[Rameshdude]

Originally Posted by akj53

Rameshdude

Why don't you take a test drive of Altis Petro AT. It meets all your requirements and is a very comfortable and trouble free car. I own one for the last 3.5 years and am very satisfied.

You can also bargain for good discounts

I like the car too. But my family is averse to that car. Apparently, for them Corolla has a peculiar smell inside, and they feel nauseating. I had taken my cousin's corolla for a few drives.

Honda City often gives me back pain. I love that car.

So guys, please suggest me an AT car with soft suspension and high seating. Is Maruti bringing out a face lifted version of SX4 ?
Ford would be announcing a good offer on Fiesta in a day or two. So also Skoda on Rapid .

On Vento AT, there is a cash discount of about 35K, OTR will come to less than 11 lakh.

Verna is low seating.

Thanks in advance.

[suhaas307]

The Honda Amaze petrol may come with an AT but the car itself needs to be launched and I believe it's going to take more than a couple of months. Also, don't expect it to be a very fast car. It should be comfy, but going by Hondas in the past, I bet the ride is going to be stiff. Maybe not as stiff as the Hondas on sale today. I say this because apparently Honda is working on making the suspension work better over bad surfaces. Only time will tell.

Also, The Sail Sedan may come with an AT 'box. Don't take my word for it, but I distinctly remember it being mentioned in a slide during the presentation at the Sail U-VA media drive. Just like they'd also let the Spark facelift 'slip'.

I think the Sail sedan with AT will be your best bet as it ticks all the boxes you expect a car to. It has a very supple ride - the ride quality is brilliant and right up there with the best in the segment (at least the hatch does, I'm sure the sedan won't be too different) and the seating is a tad higher than your average sedan due to the relocated fuel-tank (now under the front seats)

EDIT: the Sail seda is expected to hit the roads in the first quarter of 2013. Not sure about the AT option but it's on the cards for sure.

[anandpadhye]

How about Kizashi CVT?
It's supposed to be a very good car and now with a huge discount, should be available within the budget mentioned in this thread.

[msmatic]

I'm in a similar dilemma, looking for a good automatic. Many people in this thread suggest Honda City AT but I feel Verna AT(Petrol) is a better option. AT cars are generally driven more inside the cities and occasionally on the highways. Hence, Verna's soft suspension gives a more comfortable ride. The fourth ratio becomes active only at around 60 kmph which means whether the gear box is a 4/5 speed doesn't matter inside the city limits.

Now, if the usage is more on highways then why would anyone buy a petrol automatic ? A diesel manual at the same price will do the job. On high speed handling, how many of us would go over 120kmph consistently ?

IMO the feature rich Verna presents a stronger case.

[Rajesh Rawal]

Originally Posted by msmatic

but I feel Verna AT(Petrol) is a better option. AT cars are generally driven more inside the cities and occasionally on the highways. Hence, Verna's soft suspension gives a more comfortable ride. The fourth ratio becomes active only at around 60 kmph which means whether the gear box is a 4/5 speed doesn't matter inside the city limits.

IMO the feature rich Verna presents a stronger case.

+1. I don't know about bangalore but it seems in hyderabad getting the verna a/t (petrol) is difficult.

Checked with all the dealers and none of them have a td car in petrol automatic and no inventory as well.I have been told to wait till Jan 2013 to book one.(Infact they were pushing me to book a diesel automatic saying no one is buying petrol a/t )

The OTR price is working out to be 11.95 for the 1.6 sx(o) petrol which given all the jazz and gizmos is a good proposition.

[kmadhok]

Originally Posted by msmatic

I'm in a similar dilemma, looking for a good automatic. Many people in this thread suggest Honda City AT but I feel Verna AT(Petrol) is a better option. AT cars are generally driven more inside the cities and occasionally on the highways. Hence, Verna's soft suspension gives a more comfortable ride. The fourth ratio becomes active only at around 60 kmph which means whether the gear box is a 4/5 speed doesn't matter inside the city limits.

Now, if the usage is more on highways then why would anyone buy a petrol automatic ? A diesel manual at the same price will do the job. On high speed handling, how many of us would go over 120kmph consistently ?

IMO the feature rich Verna presents a stronger case.

I was on the look out for a used AT. I drove a Fluidic verna and the City. The Verna felt almost dead to me. Very slow in pick up and the brakes were very soft as well. The City on the other hand was much better to drive. This got me to an impression that the Verna was a more 'gadgety' car with a AT option forced on it. While City was a 'true' AT car.

[rugsrags]

There comes a time where saying goodbye to your trusty steed is inevitable. It could be for a number of reasons. For me its been a long time in the coming and i'v been delaying for as long as i could and only my most recent trip on the highway made me realise that it is time to let go.

