[shankar.balan]

It is a terrible dilemma I find myself in!

Im very keen and impatient to change my Scorpio and am interested in two particular vehicles.

Requirements are very simple:
1. Small-ish SUV only - no sedans please
2. Max Safety Kit - ABS, Airbags, TCS, EBD, ESP blah blah
3. 4WD
4. Utility and flexibility of space - we are just 2 people most of the time with our luggage and golf stuff. Occasionally the dogs may get taken to the vet in the vehicle, usually one at a time, not all three dogs at once!
5. Reasonably compact for use as a the primary daily driver in the city but yet flexible enough for those quarterly trips to the hills - typically Ooty, Coorg etc.
6. Reasonably tough and reliable
7. Diesel power
8. good handling characteristics especially in the hills
9. good ground clearance to handle Bangalore's craters
10. comfy, plush and car like inside so that one's daily drive is comfortable rather than a chore.

I love the Yeti and I also love the Tucson.

If I buy a Yeti I can chuck my current Scorp pay up a large downpayment and take the rest on loan which I am fine with overall.

If I buy a Tucson I can chuck my current Scorp and pay for it in full.

I dont know what to do and I dont want to wait any more. Am sick and tired of waiting for even info on things like the Duster, the rumoured new Ford SUV and so on. I cant wait for M&M to get its Ssangyong act together, else the Korando looks like it might be worth considering. I wont consider the new M&M XUV500 because it is too big for my needs.

I will not buy another Scorp, nor will I consider a Captiva, Koleos, Fortuner, Santa Fe or any other in that price bracket.

I will not buy an used Pajero or Endy or even X Trail (No X Trail because one can only find high miileage examples available in the used market.) I wont buy a Safari or even that Merlin because it is too big. I dont like the Force One and anyway it doesnt meet what I want in an SUV.

My max time limit for this (as of now) is November/December 2011 - might be able to stretch to Jan 2012 but no more than that.

Clear, Objective and plain speaking views, suggestions, help, ideas from anyone on this Forum are very welcome indeed - I have wracked my brains for the last 2 months on this conundrum but am unable to find a solution within myself.

Looking forward to some action please!

[drmohitg]

What about the Aria?

Otherwise amongst your 2 choices I will suggest Yeti if you are willing to take the risk of Skoda after sales. A new car is a new car.
Also I was amazed to see the rates at which 2008-2009 Endys are available with just 20-30k on the Odo. Do have a look once evn though the Size of the vehicle may be an issue on those tiny bangalore roads.

PS: Would have also suggested you the Innova but it lacks the SUV looks and no 4wd or other whistles.

[julupani]

On spec the Yeti seems pretty ideal for what you seem to be looking for. Havent really experienced one so cant really say much else about.

I have experienced the Tucson though. It is a pretty good vehicle, though I always thought it overpriced when new. But it looks very dated and old by today's standards. One other concern, especially because you will get one 2nd hand, is that Hyundai spares are pretty well known to be on the high side. So do consider that your maintainance costs may be much higher for a Tucson.

Other than that you seem to have ruled out pretty much every other car in range.

Among all others the only vehicle you have made no mention of is the Aria. It may look like more like an MUV, but if you look at the specs its more SUVish than either the Tucson or the Yeti.

The Aria will also be cheaper than the Yeti, even its top Pride 4x4 variant with leather seats and all its other lengthy list of features. Though its not exactly small.

If the "small" wasnt a criteria, I would say the Aria as top choice, with the Yeti coming in 2nd and last Tucson.

If "small" is very important, the Yeti it should be.

[shankar.balan]

looks that way certainly
I dont like the Aria - too big for me.
and I cant abide the Innova either - certainly not for me.

very difficult indeed, this decision.
the biggest problem is the huge impatience - I am a victim of near complete and total user fatigue with my Scorpio and hence this urge to move on!

[condor]

@Shankar, if the Yeti is good for the stuff you carry regularly, then that would be the better option, esp from a wty p.o.v. I am assuming that you find the two comparable in almost all respects.

[Tin7262]

I think you should just get the Yeti based on your specs and that you don't like the Aria. Its new, will be there for a few years and understand reported improvements in Skoda A$$. Tough choice and good luck.
BTW, why do you want to wait till Jan 2012-?

[shankar.balan]

hey!
thanks
Heart says yeti head says Tuc - because of the financial angle.
what is wty?

and TIN.
Jan 2012 because I might be able to pull off a deal on a 2011 manufactured yeti.
but if the tuc becomes available earlier then I might just settle for that for another 2 years or so.

lets see
need more on the pros and cons of these two vehicles - objective stuff.
hoping for more replies so i can figure out the decision.

Originally Posted by condor

@Shankar, if the Yeti is good for the stuff you carry regularly, then that would be the better option, esp from a wty p.o.v. I am assuming that you find the two comparable in almost all respects.

[n.devdath]

Finally you have started your thread instead of of snooping around others threads and showcasing your dilemma so openly. Just kidding.

Coming to the point at hand and the 2 vehicles that you have shortlisted, I feel that there are actually very few vehicles that beat the Yeti in its segment and even a couple of segments higher.

1. I have seen the Yeti on hills in HP, gravel and slush and it performs admirably, better than a 4wd Scorpio too owing to its ESP, HDC, and what not.

