[Autonorm]

Hi!
I hope that the gurus here on this forum will help me out of my dilemma. I am looking to buy a petrol C2 segment sedan and have shortlisted Maruti Ciaz, Hyundai Verna and the Honda City. I have not considered the Vento/Rapid due to the horror stories about their service on the forum. I had considered the Fiat Linea as well but the attitude of the sales person combined with his helplessness in providing a TD of the T-Jet put it out of contention.

My requirements are,
a.) Space
b.) Easy maintenance. I do not want to be bothered to visit the service center every now and then because they don't pay heed to customer requests and/or carelessness.
c.) Enough grunt for the occasional highway drive. I used to drive my father's Ford Fiesta 1.6, which was a fun to drive car but from what I gather, none of the cars that I have shortlisted can offer the same experience. I don't mind settling down with a car that I can drive comfortably on the highway without it running out of juice.
d.) Creature comforts. If I am spending close to/more than 10 lakhs, I prefer my car to at least have all creature comforts that are present on cars cheaper than these 3.
e.) Safety. Should have all safety features included. More the merrier .
f.) Resale. I plan to keep the car for long (read 7 years) but wouldn't want to sell the car for scrap after that period.

I have test driven the Maruti Ciaz and the Honda City so far. The Maruti Ciaz though had good space the smaller engine on it let's it down. The interior quality also does not feel enough to justify a "premium" (sales-person's words) tag to the car.

The Honda City has oodles of space and feels more up-market than the Ciaz but how can Honda justify such a hefty price with so many missing features?

Hyundai Verna: This car is the most loaded of the lot with 6 airbags, auto-headlamps, auto-rain sensing wipers, etc.but still to test-drive it. It is also the oldest of the 3. Any rumors on a all new version any time soon?

[Rajeevraj]

Originally Posted by nityaya

Need advice and help in shortlisting a new car. The cars are Creta, Ciaz, City, Vento and the Altis. Price is not much of an issue. Should be good for highway as well as city with space for 4 adults and a child. Thanks in advance.

Since you have the budget for the D Segment and since you have shortlisted the Vento, assume you are ok with the Germans. The Skoda Octavia may be worth looking at.

From your shortlist, the Vento and Creta may not be the best for 3 in the back compared to the others. Among the other 3, the altis is the premium one and has the badge value also. So that would be my pick. You have not mentioned petrol or diesel. If diesel, purely from performance. The Creta and Vento should be better to drive.

Originally Posted by Autonorm

Hi!
I hope that the gurus here on this forum will help me out of my dilemma. I am looking to buy a petrol C2 segment sedan and have shortlisted Maruti Ciaz, Hyundai Verna and the Honda City. I have not considered the Vento/Rapid due to the horror stories about their service on the forum. I had considered the Fiat Linea as well but the attitude of the sales person combined with his helplessness in providing a TD of the T-Jet put it out of contention.

The city will probably drive the best. But as you mentioned quite expensive for what it offers and plenty of complaints of niggles and cost cutting. With Ciaz you compromise on performance but it is well loaded and is well cheaper than the city.

The Verna may be a little bit of both. Performs well, heavily loaded, 6 airbags. The handling may be poorer compared to the city and dont expect it to be anywhere near a fiesta. A TD should give some clarity. Another downside is that it no longer sells well. Not sure if there is a new model coming. Definitely not this year.

The Ciaz is probably your best option since you are looking for a fuss free ownership experience.

[Aroy]

Originally Posted by Autonorm

Hi!
I hope that the gurus here on this forum will help me out of my dilemma. I am looking to buy a petrol C2 segment sedan and have shortlisted Maruti Ciaz, Hyundai Verna and the Honda City. I have not considered the Vento/Rapid due to the horror stories about their service on the forum. I had considered the Fiat Linea as well but the attitude of the sales person combined with his helplessness in providing a TD of the T-Jet put it out of contention.

