[toothless]

A little bit of a background first.
I have a couple of cars in the garage which, as things stand, will continue. First is a 2010 Fiesta 1.6 Zxi. Loved that car for about six years before handing it over to my dad. Now its his run-about vehicle. In turn, a pre-owned 2009 Corolla Altis VL AT became my daily driver. It has an outdated torque converter and fuel economy of a mule. But since on most work days, I clock only about 10 to 12 kms total, I dont really mind.

Both cars had been quite reliable till the start of the year and I did not really feel the urge to upgrade. However, while on a road trip to Agra, my parents got stuck with an overheating engine of the Fiesta with little local help available. A month after that, the AC conked off, that too in the middle of summers. Not a pretty sight when dad got back home from his work that evening. The two incidents left us with a sense of unease due to the aging cars and we started to feel the need of a replacement.

Since then, dad and I have been debating replacing the Fiesta with a new car. Discussions covered cars right from city specific cars like the Tiago, i10 and the Baleno to something that will be a good highway/village road car such as the XUV, Hexa or the Crysta. Lately though we have been converging on the idea of getting retaining the Fiesta for city drives and getting a bigger car (I may or may not have ulterior motives in this move ) for outings of the family and for highway runs. Also, a desire to have a car from 2017, not the last decade, with proper safety features and creature comforts.

Now for the details

Cars short listed
Primarily the Octavia 1.8 TSI L&K. We also have the Compass, Hexa, Crysta and the new Altis in discussions from time to time. Suggestion of the Octavia VRS were met with unhindered contempt.

Price range
Price range is a little flexible. Though in terms of overall spend, we do not want to go above INR 25 lac on road, give or take a little.

Maintenance & After Sales Service (A.S.S.) expectations
Main expectation is an annual service plan with a relatively stress free service. However, since its not going to be a high mileage car, we do not have this aspect as a high priority.

Where car will be mostly used (city / highway / rough roads etc
Car will be primarily driven in the city. Alternate weekends will involve driving of ~150 km on average with about half of it being on the Noida-Greater Noida Expressway. Every few months, parents go out of town where roads are quite often sketchy so a good ride quality over rough roads will be a plus.

Chauffer driven / self driven
Self driven almost exclusively.

Whether the vehicle will be shared by other members of family
Parents will use the car often. Also, weekend will mean driving around with my wife, 2 year old and my parents. Driving duty will be shared between my dad and I.

Any specific requirements from car (ex. Better luggage space, responsive engine, rear seat comfort)
Primary requirements are safety and comfort. I personally want a car that gives a sense of luxury as well.

How long you intend on keeping this car (and how important resale is to you)
Expected horizon is about 6 to 8 years. Resale is of moderate to low importance.

Alright, so now that I have laid out the requirements, I should also mention that the Octavia has been a favourite and much lusted after car ever since the third generation was launched in India. So many times I have bored my wife to death with random monologues about the car
With the launch of the facelift and the VRS, it renewed my interest big time.

Given all the above, does it make sense to go for the Ovtavia 1.8 TSI L&K? Or should I consider other options?

[condor]

Originally Posted by toothless

.. weekend will mean driving around with my wife, 2 year old and my parents. Driving duty will be shared between my dad and I.

For this one reason, a 5 seater may not be sufficient. Even if it is initially, you will start to need more space sooner than later.

[swami69]

if your idea is to retain the Fiesta (do necessary repairs and keep in tip top condition) and want something for family longer drives, i would suggest either an XUV or Hexa as you will need all the space and comfort. Driving a VRs with family on long drives may give you pleasure, but not sure whether you will really drive the VRs as you would drive solo and derive "that" exclusive adrenaline pumping pleasure so, a fully featured 7 seater would be a good option.

Swami

[ece2k2]

If you can stretch a bit, I think you should also include Tucson GLS AT and Tiguan CL to your shortlist. Both of these cars are much more practical, safe and comfortable for long distance travel (including some bad roads) compared to sedans. Your parents would also appreciate the ease of ingress/egress of crossovers and both Tucson/Tiguan feel really premium on the move.

[jacs]

I second the above opinions. Makes more sense to add a proper 7 seater SUV to garage. Hexa and XUV is worth considering.

