[vikramk]

Not directly related to the core topic of this thread but a lot many who don't even own a DSG equipped car keep talking about it and reflecting the experience of some who have faced issues.

Yes there have been teething problems (and perhaps free of cost replacements in many cases) with a few units but everyone talking about it at a time when a few hundred thousand units are sold every year is a little weird.

[PearlJam]

Originally Posted by vikramk

Not directly related to the core topic of this thread but a lot many who don't even own a DSG equipped car keep talking about it and reflecting the experience of some who have faced issues

This point is really ironic, because, I'm sure you yourself would go by the experience of others (by reading forums/reviews like team-bhp, or from friends), before you put hard earned money on buying your own vehicle, right?! Isn't this the same thing what people who "don't even own a DSG" are doing?

The basic point is, some of these cars have a *perception* of reliability issues. And the brands themselves have not stepped in on time to mitigate this. The smart guys need to learn from the unfortunate misfortune of others, because it's a fortune that we're putting into these cars.

Sorry, my reply too may be off topic. Mods, please delete both these posts if inappropriate.

[Waspune]

Originally Posted by MileCruncher

My pick will be the Octavia 1.8TSI given my running of less than 1000kms a month. I had driven the previous gen Jetta 1.4TSI and was seriously unimpressed. I call the Jetta 1.4TSI and Corolla 1.4D a result of some group of people not thinking.

Yes the TJET is more fun than the 1.4 TSI, maybe because of the the extra 200 kgs but still the Altis 1.4 is pathetic to say the least. A 20 lakh car with just 88 bhp and 205 NM of torque

[G-2]

VW Jetta!! Close to 2,20,000 kms and still going strong. The Germans do know how to make their cars!! :-)

[CarguyNish]

Originally Posted by qr20de

In my opinion, gone are the days when German cars used to 'feel more solid' for e.g. because of their door close with more of a 'clunk' and the interiors seemed more refined because of 'clean' and straight lines.

The present generation Hyundai's are a HUGE step up from the old day models in terms of design, performance and build quality. The Elantra's interior is wonderful and does have that 'clean' design philosophy.

The Global VWs & other brands owned by them still have that Solid Feel, but for India one has to compromise for obvious reasons.

I am not criticizing here, not even thinking of Argument & Offense. But, simply want to say Hyundai copies everything they see around them. They don't have any uniqueness in them, that's what at least I feel. I like thier cars though, especially for their Design & Equipment. But a car isn't about those 2 things (At least for me though), hence I look at all other factors & there the Hyundai continues to go down the list.

No matter how good the New Elantra might be, one who has owned the Brilliantly Engineered cars like Octavia & Jetta (Specifically Speaking of this Segment) he won't even bother to look at Elantra, forget about upgrading.

This simply is the wonderful impression that these European Cars put when you buy & own them for some period. This can't be the same for Japanese & Korean Cars, especially the Latter.

[spyder_p8]

That brilliant SKODA for me. Though i own a VW already and more than happy after clocking ~50K, the Octavia looks fresh with those neat interiors. My choice would be 1.8TFSI. For a moment, i may think of words like " Reliability " and " Service " . Atleast for the time being iam not hearing any fresh DSG issues on this forum.Also, SKODA is offering fixed cost maintainence , extended warranty and new dealerships. Why not give them another chance. After all its one life to live, why waste it driving an uninspiring TOYOTA.

[icyspikey]

Jetta TDI Highline A/T all the way !

That being said, In the last 1.5 years & 28k kms there has definitely been a few troubling times.(Getting them to change faulty Goodyear Tyres changed under warranty,Battery under warranty Etc.).

But all said and done, It's an absolute joy to drive the silk blue German

OT : The Dieselgate recall was done on the car last-week & a car care box was given.

[Ravi1976]

Hope this helps to fence sitters. Got delivery of my Elantra SXO Automatic this week and I am super happy. Well manufactured, pretty much all the features I need and safe and reliable.

