[surender_dinkar]

After driving my Zen for over five years, I am considering to upgrade to a new vehicle(read Sedan) for sometime now. I have looked at many cars in past several weeks and still not sure if which car should I go for. Here is what I want in my new car

1) three box car - so it has to be a sedan, no confusion on that.

2) Car should be safe and comfortable for the family and the driver(read me).

3) Maintenance cost should not be very high and service network should be good.

4) I am not much bothered about resale value and FE.

Here is what I feel about the cars I have tried;

SX4 - Liked the looks, interior also is good. What I didn't like in this car is the gear shift, especially changing to the first gear is bit jerky, the door handle were really bad. Last not the least, my wife did not find the rear seat very comfortable. Result - this car is ruled out.

Fieta - This is the car I love to watch. I really like the looks of this car, but the interior is so plasticky, black, seats so small I did not even feel like taking a TD. Although I finally test drove the Fiesta and feel the pick up is the best in this segment.

Logan - Didn't like the bench like rear seat.

City vtec - I never liked the looks of NHC, but since I was not able to decide on any car I decided to TD th NHC also. Over priced( no ABS, no airbags, no immobilizer) and still does not match fiesta's performance. I don't want to buy a car that does not look good(to me) and still costlier than other options.

Verna XXi ABS - Hyudai dealers find it difficult to provide you a pertor Verna for TD. I finally went to company owned showroom at Mathura Road and test drove the car. Liked the interiors, exterior is also okay. Not sure why Hyundai is not providing Airbags in this car. I also missed automatic door closing feature in this car. But in this segment this is the I liked most.

Elantra - Only the base model is available, new version is expected, so I decided not to go for this car.

Accent - Only base model available, can be discontinued anytime.

Aveo 1.6 with option pack - This car offers almost all features (except immobilizer). I got a slightly older version of Aveo which was okay. But in the new model they have used excessive chrome inside which I don't like, also one of the steering spokes blocks the speedometer view, which is really bad design. GM has not been able to provide me New Aveo 1.6 to TD.

Corolla - I TD H2 of Corolla, loved everything about it, but I am not sure if I want to spend 11L on new car.

So the cars I have shortlisted are Verna XXi ABS and Aveo 1.6 with option pack. Is it okay to buy GM cars in India? How important is to have ABS and airbags in your car? I think it is good to buy a car that has these features, but most car dealers disagree. Hyundai is also more keen on selling the diesel version. So you folks can see I am confused a lot here.

Are there any new launches expected in this segment in 2-3 months? Since I want to drive my new car also for 3-5 years I would rather wait than compromise.

regards
Surender

[gopz]

Why dont you consider Honda Civic???

[reignofchaos]

Have you taken a look at the Mitsubishi Cedia?

[esteem_lover]

If you can afford it, get the corolla, will never let you down.

[himanshugoswami]

IMHO, given your shorlist, your budget should be around 9 L. hence the car that would suit your requirements to the T is the cedia select ( or are they calling it the Spirit now?). Anyways, names aside, the cedia is probably THE most VFM car you can buy this side of 9L and has a hoot of a drive.

rear space is pretty good as well. the only thing is that HM A.S.S. may not be the best. but since you ar ein delhi, that should not be an issue.

[iTNerd]

do hav a TD of Cedia! Its the most underrated car in India..but its a charm in all respect for a car enthusiast.. and should be within 9.3-9.5 OTR in delhi.. but only disadvantage is the resale..if you are going to use it 5-6 yrs, its a safe bet

[finneyp]

You can also consider Chevy Optra!

It is big, comfy, safe and comfortable, has a luxury feel! GM Service is pretty decent.

Test drive and decide between Cedia and Optra.

[dadu]

DOnt see any reasons why not and with their current service offering, it makes more sense.

Originally Posted by surender_dinkar

So the cars I have shortlisted are Verna XXi ABS and Aveo 1.6 with option pack. Is it okay to buy GM cars in India?

ABS and Airbags are safety features, now a becoming standard, dont compromise on them if you have the option and budget.

Verna Diesel is overpriced, take a test drive and decide, as you are not worried much about FE(am assuming low city runs) go for the petrol one.

Originally Posted by surender_dinkar

How important is to have ABS and airbags in your car? I think it is good to buy a car that has these features, but most car dealers disagree. Hyundai is also more keen on selling the diesel version. So you folks can see I am confused a lot here.

Honda City was up for a makeover, its been discussed here, search, I am not aware of any others.

Originally Posted by surender_dinkar

Are there any new launches expected in this segment in 2-3 months? Since I want to drive my new car also for 3-5 years I would rather wait than compromise.

[iTNerd]

I would not recommend you to consider ANY car that does not have ABS/Airbags at all! It is a MUST in every driving condition. Those who are in the view that ABS/Airbags doesn't play in role in city driving condition is just being ill-informed. Most likely they don't have that safety features in their car and hence, does not make any effort to know its importance/necessity.

[reignofchaos]

If you TD the optra, its better to check the Diesel. The petrol optra has a sad engine... poor performance and poor FE. Plus the gear shift is not that slick.

[gemithomas]

Dinkar, from what i read I am assuming that you have a budget of around 9L and you are willing to go upto even 11 if it is really worth. Well with this budget i would say you should take a look at the Optra Magnum. The Optra has always been known for its good ride comfort. The interior space and looks are also good enough. The most attractive part of the magnum is its diesel powered heart. Just take a test drive, i'm sure you would love it. After your zen i'm sure you would want a suspension atleast as good.

Another option is the Cedia but the A.S.S at your place needs to be checked out. If the service centre at your place os not that bad, you could consider this one too. But the interiors depend on your personal taste. Not sure how you would feel about this. I've heard the interiors look a little outdated.

On the other hand if you want to save some money and stay within the 8L range. I'd say go for the Aveo. The option pack and the 3yr/1L warranty makes this attractive enough. I strongly suggest against the Fords at this range since the ride quality is really bad due to its hard suspension setup. After the zen i doubt if you would feel comfortable on stiff suspensions. However the fiesta is the best drivers car at this range.

All the best.

[HKP]

Hi
Even I was thinking on the Same line and Aveo 1.4 LS seems to be a very good option. They offer a good service package and I think you will get a good bargain. I never liked verna and I have read here in TeamBhp about issues with new verna cars and bad parts quality etc.

There are some ownership reports about Aveo here, hope you have read them.
Keep all of us updated on your decision.

/HKP

[Akshay1234]

check out the cedia. im sure youll like it. also look at the base model corolla and the optra magnum.

[sathya_nars]

Without deciding budget you'll go mad in deciding what car, believe me!!

At least decide the category, entry C or premium C or entry D. If you decide budget/segment, you'll essentially rule out many cars you listed and what others replied.

Now, coming back to your finalists (if you will), I would vote for Verna rather than Aveo (looking at parameters you listed, safety, maintenance, A.S.S).

If you can stretch to Verna diesel, there are other options in that price range for petrol (Corolla, etc) - that's why it is good to decide budget/segment.

[GTO]

I think its best for you to search within archives of the Team-BHP What Car section. Trust me, you will find the information you are looking for.