[rafiki]

Hello Everyone,

I am a long time lurker & finally got my membership approved! Last time I tried was 12 years ago when I was in the market for a new car. I am here seeking your insights to help me decide what to buy next.

My budget is around 1cr to 1.5cr, usage is around 10k a year and mostly outstation runs. We are a family of 3 and a dog. I want to get delivery of the car within this CY so a decision by July, August is what I am looking at. My kid is 9 yrs old so the next 4 to 6 years is when we can create tons of memories and I want a car for such travels & roadtrips. I also think this will be my penultimate car or at least that when it comes to "thinking from the heart" point of view.

My car history – father’s Maruti 800 as a kid (the older one), Honda CRV, Skoda Yeti. Within the family, Gypsy, Safari, X Trail, Pajero. I am definitely an all out SUV person even though I don’t offroad much.

I am now 42 and reached that point in life where I need to go after joys that I have long delayed. As a kid, I always wanted to buy a Range Rover but somehow now it doesn’t seem to make much sense to me. In the category I am targeting, I feel X3, X5, GLC and Q5 are all dated model. I saw the new GLC in Europe recently and it feels they are just selling the badge with a bigger screen. I didn’t feel much of “technology shifts” in the car.

My buying criteria:
- Definitely a luxury product
- Should be fun to drive
- Should be an early stage product in its life cycle
- I will retain it for 6 to 8 years

My current shortlists:
XC 60 – its like the Skoda of the premium category. Reliable, one notch below fun and solid value for money. This is a safe choice for me but that “safe” bit is not exciting me enough.
Defender – I love the looks but all reviews indicate its under powered.
Macan – I love this one overall but its not a major space upgrade from my current Yeti. Cayenne is both pricey & carries “snob value” which I don’t want
Audi Etron – haven’t driven it yet but somehow feels like a better engineered product in the market. Range is an issue for sure and am hoping the new Q8 etron will solve that. My typical runs are not more than 500km in one go so a range around that is sufficient.
X7 – amongst all the ICE products, this one certainly stands out. However, am not excited about the bucket seats in the second row. I have not checked if that can be replaced with a bench seat.
Skoda Kodiaq – will save me a ton of money & “serve the purpose”. But it wont be a life truly lived for me personally.

I have kept the typical X3, X5, GLC, Q5 out of this list as none of them excite me. While I see the allure of the badge value, I want an exciting product first.

So folks – please help a newbie who is discovering life in the 40s!

Thanks!

[DicKy]

Not sure of which all models you have test driven, except mentioning that you have not driven the E-tron.

Given that you have dismissed the X3,X5,GLC, Q5, guess you have written of the usual German offerings. So not mentioning the GLE400/400D. If character is hwat you are after, guess the left field Wrangler and Grand Cherokee could be worth a look.

That said, do test drive the Defender. Both the petrol and diesel inline 6 comes under your budget. Have a feeling that most indian reviews must have TDed the P300 that was offered initially.

[ballfry]

Have you considered the new Lexus RX?

Since the X7 is being considered, I'm assuming that an LCI product is also something you're open to since this generation of X7 has been around since 2019 globally.

A new X5 LCI would be coming out in the near future, which would be more fun to drive and would give you everything barring the rear seat in the X7.

BMW India's website has also "hinted" at the launch of a new X5 since the pricing has been removed on the current generation model.

[Turbanator]

Originally Posted by rafiki

My budget is around 1cr to 1.5cr, usage is around 10k a year and mostly outstation runs. We are a family of 3 and a dog. As a kid, I always wanted to buy a Range Rover In the category I am targeting, I feel X3, X5, GLC and Q5 are all dated model

Few models, I can think off-

Range Rover Sports and Defender (6 cylinder). Based on RTO, these will be at extreme end of your budget. You won't be necessarily getting a better car but paying higher due to duties. This automatically means, less visibility and exclusiveness.

https://www.findmeasuv.in/pricing_pd...e-in-india.pdf

Caveat - Service or spares can be tricky, high maintenance costs and reliability can be a question, though no personal experiences.

X5-LCI - will be here around the time you need. Not a head turner (except few darker colours in M trim) but reliable and best car to drive in its segment and above. I will skip X7 as you are small family.

X3M40i- If you are Ok with the size, it will be fun to drive, is practical for long distance travelling. May look dated too but with M treatment, I will definitely consider this.

You can park the saved funds in investments by picking either X5LCI or X3M40, will be handy when you are going to the next category - G-Wagon or a Cayenne Turbo or an Urus or even a 911 Turbo-S

[d3mon]

Originally Posted by rafiki

While I see the allure of the badge value, I want an exciting product first.

If you want an exciting SUV to drive, that's spacious & comfortable as well, just get the current X5 30d /40i. Don't dismiss it without test driving it - it will be far more exciting to drive than the X7 and any other option that you are considering (with the exception of the Macan).

Granted, it's not really the latest launch from BMW, but I actually think of that as a positive as BMW is removing more and more physical controls from their cars that make it difficult to operate when on the move. The current infotainment & interiors provide a great UX that is dying a slow death with the touch-screenification of all controls.

[SNA411]

Just curious, what do you make of the GLE 43 AMG?

Asking because coupe SUVs are not to everyone's taste.

[GTO]

No car is perfect, buddy! But looking at your list of requirements, I think the X7, X5, GLS in 6-cylinder guise will be just perfect for you. Would also strongly consider the Macan because it is so much fun and so very practical. Love the Defender, but you definitely need a 2nd car as a backup.

