[SixPistons]

Originally Posted by SixPistons

I am convinced 5 healthy adults would not be happy in that rear cabin baring short distances as you mentioned.

*I am convinced 3 healthy adults would not be happy…

Request to mods:
I miswrote 5 instead of 3, Please update original answer.

[ike]

Originally Posted by rajesh1868

It may be a naive querry but barring one trip on a rented Brezza, I have never driven an Automatic. Though I am yet to decide on MT vs AT, how is the experience of Automatic, especially with regards to city vs highway rides, any service cost difference, etc?

AT is a gamechanger for me. I recently upgraded to Harrier AT after 6 years and 85k KMS in an S cross. I have done about 13K KMS in the last 6 months, my observations are as under:

• Way less fatigue in the city and equally good in the highway.
• AT boxes have evolved and are not far behind in FE these days, especially the less fancier gearboxes with one clutch.
• Modern AT shifts are barely noticeable, very smooth.
• While the DCTs are not exactly the epitome of reliability, the TC and CVT are reliable gearboxes with minimal service requirements. I'd avoid AMTs too, they are neither reliable nor fast.

[fhdowntheline]

Originally Posted by su1978

Well mate, i may sound boring and outdated but in case you want a reliable, efficient and comfortable sedan, then you should look no further than the grandpa taxi-the old, tried and tested Maruti Suzuki Ciaz. The automatic is a 4 speed torque converter which is already used/abused and time tested. No great deal here. Rubber band effect in 4 speed torque converter gear box is also very minimal. The fuel efficiency is really great. Engine is super silent, smooth, tried and tested. All the 1.5 liter models being sold by Maruti/Toyota have the same engine.

The question is, does Ciaz have anything as a NEW car that makes you want to put your money? And after that would you feel a pang of regret when other cars which have more features, performance, comfort and safety whiz past you?

[smasher]

@18 lakhs, you an get a very good condition used Innova Crysta 2.8 G (Automatic).

It has everything you need, 5-person seating and 850 litters of boot or 8-person seating with nearly 300 litters of boot. very good reliability as well.

[revsperminute]

In my family, we always prefer taking the Honda City (4th Gen, CVT) when we are 5 people over any other sedan. It fits me and my dad (6’4” and 6’2”) one behind another. We have done countless ~2 hour urban drives in Bombay with a fully loaded Honda city. Doesn’t do bad on speed breakers either. It also gobbles up a lot of luggage as I’ve observed during airport runs.

The 5th gen city is also similar in this regard. I would also check out the elevate if I were you especially considering that you’re not looking at the hybrid variant.

[KryptonMonkey]

Originally Posted by rajesh1868

My requirements:

1. Spacious and comfortable 5 seater.
2. The boot should be larger than what Zest has, which is 390L.
3. Safe car.
4. Budget: Max around 18L. Can stretch to 20 but only if it matters.
5. Automatic would be great but ready to take Manual if the budget doesn't agree.
6. I live in a Tier 3 town and the nearest service center (Bangalore) is about 80-100 km away. I want to restrict these visits only to the scheduled regular services. So a fuss-free ownership experience is very much a requirement.
...

1. Honda City ZX MT or VX CVT


+: Space, Boot, 6 Airbags, NCAP 4, Ownership experience seems to be good. The ride seems to be comfortable..
-: I hope Honda stays in India. GC is lesser than Zest. I am not sure if this will be a problem. Anything more, will update after TD

Please consider the City ZX CVT if you're going for the Honda City. Considering that you intend to keep your car long, the CVT will surely enhance your ownership experience and amortize the initial higher cost. The ZX variant has the better seats compared to the VX variant. Quite a few BHP-ians owning the VX variant have admitted to wishing for the seats of the ZX variant, if nothing else.

Originally Posted by rajesh1868

It may be a naive querry but barring one trip on a rented Brezza, I have never driven an Automatic. Though I am yet to decide on MT vs AT, how is the experience of Automatic, especially with regards to city vs highway rides, any service cost difference, etc?

