[rajshenoy]

I know i am comparing Apples to Oranges, but i am confused if I should eat Apples of Oranges since i am loving them both here.

I am looking to upgrade from my 2007 Swift petrol VXI which i love so much.

Requirement:
1. Need a Diesel - I run around 15K-18K every year. My monthly running is mostly variable. maximum 1800kms per month and 700kms minimum.
2. More space - My highway long runs have been mostly 4 adults and 1-2 kids. But in the city limits i have stuffed 6 adults and 2 kids as well in Swift.
3. Luggage - During my drives to native, i struggle to pack luggage in the tiny boot of swift. Resulting in extra luggage stuffed between the rear seat.

Budget is around 11 lakhs maximum(i plan not to take any loan) and Bangalore being a costly city to buy cars, i am not getting many options here.

Amaze
+ve:
1. Engine clatter is reasonable as compared to other Diesels so I can live with the NVH
2. I am told this car can return figures of 18+ in Bangalore city and 21+ on highways.
3. Power felt good for my needs. I am not a rash driver anyway
4. Rear leg space is much better than Swift/Dzire but the width is just as same. Since i am the tallest in family at 5.7ft, 3 can easily seat at the back(But nothing much to talk over my current swift)
5. Boot is decent and almost double that of my current swift.
6. Interiors are not as great as Ertiga, but choice of colors make the Interiors look plusher compared to Ertiga.
7. 3-4 months waiting period is perfect for me to arrange the cash.
-ve:
1. There is a huge jerk when engine is turned on and off - Something i have not seen in the likes of Figo and Swift diesel- Whole car shakes
2. Switching from Maruti service network to unknown Honda which is 3-4 kms away from my home.
3. S MT did not come with Fog lamps and when i asked how much i need to pay extra i am told 13K which sounds steep for pair of fog lamps(Makes me feel the maintenance costs of this car will be higher than Maruti)
Ertiga:
+ve:
1. Space is awesome - Since all in my family are average built, seating 7 should be very easy. I myself felt comfortable in the last seat.
2. Maruti network - Since i already own a Maruti, i feel at home inside Ertiga, Also service center is less than a km from home and i know every mechanic over there.
3. With 3rd row up and seats set for my height in all 3 rows, I felt middle row leg space is as much as Amaze.
4. Less waiting time - may be 30 days max
-ve:
1. With all 3 row seats up, the Boot space is severely compromised. I dont think i can even stuff 2 cabin bags there. May be 1 Cabin bag and maxium 1-2 small bags.
2. Mileage ?? expected around 13-14 in City and 17-18 on Highways.
3. Ertiga VDI costs 2 lakh more than the Amaze S MT. I am ok spending extra money only provided if it makes sense.
4. Newer maruti are no longer as cheap to maintain as compared to my 6 year old car which is pocket friendly

So as expected, i am confused now.

I am not going to need 3 row of seats every day. But if 2-3 extra guests come for a weekend, they come very handy to take out for a dinner or marriage function.
Amaze is more conventional car, a sedan meaning better status symbol than a vanlike Ertiga. Honda brand and perceived FE . I wonder if Amaze really gives mileage of 17+ in city conditions !! With diesel prices going up every day, 13-14 kmpl of Ertiga will pinch more along with the 2 lakhs that i am spending initially.

I dont change my cars often, so expecting to keep this car for atleast 5-6 years(may be longer too) and around 1 lakh kms. So require peace of mind.

So please guide me with my next upgrade(I got upto 3 months time to arrange the finance).

Some options I did consider but did not pursue further are:

1. Etios diesel - I love the space and Toyota maintenance costs and very good FE. but the interiors already look like they are 6 years old.
2. Sunny/Scala/Vento/Rapid - Middle variants are towards higher end of my 11 lakh band. FE seems to be good and good rear seat space too but service network is a question mark and maintenance will be higher than Maruti/Honda/Toyota
3. EcoSport - I am frustrated with Ford delays to launch this. After T-BHP review, i suspect the rear seat to be only as good as Swift. But i just love the looks of this car. price is another question mark too
4. Dzire - It looks like a joke after seeing Amaze. Less rear space, boot is hardly bigger than my Swift. And Sales adviser saying Dzire is fast moving car - No discounts
5. SX4 - I still like the way this car looks, Great GC and huge boot. But dated interiors, Model going out of production by next year, Steep price tag of 11 lakhs after discounts for Zdi model. makes me just strike this car.
6. Duster - costs 13 lakhs for the mid varient and over my budget(Can stretch though with few more months of saving) But I always felt this car is overpriced by a lakh and hence decided to drop it.

I am also open for giving second thought on these cars, but prefer to here more about these two beauties first.

[drmohitg]

I think you have yourself summarized the positives and negatives of the 2 cars beautifully. So what is the confusion? It is only a matter of paying 2 Lac for the extra row of seats as you yourself mentioned. So decide which one matters more to you in terms of priority and go ahead with your purchase.
As far as FE is concerned yes the modern day diesels all return excellent FE in city conditions too, more so if you do not race everytime you are on the road and rather drive sedately. My Sunny and Altis both return 17-19 kmpl in city traffic with 100% AC.
Another point I wanted to make is don't let the notion of a sedan giving you more status be a deciding factor. I don't think Amaze will provide you with any extra status points w.r.t. the Ertiga.

