[CEF_Beasts]

IMO the City 5th gen V CVT falls within your budget of ₹15L, if you are not tight on the budget then the Seltos HTX IVT at ₹16.5L makes more sense. Creta SX IVT is more expensive at ₹17L

Seltos is higher of the ground, has a comfy backseat (City is definitely better though), ingress egress is much better in the Seltos. Potholes can be taken taken with aplomb wrt City. No scraping on speed breakers.

City has definitely taken a step-up from the 4th gen city, has oodles of space but it feels evolutionary not revolutionary.

Only difference Seltos and Creta will get you is 2 airbags compared to the City’s 4 airbags.

Another option is the Verna SX IVT same price as the City V CVT. But rear seat space in the Verna is considerably lower than the City.

If budget permits it’s the Seltos definitely

[kamilharis]

I would suggest to go for the New Honda City V/VX CVT since you intend to hold on to the car for 10+ years, hopefully. New City will definitely be an upgrade over the one you have now. Be it space , features or anything. I won't suggest Venue to someone who is coming from City, moreover not sure about the DCT from Hyundai stable regarding the 10+ years reliability. And Creata/Seltos won't fall within the 15L OTR budget. TD the All New City with your parents and take a call.

[styx71]

Originally Posted by kushagra452

The car will be used within Delhi NCR by my parents (both 60+ years), who will mostly be chauffeured around the city.

If it's going to be driven by your parents and if there is no specific need for sedan or SUV, why not a Wagon R AMT or Ignis AMT? Would be easier for your parents to drive in the city traffic. Only challenge is, if they would be chauffeured around, backseats don't get much of the A/C. If it's going to be chauffeur driven and you need better suspension setup, you could also consider Ertiga AT.

You could then either hang on to your existing city as a beater car or use its residual value and the money saved to find yourself a pre-worshipped Linea T-Jet or any other fun to drive car.

[PrasannaDhana]

New City ivtec is an excellent choice if you like to drive. The Ciaz AT is a great choice too, if you are being driven. As it is for your parents, both the cars offer excellent back seat ride and space.

Seltos makes a good choice if space is not much of a requirement. One advantage of the Kia over the sedans is the easy ingress and egress that senior citizens would appreciate.

[ashvek3141]

Originally Posted by kushagra452

The car will be used within Delhi NCR by my parents (both 60+ years), who will mostly be chauffeured around the city.

For your parents, I feel going in for any SUV is a no-brainer. Sedans are too low, especially the City which might cause a bit of a problem for ingress / egress. Since the car will be chauffeur driven, I would suggest considering the 2020 Creta. It has a marginally better seat comfort at the rear, especially the recline angle & slightly softer seats + the headrest pillows. Should be quite comfy back there in comparison to the Seltos.
The Creta also has a softer ride quality compared to the Seltos. Couple that with the 16” wheels, I think it’ll be a much decent ride. I would suggest you try out both back-to-back & see for yourself if possible.

[Zinda]

I would suggest Creta/Seltos (in that order) - reasonable space, refinement, economy, good options in auto and crossover stance make good case.

S Cross makes a strong case too - infact 2 of my friends have moved to S Cross from City and Vento, and are really satisfied.

If Sedans are also to be considered - I would vote for Gen 5 City - hope V variant fits the budget in your city.

As you keep your cars for 10+ years, you may consider Yaris too.

[Carpainter]

If the car will be used by your parents and will be chauffeur driven, then I believe AT is not a necessity. Your priority is probably space and ride comfort. I'm guessing you don't intend to purchase pre-owned beauty. In that sense I can suggest the following cars in no particular order-

Renault Duster- With BS6 upgrade, diesel is gone but since you want petrol car this can be a good option. Ride height is good for elderly people and Duster is known for ride comfort. Only problem could be low mileage but that is true even if you buy Seltos/Creta petrol.

Seltos- Definitely the top pick in the segment and there is nothing much to complain about with this car except may be ride quality and long term reliability which is not tested in India yet.

Ecosport- Good option for long term reliability and should be well within your budget. Rear set space is not like that of City but you can keep it in your shortlist.

New City- Probably the most suited car for your parents and its petrol motor is still one of the best in the segment. Don't worry too much about height as it's just like any other normal sedan and not too low like VW/Skoda or the new Civic. I don't believe there is anything like elderly people can't get in and out of a normal sedan. It's no Lamborghini as some might project it to be.

SCross- I don't like the looks of it but if you're okay with it then do give it a visit.

Ciaz- Like City it's another reliable and spacious car mostly suitable for a chauffeur driven owner.

P.S. I didn't suggest Creta because personally it's an eyesore for me to see them on road. Hector is there but it's probably out of your budget and long term reliability is a big doubt.

[iliketurtles]

You surely have to give the City a dekko at the very least, but I would join the clamor for the Yaris, or a lightly used, pre-owned Corolla. Those make the most sense given your propensity to own cars for a long, long time.

I'd shy away from the Seltos only because

a) I don't think the petrol auto retails at 15L, would you be willing to stretch?
b) Its long term reliability and costs are an unknown
c) The petrol auto has shown some issues with overheating

All signs point to Toyota, or maybe Honda. Only a Jap can replace another Jap.