Between the Octavia, Corolla and Elantra, it was an obvious choice. Living in Gurgaon and primary commuting in Delhi NCR, a no nonsense, fully loaded auto with most of the top notch features made me buy the Elantra. Corolla never made the cut. Didn't like the styling (Read wife didn't like it). Octavia - a beast in comparison, macho looks, superior power delivery.... but I asked the question - how fast will I drive? Do I need a faster pickup in Gurgaon? With the horrible driving here across from cyclists to autos to buses and well educated drivers included, realised didn't fit any need gap. Plus saved couple of lacs over the Octy.

With a toddler and family, needed a reliable secure easy maintenance upgrade that satisfied everyone in the family.

For the rough riding, have a Mahindra XUV which fits the bill for everything else.

Ravi

[Epic]

Originally Posted by icyspikey

Jetta TDI Highline A/T all the way !

That being said, In the last 1.5 years & 28k kms there has definitely been a few troubling times.(Getting them to change faulty Goodyear Tyres changed under warranty,Battery under warranty Etc.).

But all said and done, It's an absolute joy to drive the silk blue German

OT : The Dieselgate recall was done on the car last-week & a car care box was given.

Attachment 1573926

Hello icyspikey. Good to know that the emission software update was done on your car. The question everyone on this forum has been asking is that has there been any difference (negative or positive) in performance post the software update?

[B103]

When everything goes well, European cars are fun to drive. However, they are less reliable than Japanese especially the likes Toyota and Nissan.

My former colleague upgraded (kind of) from previous gen Corolla to a VW Jetta. He soon had a problem with the headlights which the nearby Volkswagen showroom was unable to debug. Again, the car had to be taken twice to their bigger service center 14 kms away (2 days leave gone). It is only on the second visit to the bigger center, could they connect the car to the remote server in Germany and troubleshoot the issue.

Typical German cars like VW and Skoda (Czech with German lineage) have way more software than the Japanese. There are pros as well as cons to it. Software can have residual bugs from in-house testing. May be, the life cycle and probably costs do not allow them to test automobile software the same way as that of airplanes.

After buying Jetta, he was all praise for the Corolla as it hardly had breakdowns. Even if there was a breakdown, the system can be troubleshooted easily as well. Spares are readily available and maintenance is easy on the pocket. However, the flip side to Jap is that some vehicles are rather insipid to drive. They are simply designed to run more with less maintenance. Many Jap cars are lighter than the European or American cars in general. This could be to extract better fuel efficiency. I think they use steel with increased tensile strength but decreased weight. Overall, Japs command a higher resale value in many markets world over.

With cars, my (and for many people) primary requirement is reliability. I wonder in the long run how much can people comprise on the reliability factor. It sucks when the car (or even something like a tyre) breaks down leaving you stranded in a precarious position on the road. All the planning will go haywire and kaput.

Needless to say, my vote went to Corolla

[avinash_clt]

Back in 2012 when we were considering Laura vs Jetta, the latter had some significant equipment missing at the price point. Also back then the Elegance variant of Laura seemed to have better build/interior plastic quality than the Jetta. But apart from that, Jetta was the better car when it came to 2.0TDI choices. The rear seat was a much better place, so was its ride quality as well as dynamics. Over the years, Jetta gained wider equipment list and could still be the most involving D-segment diesel sedan.

My vote for the Octavia purely cause it is a newer generation car, utilizes the modern MQB chassis and has the latest iterations of the engines. Sure you miss the 'solid' feel and perceived build quality levels, but you have a more efficient, better performing and quite possibly a safer car. With a Laura vRS in the garage however, none of the current D-segment sedans seems like a worthwhile upgrade though.

1.8TSI 180PS/320NM engine with a MT (like the current Superb) in the current Jetta chassis -- that would be an involving car to drive.

Originally Posted by Aditya

Skoda Octavia

What you'll like:

• 5 star NCAP rating. Safety kit includes 6 airbags, ABS + EBD, ESP, EDL and more

Octavia has 8 airbags (rear side airbags also) on its top variants. Unique to the segment. Infact Audi A3/ Merc CLA has only 6 if I'm not mistaken.

