[DeKay]

Originally Posted by autorahul

Ciaz would still have its warranty intact, so thats slightly more favourable. You can also search for S-Cross, which has very good build quality too.
You might get 2016 model from showrooms at very good prices around 9 lakhs.

Yes, the particular Ciaz I'm looking at has extended warranty too. So it'll be under the umbrella until Jan 2020. S-cross might be out of budget even after significant discounts, but I'll find out if they have deals on them tomorrow.

Originally Posted by The Brutailer

If you can, go for the City S/SV variant.
EcoSport is competent too.
But, in your budget, best car to buy would be Figo / Aspire.
Btw for a beater car, wouldn't recommend second hand. Reliability and pre-owned mostly don't go hand in hand.

The City is drastically out of budget. And yes, my father would agree with you 100%. He doesn't trust any second hand car to be reliable either. And this is making me think long and hard about the Figo twins. Astounding value for money relative to the competition. I've scheduled a test drive for Wednesday.

Originally Posted by H_Dogg72

If it's driver driven, go for Corolla or the ciaz. Backseat comfort will be lovely.
If self drive, go for the Polo or Ameo eyes closed, Ameo only because of the diesel DSG. It's ugly, but ticks all the boxes.

The car will be self-driven. I would get the Polo right away, but the rear legroom just isn't enough even for the few times my Father might find himself in the back seat.
Ameo DSG is out of budget and ugly :/

Originally Posted by khoj

Fiat in any format (sedan or hatchback) is reliable & comfortable highway mile cruncher. If you can ignore the spiel of armchair consultants take a long, hard & serious look at the marquee.

Interesting.
Until a couple months ago, all Mumbai Fiat dealers had shut doors. There are 2 dealers now as per their website. Will definitely look into what deals I can get.

[a4anurag]

Originally Posted by DeKay

Yes, the particular Ciaz I'm looking at has extended warranty too. So it'll be under the umbrella until Jan 2020.

If possible get this Ciaz or else get a Figo TCDi top end.

Total bang for the buck. Best FTD hatchback for a great harmless sticker price.

[Arjun Reddy]

Either the pre owned Ciaz or go for the Fiat Punto. I have just clocked a 100 k on my Punto and it feels like it's ready for another 100 k. I haven't had a single issue with it in the last 4 and a half years of ownership. Inspite of Bangalore's notorious traffic the body line has aged well. Yes the trip to a service station will be around 20 KMs if your lucky but you have to visit it only once a year.

If space is not a constraint, highway travel a priority , its has to be a Fiat at that budget. You might get the top end Emotion at around 7 lakhs odd OTR post discounts. Yes it's rock solid.


Photo clicked by rear passenger.

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by DeKay

Hello,

- Ford Aspire - Top Model with 6 airbags is slightly out of budget but might be able to swing for it after discounts (Are there any?). Recent crash tests haven't been encouraging though.

- Used Toyota Corolla Altis - The couple I was able to find on carwale have done around 50,000km. Will they be reliable? Say I get a new set of rubber, a full service done before we start using it. What then?

- I'm out. Please help!

Both excellent choices in my opinion.
Test Drive them and decide.

Personally I would go for the Corolla Altis for sure.

If the car is a Toyota Certified one, then one can more or less blindly buy it.

Those are eminently comfy, rock solid cars and can do lakhs and lakhs of kms without breaking down or causing a hole in the pocket!

[Rajeevraj]

Originally Posted by DeKay

Hello,

- Ford Aspire - Top Model with 6 airbags is slightly out of budget but might be able to swing for it after discounts (Are there any?). Recent crash tests haven't been encouraging though.

- Used Toyota Corolla Altis - The couple I was able to find on carwale have done around 50,000km. Will they be reliable? Say I get a new set of rubber, a full service done before we start using it. What then?

- I'm out. Please help!

With the budget mentioned, the Aspire seems to be the best bet. But even the Aspire's structural integrity is questionable as per the recent crash safety tests.

The Ciaz seems a good bet, but you get 2 airbags and ABS and no other safety stuff.

Since you are open to looking for used D Segmenters, How about the Elantra? Should be able to meet your requirements if you can find a good one.

