[rajesh1868]

My Zest is having engine troubles and I am in the market for a new ride. I have tried keeping my cars for as long as possible. I had moved to Zest from WagonR after keeping it for about 8 years as my family was growing and I needed space. I have had Zest for 7 years now and would have kept it for at least 2 more if not for the issues, and a need for more space if possible.

The new one is also intended to be owned for as long as possible.
There may be some year-end offers going on right now and Zest is due for insurance renewal soon. So if possible, I would like to purchase this month itself.

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:

Note: Based on research on TBHP and official sites. I am yet to start TD on any because of the Point 6 notes above. But I will be doing them shortly.

1. Honda City ZX MT or VX CVT

Among the many that I have been researching on TBHP and official sites, this was among the last one I checked, mostly as an afterthought but may be the one I will go after.

City was what we had always aspired for, about 7-10 years back. And that was a long time ago. It has evolved but after having a (small) sedan for some time there is a feeling among all of us that an SUV may be more exciting now. So somehow came back to it as my choices appeared to run out.

+: 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

I went through https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/what-...-sickness.html (Car for family prone to motion sickness) and https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/what-...ta-seltos.html (Upgrading from a Tata Zest - City or Creta or Seltos?) which seems to indicate City as a good option for rear passengers.

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?

And that is the end of my shortlist.

The following were considered but had to be excluded for varying reasons. Let me know if I am wrong about any of them:

Honda Elevate - 5th passenger may not be comfortable. I will try to get into one when I TD the City to confirm this. Otherwise, appeared to be a good one.

Seltos/Creta/Carens - I will have to go with the mid variants for my budget. Some concerns on the ride quality of Seltos and Creta are seen in some threads.
Harrier - Same as above, Plus they don't offer many color options for the lower variants.
Slavia/Virtus - Is it a proper 5-seater? Hearing complaints with AC. Concerns on long term ownership experience.
Verna - Tough choice against City with respect to features but ownership cost and concerns about 5th passenger is making me doubtful.


Am I missing some models?

[Shreyans_Jain]

Pls understand that all cars like City, Verna, Creta etc are not genuine 5 seaters. They do not have the width, and do not have the shoulder space. The 5th adult can only be ‘adjusted’, ideally over short distances only. At best, they will be about par with your Zest in this regard, if not worse.

If you want a genuine and comfortable 5 seater with a big boot, your only options are the lower models of the ScorpioN, XUV700, Harrier and MG Hector. You will not get too many fancy features, you will most likely give up the automatic. But you will get a spacious, comfortable, powerful, sorted and safe car that will serve your family well for the next 8-10 years.

[rajesh1868]

Originally Posted by Shreyans_Jain

Pls understand that all cars like City, Verna, Creta etc are not genuine 5 seaters. They do not have the width, and do not have the shoulder space. The 5th adult can only be ‘adjusted’, ideally over short distances only. At best, they will be about par with your Zest in this regard, if not worse.

If you want a genuine and comfortable 5 seater with a big boot, your only options are the lower models of the ScorpioN, XUV700, Harrier and MG Hector. You will not get too many fancy features, you will most likely give up the automatic. But you will get a spacious, comfortable, powerful, sorted and safe car that will serve your family well for the next 8-10 years.

Reading the reviews I thought City was more spacious. The best way is to try out the models. City TD is planned. Since there is travel involved to the dealerships, I will try to do Verna and one other too if possible on the same day.

[MotorDev]

Go ahead and purchase the City.

- Typically, I suggest considering the Slavia or the Virtus, but given your residence in a tier 3 city, a hassle-free ownership experience might be more suitable. While the newer cars from VWAG have seen improvements, they may still encounter issues such as rattles .

- Consider the Verna as well; it's an excellent car with numerous features, and Hyundai cars nowadays are just as reliable as Honda's .

- If you're torn between the City and Verna, check out the Team-BHP comparison of sedans. https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/sedan...ces-today.html (Midsize Sedan comparison | Exploring the best choices today)

- If you're uncertain between the City and Elevate, refer to the Team-BHP comparison of both models. https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/india...a-elevate.html (Comparison | Honda City Vs Honda Elevate)

- Keep in mind that the 5-seater cars in this segment might not truly accommodate five passengers comfortably. As said by BHPian Shreyans Jain, for a genuine five-seater, you might want to explore options like the XUV700, Hector, etc.