[rajshenoy]

Originally Posted by drmohitg

I think you have yourself summarized the positives and negatives of the 2 cars beautifully. So what is the confusion? It is only a matter of paying 2 Lac for the extra row of seats as you yourself mentioned. So decide which one matters more to you in terms of priority and go ahead with your purchase.
As far as FE is concerned yes the modern day diesels all return excellent FE in city conditions too, more so if you do not race everytime you are on the road and rather drive sedately. My Sunny and Altis both return 17-19 kmpl in city traffic with 100% AC.
Another point I wanted to make is don't let the notion of a sedan giving you more status be a deciding factor. I don't think Amaze will provide you with any extra status points w.r.t. the Ertiga.

Sometimes being in T-bhp adds to the confusion. I certainly feel more educated than the sales executives in showrooms.

Knowing bit too much about products also makes the choice difficult too. I like both these cars now and confused which one is better for the long run.

In the short term saving 2 lakhs makes more sense to me. Also Wife finds Sedans better than Vans so that brought the status symbol angle. (I Go for practicality)

I Agree that Only i can decide upon extra two seats, but will surely appreciate help regarding other factors such as FE, Maintenance costs etc. which will be good in the long run. Here Honda is another planet for me. With Maruti i can sit with the mechanic and get the work done.

[drmohitg]

Originally Posted by rajshenoy

Sometimes being in T-bhp adds to the confusion. I certainly feel more educated than the sales executives in showrooms.

+1

I Agree that Only i can decide upon extra two seats, but will surely appreciate help regarding other factors such as FE, Maintenance costs etc. which will be good in the long run. Here Honda is another planet for me. With Maruti i can sit with the mechanic and get the work done.

I have experienced a whole range of car makers over the last decade including Maruti, Toyota, Honda, Mitsubishi, Nissan and Hyundai. To be honest the after sales is experience is more or less similar with all leading car makers although I found Toyota to be ahead of all in this regard. In your case please don't get confused between the Honda and Maruti. They both are equally good although Maruti might work out slightly cheaper than the Honda in the long run.

I feel you should go with the Ertiga only if you will frequently use the extra row of seats. Otherwise the Amaze makes more sense to me in all aspects.

[Blow Horn Ok]

Sunny would be a proper length sedan with comfortable backseat and space. If you can accommodate the service factor and the budget, it worth giving an extra chance. Going by GTO's ownership thread, it is confirmed that the car is niggle free and highly comfortable in long journeys. The engine is frugal and known for good FE and longevity!

On the other hand, I could sense that you like the Amaze more than the Ertiga! If you really don't need that 3rd row (which is useless in my opinion) why spend 2 lac more? Book the Amaze!

[2000rpm]

Originally Posted by rajshenoy

Requirement:
1. Need a Diesel - I run around 15K-18K every year. My monthly running is mostly variable. maximum 1800kms per month and 700kms minimum.
2. More space - My highway long runs have been mostly 4 adults and 1-2 kids. But in the city limits i have stuffed 6 adults and 2 kids as well in Swift.
3. Luggage - During my drives to native, i struggle to pack luggage in the tiny boot of swift. Resulting in extra luggage stuffed between the rear seat.

I think this summarizes it all. You need a spacious Diesel!

Both options are diesel and Ertiga wins on space. Plus you are inclined towards Maruti because of your comfort levels with the After Sales. So whats the dilemma, Amaze should not even be a option.

[rajshenoy]

Originally Posted by 2000rpm

I think this summarizes it all. You need a spacious Diesel!

Both options are diesel and Ertiga wins on space. Plus you are inclined towards Maruti because of your comfort levels with the After Sales. So whats the dilemma, Amaze should not even be a option.

You are 200% right brother I surely need a spacious diesel. But confused if I need that space for luggage or for people. With Ertiga i have the luxury to convert the extra space into two seats for kids or dump lots of luggage there.

My heart is sold on Honda Amaze, but the mind is being practical and thinking of Ertiga. Being in Bangalore, i am not worrying about Lack of dealerships etc. Since Honda dealerships here are there since long time too. Plus increasingly we are hearing about Maruti pushing for Synthetic oil/ service costs shooting up for newer products etc.

Few things adding to confusion about Honda Amaze(I forgot to mention)

1. Ground clearance of 165mm. I got to drive for only couple of kms of good to average roads and car handled well But I did not really come across something that can test its ground clearance. But When i take it to my home town Mangalore over broken roads of Western ghats, I am suspecting it might not be comfortable there(I have seen Honda car owners always asking question on their cars low ground clearance)

2. If the real world mileage is not going to be very different from that of Dzire as claimed by Autocar, then i will only be getting around 16-16kmpl in city and 20-21kmpl. Then with Ertiga(14 in city 18 on highways is not very less)

[motionfreak]

you can always install a removable roof carrier. my friend has zdi and he's done the same.
go for ertiga.

