[sudev]

Given volumes AWD sold I don't think it's going to get new model soon. And @Samurai summed it up nicely.

[phamilyman]

Originally Posted by fine69

My Budget: 14-15 lakhs, anything above would be really stretching it

Time at hand: I can easily wait 2-3 months as I'm in the process of buying a house post which I'd buy my next car.

Duster AWD (no dune bashing experience, but multiple times I almost booked it basis excellent feedback from most folks around) is your best bet.

If your parking situation is good consider the V-cross but its length is daunting atleast to me.

PS: Why the AWD over the Thar et al? .Anshuman is your man - http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-d...ml#post3194098
PPS: For God's sake you are in/around Gurgaon. Drop by to our meets one of these days, or catch hold of .A /Ace on their Sunday morning offroading jaunts esp in these rains to get a true understanding.

[Ace F355]

As a happy owner of pre-worshipped Fortuner, I would gladly recommend you one!

However, if I remain unbiased to my own decision, you being from Delhi, I would suggest please don't go for Fortuner if you can do nicely with an AWD Duster.

Fortuner is too bulky for local commutes in chaotic Delhi traffic, lesser fuel efficient too! 10-12L will get you 2009 vintage cars which usually are abused and looking at current mood of NGT enforcements, will become obsolate for you within next 3-4 years. V-Cross and Scorpio 4WD too are well rounded options in that budget, however their sizes are XXL considering local commute (especially V-Cross, which is behemoth of a vehicle).

Duster AWD is amazingly capable & underestimated by many, has relatively smaller foot print on road and is easy on sipping fuel. If you have a budget of 15L, Duster AWD would possibly be your best bet. I would have suggested you a W8 AWD XUV5OO as well, however it will shoot your budget up by another 2L, so no point getting there. Good luck with your purchase and keep us posted with your decision.

PS: My Fortuner story posted here & here

[fine69]

Originally Posted by Sheel

This is the best AWD to buy at ~15L IMO. Has the best ride/handling combo with decent approach, break over & departure angles. The only negative bit is the interior packaging but there is nothing else you may buy at that price point.

My thoughts exactly. I don't have anything else in the 15 lacs budget that I've set.

Originally Posted by BlackPearl

1> New Scorpio 4WD
2> New Duster AWD
3> New Isuzu V-Cross
4> Pre-owned Fortuner

Isuzu's are robust vehicles I guess but the pick-up type doesn't work for me. I'm not one of those who care about the image as such but driving a pick-up without really having a use for one doesn't make sense. Oh and some pics/videos on the 'Off-roading with Isuzu V-Cross' thread tell me that the vehicle is incredibly long. I really don't have any use for all that real estate.

Originally Posted by Samurai

When long time Grand Vitara owners look around for a potential replacement vehicle, nothing comes close to Duster AWD. That should give you an idea.

I had read your entire Vitara ownership thread in one go some time back. However, I'm still not sure I know what you mean.

Originally Posted by sudev

Given volumes AWD sold I don't think it's going to get new model soon. And @Samurai summed it up nicely.

Originally Posted by phamilyman

Duster AWD (no dune bashing experience, but multiple times I almost booked it basis excellent feedback from most folks around) is your best bet.

If your parking situation is good consider the V-cross but its length is daunting atleast to me.

PS: Why the AWD over the Thar et al? .Anshuman is your man - http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-d...ml#post3194098
PPS: For God's sake you are in/around Gurgaon. Drop by to our meets one of these days, or catch hold of .A /Ace on their Sunday morning offroading jaunts esp in these rains to get a true understanding.

V-Cross is out simply because I don't have any use for a pick-up and its a damn long vehicle. I think I'd only be stopped at every border-crossing or checkpost because of this vehicle.

Thar was considered long back simply because every guy here does dream about owning a Thar but very few have the courage of making Thar their only Jeep (read Car) in the garage. I don't have the time to make such commitment right now.

On the XUV, I did go through a couple of ownership threads, Anshuman's being one, but not sure what extra I'd be getting if I decide to stretch my budget by another 2 lacs, besides better road presence.

Originally Posted by Ace F355

As a happy owner of pre-worshipped Fortuner, I would gladly recommend you one!

However, if I remain unbiased to my own decision, you being from Delhi, I would suggest please don't go for Fortuner if you can do nicely with an AWD Duster......