[fhdowntheline]

I recently had a 6 ft 2in colleague sit in the rear seat of my Verna. And he was quite comfortable, except for headroom where the space was marginal. But even that was a revelation for me in terms of how Hyundai has really maximized legroom and overall interior space. If you are looking at the City, also do check out the Verna. Both have marginally better rear seat comfort levels than the Virtus/Slavia. Where the VAG twins beat them is in terms of extra ground clearance, music systems and a slightly taut ride quality.

[OpenRoads]

Originally Posted by rajesh1868

Am I missing some models?

With Honda City automatic you are already on top of your requirement. However Honda Elevate would have been way better choice in terms of boot space and ground clearance. The only issue is the rear is not for 3 adults but it is still better than its peers.

Suzuki XL6 with 6 speed torque converter transmission is something you can explore within budget as a second option and is extremely VFM.

And if you want to go high then VW virtus GT 1.5l tsi dct is a clear winner and also satisfies all your needs in terms of boot space and Ground clearance and beats everyone else in terms of performance. However the only downside is the maintenance cost in long run

Good luck

[GoBabyGo]

Originally Posted by Shreyans_Jain

Pls understand that all cars like City, Verna, Creta etc are not genuine 5 seaters. They do not have the width, and do not have the shoulder space. The 5th adult can only be ‘adjusted’, ideally over short distances only. At best, they will be about par with your Zest in this regard, if not worse.

If you want a genuine and comfortable 5 seater with a big boot, your only options are the lower models of the ScorpioN, XUV700, Harrier and MG Hector. You will not get too many fancy features, you will most likely give up the automatic. But you will get a spacious, comfortable, powerful, sorted and safe car that will serve your family well for the next 8-10 years.

Hi, I addition to what you are suggesting, I think Kia Carens will also be a good option. It can be used as 7 seater without or little luggage or a very comfortable 5 seater (2+2+1) with good luggage capacity if one of the last row seat is folded. XL6 can also be a good option, but in my view Carens is more modern with better engine options.

[Mumbaiker]

My suggestion would be to take your full family with you when you go for the test drive.
Thats what I did.Took back to back test drive of the City and then the Verna and checked which car gave most comfort to my parents who would be seated in the back seat.

The verdict from everyone in the car was to go for City for its absolute comfort and ride quality.
Verna in the back seat with 3 adults wasnt a huge struggle, but the middle seat of Verna is hard and uncomfortable. One can adjust for short distances, but if you are planning a 300-400kms drive, then it is going to be a pain.

[rajesh1868]

Originally Posted by MotorDev

Go ahead and purchase the City.

- Consider the Verna as well; it's an excellent car with numerous features, and Hyundai cars nowadays are just as reliable as Honda's .

- If you're torn between the City and Verna, check out the Team-BHP comparison of sedans. https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/sedan...ces-today.html (Midsize Sedan comparison | Exploring the best choices today)

- If you're uncertain between the City and Elevate, refer to the Team-BHP comparison of both models. https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/india...a-elevate.html (Comparison | Honda City Vs Honda Elevate)

- Keep in mind that the 5-seater cars in this segment might not truly accommodate five passengers comfortably. As said by BHPian Shreyans Jain, for a genuine five-seater, you might want to explore options like the XUV700, Hector, etc.

Thanks for the comparison threads, will take a look. Verna is in consideration. Would plan a TD in the same day as City.

Originally Posted by fhdowntheline

If you are looking at the City, also do check out the Verna.

Yes, I will try out Verna too

Originally Posted by OpenRoads

With Honda City automatic you are already on top of your requirement. However Honda Elevate would have been way better choice in terms of boot space and ground clearance. The only issue is the rear is not for 3 adults but it is still better than its peers.

Suzuki XL6 with 6 speed torque converter transmission is something you can explore within budget as a second option and is extremely VFM.

Good luck

Thanks, I had ruled out XL6 earlier in the search because I will need 3rd row to be up most of the time.
I will also try Elevate. Our family is of shorter build and the boys are still growing up. In case it is found to be comfortable, I might consider it as well.

Originally Posted by GoBabyGo

Hi, I addition to what you are suggesting, I think Kia Carens will also be a good option. It can be used as 7 seater without or little luggage or a very comfortable 5 seater (2+2+1) with good luggage capacity if one of the last row seat is folded. XL6 can also be a good option, but in my view Carens is more modern with better engine options.