Let's start with the history. I have as my steed a white Honda Civic 2007 manual . The first two years of its life were spent in my garage and only when i completed my studies were the keys handed over to me as a gift by my father. In two years it had completed a healthy 12k kilometers only . Thus began the love affair. Finally i had the civic in my hand. During my studies i did have a variety of cars to play around with luckily due to my familys passion for cars. My first vehicle was a discarded by family Santro which was then changed to a new Getz and i was later upgraded to a 1.8 Optra LT another family hand me down. So all in all i never have had any reason to ever complain but a Civic was one d fallen in love with the moment i'd seen it and to be finally have one to call my own made me fulfill all targets set by my father to get one (much like how a carrot is dangled infront of a donkey to make it move)

Now iv had the civic as my personal vehicle since 2009 and now its completed a healthy 90k kms and running nearly as good as earlier. I say nearly is because it now has a lot of squeaks and rattles in the body and apart from that i do feel there is work on the suspension on the horizon too. There is a change in the way it tackles the potholes though it could be because of the low tread in the tyres too. I have gone through only one set of tyres during my car's lifetime which proves that regular balancing and alignment does help. The civic does wear Michelin Primacy LC's and iv been really happy with their performance.

The reason for change is actually only due to the squeaks and rattles and the general wear and tear of the interiors over time. Not really in-correctable but well I do think its a downhill journey from now especially with the civic being discontinued. (Atleast that's how im justifying this process of change even though iv not faced any spare part issue till date )

Now comes the crisis though. I have around 14-16 lacs of my hard earned money to splurge on a new car and im at a loss as to what to pick up. I primarily self drive so this time my preference is for an automatic only and preferably a strudy one since i do club a lot of highway driving to my city driving and the road conditions at my city are anything but tolerable. The running is going to be 70 percent in the city and 30 percent highway since i can always borrow my fathers Rexton for the highway.

Guys it would be great if you could advice me. Should i stick around for the new Corolla or are there other options coming in. There is no rush as i am not really dissatisfied with my car and it still runs without fuss. Your advice nonetheless will be much appreciated.

[Safeer]

@rugsrags, can understand the itch after 4 years/ 90K kms ownership of a car;-). Hmmm lets summarize requirements from your post. 14-16L/ new (not used)/Autobox/ majority city drive (not so good roads). Presumably not particular on petrol or diesel but looking at your car history, inclination seems towards a petrol car.

Now guess you can narrow your Petrol AT choices available in upper C/ lower D which can also handle bad roads. As you pointed out, it maybe worthwhile to hold on to Civic till new Corolla is in.

[IshaanIan]

Originally Posted by rugsrags

There comes a time where saying goodbye to your trusty steed is inevitable. It could be for a number of reasons. For me its been a long time in the coming and i'v been delaying for as long as i could and only my most recent trip on the highway made me realise that it is time to let go.

Guys it would be great if you could advice me. Should i stick around for the new Corolla or are there other options coming in. There is no rush as i am not really dissatisfied with my car and it still runs without fuss. Your advice nonetheless will be much appreciated.

So upto 16 lacs for an automatic car eh? Care to divulge a few more details; like whether you are more inclined towards dynamics, performance or comfort? Diesel or Petrol? Sedan/SUV/UV?

Anyway, I don't believe that you need to wait for the new Corolla to be launched. Considering the way Toyota kits its cars, I doubt it will be much value for money. Just another car.

You have got a few options in the market right now:
Hyundai Elantra: Like every new Hyundai, tons of features, poorly sorted chassis (okay this one is actually acceptable) and good styling. Infact of the new "fluidic" crop, this one is the most pleasing and proportionate to look at.
Chevrolet Cruze: It has just been updated with more safety kit making it vfm again. The autobox is pretty bearable in this car and that diesel mill has loads of punch. Great styling both inside and out an upgrade from the crappy stock tyres, ought to keep you pleased.
Renaul Fluence: My personal favorite car that is still in production in the D1 segment. Plenty of features, well sorted chassis, one of the better EPS units, loads of space rivaling D2 segment cars, useable power and torque infact in-gear acceleration is leaps ahead of the Cruze and just behind the 2.0 liter Jetta so please don't let the specs on paper put you off. This car looks really elegant and while it is slightly quirky in terms of ergonomics, I have to say that it is the most refreshing interior I have seen in a while. CVT box comes with its usual negatives.
Nissan Teana: Not really in your budget, but I am sure with enough contacts, you can squeeze a juicy 6-7 lacs off the showroom price of the car since they will have loads of imported stock lying around. The car is just a dream to sit in. Comes with seats that have 3 layers made of vibration absorbing material, brilliant plush ride, oozes of quality everywhere, that ottoman-styled front seat, the ambiance lighting, Heated and ventilated seats, sofa-like rear bench, loads of space and dual panoramic glass roof. I urge you to please try this car out. It IS and E-Class for MUCH less!

