, quick, and an all rounder - a jack of all trades, master of none.

Mercedes : I'd avoid it. It may have the best interiors, but with the new C Class around the corner, I expect the new GLC to not be too far behind with a 2023 launch. The engine is average : only advantage being the torque given you're coming from a diesel X1.
Plus coming from BMW, the Mercedes service costs are higher and IMO quality of interiors over the long term aren't as great with many creaky plastics.

To be honest, I really like Turbonator's suggestion of retaining the X1 for a bit longer and jumping up a segment. The Q7 & X5 would be two vehicles I would keep an eye out on and strike when the deal is right.

However, if you cannot wait : I would also suggest trying to see if you can get your hands on an X4-30d - not as practical as the X3, but with the 6 cylinder diesel under the hood and distinctive styling it could be something different.
If the dealership has stock, they maybe able to offer you a better deal on the same.

[rohank024]

Hey guys, been in similar boat, figuring out which one of GLC or Q5 to buy. Anyway as it happened, got a used car deal from a friend. Its 2020 registered GLC 220D 4matic, has a run of 18000 kms and is asking 50 lacs for it, which i guess is a decent price, and m assuming he would have kept 5% bargaining margin. The car is under warranty until 2023.

Anyway looking through his service history i realized that last year, he got STEERING GEAR and 2 FRONT SUSPENSION STRUTS replaced by landmark guys. As per the service history notes, customer complained that he hears "ghad-ghad noise from the right side" and hence the dealer replaced these 2 parts. My question is it normal for cars like merc to have such issues so early? Reason i ask is just want to be sure that though these parts have been replaced, i am not being sold a badly manufactured car. Would the experienced guys here help me out pls.

[Sahil]

Originally Posted by rohank024

My question is it normal for cars like merc to have such issues so early? Reason i ask is just want to be sure that though these parts have been replaced, i am not being sold a badly manufactured car. Would the experienced guys here help me out pls.

Parts have been replaced, don't worry about the cause. To you as a buyer, it's better you are getting newer parts. Also, you have a year more of warranty left, so if something does go wrong, it can all be covered.

[androdev]

Originally Posted by rohank024

Hey guys,

You should always spend some time browsing through global GLC forums to scan for any known issues with the particular model you are considering.

I personally don't think this is any model related problem as mechanical things such as these are rock solid in these cars. There is a good chance that the owner missed a speed breaker resulting in such an issue. Just guessing - such problems are common on our crazy roads and they do tend to get covered under warranty if there is no accidental damage. It's not too serious like an accident but the impact is enough to cause failure of mounts and bushes etc. Sometimes the driver notices the issue much later after the impact and won't even know the correlation.

What you should be very concerned about is if the vehicle visited the workshop repeatedly for any problem. That's a red flag.

[Sarath_]

I would vote for the GLC.

I felt like being embraced into the warm hug of a mama bear; the interiors, the smoothness of the ride, I seriously wasn't expecting it to be so far ahead of the Audis and BMWs.

I remember driving my friends GLC and a look at the speed told me what my brain perceived to be a slow climb. I was in both shock and awe. Shock that I am doing such speeds which means my braking would have been miscalculated but in awe that even now I couldn't feel the speed. Older me would have been upset at the lack of feedback and the feeling of grunt from the engine.

But having driven an X1 among a group of X1 owners, all of who like to push the machine to it's limits, this felt like a different experience all together.

Personally own a Honda City and a X1. I feel the BMW engine just feels wrong in a SUV chassis. It's like riding a litre class naked street bike but always having the 100kg best friend on the pillion or Tom Holland's Spiderman swinging around New York with his best friend Ned Leeds piggybacking all the time.
Still love my X1 though (don't want to jinx anything)

I would go for the X3 if I didn't own a previous BMW since that is an experience and not a vehicle. So I would keep that as a second choice.

Good luck with your purchase

Mod Note : Team-BHP strongly discourages unsafe driving practices that put yourself and other road users at risk. Please do NOT post about illegally high speeds on public roads.

We advise you to read the Forum Rules before proceeding any further

[VanshK]

I would go for the Lexus NX 350h as you are going to save on it down the years especially if you plan to keep it for some time. What it won't give you is enthusiast level of driving but it is definitely the plushest of the lot and the hybrid is smooth and refined. Plus you will have a looker.

[NarediAni7518]

Well, the new X3 in its M-Sport guise looks the sportiest, and with that 30i engine is the best car to drive undoubtedly. It’s the fresher product of the lot, has quite a healthy amount of features and comparatively more reliable than the other two German brands without a doubt. And since you have an X1, I feel it’s not a proper BMW in various terms, you will really appreciate the X3 do give it a test drive. Else the other option I would recommend is the XC60, it’s a great proposition, and make you feel really special every time you will sit in it, this car will really pamper you, yes it’s not that great to drive, but Volvo’s focus is towards comfort, safety and calmness, so I would strongly suggest test drive both these vehicles.

I recently saw a video from EvoIndia about what makes Volvo different, I’m attaching a link to it and it’s surely worth a watch:

https://youtu.be/I464PZ_8r8A

Please do watch it you’ll get what I’m saying about Volvo

[Excommunicado]

@GeeCee21 you must show some patience buddy. If you are going to splurge 70 lakhs on something that you will use for 10 years, I don't think waiting for 10 months will really test your patience.

