[madnish30]

If you can stretch the budget and will be occasionally be driving it yourself (or your FIL) then do explore Rapid and Vento.

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by madnish30

If you can stretch the budget and will be occasionally be driving it yourself (or your FIL) then do explore Rapid and Vento.

While they may be high in style, neither the Rapid nor the Vento are anywhere close to the Nissan Sunny in terms of rear seat comfort. It is really in a class apart.

For that matter the earlier suggestion of the Verito Edge or Limited edition is a very good one, provided the user can live with the taxi cab image of that car. The rear seat is one of the most comfortable available.

As a chauffeur driven Taxi when the front passenger seat is pushed forward, I also find the Swift Dzire very comfortable. Ease of ingress and egress, plenty of space to keep bags and stuff etc. The only irritant with the Dzire is that if anything is kept on the parcel shelf behind the rear seat, it tends to slide off and fall on the seat when the driver brakes the car.

The Etios is too clearly engineered to a cost and I just don't like its cheap bits. The Sunny is a better choice and plusher choice by far.
The Fiesta and Fiesta Classic are more driver's cars than designed for sheer rear seat comfort. The normal logic of horses for courses suggests that the Sunny is better than these.

Of these three choices, Sunny, Verito and DZire, I would simply go and choose the Sunny because it is the most competent and comfortable for this particularly enunciated budget plus specific use case. Additionally it has no image related baggage coming with it since it is relatively new.

If the budget were available I would certainly consider recommending a Corolla Altis or an Accord or a Skoda Laura but that is not the case here.

I would even suggest a Tata Manza! Very comfy too in the rear seat.

But to me, at the end of the day, all things considered, the peaceful, low profile and comfy Nissan Sunny steals this particular crown I am afraid.

[Racer_X]

The final list of options shortlisted are as follows:

1) Vento diesel (middle variant)
2) Ertiga
3) Sunny

Guys need your help in comparing these choices and finalizing the car.

[VW2010]

I want to boldly say Ertiga. Great for a 5 seater. Looks great, bigger, stronger and its from Maruthi.

Knowing how the service centre works the car can be a problem free car for years.

Their quality have gone up from the launch of Swift and i can only expect the same to carry over to Ertiga.

Between the 3 my pick would be Ertiga for i get something bigger than a sedan and not an SUV and still can seat 6 or 7 on those needed occassions while can take 5 comfortably.

[drmohitg]

Originally Posted by Racer_X

The final list of options shortlisted are as follows:

1) Vento diesel (middle variant)
2) Ertiga
3) Sunny

Guys need your help in comparing these choices and finalizing the car.

I think you have got enough advice about all the cars. Whats required now is for you to go and check out each vehicle properly and decide whats good for you and suits you best.

[sameerg001]

Originally Posted by Racer_X

The final list of options shortlisted are as follows:

1) Vento diesel (middle variant)
2) Ertiga
3) Sunny

Guys need your help in comparing these choices and finalizing the car.

I suggest you to leave the Vento comfortline variant as it sans safety equipments.

Well, I've been in Ertiga and to be honest, I really didn't find the back seat to be as comfortable as it should be.

And as suggested by everyone, Sunny will be perfect for you. There's A LOT of space at the back, plus you get all the safety equipments within your budget.

On the whole, I suggest you to take your FIL for TD of each car, He will be able to judge better then.

Good luck with your decision

Cheers,
Sameer

[noopster]

Ertiga for chauffer-driven single-person use seems overkill. Vento, as sameer pointed out, lacks any safety features in CL trim. I would still say go for the Sunny, or the Rapid Ambition which at least has some safety features.

[mkpiyengar]

Would like to suggest the following 2 cars:
1. Tata Manza:
Pros:
1. Excellent Rear space.
2. Comfortable seats with adequate thigh and back support.
3. Good suspension to handle bad roads.
4. Heavy built.
Cons:
1. Tata, so might have reliability issues.

2 : Nissan Sunny
Pros:
1. Best legroom/ rear seating.
2. Japanese reliability.
Cons:
1. Interiors like micra
2. Thin sheet metal build.
3. Sparse dealer network as well as dealership experience (As quoted by GTO)

Cheers
MKP

[selfdrive]

I would not recommend the Ertiga for someone who is moving from an i20/ City. In terms of space/ comfort in the rear seat it is no way that much of a step up as say the Sunny.

My vote goes to the Sunny and the Manza in that order. Unless they are not so keen on a sedan and are willing to wait for something a bit different like the Ecosport/ Duster.

Do keep in mind the possible dip in resale value for the Sunny may be more than that for the Manza.

[vb-saan]

Originally Posted by Racer_X

The final list of options shortlisted are as follows:

1) Vento diesel (middle variant)
2) Ertiga
3) Sunny

Guys need your help in comparing these choices and finalizing the car.

Out of the 3, my recommendation is the Sunny. Vento mid-variant quite lacking in safety options, and go for the Ertiga only if you are in need of 7-seater.

Or bring up the budget a bit and go for the Vento Highline.

[scooby05]

I think the SX4 is a Very strong car. Zero problems, and Maruti Service. You may consider options. Very few come up for resale, and that is a barometer of its dependability.

[Visaster]

Upgrading from a Honda is tough.
Well when I was buying a car for my parents, it was the same things I was looking for and boot space included.
Finally I ended up buying the SUNNY.
It was not my choice but my parents. They felt at home in it thanks to the enormous space which no car could give.

I give a big NO to Vento considering space and vfm.
Ertiga is no fun car to be chauffeured. If you are alone at the back you will be thrown all over the vehicle on Indian roads
Sedan is your best bet.
A car like Sunny will sure keep the drive peacefully even in the hands of a quickie driver.

May be a biased Sunny owner.
TD the car by person who is going to use makes the calling shot.

[StarrySky]

Chauffeur driven sedan under 10L? I'd say look no further than Sunny. I guess the lower variant would suffice since it already has all the safety features and most of the feel-good features as well.

However, do take your FIL/MIL to evaluate the Sunny. One of the "complaints" that I heard from a short person who tried the rear seat of the Sunny is that the driver sits "too far away" - the disadvantage of having too much space at the back

[drmohitg]

Originally Posted by StarrySky

One of the "complaints" that I heard from a short person who tried the rear seat of the Sunny is that the driver sits "too far away" - the disadvantage of having too much space at the back

People find all kinds of reasons to complain. This one is right at the top.

[StarrySky]

Originally Posted by drmohitg

People find all kinds of reasons to complain. This one is right at the top.

Yes, it sounded very funny to me when I heard it. But, if the owner sits at the left rear (as they usually do), a short person may feel that the driver really is far away - and they may find it more difficult to communicate with the driver or to pass him some cash, for eg:, to buy something. The problem is compounded if the driver is trained to sit as close to the steering as possible (which chauffeurs usually are, in order to make more space available for the owner at the back).