[kamilharis]

Originally Posted by Carpainter

I don't believe there is anything like elderly people can't get in and out of a normal sedan. It's no Lamborghini as some might project it to be.

I second your opinion. Normal sedans are just easy as any other car for ingress be it for elders or anyone. For a heavy built it might be a bit difficult, yes I agree. I would say that climbing an SUV might be difficult actually.

[saur95]

I'd definitely suggest taking a look at the new City. Since it's going to be chauffeur driven, you could pick up the ZX M/T with your budget (15.04L in NCR) or save some cash with the VX if you aren't drawn to the extra features. The backseat really has no competition and as per initial observations, the revered Honda quality seems to have been revived. I don't believe it is too low for comfortable ingress/egress but do ask them to try it out for themselves.

The Yaris is another decent option in the segment, especially if you have a propensity towards Toyotas. It's pretty decently specced but doesn't offer the same backseat space and comfort as the City. While service quality will always be better than the latter, maintenance costs should be in the same ballpark.

While the Seltos/Creta are really attractive propositions, I've just been really put off by the mishaps faced by many on the forum due to safety related quality issues. While it is the newer generation, their attitude (They haven't provided a solution or even acknowledged that there is a problem!) is what worries me more. Not to mention, maintenance costs go up as the car gets older. We have a 2009 petrol i20 that had service costs touching 15-20s on a regular basis after the 5th year. The Japs cost a fraction of that to maintain.

P.S. The Ecosport and its competitors are too small to be driven around in IMO.

[AZT]

Originally Posted by kushagra452

Hello BHPians

I am looking to replace my 2004 2nd gen Honda City GXi (16 years, 83k kms)

Since you're a long term user (> 10 yrs) I'd say go for a higher variant. Comfort is key here so once you decide between a Sedan / Seltos, Creta, Crossover then you can compare what you get in different models at the same price point. GTO mentioned MG Hector so that's also a wild card entry in your choice.

Good options you have.

[sanyog26]

Originally Posted by kushagra452

Hello BHPians

I am looking to replace my 2004 2nd gen Honda City GXi (16 years, 83k kms) and exploring options for the same.

I'd recommend the Toyota Yaris, if being chauffeur-driven is your primary requirement. I'm sure Toyota shall be as reliable as your Honda.

Another thing, although not related to your proposed new car, but concerns your present City. Considering it's 16+ years old now and that you stay in Delhi, how do you plan to dispose it off ? I'm asking this question because I myself have a DL registered May 2004 model Toyota Corolla whose fitness expired last year and there's not much I have been able to do with it, except to drive it without a fitness as long as I'm able to.

[sumeethaldankar]

If the car is a 10 year keeper you are better off with a Japanese car. The Koreans may not hold their ground well as they age. You may find well kept examples on our forum but nothing beats Japanese reliability period. You yourself have experienced the same.

[Vegitocat]

My vote goes for the just launched New Honda City. The splendid ASEAN NCAP safety rating apart, if you liked the Honda City for so many years, there is no reason to move away from the brand. If you'd rather prefer a SUV then Kia Seltos would be a good bet as others have said considering the seating position and build quality.

[Herschey]

Since you've mentioned your selection criterion pretty clearly, I would like to suggest two cars which would tick all the right boxes as per your requirements. The two cars I would suggest you to consider are:
1. 2020 Nissan Kicks
2. Suzuki Ciaz

Here are my reasons for the above two choices:

a) BUDGET: Both these cars would fit very well within your budget. Since the cars would majorly be chauffeur driven and that too within the city, you should look at picking up the mid variants of both these cars. Both these would also prove to be a great value for money picks and in case you go for the Ciaz, you can be rest assured of great after sales service and a better resale value as well.

b) AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION: Both these cars are available with manual and automatic transmission options. However, since you are planning to employ the services of a chauffeur, you can also look at saving a decent amount and buy a manual transmission option as well. You may also look at buying a higher/ top variant in such a case.

c) RIDE QUALITY: Both these cars are known for their exceptional ride quality. The added advantage with the Nissan Kicks would be the ease of ingress and egress for your parents. Once inside, the comfort that both these cars offer at the rear bench is second to none in their respective segments. Your parents would travel in utmost comfort in both the cars. Both these cars offer a much better ride than a Creta, Seltos, Hector, or the City does.

d) INTERIOR SPACE: Both these cars offer class leading space for the rear passengers. I have personally traveled in the Ciaz's rear bench quite a bit and loved it over the City's rear bench. While both are spacious enough, the ride and comfort Ciaz offered was way much better than the City and I found the ride a bit quieter too; maybe owing to a much mature rear suspension setup.

e) PASSENGER SAFETY: Both these cars provide good passenger safety, more so at city speeds. The chauffeur must always be directed to drive the car under speeds limits and keep it absolutely clean (inside and out) at all times. I would suggest you to install a good vehicle tracking system once you buy the car. It's a must have accessory these days.

I haven't driven both the cars long enough so I cannot comment much on the steering, handling, engine response, gearing, and driver comfort bits. But since you or your father won't be driving the car themselves, I don't think these aspects would form a priority in your decision making process.

Hope this helps!