Do keep us updated
Cheers and good luck

[wilful]

About 80000 kms in about 4 years - reasonable bit of running. I suppose you are inclined towards a petrol AT given that you mention Corolla.
The current choices are limited to 3 as mentioned above. I have an acquaintance who has been using a Cruze AT for the past couple of years and he has had no problems.
But i think you should wait for the new Corolla to roll in. Should have the usual no fuss attributes. The only issue might be the price. You might have to revise your budget a bit.

[mints21]

My suggestion go for Hyundai Elantra, with year end discounts you will get this car within your budget. My brother recently bought one and is very happy. The car is perfect in all respects. Else, as we are all aware that Toyota Altis is likely to be discontinued as they are launching the all new Toyota next year and the production of the car will start only in April. It will be a long wait. Hyundai vernal A/T is a big no, you will never enjoy driving the car.

[rugsrags]

Originally Posted by IshaanIan

So upto 16 lacs for an automatic car eh? Care to divulge a few more details; like whether you are more inclined towards dynamics, performance or comfort? Diesel or Petrol? Sedan/SUV/UV?

Anyway, I don't believe that you need to wait for the new Corolla to be launched. Considering the way Toyota kits its cars, I doubt it will be much value for money. Just another car.

You have got a few options in the market right now:
Hyundai Elantra: Like every new Hyundai, tons of features, poorly sorted chassis (okay this one is actually acceptable) and good styling. Infact of the new "fluidic" crop, this one is the most pleasing and proportionate to look at.
Chevrolet Cruze: It has just been updated with more safety kit making it vfm again. The autobox is pretty bearable in this car and that diesel mill has loads of punch. Great styling both inside and out an upgrade from the crappy stock tyres, ought to keep you pleased.
Renaul Fluence: My personal favorite car that is still in production in the D1 segment. Plenty of features, well sorted chassis, one of the better EPS units, loads of space rivaling D2 segment cars, useable power and torque infact in-gear acceleration is leaps ahead of the Cruze and just behind the 2.0 liter Jetta so please don't let the specs on paper put you off. This car looks really elegant and while it is slightly quirky in terms of ergonomics, I have to say that it is the most refreshing interior I have seen in a while. CVT box comes with its usual negatives.
Nissan Teana: Not really in your budget, but I am sure with enough contacts, you can squeeze a juicy 6-7 lacs off the showroom price of the car since they will have loads of imported stock lying around. The car is just a dream to sit in. Comes with seats that have 3 layers made of vibration absorbing material, brilliant plush ride, oozes of quality everywhere, that ottoman-styled front seat, the ambiance lighting, Heated and ventilated seats, sofa-like rear bench, loads of space and dual panoramic glass roof. I urge you to please try this car out. It IS and E-Class for MUCH less!

Do keep us updated
Cheers and good luck

I guess dynamics and comfort take precedence over performance. One can never get the potential out of an engine in our crowded cities as it is and one can never complain that cars today are under-powered. Diesel or petrol doesn't really matter. A car with decent ground clearance is required though since the condition of roads in my city are questionable.

Hyundai though does not count very highly on my list. I do have a verna and an i20 and surprisingly both their chassis are inherently flawed. I really don't understand how Hyundai is not able to correct the basic issue.

Cruze has very poor workmanship and a lot of owners who i know have faced various issues with the same hence inspite of its powerful engine and features im still confused over it.

Thats an eye opener about the fluence. I never thought about this car because iv never seen even one car on the road in my city. But i'll definitely check it out now since im not really afraid of trying out something nobody else has. I do own a Rexton for that reason and im probably one of the only one who has it in my city

Nissan Teana. Now that would be something if I managed brokering a good deal. A V6 engine and if i manage getting it at a steal then i don't need to worry about loosing out on re-sale either will take time out and hope the dealer here is stuck with atleast one car

The crux of the matter though is i'm still going to wait for the corolla and see what they do bring out and then decide.

I just wish the Duster/Terrano had an automatic. What opinions on the Eco-Sport Automatic though? I guess i am a little inclined towards a SUV.

[IshaanIan]

Originally Posted by rugsrags

I guess dynamics and comfort take precedence over performance. One can never get the potential out of an engine in our crowded cities as it is and one can never complain that cars today are under-powered. Diesel or petrol doesn't really matter. A car with decent ground clearance is required though since the condition of roads in my city are questionable.