I did consider Carens a lot initially. The cost was a deciding factor to go against it.

Originally Posted by Mumbaiker

My suggestion would be to take your full family with you when you go for the test drive.
Thats what I did.Took back to back test drive of the City and then the Verna and checked which car gave most comfort to my parents who would be seated in the back seat.

The verdict from everyone in the car was to go for City for its absolute comfort and ride quality.
Verna in the back seat with 3 adults wasnt a huge struggle, but the middle seat of Verna is hard and uncomfortable. One can adjust for short distances, but if you are planning a 300-400kms drive, then it is going to be a pain.

Yes, I will have my whole family with me.

[Tanmay_868]

Originally Posted by rajesh1868

The new one is also intended to be owned for as long as possible.

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.


City was what we had always aspired for, about 7-10 years back. And that was a long time ago. It has evolved but after having a (small) sedan for some time there is a feeling among all of us that an SUV may be more exciting now. So somehow came back to it as my choices appeared to run out.


And that is the end of my shortlist.


Am I missing some models?

So if you need a spacious 5 seated then you would have to look at suv only. Further since you are used to GC of compact sedan transition to SUV would be fun, barring some extra unwanted movements (body roll etc).

Considering 20 lakhs budget you can get-
1. Mg Hector Shine and Smart Petrol MT
2. Mahindra XUV 7OO AX3 or AX5 Petrol
3. Mahindra ScorpioN z4E

Out of all these personally I recommend MG Hector since it is most durable out of the lot. There were some festive discount on Hector up here in north. So please negotiate properly and you can have a handsome discount.

Mahindra would be a tough bet. Since owners are still facing minor problems in vehicle.
Same for TATA.

[Phantom 510]

I would like to vote for Virtus/Slavia (incase you fancy sedans).

Key facts-
1. Fun to drive turbo petrol engines. They deliver really good midrange torque which is like a blessing out on the open roads especially when executing a safe and quick overtake while travelling with full payload and A/C.
2. Very efficient when driven sanely.
3. Solid build quality imparts secure feeling.
4. Exceptional ride quality and handling balance.
5. High ground clearance is very handy when travelling over bad patches.
6. Rear seat may not be the widest but is pretty decent width wise. It will seat three average sized Indians comfortably. The seat has good under thigh support and also boasts proper adjustable head restraints for all three occupants. Adjustable head restraints for all three rear passengers may not seem like a big deal but does wonders when it comes to safety and comfort IMO.
7. The service package further sweetens the deal.

[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).

[SixPistons]

Originally Posted by Shreyans_Jain

Pls understand that all cars like City, Verna, Creta etc are not genuine 5 seaters.

…

your only options are the lower models of the ScorpioN, XUV700, Harrier and MG Hector. You will not get too many fancy features, you will most likely give up the automatic. But you will get a spacious, comfortable, powerful, sorted and safe car that will serve your family well for the next 8-10 years.

I couldn’t agree more. The more I have observed Creta, Seltos and the Likes I am convinced 5 healthy adults would not be happy in that rear cabin baring short distances as you mentioned.

I was not even halfway through and Scorpio-N and XUV700 came to my mind instantly.

However, I would not recommend to consider Harrier since you are 80-100 kms from Bangalore and Tatas are still known for QA issues that can otherwise be serious trouble to even driving the car. Since in your case? Even a single visit to the ASC is 100 kms away, I wouldn’t take that risk. Mahindra isn’t completely risk free, but I have seen selective issues in these two vehicles (less often as worse as Tatas). So you should be fine with a Mahindra. Good power, Good space on offer, fun to drive quotient as well as road presence. They score well in all respects.

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).

So Mahindra would be my recommendation.

[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 width is also good with the 3rd passenger not being a squeezed fit. Problem with Skoda/VW group cars is about the service setup and network. The build quality is also not bad. The boot is also huge and can swallow the entire family luggage of 15 days with ease. Triple digit speeds will also not see the fuel average drop below 16. Just that they have themselves earned a bad name. The price is also spot-on for any of their models. They are not at all overpriced and justify their their price tag.

For sheer driving pleasure and comfort, sedans are the one to go for. And when in dilemma, go and get a Maruti. They earn the best resale value. You cannot go wrong with your purchase. It is the case of please all and offend none.

[JediKnight]

Originally Posted by rajesh1868

Reading the reviews I thought City was more spacious. ...

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.