Don't worry about your lack of experience with automatic transmissions. You'll be at home within about an hour (or less) of driving an automatic. The City CVT is a joy to drive on city roads and is no slouch on highways. Plus, you'll benefit from the paddle shifters if you ever are in the mood to drop a gear and disappear.

Regarding your test drives, do take along the folks who will usually occupy the rear seats if you can. Reviews and opinions from online forums matter less compared to actual observations from your regular passengers in this regard. For example, a family of short, lean people will love a Honda City's rear seat experience whereas a family of tall, bulky folks might find the rear seat experience to be cramped.

[Small Bot]

Looking at your requirements, if boot space was not really that big a deal, then I'd suggest the Grand Vitara. Kind of spacious, the mild hybrid versions would be within your budget and have around 370 litres of boot space. And please do take the automatic transmission, it's quite smooth and reliable.

Else, I'd suggest a mid variant MG Astor. A quirky but good car with great boot space, though cabin space might be a bit limited. A friend has driven his for around 70K kms and he's a happy customer.

If none of these inspire you, then I don't think you have a better choice than the Honda City. Please get the CVT as it will be a boon in traffic.

[SixPistons]

Originally Posted by Small Bot

Looking at your requirements, if boot space was not really that big a deal, then I'd suggest the Grand Vitara. Kind of spacious, the mild hybrid versions would be within your budget and have around 370 litres of boot space. And please do take the automatic transmission, it's quite smooth and reliable.

Else, I'd suggest a mid variant MG Astor. A quirky but good car with great boot space, though cabin space might be a bit limited. A friend has driven his for around 70K kms and he's a happy customer.

If none of these inspire you, then I don't think you have a better choice than the Honda City. Please get the CVT as it will be a boon in traffic.

The GV Hybrid only makes sense when there’s going to be a lot of drive. Otherwise that’s just money down the drain for a relatively very underpowered car for a Hybrid functionality that you will never make good use of.

[Small Bot]

Originally Posted by SixPistons

The GV Hybrid only makes sense when there’s going to be a lot of drive. Otherwise that’s just money down the drain for a relatively very underpowered car for a Hybrid functionality that you will never make good use of.

I get that, and I did specifically suggest the Grand Vitara mild hybrid only. Prima facie, it's a more reliable car long-term than the strong hybrid, with a familiar Suzuki engine and a good torque converter. This was only to satisfy OP's points on space and reliability.

[rajesh1868]

Originally Posted by Raghu M

Sairam brother, I would strongly suggest the City. In a town like Parthi, you will have decent support and for anything big, you can always travel to Bengaluru. It's a good choice and am sure you will like it too. Apart from that for the other models, the budget and a proper and reliable service would be a big factor (Skoda/MG).

Sairam brother, yes I will need to travel for solving any niggles which I want to minimise. Current Tata has not been considerate to me on this.

Originally Posted by SixPistons

I like Tata and Mahindra both but the reliability aspect isn’t sorted out yet with Tatas (and it isn’t what they are known for either).

You are speaking to a Tata owner for the last 7 years. My troubles started from the time I took delivery. And it pains to see that the situation with Tata service hasn't changed much.

Originally Posted by JediKnight

I had the 4th Gen City for several years. The rear seat cannot accommodate three people. The rear seat is not wide enough. Moreover the seat is scooped for two people such that the rear center passenger sits higher up in a very awkward way which is very un-comfortable.

I have currently a Marazzo 8 seater version with a bench in the middle. The center bench is very wide and can easily accommodate 3 people. If you remove the third row (which is very easy to do) you can have a boot big enough for two kids to sit and play a board game.

I will have to seat all behind and see. We are ok in Zest rear seat. It should not be worse is the criteria now.

Originally Posted by revsperminute

In my family, we always prefer taking the Honda City (4th Gen, CVT) when we are 5 people over any other sedan. It fits me and my dad (6’4” and 6’2”) one behind another. We have done countless ~2 hour urban drives in Bombay with a fully loaded Honda city. Doesn’t do bad on speed breakers either. It also gobbles up a lot of luggage as I’ve observed during airport runs.