[Hayek]

Despite all the issues I have faced with my Superb, I will still pick the Skoda Octavia 1.8 TSI. The engine is far superior to anything else in the segment, and the interiors and ride quality are superior as well. Yes, you will have problems from time to time (apart from the inevitable DSG failures, batteries, ignition coils, fuel gauges etc tend to fail often) - but Skoda has an attractive 4 year warranty, and tends to be quite flexible on Goodwill claims as well (as long as you have not modded your car).

The Jetta is probably as failure prone as the Octavia (except for the diesel DSG) while the Elantra, Cruze and Corolla feel like they are from a segment below the other two.

[phreakv6]

As desirable as the Elantra's looks and creature comforts might be, get behind the wheel of an Octavia 1.8 TSI on a winding stretch of ghat section, or an arrow straight tarmac, or a fast corner or a two-lane highway with slow-moving trucks and you will forget the ventilated seats, larger touchscreens and the flashy exterior as you grin ear to ear. The Jetta's 1.4 TSI is no match, and even the refreshed Jetta feels a generation older (Which it is) compared to the Octavia. Even between the Octi's diesel and Jetta's diesel, you win an electronic sunroof, AFS headlights, a newer platform when you go for the Octavia.

The Corolla has a joke of an engine in the segment. I bet its some sort of an internal joke at Toyota with regards to what they can get off with, be it the Corolla's engine or Innova's pricing or Fortuner's interiors.

The Cruze? People still buy the Cruze?

The 1.8 TSI in all probability will be phased out of the D1 segment at least, even in the Octavia. It will be known as a legendary engine in 5 years' time as everyone is big on downsizing. Grab it while it lasts and hold on to it tight and whisper 'My Precious' as you rev it to the redline in Sports mode. Voted for the Octavia, backed by an incident-free ownership of 25000 happy kms in 1.5 years.

[Starfire]

Octavia 1.8 TSI + 7 Speed DSG = an enthusiast's wet dream.

Although the Jetta is a great car, but a diesel just can't match up to the high revving fun and smoothness of a petrol. Now club that with the fact that the DQ200 7-Speed is undoubtedly superior to the DQ250 6-Speed and you have yourself a peach. Diesels are also more expensive to buy, you rather spend the extra money buying a good set of tyres and extended 4 year warranty on the Octavia TSI for an over all peace of mind. Plus you don't really even miss the diesel low end torque as the Octavia also boasts of a great Turbo that gives amazing performance. The Elantra petrol is a great all rounder. Its more of the choice one takes with the brains rather than the heart.

If you ask me:
Outright performance (Heart): Octavia 1.8 TSI
All round package (Brain): Elantra 2.0

[GKR9900]

I've always admired the Octavia 1.8 TSI and the Jetta TDI DSG . There's something very special about these European cars. They are the gold standard for a dynamically capable sedan in this segment. Recently test drove the new Elantra (Petrol AT) as well. So if I were to buy an executive sedan right now, which one would I choose? It'd be the Elantra!

For one, the Octavia and Jetta has become too expensive. There's a certain VFM factor always lurking inside my head.

Second, the new Elantra is a very capable car. Except for the powertrain, everything else is vastly improved over the previous gen. We have a Neo fluidic Elantra at home. Although ours is an SX MT, I can vouch for the increased chassis rigidity and improved suspension setup of the new Elantra. Ride and Handling has certainly improved. Felt more Euro than Korean. I have nothing to complain about the feature list and interior. It's a great place to be in. I'd have loved it if Hyundai provided ventilated seats and sunroof in the SX MT variant though.

A potential solution for the lack of punch in the diesel!
I wonder how a RaceDynamics Dieseltronic dual channel box would transform the Elantra's character. Theoretically, we're looking at a 30% increase in power and torque figures. That's almost 160 bhp and 345 Nm of torque in P2 mode. The new chassis being dynamically more capable, it would've been interesting to see. Come on Hyundai! At least plonk the upcoming Tucson's 2.0 L diesel. This car needs it!