I can tell you through my own personal experience as a kid. We bought the 2nd gen '10th anniversary edition' Honda City and 3 months later the 3rd gen with futuristic and head turning design was launched. My friend told me to see the ad on the last page of the newspaper and my heart sank when I saw it. I still remember that feeling, can't shake it off. The one we had was great but latest is greatest!

Now all this so that I can convince you to wait for the next-gen GLC. It will be worth it I can bet. The interior will be one generation ahead of what BMW and Audi will provide in their latest offering.

I hope you make the right decision and most importantly stick to, and be at peace with whatever decision you make.

[pradheepsr]

Hello and welcome to the club.

By that I meant, having owned a BMW X1(sdrive 20d)and contemplating on buying a SUV in a segment above. I have bought myself the GLC220d(2020) after selling the X1

I have had the X1s form both the generations (pre-owned E84 & F48 new). Both were bought for one simple reason, sheer driving pleasure. That is what they delivered as well.

The E84 had a better ride and handling package than the F48, but the 20 d in the F48 was an absolute hoot to drive.

I would recommend going for the GLC 220d since it ticks all the right boxes at this moment, if you can't wait any longer.
- Its Luxurious, packed with features
- Its spacious for a family of 4
- Extremely refined and silky smooth diesel
- Suspension is tuned for comfort rather than sportiness
- Extremely efficient too , I consistently get 15-16 kmpl on my highway runs

My few gripes with the GLC were
-ordinary music system performance( no burmeister )
-Gearbox slow to respond often and doesn't offer a sporty performance
-no memory seats, ventilated seats or keyless entry even in this segment
- can't beat the BMW in the handling department

The previous gen X3 had no 30 d or 40 i in its lineup and that made me go with the GLC 220d,since I thought the 20d would be the same engine in a different body.

If you can wait or don't mind going for the petrol or prefer outright sporty driving performance, please think no further than the X3 30iM sport or wait for BMW to launch it with the 30d or 20 d engines if looking for only diesels.

Hope this helps.

[GeeCee21]

Originally Posted by Excommunicado

@GeeCee21 you must show some patience buddy.

This is the most telling aspect of the situation - to be able to leave with peace whatever the decision.

I appreciate the point on next gen GLC but I cannot wait and more importantly the timing isn't really confirmed either. So I guess I will have to leave with one of the current choices.

Originally Posted by Sahil

I would suggest the Q5 for you.

Naturally the newness and different drive style is a big pull with Q5. Hence it is in the frey.

Originally Posted by lamborghini

I would also suggest trying to see if you can get your hands on an X4-30d - not as practical as the X3, but with the 6 cylinder diesel under the hood and distinctive styling it could be something different.

Yeah, waiting isn't going to be possible. Unfortunately X4 is no longer available though tbh I love the styling despite a little less headroom. So this isn't a feasible option anyway. Also Xc60 now does not come with air suspension or drive mode - so it's a pretty linear power delivery and soft grunt when pushed.


NOTE FROM T-BHP SUPPORT: There are several formatting and other quoting related errors in your post. Please preview your post before submitting it. Thank you for your anticipated cooperation.

[nikhilarni]

Originally Posted by GeeCee21

A. GLC - If the next Gen GLC is not going to happen for at least another 15-18 months, I would simply take this home. Tell me why I shouldn’t?

B. BMW X3 - Go on, try to switch my mind to Audi or GLC.

C. Audi Q5 -

D. Volvo XC 60

What do you all Petrolheads think?

Welcome to the Forum.

I was in a similar situation in back in 2019, and went with the GLC 300 ( petrol ). It was way more plush and comfortable than the XC60, Lexus 200NXT and the X3. The overall package was impressive beyond doubt. There is definitely that luxury feel and class with the Benz. I just love the ride quality and quietness, not the mention the sound from the Burmester.

Now, I also have the M340i xDrive, but had evaluated the new X3. Its definitely much much better than the previous gen and bigger too.

My suggestion would be, choose between the 3 Pointed Star and the Bavarian.

But If I had to wait for close to a year plus to get delivery, I would drop it from the list. I would probably loose interest by that time.

[rohank024]

Originally Posted by Sahil

you have a year more of warranty left, so if something does go wrong, it can all be covered.

Thanks, that's very useful to know. I am getting a 360 degree check done tomorrow as well, so I guess if anything serious will know post the test.

Originally Posted by androdev

You should always spend some time browsing through global GLC forums to scan for any known issues with the particular model you are considering.

I personally don't think this is any model related problem as mechanical things such as these are rock solid in these cars. There is a good chance that the owner missed a speed breaker resulting in such an issue. Just guessing - such problems are common on our crazy roads and they do tend to get covered under warranty if there is no accidental damage. It's not too serious like an accident but the impact is enough to cause failure of mounts and bushes etc. Sometimes the driver notices the issue much later after the impact and won't even know the correlation.

What you should be very concerned about is if the vehicle visited the workshop repeatedly for any problem. That's a red flag.

thanks, fair point. I actually spoke to the previous owner. He has already sold the car to a broker from whom i am dealing with so i am guessing he has no incentive to mislead me, though you can never be sure. He told me to not worry about anything and that he felt that there was something wrong with the suspension and while the dealer never felt that was the case but he forced them to do the replacements in the month of purchase itself as it was a demo car he was buying. Infact, he mentioned that he even got all the tyres replaced and that these tyres haven't run even 14K.