[drmohitg]

Ground clearance might be an issue with the Amaze and generally speaking all Honda cars are prone to scrapping there bottom on some of those ugly breakers. If your travel consists of really bad roads frequently then you might want to check out on this factor. Just take a TD again. Bangalore is full of some of those world famous car breakers and you can easily try out the car on one of those to find out for yourself.

The FE of Amaze would be a lot more than mere 16 kmpl. It should be more in the range of 18 kmpl.

Another point you might want to consider is that Ertiga would require more space to park etc and managing that on congested bangalore roads can be painful at times.

[NPV]

Raj - Nice summary of your needs, positives, negatives of Amaze and Ertiga, you sure are in a dilemma! Hope I don't confuse you more instead of helping:
Why not for a moment remove Amaze from the equation and replace with Duster then you're more on even terms for a comparison. With the better GC you may be better off with Ertiga or Duster.
Now, the Ertiga has the 3rd row and can carry more people but luggage space is compromised so most likely you will need a luggage rack.
With the Duster, you have a comfortable 5 (stretch 6 maybe) people carrier and sufficient luggage space. Only issue may be the comparison on the price front.
I feel this is a more practical overall comparison instead of Amaze Vs Ertiga.
Also, any idea if the 3rd row in Ertiga can be folded ?

[rajshenoy]

Originally Posted by NPV

Why not for a moment remove Amaze from the equation and replace with Duster then you're more on even terms for a comparison. With the better GC you may be better off with Ertiga or Duster.

Duster is going out of my budget. I feel at least ABS should be mandatory and Renault has really got greedy and overpriced duster. RxL option pack costs 13 lakhs. They should have given ABS in the RxL itself which costs 11.5 lakhs.
Only model that comes in my budget would be RxE which is bare bone. I will wait for EcoSport as well for deciding(Hope it looks bigger than what i have seen in the reviews)

Originally Posted by NPV

Now, the Ertiga has the 3rd row and can carry more people but luggage space is compromised so most likely you will need a luggage rack.
With the Duster, you have a comfortable 5 (stretch 6 maybe) people carrier and sufficient luggage space. Only issue may be the comparison on the price front.
I feel this is a more practical overall comparison instead of Amaze Vs Ertiga.
Also, any idea if the 3rd row in Ertiga can be folded ?

Point noted, I will check out Duster as well, but only RxE fits my budget.
Ertiga 3rd row folds flat on the floor but it cannot be folded like say Enjoy.

I liked Amaze for the price(2 lakhs cheapr than Ertiga/duster) and great FE claims.

But Let me also consider Duster/EcoSport for more clear decision making.

[theincredible1]

Honda cars are expensive to maintain my friend. All that quality of fit and finish comes with a repetitive cost.

My friend spent more on his Honda City per service than I did on my Corolla in am entire year.

Anyways I suggest you take a good long test drive of the Etios before you give unnecessary credit to the Amaze just because it is new.

I am assuming you are looking for a long, trouble free, reliable and low cost ownership.

If nothing fits beside the two options you have narrowed it down to, buy the Ertiga. You get a lot more value for money.

[sivadeep]

Based on your needs it woud be Honda Amaze which also has much better brand value. Keep us posted

[vasanthn21]

Service factor: Both Honda and Maruti are equally good, Maruti is getting expensive and Honda is already there; so there wont be much of a difference IMO. Moreover, I remember reading somewhere that service costs for Ertiga (specifically) are higher when compared with other Maruti cars. Please check this out thoroughly if you decide to go with Ertiga.

If you need to seat 2 additional people occassionally over the weekends, you can always rent another car or call a taxi. Why make a purchase decision based on occassional needs?

If need to seat 2 additional people on long highway drives, again IMO Ertiga might be a problem; it will accomodate additional 2 adults, but where will you keep their luggage?

Ertiga makes most sense if you have to accomodate 6-7 people regularly in city drives.

I guess you can take a call based on what is most important to you.

If it is service cost/quality, peace of mind, practicality, dont mind bland interiors and looks - Etios
If it is refinement, safety and a little premium feel, good mileage and dont mind the higher maintenance cost - Amaze
If it is carrying 5-7 adults regularly in the city, peace of mind, good resale value - Ertiga
Spacious sedan with best comfort over long drives - Sunny

I love the Duster, but agree with you on th pricing - it is overpriced, buy it if you have a little extra cash.

P.S: Have you considered the Chevrolet Sail sedan?

[supremeBaleno]

What Ertiga provides you is versatility in taking in more folks or luggage, depending on the situation, while still providing a car-like experience. If you were to mostly have only upto 4-5 folks, then Amaze works fine, since the boot will take care of the luggage part. But you mention your typical usage to be 4Adults + 2 kids and sometimes even more folks. Clearly a case for the 3-row Ertiga.

And inspite of all the ARAI-FE hype around the Amaze, the Ertiga should also be in the close whereabouts if you look up the Ertiga owner-reports on the forum - so FE should not be a deal-breaker.