[prateekm]

In a similar doubt. We're thinking of trading the Cruze for something more compact and easier to maintain. Though we did about 50k kms in 2 years in the Cruze and enjoyed the biweekly Pune-Mumbai highway runs, it no longer sees the highway often now and is mostly stuck in the Mumbai traffic daily. There's no such set budget, but the checklist has a decent engine, safety and adequate rear legroom. We prefer AT over MT, especially since the last 2 cars we purchased have been an AT. I liked the Aspire for what it offers. What else would you guys suggest? I think we'll keep it for 2-3 years. Not keen on a used car this time. Also, don't want a Maruti, especially because of their MD's attitude towards safety.

[wilful]

Originally Posted by prateekm

In a similar doubt. We're thinking of trading the Cruze for something more compact and easier to maintain. Though we did about 50k kms in 2 years in the Cruze and enjoyed the biweekly Pune-Mumbai highway runs, it no longer sees the highway often now and is mostly stuck in the Mumbai traffic daily. There's no such set budget, but the checklist has a decent engine, safety and adequate rear legroom. We prefer AT over MT, especially since the last 2 cars we purchased have been an AT. I liked the Aspire for what it offers. What else would you guys suggest? I think we'll keep it for 2-3 years. Not keen on a used car this time. Also, don't want a Maruti, especially because of their MD's attitude towards safety.

Why don't you consider the Tata Zest? Should tick most of the boxes except the badge for some folk. Alternatively you could look at the Ameo- decently built and equipped- though it would be less roomier.

Just adding a link to the above post which gives a snapshot of the cars with the best safety features in the lower and mid segments. (Trust I am not breaking any norms by putting this link).
http://www.mycarhelpline.com/index.p...1354&Itemid=10

[autorahul]

Originally Posted by prateekm

Though we did about 50k kms in 2 years in the Cruze

If you are going to be running 50k in the next 2-3 years again, it may be wiser to go with diesel than petrol. Considering diesel, the automatic choices are few. You have Ameo, Dzire (to be replaced shortly) and Zest. Ameo is not very good on space but has best combination of engine and gearshift, and while you have ruled Maruti out, it might still be worth waiting for the new Dzire. Zest AMT is the another option, but doesn't offer much over Dzire.

If you are fine with going for diesel MT then Aspire is a great option. Wonderful diesel engine, and one of the best designs in the segment along with 6 airbags. But a better option I feel is the i20 Asta(O). Its arguably the best car in the price range. Additionally, i20 would retain its value a lot more after 2-3 years

Third option is to go with petrol automatic. Here, the best options are Honda Jazz V CVT and Aspire Titatnium DSG. Similarly kitted, the 2 of them, I would put Jazz V CVT above the Aspire, as few issues have been reported on the Ford DSG gearbox, and on the other hand with Honda there is little that is not known. Again if Maruti factor can be ignored, Baleno CVT is also an option, which very VFM.

Depending on the combination (Diesel AT/MT, Petrol AT) of what you choose you could get some great offers. My choice would be between i20 1.4 Asta (O) and Jazz V CVT.

[heydj]

Originally Posted by prateekm

What else would you guys suggest? I think we'll keep it for 2-3 years. Not keen on a used car this time. Also, don't want a Maruti, especially because of their MD's attitude towards safety.

Aspire AT
Ecosport AT
Ameo AT


My pick Ameo AT because of DSG Diesel combo.

[freakmuzik]

Hello everyone. My family is currently looking for a new car. We currently have the following cars at home -

1) Maruti Wagon-R VXI ABS (Dec 2010) - run 64k and still pretty good. It's primarily for my mom and she just loves the car for its height. The fuel efficiency is pathetic right now and even highway drives don't give more than 15 or 16 kmpl. Since this is the biggest car in our lot, we use it in the highways and find it severely inadequate in terms of power, space and comfort. Most irritating thing is the lack of boot space. But, it still holds good value, is reasonably reliable and easy to drive around and the seat height + visibility is fantastic! It still holds around 50% of its value even after 6.5 years which is great.