And for your Skoda driving desires, Why not replace the Fiesta with a pre-worshipped Laura 1.8TSI? Or even a Laura vRS if you are really lucky to find one. You wouldn't need to spent a lot.

[toothless]

Originally Posted by condor

For this one reason, a 5 seater may not be sufficient. Even if it is initially, you will start to need more space sooner than later.

Valid point. Will take a closer look at the 7 seaters.

Originally Posted by swami69

if your idea is to retain the Fiesta (do necessary repairs and keep in tip top condition) and want something for family longer drives, i would suggest either an XUV or Hexa as you will need all the space and comfort. Driving a VRs with family on long drives may give you pleasure, but not sure whether you will really drive the VRs as you would drive solo and derive "that" exclusive adrenaline pumping pleasure so, a fully featured 7 seater would be a good option.

Swami

The Fiesta is still 'my car' and is looked after pretty well. And will continue to be till its sold, hopefully after completing 10 years with us. As for the vRS, it was more of a fantasy than a practical purchase choice, exactly for the reasons that you mentioned.

Originally Posted by ece2k2

If you can stretch a bit, I think you should also include Tucson GLS AT and Tiguan CL to your shortlist. Both of these cars are much more practical, safe and comfortable for long distance travel (including some bad roads) compared to sedans. Your parents would also appreciate the ease of ingress/egress of crossovers and both Tucson/Tiguan feel really premium on the move.

I had not considered them till now. I will surely look them up too. Tucson GLS AT looks like a great car but not sure how the diesel engine will sit with the family. Thanks for the suggestions!

Originally Posted by jacs

I second the above opinions. Makes more sense to add a proper 7 seater SUV to garage. Hexa and XUV is worth considering.

And for your Skoda driving desires, Why not replace the Fiesta with a pre-worshipped Laura 1.8TSI? Or even a Laura vRS if you are really lucky to find one. You wouldn't need to spent a lot.

Excellent idea! Although in my previous attempt to purchase a used Laura 1.8 TSI or even a TDI AT, well maintained, low mileage and reasonably priced cars were very hard to find. Thats how I ended up with the Corolla. Maybe in a couple of years, when the current gen TSIs and vRS' start popping on the pre-owned market

[imidnightmare]

Am planning on a D-Segment purchase. The BMWs, Jaguars etc. are not in consideration for now, given the budgetary requirements.

Background: We own a Brio, City, Corolla and a Hexa. The Corolla is ageing now and we are looking for a replacement. The Hexa was a good purchase, but the big takeaway was that my mother (who has severe knee issues) prefers not to use it since getting in and out becomes an ordeal, so she wants a sedan. The Corolla, needing replacement, we are looking for a similar car - in that it should also suit the executive presence if needed for a business visit (the City et al don't tick that box).

Now, started looking around and the immediate thoughts went to the Octavia, Elantra and of course, the Altis. So far, the considerations I have:

Altis: Corolla service experience is not the best. While the car seldom reports issues, when it needs service, the costs and time are monumental and always leave us wondering how badly we're being ripped off (specially compared to what we pay on the others). The car also feels a bit dated to me - and the touchscreen etc. seem awful compared to the competition

Elantra: Have always had a natural dislike to the Korean maker - largely driven by poorer driver comfort to comparable vehicles and the very dodgy record on long-term mileage and service levels. Opted for City > Verna and Brio > i10 in the past, apart from the Hexa XTA over any other comers. Never regretted those choices, so am inclined to dismiss the Elantra

Octavia: Everything (barring the rear seat comfort) seems better than the others, but the ASS stories are really scary. Also, ground clearance seems very poor (I live in Powai and the roads can be awful in patches; my City scrapes every pebble, I feel at times!). My other query there is how often the car needs to be sent for servicing though and whether the ASS is bad enough to make me eliminate this.

I have not really studied other options - so opinions are welcome. Note though that I already have a Hexa XTA so am not interested in another SUV. I definitely need a sedan and the basic tick-boxes are:

1. Should be fitting for a senior executive of a good firm when it comes to presence
2. Rear seat comfort should be good
3. Preferably with good clearance - so as not to scrape the bottom on bad roads
4. Driver comfort and accessories for a nice experience on long drives (Pune up-down is regular)

Any and all inputs would be welcome!