Your thread was the reason I ever considered a pre-worshipped Fortuner. But everything you said made perfect sense, which is why maybe I'm only looking for assurance that I should simply go ahead and book the Duster.

Let me ask another question now that we're all more inclined towards me buying a Duster.

What's really the downside of buying a Duster? Especially, what do I stand to lose out if I don't consider the Scorpio & XUV?

[Ace F355]

Originally Posted by fine69

What's really the downside of buying a Duster? Especially, what do I stand to lose out if I don't consider the Scorpio & XUV?

Common advantage points with both Scorpio & XUV: the excellent 2.2 engine, exterior size advantage as well as space inside the cabin. But you already mentioned size advantage doesn't matter to you that much.

Advantage Scorpio, a tough-as-nails ladder on frame SUV! If you venture into proper off-roading, this will have its own set of advantages.

Advantage XUV, Fully loaded gadgetry, that torquey engine and (earlier mentioned) cabin space! The 2.2 mill, particularly in the XUV tune, is a gem, excellent power delivery and decent FE too. I haven't driven 1999 cc engine of XUV, so can't comment on that. Also, Once you will sit inside a XUV, it will be hard to justify space in Duster. And Duster feels spartan compared to XUV when it comes to electronic gadgets, XUV actually makes SUVs twice its cost ashamed in this department. And the gadgets are useful too!

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by fine69

I had read your entire Vitara ownership thread in one go some time back. However, I'm still not sure I know what you mean.

I was in the same dilemma 9 years ago that you are in now. I found the Grand Vitara and it far exceeded my expectations over the years. But I look out to see what can possibly replace it someday, Duster AWD is the only one that comes close to Grand Vitara's ability. It is not as reliable as GV, but then there is nothing else that does.

I am basically talking about 5 seater SUVs with 4WD ability, great handling and great ride comfort.

If Maruti had bothered to bring Vitara S to India, it would have been fantastic, but it doesn't appear they have such plans.

[fine69]

Originally Posted by Ace F355

Common advantage points with both Scorpio & XUV.....

Thanks for this. Well, I wouldn't really venture into proper off-roading ever. Max I'd catch up with NCR folks on their Sunday off-roading adventures.

I have very briefly driven the XUV (2014 model) and I agree that when it comes to space, it'd beat Duster anyday, XUV's rear seat was like a playground for me. In fact it was too much space for me. I'm 5'8" and never felt cramped even in the Swift so Duster should be enough for me. For my road trips it'd have enough space to swallow any kind of luggage I'd throw in it so the space advantage isn't really that big an advantage for me.

About the electronics, I'm driving a Skoda Laura in the interim and while electronics are welcome, they become an irritant on unreliable cars, not sure how unreliable XUV electronics become after 8-10 years. I'd want to keep the Duster for 10+ years unless somebody steals this too.

May be I'm old school but lesser the electronics lesser the headache for a vehicle, at least that's what I've read. I still remember my boss's XUV that I was driving had the auto-stop (or whatever its called) function On and it'd turn itself off whenever I'd stop at a signal. Never had the courage to ask him what the hell was wrong with his car but realized that it was a "feature" when I drove a BMW during one of my self-drive vacation in Europe.

The only useful stuff I found in the XUV W8 was Tyre-tronics & Side & Curtain airbags (if they deploy sorry but its a Mahindra after all).

What I've gathered from all you guys' inputs and considering my requirements I think safe to say the following -

XUV W8
+ Better road presence, more electronics to indulge, playground inside
- 3 more lakhs, less fuel efficient

Duster
+ Handling (biggest plus), compact yet adequate for me, better than XUV when it comes to going off-road (especially snow/mud/slush/dunes)
- Poor interiors (you spend 15 lakhs for a barebone with red trims ), less respect on road when compared to 7-seaters

One very important question to all, which one is safer? I read that Duster got 4 in NCAP but not sure whether Indian market gets the same Duster.

Originally Posted by Samurai

I am basically talking about 5 seater SUVs with 4WD ability, great handling and great ride comfort.

Handling is something that keeps coming to my head a lot. All the heavy vehicles that I drove never brought the confidence in me that Duster somehow did. Its obviously lighter but its very confidence inspiring unlike the bigger ones which gave me a boat-like feeling when cornering or braking or taking sharp turns. Maybe its all in the head but bigger vehicles somehow didn't score very well on handling, at least in my head.

