[manaljain]

My mother is in her late 50s & she’s a gynaecologist doctor. Currently, she drives a 5-year-old Honda City with only 27,000 km on it. Given her daily commute involves going to the hospital and her clinic which is nearly a 15 km to and fro kms.

Now, we’re beginning our search for a new vehicle and would appreciate input from all of you.

She won’t prefer large sedans neither large SUVs because of daily traffic and parking challenges.

She has been driving cars for almost 35+ years and now planning to taste some luxury. As she always drive by herself and has no need for backseat space, that's not a priority. The new car should be an ICE car, or hybrid, will let you know later why Electric is not desirable.
The on-road price should be close to +/- 1 crore, and priority is for brand loyalty along with getting the driving pleasure.

Have been test driving and trying out all and here are my observations. Open to corrections/ feedback on all:

Audi (A4/A6) feels too light on the steering, though a comfortable ride both in front and back, but the brand doesn’t appeal much.

BMW (330i/ X3) - both give you a lot more feel while driving, ride quality is comfortable.
Also TD the X5 M40i, it had just put a long smile on her face, amazing 3.0 liter engine, good stability, overall a great choice with complete feature loaded package. Price & size are just the two main considerations on this car, apart from it 10/10.

Porsche Macan - The good parts are almost all there with the driving feel, ride comfort and sound system etc. The cons are an on road price of almost 1.25 cr and lack of PASM, 2.0 liter engine

Mercedes EQS - I’m getting close to 40L discount on the EQS 580. Test drove the car and boy oh boy it is a mad machine; 580 bhp on just a tap of your feet, proper linear power delivery, feature packed, but still after discount it is costing 1.30 crore for the AMG variant.

Also one thing that bothers me is the resale value of EVs; one can’t comment on it since there is so much unsold stuff left in the EV range, also post warranty the battery cost is close to 30Lakhs, all in all expensive EVs are a big no for me.

RR Evoque / Velar: Ride was smooth on the Velar, with air suspension and massage seats it feels good to drive, but size is a bit too large, and when considering Evoque it lacks on the features, also you are getting fixed glass instead of openable sunroof.

GLC - good but nothing stands out. Felt it’s longish and not too comfortable in the back.
New E class - haven’t TD yet but have heard from multiple sources that it’s a primarily passenger car. Also the size is an extra plus, so won’t be an option for self drive.

Lexus 300h: Looks are subjective and it doesn’t appeal as brand when compared to the germans.

Looking for advice from senior bhpians and other experts. Any other obvious choice I might have missed out or obvious misconceptions evident from above observations. I appreciate your insights and recommendations.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by manaljain

Also TD the X5 M40i, it had just put a long smile on her face, amazing 3.0 liter engine, good stability, overall a great choice with complete feature loaded package. Price & size are just the two main considerations on this car, apart from it 10/10.

Porsche Macan - The good parts are almost all there with the driving feel, ride comfort and sound system etc. The cons are an on road price of almost 1.25 cr and lack of PASM, 2.0 liter engine

You have shortlisted the two best options for driving pleasure among SUVs. And yes, IMHO, your Mom should go for an SUV only. Way more practical, which she will appreciate after years of driving a low-slung sedan.

Take a long test-drive in both cars. Luxury brands will offer you multi-hour test-drives. BMW will even drop the car off for a weekend for you to use, once they know how serious you are.

Don't worry about going 25% overbudget. No point spending 1-crore unless you are 100% happy with the car. My philosophy is, buy a better car, keep it for longer and save in the long run - related thread (How a more expensive car can work out cheaper (if you hold onto it for longer)).

Throwing in a 3rd option = Land Rover Defender. Way too much style & substance. Extremely comfortable. Also available in a 2-door version (Defender 90) if your Mom absolutely wants something smaller (although she will get used to even the X5's size within 7 days and 100 km of driving).

My compliments to your Mom on her success, and passion to drive .

[Turbanator]

Originally Posted by manaljain

she’s a gynaecologist doctor.
Also TD the X5 M40i, it had just put a long smile on her face, Price & size are just the two main considerations on this car, apart from it 10/10.

Porsche Macan - The good parts are almost all there with the driving feel, ride comfort and sound system etc.
Lexus 300h

3 Best SUVs that you have checked.

X5- she already likes it. If you are ok with Diesel, the discounts are 10-12 lac here in NCR. Even on Petrol, expect around 6-7 Lac. You should be able to get even better in Indore as dealers need numbers.

Macan- I won't bother much about that 4 cylinder engine or PCM. Do choose something that has nice leather/ interior trims. But, do factor Porsche might be a pain to maintain in Indore if that's her location. Even in places like Delhi, there is only One Porsche dealer. Though, they are usually courteous but repairs/ maintenance can be expensive. Also, the car does not stand out due to its size.

RX350/ NX - This is a very good car but if she does not like it for whatever reason, do check the smaller - NX 350h. I was mighty impressed with this car when we tested it and can easily recommend this over the RX if she has to travel alone.

[Axe77]

I think amongst the cars you’ve shortlisted, the X5 is one of the nicest purchases - comes with a palatable upkeep cost as well as compared to more exotic options.

Only because your mum is self driven and back seat doesn’t matter at all am I tempted to also throw the X3 M40i into the mix but two reasons against the X3 (compared to X5):

1) If her priorities change and she wants to be driven occasionally in future the X5 will be much better.

2) The overall sense of the interior / exterior etc of the X5 will feel a clear segment above, not to mention the superior comfort of the X5 given its air suspension.