2) Hyundai Eon Magna + (800 cc, April 2014) - Used by my sister, this car is the most characterless car I've come across. The only advantage is it's big boot, which at 220L or so, is the most spacious among the three. My sister can fit in all her musical instruments and she likes using this car too. The space is bad, seat height is poor, engine is weak (but frugal) and the driving manners is no good either. But it's pretty decent as just a commuter car.

3) Tata Nano XT (Genx, June 2015) - This is my car and the tiny little star. Yes, it's pretty underpowered, unrefined and lacks good boot space. But the small footprint, good space, upright seating, tiny turning radius and awesome air-con makes it an amazing city car. It's a piece of cake to park and potter in the city. We intend to not sell this car till it dies off due to the above mentioned reasons and also because the investment itself is pretty small.

So the present needs are:

1) A comfortable car for 4 large adults plus maybe an additional 5th occupant.
2) Good power (or atleast low - end torque)
3) Needs to be frugal
4) Not-so-expensive A.S.S
5) Boot space to take in 4 to 5 days of luggage
6) Ride comfort
7) Good NVH and able to cruise comfortably at 90 - 100 kmph (meaning, no short ratios for the 5th like the old Punto)
8) Should hold decent value 5 - 6 years down the line.
9) Safety - very high priority here but I do not know how different it is between the various cars available in India if you leave out the Germans. So maybe I can narrow it down to 2 airbags and ABS+EBD as must along with ISOFIX.
10) No VW/ Skoda as parents might have to deal with service at times and also due to the relatively higher cost of maintenance. Plus, there isn't any car of VW group that's spacious and available at less than 10 lacs now.

Our usage shall be:
1) Monthly usage between 1000 to 1500 kms
2) Frequent short highway trips (Trivandrum to Kollam, Kochi, kottayam, Thrissur, etc.)
3) Couple of long trips (Mookambika, Chennai, etc.)
4) Willing to hold the car for a long time if its suits well.

Out of the three cars that we have, we feel it's better to sell the Eon right now. We are still undecided about whether to choose diesel or petrol as even though the initial investment is higher, diesels generally tend to fetch a higher resale and remain more frugal. Anyways, more than these factors, we need to drive and see as we have never owned a diesel car.

I kept looking at this long list and was wondering all day along before I decided to post it in here. We were simply looking through every possible car from Baleno to Hexa. As of now, dad seemed to like the new Dzire since it ticks almost all the boxes right. But I have to take a test drive to check out the space. And mom liked the Ecosport. Other cars looked into were the Ciaz, Baleno, Jazz and City (a huge stretch). Will start test driving the cars soon. Please do give in your suggestions

[drpullockaran]

IF you plan to do highway trips in the vehicle with family then the cheapest six airbag version of all the cars sold in India, the Ford Ecosport Petrol. If it is mainly for city use then the new Dzire.

[meetgds]

Hi,
Considering your checklist, and the assumption that you're probably looking at spending around the 10 lakh point, I feel that Ciaz comes the closest. It more or less has all the points checked except point 2 (power). If you can live with moderate power, the Ciaz is surely an option worth considering. It has great FE, best in class boot space, comfortable ride quality and arguably the best ASS in the country.

[narayans80]

Seems the perfect thread for my quandary

Requirements:
1. Space for 2+2 family. Kids are 7 and 2. Occasional/Rare 5th passenger. Tallest is me at the driver seat with 5'11", rest are shorter than 5'3". The rear seat would end up with a booster seat+a convertible car seat+occasional adult in between.
2. It will be self driven all the time, 99% by me.
3. Commute miles are low at 500-700 km/month. Trip miles will be high. My previous car clocked about 2000 km/month (including commute) average over a 14 month period. Driving 600+ kms a day is commonplace.
4. Good highway ride.
5. Younger one is susceptible to motion sickness. Travelling with him on a Xylo or Qualis weren't his cup of tea.
6. Good OEM illumination. Or should atleast be easily upgradeable
7. NVH. The only thing am worried about is pedal vibrations on a long trip.
8. Budget: Possibly upto 15L. Lesser the better. More money for trips you see!
9. This will be a keeper. I estimate 5+ year ownership bare minimum.
10. Boot space: My 2010 i10 was dismal at this. With 215L to boot. All except driver footwell were with things for a 6 day trip with one kid. So my expectation is at least 350L and above.
11. Not sure if i have to go with an automatic or not
12. Quick Delivery is a must. Am not waiting for months together, as this will be my primary runner.
13. Purchase is for Q3/Q4 2017.