My requirements are,
a.) Space
b.) Easy maintenance. I do not want to be bothered to visit the service center every now and then because they don't pay heed to customer requests and/or carelessness.
c.) Enough grunt for the occasional highway drive. I used to drive my father's Ford Fiesta 1.6, which was a fun to drive car but from what I gather, none of the cars that I have shortlisted can offer the same experience. I don't mind settling down with a car that I can drive comfortably on the highway without it running out of juice.
d.) Creature comforts. If I am spending close to/more than 10 lakhs, I prefer my car to at least have all creature comforts that are present on cars cheaper than these 3.
e.) Safety. Should have all safety features included. More the merrier .
f.) Resale. I plan to keep the car for long (read 7 years) but wouldn't want to sell the car for scrap after that period.

I have test driven the Maruti Ciaz and the Honda City so far. The Maruti Ciaz though had good space the smaller engine on it let's it down. The interior quality also does not feel enough to justify a "premium" (sales-person's words) tag to the car.

The Honda City has oodles of space and feels more up-market than the Ciaz but how can Honda justify such a hefty price with so many missing features?

Hyundai Verna: This car is the most loaded of the lot with 6 airbags, auto-headlamps, auto-rain sensing wipers, etc.but still to test-drive it. It is also the oldest of the 3. Any rumors on a all new version any time soon?

In my opinion the Honda City fits your requirements, yes it is expensive to what it gives, but you get a pretty trouble free car. The space inside is to die for.

If you do not mind diesel then the Ciaz "Hybrid" is the best bet. It has Maruti service backup and the Hybrid tag which will get it off polluting vehicles tag (both for tax as well as for restrictions, as was done in Delhi)

[vinit]

Originally Posted by Autonorm

I had considered the Fiat Linea as well but the attitude of the sales person combined with his helplessness in providing a TD of the T-Jet put it out of contention.

Once you take the TD of Linea T Jet, it will be very difficult for you to look at any other competitors. Fiat is also going to launch Linea 125 S later in this year which will be even more powerful than the current T Jet and will bring wide smile on your face. Fiat has also provided an ECU update for the Linea's diesel sibling and made it very lively and agile. Linea has all the necessary bells and whistles. It also comes with 5 years warranty (3 years comprehensive and 2 years extended) And as far as riding and handling is concerned, other cars are simply no match to Linea. I was in similar dilemma few months back, like you are right now, but after the TD of Linea, the picture became very clear for me.

[Autonorm]

Thank you Rajeevraj, Aroy and Vinit for your suggestions! The Ciaz does seem like a good choice but the quality of interiors as well as missing features vis-a-vis the Verna has put it a rank behind. Diesel is not in contention simply because my running will be way too low to justify the premium over petrol.
Honda City has more than ample space but it is way too expensive for what it offers.
My first choice was also Fiat Linea (from the reviews and photos) but I can't even get a test drive of it.

[vinit]

Originally Posted by Autonorm

My first choice was also Fiat Linea (from the reviews and photos) but I can't even get a test drive of it.

From your signature, it looks like you are from Chandigarh. If the Chandigarh Fiat dealer is not responding, try to contact the dealers in nearby cities. There are many dealers in Delhi NCR. Even they can offer you a test drive. My only point is, do not come to a conclusion without having the test drive of all possible choices.

[nibedk]

Originally Posted by Autonorm

Thank you Rajeevraj, Aroy and Vinit for your suggestions! The Ciaz does seem like a good choice but the quality of interiors as well as missing features vis-a-vis the Verna has put it a rank behind. Diesel is not in contention simply because my running will be way too low to justify the premium over petrol.
Honda City has more than ample space but it is way too expensive for what it offers.
My first choice was also Fiat Linea (from the reviews and photos) but I can't even get a test drive of it.