If financially stretching is not that much a concern, I don’t think she should dial down to something like the GLC when she can instead extend to cars like the X5. If she absolutely must cap off her budget, perhaps better to do so by choosing the 6 cylinder X3 instead.

The Porsche Macan like GTO suggested - if it does completely appeal to her is an ultimate YOLO purchase and no better time than to do it now.

[Shreyans_Jain]

It is clear that your mom is sold on the X5, which just so happens to be an excellent car. Perhaps the best in the price range. There is no need to overthink and complicate this.

Mind you, once you are getting into this price segment, know that whatever car you buy will pretty much be a depreciation disaster. There is no escaping this. Also, maintenance costs will be much much higher than what you are used to. Things like tires cost 50-70k each.

[mchandra13]

BMW X5 is one of last models which still uses a 6 cylinder engine and is one of the best drivers’ cars out there. If you are not particular about the price, go for it. The x40i variant is a sweet compromise from a price point.

I used to own a Lexus RX 350 when it still used to have a V6 engine. That car was very smooth and not in the same league as X5 or even its Japanese cousin Acura. Nevertheless it was built with the legendary Toyota reliability. I wouldn’t recommend the new lexus with turbo 4s. They are not the same cars.

[46TheDoctor]

If you are willing to spend upwards of 1 Cr. X5 is the best option especially for self drive purpose.
But, given the mostly city usage, I think it will be an overkill and it's large size can become an issue.
Still this is the best choice amongst your shortlist.

My suggestion is that your Mother's requirements can be fulfilled with Kodiaq L&K also. It's great to drive, comfortable, has almost all the features of X5, smaller size will make it easier to drive and park and will cost you around 40% of your planned budget for both - acquisition and maintenance.

[hot_wheels]

I second @Axe77 and would highly recommend the X3 M40i simply because it is the ultimate driver's SUV south of 1Cr. The X5 can be a chore to manoeuvre given its size, particularly coming from a Honda City. It makes more sense for a single-person commute, which is what it will mostly be used for than the X5. The X5 is also not as exclusive as the X3 M40i and your mom can save some cost as well.

[SithDefender]

The SithDefender suggests the Defender 3-door

Pls do test drive it once before making a decision !

[buzzy_boy]

One thing to watch out for; your mum is upgrading from a comfy Japanese sedan. So, over short drives, she might be wowed by the Germans. However, over a longer ownership tenure, her priorities might shift to ride comfort.

Given these, I'd suggest taking a serious look at Lexus & Land Rovers. They generally offer better ride quality. Also, Lexus offers high quality interiors.

One thing I've learnt = let the lady decide. They have keen eyes and often spot things that dudes overlook.

My regards for her.

[samyakmodi]

Considering your mom would be the one driving in the chaotic traffic of our city - I would strongly advice going for a slightly smaller SUV as right from parking to driving it is a real headache.

X5 though a fantastic car - is a bit too bulky for her usage in the city with the idiotic drivers all around. Earlier the problem was two wheeler riders and TATA Magic driver - now there is a huge problem of e-rickshaw drivers who have absolutely no sense while driving. (This is purely with my experience of driving in the city)

Don't get hooked on to the budget - but do see what would suit her the most. The GLA as well as the BMW X3 can be potentially very good cars for her to use. X3 particularly offers decent space and peace of mind as well while driving in our chaotic traffic. Anything bigger and she would be struggling from day 1 - not because of her, but purely because of the way the city traffic moves. Have a look at both these cars with her.

Like GTO pointed out - if you come across as a serious buyer - these dealerships would be more than happy to give the car to you for over a weekend or for a few hours to really experience them.

[sarathlal]

Originally Posted by manaljain

She won’t prefer large sedans neither large SUVs because of daily traffic and parking challenges.

She has been driving cars for almost 35+ years and now planning to taste some luxury. As she always drive by herself and has no need for backseat space, that's not a priority. .

If possible, can you check the Lexus RX350? These are driver focussed cars with keen focus on luxury. Pretty unique vehicle too.

[acedriver_9000]

Originally Posted by manaljain

My mother is in her late 50s & she’s a gynaecologist doctor. Currently, she drives a 5-year-old Honda City with only 27,000 km on it. Given her daily commute involves going to the hospital and her clinic which is nearly a 15 km to and fro kms.

She won’t prefer large sedans neither large SUVs because of daily traffic and parking challenges.

If it's for your Mom's personal use and if you have other vehicles in family for road trips and out-station travel then avoid large SUVs like X5. Go for velar or porsche macan. Choose between the two based on your preference for design vs driving pleasure. Land rover reliability is pretty sorted off-late in my opinion. If you want to use it for family as well and prioritise space then go for X5. Also do consider Audi Q8, it's worth checking it out.

Originally Posted by Turbanator

X5- If you are ok with Diesel, the discounts are 10-12 lac here in NCR.

That seems really huge. Is that on Ex-showroom price Turbanator? Couple of months back when I enquired, in July i think, they said they have stopped the policy of discounts.

[visionrider]

Personally, I would suggest you let her test drive the Macan. For you the 2-liter engine might be small but if she's upgrading from City's 1.5 it would really put a smile on her face. Also, I would suggest you make her have a test drive of BMW X5 and Mercedes GLC Coupe AMG.

[lemedico]

Perhaps a considering thought for the upcoming sport coupes like the MG cyberster, or the BYD seal? Being a doctor myself, I feel far too many of us have got German SUVs and these newish genres give the owner an exclusive opportunity to stand out.