The 5th gen city is also similar in this regard. I would also check out the elevate if I were you especially considering that you’re not looking at the hybrid variant.

This is reassuring

Originally Posted by KryptonMonkey

Please consider the City ZX CVT if you're going for the Honda City. Considering that you intend to keep your car long, the CVT will surely enhance your ownership experience and amortize the initial higher cost. The ZX variant has the better seats compared to the VX variant. Quite a few BHP-ians owning the VX variant have admitted to wishing for the seats of the ZX variant, if nothing else.


Don't worry about your lack of experience with automatic transmissions. You'll be at home within about an hour (or less) of driving an automatic. The City CVT is a joy to drive on city roads and is no slouch on highways. Plus, you'll benefit from the paddle shifters if you ever are in the mood to drop a gear and disappear.

Regarding your test drives, do take along the folks who will usually occupy the rear seats if you can. Reviews and opinions from online forums matter less compared to actual observations from your regular passengers in this regard. For example, a family of short, lean people will love a Honda City's rear seat experience whereas a family of tall, bulky folks might find the rear seat experience to be cramped.

I am not sure if I will be able to afford it. A day after I posted this here, I had a word with my well meaning financial planner to see if my budget for the car was realistic for my future. He was not too happy with the situation. I may not go for top end. There will be a few compromises to be made.

[shancz]

Originally Posted by rajesh1868

There will be a few compromises to be made.

In case you're forced into making larger cuts and don't care much about ADAS or CVT, you can look into the City SV. It gets all the essentials and some more like foldable RVMs and reversing camera. I would only add the fog light, rear sunshade and upgrade the wheels to 16 inch alloys with wider rubber as and when able. Check the City threads on the forum for advice.

Also, I would suggest to physically check out each car for available space as depending on your family you might be comfortable in a car which others might not be since size and space is a relative concept.

[Asoon]

Budget Fit (around 18L) - Brezza (AT), Grand Vitara (AT), Creta (MT), Venue (AT), City (AT), Elevate (AT), Seltos (MT), Carens (AT), Magnite (AT), Kiger (AT), XUV 300 (AT), Nexon (AT), ScorpioN (MT), Taigun / Kushaq (MT), Slavia / Virtus (MT)

Above Criteria + Location Fit (T3 City & you want lesser visits)- Brezza (AT), Grand Vitara (AT), Creta (MT), Venue (AT), City (AT), Elevate (AT), XUV 300 (AT), Nexon (AT), ScorpioN (MT)

Above Criterias + Safety Fit - Brezza (AT), Grand Vitara (AT), City (AT), Elevate (AT), XUV 300 (AT), ScorpioN (MT), Nexon (AT)

Above Criterias + Bootspace Fit (360+) - Grand Vitara (AT), City (AT), Elevate (AT), ScorpioN (MT), Nexon (AT)

[souvikjana83]

Spacious and proper 5 seater with super comfortable seats and huge boot. If you don't want a lot of fancy features in your car then you should look at Ciaz. I know it is due for an upgrade but it is absolutely VFM for your requirement..

[Accelro]

Originally Posted by rajesh1868

My requirements:

1. Spacious and comfortable 5 seater.
2. The boot should be larger than what Zest has, which is 390L.
3. Safe car.
4. Budget: Max around 18L. Can stretch to 20 but only if it matters.
5. Automatic would be great but ready to take Manual if the budget doesn't agree.
6. I live in a Tier 3 town and the nearest service center (Bangalore) is about 80-100 km away. I want to restrict these visits only to the scheduled regular services. So a fuss-free ownership experience is very much a requirement.

My current shortlist:


[b]1. Honda City ZX MT or VX CVT
And that is the end of my shortlist.
Honda Elevate -
Seltos/Creta/Carens -
Harrier -
Slavia/Virtus -
Verna -

Am I missing some models?