2. Apart from a missing DSG box, which is a slightly risky unit anyway, it is a properly specced European SUV with a tank like build, powerful torquey engine, well finished interiors and most of all, a very intelligent 4wd system which keep it battle ready without compromising on the on road experience or FE.

3. The biggest flaw for the Scorpio is the Yeti's biggest advantage. Sedan like handling and ride quality while being high like an SUV on all kinds of roads.

4. The 4 year 100,000km warranty package by Skoda is like a sedative to the nervous customer. Not to mention the 15000km service interval.

Hope this helps. Happy hunting.

[Abhi_Automobile]

How about trying a pre owned 'new' X-Trail (the one which was launched in 2009 and is still sold). It was flop but a tremendous vehicle nevertheless. You may be able to strike a deal for less than new Yeti price...

[Akshay1234]

The Tucson is way too old now, just get the Yeti, you know you want it more. Its built well, drives well, keeps you comfortable, and is overall a better car than the Tucson at the moment. It also fits all the guidelines you mentioned, and the Tucson does not come close in most ways.

The Yeti seems to be the perfect car for you.

[shankar.balan]

dev. thanks. good insight there.

abhi. havent seen any used x trails of 2009 vintage - the only ones that keep coming up for sale are these 2004-2005-2006 models and they have done many miles on the clock. plus somehow I get worried by them I dont know why.

akshay. some chaps say I need both heart and head surgery to be considering these two vehicles.

Yes the Yeti is very attractive. Equally the Tuc is a super attractive thing.

The poll results so far are quite clear - I will let it run the 21 days and see anyway!

I ll put it down here:
Though I really like that vehicle what puts me off the Yeti is the after sales danger and a lot of feedback that the Skoda Sales guys are very nice until the car is sold after which they begin to mistreat the consumer. A bit of a Jekyll and Hyde situation which I do not want to experience the hard way.

Ref the Tuc. The particular vehicle I have in mind is owned by a person I know and is extremely well kept. It has done very less and genuine mileage (sub 50K on the odo) and had its essentials changed too - like the clutch and tyres etc. Ready to roll. Another good point made by another friend is that his Verna has crossed 100000kms in the last 5.5 years and given no trouble at all.

Overall the Tuc is more like the size requirement that I have. I like its proportions a lot and the storage in the rear is more than adequate for golfing stuff and blah blah unlike the Yeti which can pinch for space a bit.

The Yeti is much more plush and is at the beginning of its product lifecycle. Lovely interiors that will spoil me completely.

In general the Tuc's steering seems a bit harder than the Scorpio's - the engine acceleration also seems a bit less responsive than the Scorpio's. But its handling, interior comfort and gizmos are much better than those in the Scorpio. It is also much better put together than the Scorpio.

The other consideration is that if I buy the Tuc I will have no loan committments on my head whereas if I buy the Yeti I will have quite a large loan to worry about. I dont like large loans.

One more point is that I am very clear if I buy the Tuc, it is for 2-3 years usage max after which I will change. I know I may get hit by further depreciation to the extent of some lacs of rupees but thats a risk Im willing to take because the impact overall is smaller than the depreciation on a brand new vehicle.

If I buy the Yeti, I would certainly have to live with it for atleast 5+ years. anyway after 5 years, in the Yeti's case I will get hit by depreciation to the tune of about 40-50% from the current on road price.

I have a psychological problem - going by my own history I appear to get very tired of a vehicle around the 3.5 to 4 year mark. Am not sure there is anything in the market that will change this tendency of mine.

the other hassle is that I simply dont want to wait for another one year for this Duster and then see whether they have a particular spec which meets my needs and so on.

[mayankjha1806]

Voted for Tucson for the very simple reason that the Skodas are a tad unreliable and when something breaks it costs are bomb to get them back in shape. Generally i don't prefer used cars but in this case i think extra care need to be taken. A$$ of Skodas have been getting better, and there are quiet a few folks who are happy with their Skodas, so make an informed decision.

[Durango Dude]

Here's your answer regards Duster from the Renault India site itself.

[shankar.balan]

sorry but I cant see any answer on the renault website
there is no confirmed info on the spec of the duster nor the exact launch date. only speculation is rife.

Originally Posted by Durango Dude

Here's your answer regards Duster from the Renault India site itself.

ideally I would like to buy brand new but there are no options available for my particular needs/ wants in terms of utility vs price.
hence this dilemma

Originally Posted by mayankjha1806

Voted for Tucson for the very simple reason that the Skodas are a tad unreliable and when something breaks it costs are bomb to get them back in shape. Generally i don't prefer used cars but in this case i think extra care need to be taken. A$$ of Skodas have been getting better, and there are quiet a few folks who are happy with their Skodas, so make an informed decision.

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[Durango Dude]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

sorry but I cant see any answer on the renault website
there is no confirmed info on the spec of the duster nor the exact launch date. only speculation is rife.

It's coming around end of this year. Can't see a SUV with covers there with winter 2011 writ large? Tucson is way to dated. Can you give us an idea as what you may be paying for the Tucson, may that will be the deal clincher. I have an Elantra GLS and have been 'lucky' with it and it's given me trouble free service for the last 5.5 years; will I advise any one to go for it, NO, as it's an out of production model.