Mate you got to drive a TJET and then decide. If you are looking at fuss free ownership nothing will beat Maruti. The coverage of service centres through out the country will make sure you do not have service related issues. But service is cheap is a myth. I will come to it later.
If you are looking for Snob value Honda and Toyota will just be fine. Corolla is pretty underrated but the reliability it provides justifies the price. City is overpriced for all it offers. Other than the engines nothing great. The build quality with each iteration is going down. Nothing great as far as driving dynamics are concerned.
Skoda and VW both make great cars but the iffy service is still an issue. Fiat isnt any great but Skoda/VW literally loot you on gun point. You may have few issues with Fiat but mainteianence costs are least among all cars you have mentioned. A few years back autocar had pusblished an article and both Punto and Linea had the least maintainence costs in their segments.
I have owned a Swift which was sold recently and currently ride a Fiat GP 90 HP. Let me assure you maintainence cost were more for Swift and this combined with lesser gap between services and it doesn't get better.
No other manufacturer allow owners to check the car during service and usually inflate the bills with unnecessary stuff. Fiat too uses all tricks in the book but if the owner is aware of the car there is hardly any scope to inflate bills.
Other than the now discontinued and very underarted Ford Fiesta nothing else comes close to Linea as a driver's car. With a 15 K service interval it should not be much of an issue if your city has 1 or more service centres.
Drive the Linea once and I bet you will not like anything esle until you go till Octavia but its almost double the price.

[Autonorm]

Thanks Vinit and nibedk for your input. I am new to Chandigarh city and have searched online for Fiat dealers. There is apparently only one dealer in this region (google search shows dealers from adjoining cities of Mohali and Panchkula).

I would like to know your opinions on Hyundai Verna. This to me seems to be the most loaded of the lot with accessories and safety. It also has the largest and most powerful engine in this category. Haven't driven it yet, so don't know if it drives well. I don't see the 2015/2016 models too often on the roads, hence the apprehension.

[nibedk]

Originally Posted by Autonorm

Thanks Vinit and nibedk for your input. I am new to Chandigarh city and have searched online for Fiat dealers. There is apparently only one dealer in this region (google search shows dealers from adjoining cities of Mohali and Panchkula).

I would like to know your opinions on Hyundai Verna. This to me seems to be the most loaded of the lot with accessories and safety. It also has the largest and most powerful engine in this category. Haven't driven it yet, so don't know if it drives well. I don't see the 2015/2016 models too often on the roads, hence the apprehension.

I ll stay away from Hyundai. With recent reports of inflated bills resulting in higher maintainence costs it doesnt look rosy. I have driven the older Verna before the recent facelift. Here are my views

Great interiors amy be the best in the segment quality wise. You sit really low and if you have older folks at house it may be pain for them to get in and out. Its a great place to be in once you are seated and gives a premium feel and has got lot of features. Safety is top nottch with siz airbags and abs. But that all good one can find.

Start driving the car and the soft suspension doesn't inspire any confidence. Ride is plush at lower speeds but thats all. Increase the speeds and the story is different altogether. Steering is absolutely video gamish with no feedback what so ever. At higher speeds the car almost feels like floating. On bad roads there is lot of tossing up due to the soft suspension set up.

To sum it up buy it only if you primarily drive in city on good roads and love features. I for one would stay way from it due to the drive dynamics and costly Hyundai service.

In comparision Elite i20 is a much better car including driving dynamics. It may not match up to the Europeans but still better than Verna.

[vinit]

Originally Posted by Autonorm

I would like to know your opinions on Hyundai Verna. This to me seems to be the most loaded of the lot with accessories and safety. It also has the largest and most powerful engine in this category. Haven't driven it yet, so don't know if it drives well. I don't see the 2015/2016 models too often on the roads, hence the apprehension.

There are two kind of features a car normally has. One is the external gadgets (electronic or otherwise) and the other is the inherent attributes of the car. The build quality, riding and driving dynamics, solidity are some of the permanent features of any car. They cant be changed in the car's lifetime. External gadgets can be added / removed anytime. I personally rate any car on its internal features and there Linea scored heavily for me. Some of its features that I liked are:

1. Solid build quality. It takes effort to open and shut the door of Linea.
2. Excellent riding and driving dynamics. You have to drive the car to feel this.
3. Excellent stability and braking capabilities. All 4 disk brakes.
4. Very good suspension.
5. Hydraulic power steering. It provides immense feedback to the driver. You always feel in control of the car.

Now these are permanent features of any car. Either a car is solid or it is not. You can always add a touchscreen if you require but you cannot change the build parameters of the car. And your experience with the car (Best/Good/Bad/Worst) depends quite heavily on these attributes, which we often neglect under the "chamak dhamak" of external features.