Hyundai though does not count very highly on my list. I do have a verna and an i20 and surprisingly both their chassis are inherently flawed. I really don't understand how Hyundai is not able to correct the basic issue.

Thats an eye opener about the fluence. I never thought about this car because iv never seen even one car on the road in my city. But i'll definitely check it out now since im not really afraid of trying out something nobody else has. I do own a Rexton for that reason and im probably one of the only one who has it in my city

Nissan Teana. Now that would be something if I managed brokering a good deal. A V6 engine and if i manage getting it at a steal then i don't need to worry about loosing out on re-sale either will take time out and hope the dealer here is stuck with atleast one car

The crux of the matter though is i'm still going to wait for the corolla and see what they do bring out and then decide.

I just wish the Duster/Terrano had an automatic. What opinions on the Eco-Sport Automatic though? I guess i am a little inclined towards a SUV.

Completely agree! Can't complain much about under-powered cars these days. Especially once you pay a certain price.

Yes if dynamics come anywhere near your list of priorities you can knock the Hyundais off.

Sorry I think I was talking about the Diesel version. The Fluence AT is only available in petrol avatar. Which feels very relaxed unlike most CVT driven engines which are usually strained. This motor even feels a little Japanese in its rev happy manner. You've got a manual mode too with pre-selected gear ratios. Definitely my pick in its segment.

Another car you can check out is the Skoda Laura. Ought to be huge discounts running to clear stock. BUT it is afterall a Skoda and I don't believe its reputation for A.S.S. needs an introduction here on this forum.

Yes do take time never rush into things but I for one, am highly skeptical about how long it will take for Toyota to launch the car. Think of this: their flagship, the Camry, comes with only 2 airbags, abs and ebd same is the case with their Fortuner both kitted to the level of a Ritz so would they not have to rectify that before they launch a cheaper car in their Indian stable that has any hopes of competing with the rest in its segment? The Fortuner sells solely for the Toyota brand and the butch looks but the Corolla sold only as long as it seemed like a VFM proposition; once the competition offered more, it didn't sell. So they can't hope to kit it out to such a dismal level and expect it to sell.

As for SUVs, making the move from a Civic to an EcoSport, will be difficult; narrow interiors, lower grade materials etc and trust the rest on this forum when they say that it is only a Hatch on stilts. The Duster should be getting an automatic variant but that is only some time in 2015. Perhaps a Yeti then?

I must say, I'm glad to have let you toy with the possibility of the Nissan Teana (pounce on one if there is an opportunity) and that I've convinced you to give the Fluence a look

Ciao!

[rugsrags]

Originally Posted by IshaanIan

Another car you can check out is the Skoda Laura. Ought to be huge discounts running to clear stock. BUT it is afterall a Skoda and I don't believe its reputation for A.S.S. needs an introduction here on this forum.

As for SUVs, making the move from a Civic to an EcoSport, will be difficult; narrow interiors, lower grade materials etc and trust the rest on this forum when they say that it is only a Hatch on stilts. The Duster should be getting an automatic variant but that is only some time in 2015. Perhaps a Yeti then?

I already own an automatic laura and thankfully it hasn't really given any issue as mentioned in so many posts about the reliability. Guess i'm plain lucky for once

Even the yeti has no automatic version and it somehow reminds me of a bigger wagon r. No offence to anyone but its just my own personal opinion.

I'm being offered just 3.5 lac for my civic at the moment when its IDV itself is 6.5 lac so i'm in no hurry anymore to sell it especially since its still working flawlessly with new tyres and a recent big service done. Its a shame really to let go my car for such a pittance so wait for the new corolla before taking the decision it is.

The eco-sport was a valid contender and i guess it still will be. It is a really VFM proposition and it does appeal to the mind a lot even though it is a hatch on stilts. It does help that its sold in large numbers already and hence helps one maintain a low profile too

[kgkaran]

The last post here was in May 2013. SO bringing in the question again... folks what may be the best (reliable, VFM, comfortable... speed and huge power thrills don't matter so much) car - manual or auto available in the market today?

Am driving a Skoda Laura 2011 MT Diesel as of now... looking to upgrade as the extended warranty is about expire, and I cannot afford a Skoda out of warranty

I am open to Petrol as well. Budget would be around 14-15 on-road. Does it make sense to wait a while for the new Corolla/Civic to be relaunched? Or for the Elantra facelift?

Thanks folks for your suggestions...

Mod Note : Please avoid typing with excessive dots.........like................this.

Thanks