[lamborghini]

Originally Posted by imidnightmare

Now, started looking around and the immediate thoughts went to the Octavia, Elantra and of course, the Altis. So far, the considerations I have:

Altis: Corolla service experience is not the best. While the car seldom reports issues, when it needs service, the costs and time are monumental and always leave us wondering how badly we're being ripped off (specially compared to what we pay on the others). The car also feels a bit dated to me - and the touchscreen etc. seem awful compared to the competition

Elantra: Have always had a natural dislike to the Korean maker - largely driven by poorer driver comfort to comparable vehicles and the very dodgy record on long-term mileage and service levels. Opted for City > Verna and Brio > i10 in the past, apart from the Hexa XTA over any other comers. Never regretted those choices, so am inclined to dismiss the Elantra

Octavia: Also, ground clearance seems very poor (I live in Powai and the roads can be awful in patches; my City scrapes every pebble, I feel at times!). My other query there is how often the car needs to be sent for servicing though and whether the ASS is bad enough to make me eliminate this.

1. Should be fitting for a senior executive of a good firm when it comes to presence
2. Rear seat comfort should be good
3. Preferably with good clearance - so as not to scrape the bottom on bad roads
4. Driver comfort and accessories for a nice experience on long drives (Pune up-down is regular)

Any and all inputs would be welcome!

Honestly, when it comes to purely rear seat comfort - the Corolla has the others beat. The seat height is perfect, recline can be adjusted marginally, and ingress & egress are fantastic as well!
We recently picked up the Corolla - and everyone loves it! Be it it's humble presence, the rear seat, or the way it tackles poor roads (ground clearance).

However, it made sense for us because dad and me are both 6' plus (headroom, ingress, egress), and the Corolla complemented the garage very well. The other option for us was the Octavia (having owned the Laura before) - but like you said, the rear seat was a little too upright and the Corolla is supposed to be much easier for maintenance given the road conditions and multiple drivers.

That being said - if headroom isn't an issue, and your mother is comfortable with the Elantra (ingress & egress especially) - please please consider this car. It has brilliant interiors, proven diesel engine, top level features, and the ride + handling has really improved a lot!
The only problem you will face are to do with the ground clearance - which will be answered by a test drive.

The Octavia too is a brilliant car, but personally if you aren't going to be driving it - the extra money will be better saved. It has better interiors, nicer engines, better handling, and ride than the Corolla. Even legroom is marginally more. But the rear seat recline is quite upright.
Service costs shouldn't be too much - our laura used to visit the service center every 6 months / 5000kms for a small niggle but the car was overall quite reliable. With the Skoda 5 year extended warranty - you will have decent peace of mind too. In Mumbai service quality is average, and ground clearance was liveable - scraping the very rare bumps, and much better than the Honda City.

In a nutshell - each car will have a compromise. You need to decide what compromise can you live with.

Corolla: Expensive for features, spartan interiors, average ride quality on top end model, new model expected next year.

Elantra: Ground clearance, ingress & egress.

Octavia: rear seat recline, expensive, not very abuse friendly (rattles). Given you do Mumbai Pune often - this car may be worth it though if you self-drive.

If it's going to be a pure beater / driver driven car - why not consider the to be launched Yaris.

Lastly - I agree with you on Toyota service being expensive. However, more than anything, they add on value services (which are not required) which inflate the bill. Please ask them to send an estimate to you in the future and tick off what is not required (headlight buffing, gear greasing, windshield polishing, ac cleaning, power window lubrication, exhaust cleaning, etc.). Refer the service manual, or if in doubt - call Toyota.
I did this, and the response was quick!

[imidnightmare]

Originally Posted by lamborghini

Honestly, when it comes to purely rear seat comfort - the Corolla has the others beat.
==========
Refer the service manual, or if in doubt - call Toyota.
I did this, and the response was quick!

Thanks a bunch. Yaris was ruled out given the class of vehicle. Frankly, need a vehicle that befits a senior executive (for my dad) and the Yaris will fall short on that. Hence the D-segment sedan is a must. Pune - regular, but only self-driven 50% of the time, so perhaps the Altis will be the chosen one then. The one thing I have against it is that it's far too "practical" and just not one for indulgence.