For the record, I've driven a Safari (both prev & current gen), Scorpio (prev gen), Fortuner (2010/11 and it had rattles, not kidding) and XUV (2014). The 85 Duster I drove was a 2014 model with a really really hard clutch but I've read that its been taken care of for good.

This video of Duster is a great demo of its handling, no words. Check out 4:50 to 6:40

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQFnFrsA2ss

[BlackPearl]

@Fine69 since you are more inclined towards the Duster I thought of sharing a few of my off-roading experiences with the Duster AWD. Here are links to a few videos and threads -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=237m9W3Dw2I

http://youtu.be/DQyDhAl_rsc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CylX...ature=youtu.be

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/4x4-ve...ml#post3674955

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...ndra-thar.html

[fine69]

An update on the final price that I'm getting for Duster AWD.

14.6 lakhs on-road for a UP registered vehicle, what do you say guys, good deal? For Delhi registration I'd have to pay 35k extra

[Ace F355]

Originally Posted by fine69

Side & Curtain airbags (if they deploy sorry but its a Mahindra after all).

I personally think you are thinking too much into it. Rest assured XUV is a proper international product from Mahindra. There are occasional niggles yes (our XUV had errors thrown due to faulty Hill Descent Control and Infotainment system can have bugs once in a while) however nothing too serious.

Originally Posted by fine69

which one is safer? I read that Duster got 4 in NCAP but not sure whether Indian market gets the same Duster.

As a matter of fact, XUV5OO also got 4 stars in ANCAP.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxtc1goXbEo

As far as I can recall, Australian XUV is very much similar to the one that was sold here!

[fine69]

Originally Posted by Ace F355

I personally think you are thinking too much into it.

Well I wasn't very serious about the airbags not deploying part.

Originally Posted by Ace F355

As a matter of fact, XUV5OO also got 4 stars in ANCAP.

Yeah, I landed on the same NCAP/testing thread that gave the XUV 4 stars.

There's one more very important point that I can't seem to ignore. I basically know a Renault dealer through my brother-in-law, he has two dealerships in Ghaziabad.

He's offering a very good discount on the Duster, 14.6 on-road price. There'd be absolutely no waiting period as I'd be a priority customer.

Here's the breakup -
Exshowroom - 135.7k
UP registration - 138k
Insurance - 27k (I'd be getting my own insurance though)
Handling - 8.5k
Basic Kit - 4.5k
Total - 153.5k
Discounted Price - 146k

Now 146k of Duster vs 180k upwards of XUV W8, what do you guys think?

Will be taking my wife along this weekend for an XUV and Duster test drive and lets see if 350k extra start to make sense to our requirements.

You guys have been great help and please expect another addition to your Sunday offroad adventures (in a Duster or XUV) in a few months, fingers crossed!!

[Ace F355]

Originally Posted by fine69

Well I wasn't very serious about the airbags not deploying part.

I know! Still wanted to clarify!

Originally Posted by fine69

what do you guys think?

Will be taking my wife along this weekend for an XUV and Duster test drive and lets see if 350k extra start to make sense to our requirements.

I'd get a Duster AWD if I were you! 14.6L is a pretty decent price for this vehicle. I burnt my fingers while overshooting my budget for my Civic's ICE, so I am much more careful with staying within prescribed budget.

But what the heck if your family feel connected to XUV, then why not! We only live once!

Either way, you can't go wrong.

Originally Posted by fine69

You guys have been great help and please expect another addition to your Sunday offroad adventures (in a Duster or XUV) in a few months, fingers crossed!!

You are welcome and looking forward to that!

[Ace F355]

Originally Posted by fine69

an XUV and Duster test drive

Any updates on your test-drives?

What's the final call like?

[PapaBravo]

As mentioned on the above posts, new model of Duster AWD looks unlikely. As per your requirement, Duster AWD fits the bill perfectly. It is comfortable for long highway runs & overcomes most obstacles. It does not have a low ratio gearbox though. That I think is the only major problem with Duster. But with a good driver, this can be handled to some extent. Having spent so much time & miles on Duster AWD, I never regret buying one. If you have any questions regarding the same. Do let me know.

Regards,

Pawan

[ridinthru']

PapaBravo,
While I too agree on the capabilities of the Duster AWD, but isn't the Scorpio S4 with 4x4 better, less priced, proper 4x4 option, 2 additional seats, more spacious, ladder on frame, etc..?
Don't want to confuse anyone, but just my thoughts...
Cheers !