Candidates:
Vento TSI: Have test driven this one and loved it. The Highline Plus with LED headlights has got me interested. I do get a lot of goodies like a worthy motor+worthy gearbox+cruise control. However this is on the higher end of budget. VW DSG is a high risk+high money proposition. I might've gone with this.
Honda City VX/ZX CVT - For the freakin expensive upfront cost, there are far too many niggles than C1 segment cars. Comes with all goodies on paper. Is it really worth it? Honda ASS doesn't inspire much confidence either.
S-Cross 1.6 Alpha - Are they even selling this?
S-Cross 1.3 Zeta - Reasonable price point. I get ISOFIX+Cruise Control. Might get quick delivery considering the low sales numbers. Its pitted against C1 segmenters later in the list on the price+value point.
2017 Swift Dzire ZDi+ - Gets ISOFIX and LED headlights. Huge waiting time is a turn off. NCAP rating of previous gen Swift isn't confidence inspiring either. BNVSAP is still sometime away.
Tata Zest XT QJD - Looks fairly decent. Undercuts the S-Cross and DZire by a fair margin. Official review thread comments are confidence inspiring. Unsure of facelift, unsure its going to bring any mechanical changes here.
Ford Aspire Titatnium+ TDCi - 6 airbags+explosive motor is the reason it is in the list. Lowest upfront cost. Ford is low on maintenance, thanks to mobike and auto_enthusiast threads. Only worrying factor is the pedal vibrations on long runs. How bad is the build?
Ford Ecosport Titatnium+ TDCi - Aspire+better build. Thinking if it is justifying the premium charged. Need to consider point 5 too. Better half should vet its quirky looks.
Toyota Etios VX/VXD - Full marks on safety and space. The lone candidate that has 3 point seat belts at the rear. How good is ride quality compared to Zest?

Doubtful cases:
Hyundai Xcent SX(O) D - Integrated headrests really? i10 seats were lousy for long distance touring. Its suspension didn't help causes either.
Hyundai Verna - There's already one in the extended family. I want exclusivity
Nissan Sunny XV CVT - Probably the cheapest automatic with huge real estate. Lousy gearbox and brand Nissan's uncertain future doesn't quite inspire confidence.
Hyundai Creta SX(O) CRDI AT - Way too expensive for what it offers. Is it worth? Unfortunately among the few choices of low risk diesel ATs.

Additional questions:
a. How is it to drive an AMT. I have either driven pure automatics or stick shift. Two situations I have my doubts on is on quick overtaking on 2/4 lane roads and driving ghat roads. For the latter, I see Torino's done it on a Celerio AMT. Have been dilly dallying on the AMT if I decide on Zest or Dzire.

[comfortablynumb]

Originally Posted by narayans80

Seems the perfect thread for my quandary

Allow me to confuse you even more - how about the Jazz? I guess it'll tick all your boxes, and is exclusive too ;-)

Cheers,
Vikram

[yatin]

@narayans80, I'm roughly in the same boat (want more boot space, child seating, mostly trip mileage ... but limited budget to roughly ₹7-9 lakhs, not looking for automatic).

Somehow, I only considered & test-drove the Zest and the Platinum Etios. I am leaning towards the petrol Platinum Etios; in spite of the tax disadvantage for > 4m cars, every variant is value for money ... for the engine, space, utility & safety, plain looks aside. It has pretty good ride quality too (although not as good as my Fiat Palio Stile).

Among < 4m cars, most cars (the Zest is 1 exception) compromise on engine and suspension, but keep the tax benefit for themselves.

A close relative is very happy with the manual Zest diesel top-end. I personally liked many things (e.g. the steering is superb) about the petrol Zest, but the lack of utility things like cup-holders, etc., the limited visibility due to thick pillars & wheel arches protruding into the boot, made me back away.

I was originally interested in the Jazz as it had enough boot space, but the company attitude (apparently, the lower variants have thinner seats ) and the dealer attitude (no follow-up at all) made me drop it without hesitation.