Ground clearance, I am sure will be an issue with the Octavia (also the reason the XE doesn't figure as an option). I have the 2009 ANHC (158 mm) and that scrapes everything. Given that the Octavia sits lower, can't see how that would be better. Oh well... Can't have everything. Will still TD the bunch of course - particularly the Elantra, given your inputs - and then decide which one to take a punt on.

Elantra - any views on Hyundai cars over time? The inputs I have recevied have been very poor - largely about how the cars are great when purchased, but end up being a right royal pain longer-term (compared to the Hondas / Toyotas of the world). Also, I've not got a view on the AT for them. I have driven the i10, i20 and i30 ATs and they were (to out it mildly) terrible.

[lamborghini]

Originally Posted by imidnightmare

Hence the D-segment sedan is a must. Pune - regular, but only self-driven 50% of the time, so perhaps the Altis will be the chosen one then. The one thing I have against it is that it's far too "practical" and just not one for indulgence.

Ground clearance, I am sure will be an issue with the Octavia (also the reason the XE doesn't figure as an option). I have the 2009 ANHC (158 mm) and that scrapes everything. Given that the Octavia sits lower, can't see how that would be better. Oh well... Can't have everything. Will still TD the bunch of course - particularly the Elantra, given your inputs - and then decide which one to take a punt on.

Elantra - any views on Hyundai cars over time? The inputs I have recevied have been very poor - largely about how the cars are great when purchased, but end up being a right royal pain longer-term (compared to the Hondas / Toyotas of the world). Also, I've not got a view on the AT for them. I have driven the i10, i20 and i30 ATs and they were (to out it mildly) terrible.

Honestly, earlier Hyundai's did not last too well long (sticky interiors, engines over a long period of time, etc.), but Hyundai as a brand has come a long way since then. Read up the T-BHP review, and you'll be surprised to find nothing but praises for the car - the engines are tried and tested, the interior quality has gone up, the ride & handling is vastly improved, etc.
It seems the brand is trying hard to overcome their past flaws - just like Tata with the Hexa that you now own!
(Just for the record, my first post on TBHP was probably a Hyundai bashing comment).
Re: the AT gearbox - it isn't the best agreed, but unlike the i10, i20, etc. that had a 4 speed gearbox, this has a 6 speed AT gearbox so should be vastly better. Again - something that is best answered with a test drive.

Re: the Octavia - I'd say go for it if you have a good driver. A honda city is much softer than the Octavia and is more prone to bottoming out. I took my Laura (similar GC) to Pune, Mahabaleshwar, Goa, etc. with no problems as such barring the extremely bad speed breakers.

The Corolla is honestly a Plan B - it's the car you pick up when you can't find a better Plan A.

What about pre-owned? Would a sparingly used Accord / Camry be a tempting option?

[bhavik.1991]

Originally Posted by imidnightmare

Am planning on a D-Segment purchase. The BMWs, Jaguars etc. are not in consideration for now, given the budgetary requirements.
The Hexa was a good purchase, but the big takeaway was that my mother (who has severe knee issues) prefers not to use it since getting in and out becomes an ordeal, so she wants a sedan.

One has to 'climb' to get into Hexa but have you tried urban SUVs? One can simply walk into those SUVs and I fell ingress & egress should be easier compared to D segment sedans.

If urban SUVs make a case...
I suggest you give Tucson a try. It fits the bill perfectly. If you don't want to go for Hyudnai then you can stretch your budget a little & give Tiguan comfortline a try. It fits senior executive bill perfectly however it has a little stiff suspension & ride quality at low speeds should be tested extensively. Jeep compass can be given a try too but I feel it doesn't suit your case.

[vasudeva]

I have a 2007 Corolla (2003-08 model) and nearly all service engineers at Toyota over the years have praised it much more than 2008-13 and 2014- variants.