Originally Posted by Asoon

Budget Fit (around 18L) - Brezza (AT), Grand Vitara (AT), Creta (MT), Venue (AT), City (AT), Elevate (AT), Seltos (MT), Carens (AT), Magnite (AT), Kiger (AT), XUV 300 (AT), Nexon (AT), ScorpioN (MT), Taigun / Kushaq (MT), Slavia / Virtus (MT)

Above Criteria + Location Fit (T3 City & you want lesser visits)- Brezza (AT), Grand Vitara (AT), Creta (MT), Venue (AT), City (AT), Elevate (AT), XUV 300 (AT), Nexon (AT), ScorpioN (MT)

Above Criterias + Safety Fit - Brezza (AT), Grand Vitara (AT), City (AT), Elevate (AT), XUV 300 (AT), ScorpioN (MT), Nexon (AT)

Above Criterias + Bootspace Fit (360+) - Grand Vitara (AT), City (AT), Elevate (AT), ScorpioN (MT), Nexon (AT)

Asoon has pretty much given a pretty apt reply - but seems that OP you are focussed on the Honda City sedan.
What I can tell you is that if your heart is after a specific car then no matter which other car you take you won't be satisified. Now you know your needs better - having driven sedans and csuv's/mpv's I personally tend to prefer the high ground clearance vehicles with long service intervals and that usually tends to be Car's like Renault Duster, Tata Nexon and recently the Maruti Grand Vitara (however the back seat can be cramped)

I have been avoiding the Korean Twins Hyundai/Kia due to the cost of servicing and my own prejudice. I would probably be looking at the petrol versions of the new suv's based on my running needs and due to how the emission norms are turning out and I believe we are still away from true electric one car does it all.

So with all that said - my recommendation would be the Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara with the maruti k series engine if you dream of tough situations probably the All grip version.

[rajesh1868]

So, I went to check out the vehicles and do a TD, and here are the results.
The plan was to check out Honda and Hyundai and if time permits Kia too.

1. Hyundai Verna
We checked the display model. The rear seat for 3 passengers was not comfortable. Did not do a TD due to this.

2. Hyundai Creta
The rear seat was found to be as good as my Zest. So went with a test drive. I was happy with the ride. The family at the rear seat was also happy.

The experience in the Hyundai showroom was good. They treated us well as potential customers.

3. Honda City/Elevate
We arrived at Brigade Honda Yelahanka and called the SA I was in contact with. I saw him running out to me with the phone and said that he was off to a test drive and would be back soon. We were fine with that and told we would wait.

Meanwhile thought of checking the display vehicles. The City was locked. I asked if it could be opened so we could try it out but no one seemed to care.
Elevate was open, and we liked it. Again as per my wife, seating comfort at the rear is at par with Zest.

We continued our wait to check the locked City and then out of desperation, silly me opened the rear door by unlocking it through the open window. The place was filled with alarm noise and then they rushed in search of the key. Out came someone with a bag full of keys and thankfully after some search, produced the right one and now they unlocked it and gave the key to me.
Contrary to our expectation City rear seat was not comfortable. There is a bump in the middle that made it all the more uncomfortable.

As my kids were getting hungry, we decided to go for lunch and get back. I really wanted to TD the Elevate.

Honda did not treat us as potential customers. I am not sure about the SA that was assigned. But others in the showroom just did not care.

3. Kia Carens

Figured out that the Kia showroom was on the way back from the restaurant to Honda, so decided to visit Kia first after lunch.

We were once again treated as potential customers. The place was also more crowded than both Honda and Hyundai.

We checked out Carens and were immediately happy with the rear seat space it offered. Checked if we could do a TD and a car was available. All were happy with the TD with their own parameters. I was happy with the ride, family was happy about the rear seat comfort. The children were happy about the interiors (ambient light, HU, 1 touch tumble and stuff).

After much deliberation, discussion and calculation, we decided to go with the Carens Petrol 1.5 Luxury iMT model in Imperial Blue color.
Booking has been done and hope to get it soon.