[BUSA]

Vibrations can be felt even in Innova diesel which is way more refined than Safari.

Yes, some cars have it, but Swift Diesel, Fiesta Diesel have no vibrations at all.

[AMATMO]

true SAFARI does have a good road presence,it reminds me of the GMC yukon in looks(no in size ofcource)

but safari is a distinct SUV ,GV can give you the pleasures of both car and suv
so given a choice,i would go for the grand vitara IMO

[abhinav.gupta88]

Dude Go in for Corolla is what i would recommend. Its A Complete package and if you could wait for a bit longer time. Let the Auto Expo in delhi get over and see what all new launches fit ur range.

You can even have a look at the M Hawk Engined Scorpio

[ScarySkulls]

in that Price bracket, there arent many vehicles that can match Safari's comfort. Whatever be the terrain.

[MG1558]

Yesterday we went for TD of 3 - Corolla, Optra Magnum & Safari.

First was the Corolla: While fixing up the TD we enquired about both AT & MT - and they sent a H4 for the TD. After the initial arguments -that i asked for a MT and was just enquiring about AT- we went for the TD on that only. Again we took the same route. Out through lanes, cross the ritual speed breakers, patch of potholes, hit 80 ft rd then stop-go-stop at 100 ft then the ring rd.
I was not impressed by the interiors, especially after Civic. In our mind we almost written this one off even before we started - only positive being more roomy feel and getting in & out was easier both in back & driver's seat (compared to Civic). I also liked the driving position - felt it to be higher than Civic but thats about it.
Once we started - it was a different story. I found it much easier to manouver in traffic - don't know why. Spped breakers & potholes were no problem. Accelaration was good and we hit 140 in ring rd and held it for few seconds. Back seat guys did not believe it till they saw themselves- thought it to be 80-100. It was butter smooth. Made an emergency breaking at 100kmph. It just stopped without any fuss or tyre noise. All loved the car and wished it was not getting out by end of year. My office is 31km away from home making ride quality of prime importance.
Before starting- it was out; after we finishing the TD- it was very much in. The sales guy indicated of good discounts - which means I can go for an AT but they don't have AT ready stock - will check & get back on Monday he said.

Next was Optra Magnum LT: Good interiors, good space and the car looked good from outside also. I was not comforatable in the driving position - adjusted the seat but still was not very comfy. Getting in & out was also not easy. Liked the accelaration across gears- surely one of the best in Diesels. Back seats were good. The sound of engine was audable inside cabin. It looked a great package at that price - but somehow was not very comfortable with the sitting positions & getting in & out.

Safari :They got the top end model today - good ride and excellent back seat. Liked the Camera coming on OVM while reversing. Driving it was different experience and I was not comfortable in city-traffic. The cluth was also feeling heavy. Once on ring rd - it was superb. The noise was still inside the cabin but its not fair to compare this 2ton SUV with Civic or Corolla. Its a great one for taking out of the city on holidays - but within city - not very sure.

Finally it boiled down to the old story - Corolla vs Civic. Corolla - AT may come within budget - Availability of AT stock & color to be confirmed. MT readily available. Civic have to go for S. So back to Square one.

[maxbhp]

Originally Posted by MG1558

2. Civic - Great car, almost finalised - but for the GC issue. The civics in our office are to be driven @ 2 kmph in rough roads, Spead breakers etc. with only one/ two in backseat. Not sure how it would be to take it out to Madikeri or Udipi or Hampi with 2+2 and luggage...

If you planning for a civic , do get the Automatic one since FE is not an issue. You will love changing the gears and the best part is you can keep her at high revs in a gear without the gear shifting to higher one like most of the paddlers.

Ps: Undebody scrapping is really an issue. Make sure that you take the car for a test ride right from your home to office. Am sure they will let you.

@MG1558-
I'd TDed the safari last month. its fine in the city as long as you are not trying to exploit the gaps like a hatchback. no one tries to bother you, and if you drive decently, city traffic in the safari will be a calming experience. the visibility is excellent, and that will help a long way in the city. anyway....aren't you going to be chauffeured?

on the highways, if you can digest the body roll, it should be fine

ride comfort is unsurpassed.

about those speed breakers in blore everyone's talking about(I've never seen them) but if an SUV cant handle it, no car can.

[ScarySkulls]

Originally Posted by MG1558

Its a great one for taking out of the city on holidays - but within city - not very sure.

All it takes is a few days to get used to.
After that you will start appreciating the fact nobody wants to bother you and you dont need to slow time in a hurry every time a surprise pothole comes up.

Excellent road presence. Excellent comfort. Very good image.

[navpreet318]

yep every one will make way for you in the city.they'll be scared that you don't brush up against their tin cans.
as i told you earlier.its bullish..but you'll love being bullish and then you won't turn to any other car.
and do remember to buy the 4X4 version.there is no competition to the adrenaline rush you feel when climbing a loose mountain in the 4X4 low ratio.
its all about fun man.you'll have fun owning one.

[morphin1]

Hi there,
Wait for 6months and get the new corolla.
I am using the current model of corolla and have not had any problems with my car and the service is reasonable.My car is at 60,000kms and the fuel efficiency is pretty good at 11kpl(city), 13(highway).

The new corolla will be loaded with new equipment and is worth the wait.
So wait bro and go for the corolla which is a very reliable car.
Hope this helps.
Cheers

[BUSA]

You need to adjust the seat well to get a good driving position in the Optra, and you will get used to it.

Between the Corolla & Civic, its a no brainer, its Civic all the way, its almost 2 generations ahead of the Corolla, and thats how good the Civic is. Get a S in purple(if you like it) and nothing else will do

[csentil]

I own a Civic AT, so I'll pitch in for it. I won't talk about the pros as you've heard enough of it. ;-)

Back Seat is very comfortable with good legspace, however ingress and egress is not comfortable especially for older people.

Suspension is soft, so if your chauffeur drives bit first over big potholes the suspension can bottom out. However this would help the car glide over rough roads.

Fully loaded you will scrape some speedbreakers in Bangalore. I've been around but only in Bangalore I've had this problem. Try the horrendous ones in JP Nagar ring road and Bellary road for example.

Corolla is a good car for back seat driving. Excellent legspace and great ride. However its quite old and is soon to be replaced. That is the only thing against the Corolla.

If you can live with these get the Civic. Its fun to drive and still has the "WOW" factor to it. :-)

[bglsrini]

hi,Its gr8 with a safari.I drive daily 80 to 90 Km and its gr8 feeling and we can rule the road.I vote for safari.

[MG1558]

Hi all,

Thanks a lot for all your inputs. It was really helpful.

Booked a Civic MT - Black yesterday.

[swageo]

Originally Posted by MG1558

Hi all,

Thanks a lot for all your inputs. It was really helpful.

Booked a Civic MT - Black yesterday.

Any idea when it will be delivered ?. I am also waiting for my 2008 model Civic