[imidnightmare]

Originally Posted by lamborghini

Honestly, earlier Hyundai's did not last too well long (sticky interiors, engines over a long period of time, etc.), but Hyundai as a brand has come a long way since then. Read up the T-BHP review, and you'll be surprised to find nothing but praises for the car - the engines are tried and tested, the interior quality has gone up, the ride & handling is vastly improved, etc.
It seems the brand is trying hard to overcome their past flaws - just like Tata with the Hexa that you now own!
(Just for the record, my first post on TBHP was probably a Hyundai bashing comment).
Re: the AT gearbox - it isn't the best agreed, but unlike the i10, i20, etc. that had a 4 speed gearbox, this has a 6 speed AT gearbox so should be vastly better. Again - something that is best answered with a test drive.

Re: the Octavia - I'd say go for it if you have a good driver. A honda city is much softer than the Octavia and is more prone to bottoming out. I took my Laura (similar GC) to Pune, Mahabaleshwar, Goa, etc. with no problems as such barring the extremely bad speed breakers.

The Corolla is honestly a Plan B - it's the car you pick up when you can't find a better Plan A.

What about pre-owned? Would a sparingly used Accord / Camry be a tempting option?

Yeah - will TD for sure; read all the reviews, which is the only reason the Elantra is even considered; heart set on Octavia to be honest, but the comfort and ASS to be checked out. As for pre-owned, not a great fan. If going that route, may as well then step up to a luxury vehicle, I feel. Pre-owned is something we've always steered clear of. Personally I like having the latest gizmos in a vehicle when I buy it - which is another thing I have against the Altis, given the upcoming upgrade.

Originally Posted by bhavik.1991

One has to 'climb' to get into Hexa but have you tried urban SUVs? One can simply walk into those SUVs and I fell ingress & egress should be easier compared to D segment sedans.

If urban SUVs make a case...
I suggest you give Tucson a try. It fits the bill perfectly. If you don't want to go for Hyudnai then you can stretch your budget a little & give Tiguan comfortline a try. It fits senior executive bill perfectly however it has a little stiff suspension & ride quality at low speeds should be tested extensively. Jeep compass can be given a try too but I feel it doesn't suit your case.

Hexa was bought for different reasons - but my mother's issue is not the normal one with ageing legs / knees. Medical issues with the legs (aftermath of radio + chemo) mean that anything higher than a Corolla is really very inconvenient for her, and she's now basically set down the requirement as "I want a sedan". Don't therefore see any point in looking at midway options. For her, the key is to not have to lift the foot much and to have enough "hold" while getting in and out.

[lamborghini]

Originally Posted by imidnightmare

Yeah - will TD for sure; read all the reviews, which is the only reason the Elantra is even considered; heart set on Octavia to be honest, but the comfort and ASS to be checked out. As for pre-owned, not a great fan. If going that route, may as well then step up to a luxury vehicle, I feel. Pre-owned is something we've always steered clear of. Personally I like having the latest gizmos in a vehicle when I buy it - which is another thing I have against the Altis, given the upcoming upgrade.

If your heart is set on the Octy then go for it - it's quite comfortable no doubt (ride quality get an edge over the Corolla too IMO), but the rear seats are a let down. Best to see if your family likes the rear seats coming from a Corolla.

ASS is average. Nothing great - our Laura was fairly reliable and I expect the Octavia TDi / 1.4TSi to be equally reliable (1.8TSi is a riskier option thanks to the gearbox). There will be odd issues that crop up, but Mumbai service is quite decent compared to rest of the country - you may have to be firm with them occassionally / write an email to Skoda India, but I haven't had as many complaints the last couple of years of ownership.
Get the extended warranty, and train your driver to be careful with the car on bad roads - and you should be sorted!

[imidnightmare]

Originally Posted by lamborghini

If your heart is set on the Octy then go for it - it's quite comfortable no doubt (ride quality get an edge over the Corolla too IMO), but the rear seats are a let down. Best to see if your family likes the rear seats coming from a Corolla.

ASS is average. Nothing great - our Laura was fairly reliable and I expect the Octavia TDi / 1.4TSi to be equally reliable (1.8TSi is a riskier option thanks to the gearbox). There will be odd issues that crop up, but Mumbai service is quite decent compared to rest of the country - you may have to be firm with them occassionally / write an email to Skoda India, but I haven't had as many complaints the last couple of years of ownership.
Get the extended warranty, and train your driver to be careful with the car on bad roads - and you should be sorted!

Thanks! Shall TD this myself - and on the roads we have here, should make it clear which way we swing!