Personally, with such a big wallet, I'd go for used. Think BMW M5, AMGs, Cayenne Turbos etc.

[46TheDoctor]

After going through your requirements i will suggest you to go for one of the following options:

1. BMW X5

2. Skoda Kodiaq for <50 Lakhs + Any one of your dream cars from pre-owned market with the remaining 1 Cr

[Axe77]

I was helping a B’lore based friend hunt recently in that budget (she had a similar range but stretchable up to 2 cr) and I recall coming across some used Porsches during that process, which were well within the 1.5 cr budget you have set. They’ve just picked up a used Macan and are open to another used Porsche specifically. You can enter exotic territory if you decide to hunt a bit (and wait if needed) to go slightly used.

Amongst new, I think the GLS would fit well if you prioritise comfort (I don’t find it too exciting though), an X5 for a balance of driving pleasure with average (relative to GLS) comfort and an X3M40i / GLC AMG coupe for hard core driving pleasure with much more compromise on comfort (I think the latter might be close to end of life though).

I feel loathe to recommend JLRs to anyone but the 5 door Defender just has SO much oomph about it. Do consider it if you feel up to biting the bullet on reliability.

[Cresterk]

You rejected the X3, X5 and Q5 for being dated but you are considering the FWD based XC60 which has been offered since 2018 without any noticeable changes? Volvo's entire design language is about to change soon, considering the new EX90.

Get yourself the X5 40i, its the sportiest big SUV you can get in that budget.

Or get yourself the Tiguan/Kodiaq and an m340i

[cefiljoseph]

Originally Posted by rafiki

Hello Everyone,

My budget is around 1cr to 1.5cr, usage is around 10k a year and mostly outstation runs. We are a family of 3 and a dog. I want to get delivery of the car within this CY so a decision by July, August is what I am looking at. My kid is 9 yrs old so the next 4 to 6 years is when we can create tons of memories and I want a car for such travels & roadtrips. I also think this will be my penultimate car or at least that when it comes to "thinking from the heart" point of view...

Hi,

Happy to hear you are in the market for your grand purchase. I just wanted to offer my two cents about buying an early cycle product. This is a very counterintuitive thing when it comes to buying the premium cars. It's always best to buy the latter model of an older product than a newer version of a current product. The reason for this is when a new product comes in, it will require a ton of ironing out and sorting issues which happens throughout the product cycle. So, your best bet is to buy an "outdated" product. Sure, it won't have the latest and greatest gizmos. However, it will provide you with the biggest luxury which is peace of mind.

Let me give you an example for this as well. If we consider the case of what is arguably the greatest luxury car - S-class, we consistently see the final year models are anyway better. Take the W221 generation which had its final year in 2013. These cars are a steal and offer great reliability. Compare it with someone who bought a W222 in 2014, I'm almost certain they had a worse experience than someone who bought a the 2013 W221. Even with the W223 generation the early adopters had significant issues with some people even facing breakdowns out of nowhere. Imagine spending 2-3 crores on something as grand as an s-class and having to go through the embarrassment and annoyance of a breakdown. A forum member too was the victim of this. https://www.team-bhp.com/news/merced...-brand-new-car

Therefore, I highly recommend staying away from fresh models especially when it comes to germans. You never know if it's a lemon is the first year.

Keeping this is mind, My suggestions are as follows.

My top recommendation is definitely an R4 Macan since you are an SUV guy but doesn't do any off-roading. This is arguably the best handling SUV on the market. Even the base 2.0 litre won't disappoint. Anything else you get in this price won't reward you as much as a Macan. Of course, being a Porsche, this will also be the most expensive to maintain. However, this is also arguably the most reliable car so chances of you getting any troubles are slim. Also, this being the end of life for the R4 Macan, finding good deals on used is possible and getting a new one is also possible.

BMW X3 M40i - This combines two of the best things that BMW makes - B58 and the X3. I have always felt that X3 is the perfect BMW to have. Sure, the 3er is a hoot to drive but for all things practical, this is the one to have and it retains values better than the 3 for that very reason. Moreover, the excellent service networks and warranty packages from BMW helps.

Defender 3.0 L Diesel. Usually when manufacturers bring in old names and launch new cars, the mess things really bad. The current Tata Safari to the Lamborgini Countach, they did a terrible job by destroying a legendary name. However, with defender, it's a different story. The 3 later diesel pairs beautifully with the car. I can't think of a better way to bring back an old name and it's an amazing car that stands out from the generic germans.

X7 that you mentioned is also a great choice, arguably the best in the segment. However, since you mentioned that you would want to keep the car for a while, this might not be the best bet. Since, no seven series has been reliable, a SUV can only get worse.

As for electrics, in my humble opinion, Audi e-tron is the best choice in the luxury segment. However, important to know that it's a new technology and being an early adopter comes at a cost.

Hope I could help. Wishing you all the best with your hunt!!

[rafiki]

Thank you all! X5 LCI is definitely an option - I was completely not considering that!

By the way, I see no comments on Audi e-tron / Q8 e-tron. Do you not see that as a viable option?

[travelling owl]

Have you considered Jeep Grand Cherokee? a good offroader with nice looks and road presence.

[carthick1000]

Range rover Velar or Sport are the best looking SUVs in today’s market (Defender is rugged but not classy). With the timeless design lines and the seamless monolothic integration of lights around, they look the most suave, elegant and classy. Rest all of the options you mentioned are outdated already in one way or the other.

What is the point of having a childhood dream and not fulfilling it when time is ripe!

[Tomthumb]

BMW 630d. Space of an SUV in a car.