Its not that, Linea doesnt have these external features. It does have. But I went for Linea because I liked its soul. I felt that rest of the cars were quite lagging on these parameters to Linea. However, I strongly suggest you to personally take TD of all these cars and then decide. Finally, a car is always a personal choice.

[Autonorm]

Going by pictures, I love the interiors of the Fiat Linea. It was one of the top contenders until I spoke to the sales person who was barely interested in even speaking to me and made no effort what so ever to even show me the car. That makes me worried about after sales service.
A well built car with superb driving dynamics and good ride quality will definitely plaster a smile on my face but I do not want to be dealing with people who are not interested in their products. This to me also paints a picture of the service quality.

I have heard that the suspension set-up in the new 2015 Verna has been worked upon and is (much?) better than the older Verna. I am somehow leaning towards the Verna because of 6 airbags which none of the other contenders provide plus all other features that I believe will be almost standard in the newer car launches (Projector headlamps, AVN, etc.). Obviously everything finally rests on the test-drive.

According to my test-drive experience of the Ciaz and City, neither of them was a great driver car. The ride seemed to be plusher on the City. The interior of the Ciaz though looked better from outside, the quality on the City felt better. Both come in all black interior (which I like) but haven't seen them in real time, only pictures. Apparently, both Ciaz and City have sold only one car so far with black interiors.

[coolboy007]

Originally Posted by Autonorm

A well built car with superb driving dynamics and good ride quality will definitely plaster a smile on my face but I do not want to be dealing with people who are not interested in their products. This to me also paints a picture of the service quality.

The only good driving cars in c segment which an enthusiast can enjoy driving are Linea, Vento and Rapid. Fiesta was on tops but it has been discontinued now.
If you are keen driver, please do not pick up the Verna. Sorry to say but it is a horrible car on the highway, gets unsettled so quickly and the steering is too light for comfort. You can see so many i20/Verna owners on the forum who keep looking for aftermarket suspension or stiffening up the struts. You can not change the core qualities of a car and Verna fares poorly at it. Hyundai may have improved it a bit but only the all new Verna when it arrives could be better, the present model is a very poor riding/handling car.

Have a long test drive and see what suits you. Linea is the best car dynamically followed by Vento/Rapid.

[nityaya]

Took a test drive of the City, Ciaz and the Creta. All diesel variants. The Creta was good but the clutch felt a bit hard. The City diesel sound was obvious and a deterrent in a car in that price range. The Ciaz test drive came as a surprise as I was expecting it to be underpowered and a little slow. But I was pleasantly surprised by the pickup which even though was not rubber burning seemed adequate. And with all the features at the price point my inclination is a bit biased towards the Ciaz. Will take a test drive of the Vento on Monday and then decide. In the Ciaz I like the black interiors of the RS version and the Sales guy told me that they can remove the skirting all around since I felt it was a bit too much. The spoiler will remain.

[vinit]

Originally Posted by Autonorm

Going by pictures, I love the interiors of the Fiat Linea. It was one of the top contenders until I spoke to the sales person who was barely interested in even speaking to me and made no effort what so ever to even show me the car. That makes me worried about after sales service.
A well built car with superb driving dynamics and good ride quality will definitely plaster a smile on my face but I do not want to be dealing with people who are not interested in their products. This to me also paints a picture of the service quality.

I have done 2 services and not faced any service related problems yet from Fiat. And as far as the attitude of sales person is concerned, it will be present everywhere, more or less. Finally, you have to deal with them just once. You will be dealing with your car for 5~10 years.

[Autonorm]

Test drove the Verna this weekend and it is out of contention. Have been trying to contact the only other other Fiat dealer in Mohali who doesn't respond to phone calls, so that leaves me with only two options, Honda City and Ciaz. Honda City lacks lacks projector headlamps, height adjustable seat belts and even smaller things such as sunglass holder but makes up for it by giving a sunroof and a more powerful engine. Ciaz has better features as compared to City but lacks outright power. Also, to me City seems to have more space than Ciaz. I haven't been able to test both the cars on open roads and hence cannot tell about high speed stability and riding characteristics. Someone with experience with both cars, guide me, PLEASE!