[Parm]

Originally Posted by fine69

Let me get this right.

1. You do have 25L to spend on an SUV
2. You do like the Fortuner.
3. You like the Fortuner a lot.
4. You don't like visiting the service center too often.
5. I assume that getting interest on the differential of 10 lacs is not your primary concern.
6. You do want to live with the SUV you buy for the next 5 years, not question your purchasing decision every time you see a Fortuner across the road, definitely not for the next 5 years.
7. What's that we've heard way too often in this forum, in some cases its heart over head.

You have the money to buy the SUV you've loved for so long, go buy it man!

Also, the Fortuner ride isn't that bad that one can't travel in it at all, its no Storme/XUV 5OO ride quality but its more than manageable.

PS: I would rather compare the Tata Storme/Aria with XUV 5OO but that may just be me.

Fine69, you have given the best answer in this whole thread.

This is an incorrect comparison, a 25 lakh vehicle with a 15 lakh vehicle!

I'm doing a similar comparison between an used Fortuner and a new Storme, my budget is 15 lakhs and my choice of vehicles are new Storme and used Fortuner in that range of 15 lakhs.

In this thread it's a difference of 10 lakhs between the two vehicles and as some one rightly said, buy a XUV and a sedan with the remaining 10 lakhs! Buy two vehicles in the cost of one Fortuner.

[drmohitg]

Originally Posted by ACM

In my view the Rexton is a better deal the MT by far and the AT too compared to the Fortuner AT.

Originally Posted by samyakmodi

so to add to your confusion - have a look at the Ssang Yong Rexton by Mahindra
to me it seems like a promising car

The Rexton was indeed shortlisted for the reasons stated by you above. I was under the impression that it still costs around 20L and is loaded with features. But to my surprise the prices have been increased since launch and the RX5 variant ( which skips on many features like extra airbags, sunroof etc) now costs a cool 22.5L Rs OTR in Delhi. The RX7 with the AT box costs 25L OTR. And more than the price the Last bench is useless in the Rexton. Its literally a bench put on the floor of the car with no space made for your legs. So you can only sit cross legged or in a very twisted awkward position. Hence Rexton is no longer an option. Also to be very Honest If I am paying 22-25L for the Rexton then I would very well go ahead and get the Fortuner.

As of now I am trying my best to find a used Fortuner which may bring that hefty price tag a little lower. For instance someone just bought a used Fortuner AT with odo at 3000 kms for 21L in Delhi. Thats an excellent deal.

Edit: The poll results put a smile on my face. There seems to be indeed no correct choice between the two vehicles with both gaining almost equal votes till now.

[kaushik51094]

I'd suggest the XUV 500 anyday. Ofcourse, the fortuner is butch and the better looking of the two, but once u get driving, you'll be looking at the interiors more. There's not much of a difference between the innova and the fortuner if you consider the dashboard. On the otherhand, the XUV's dashboard is completely new and feels very advanced in terms of the equipment in comparison to the fortuner. Also, i feel that the fortuner commands the premium just for it's looks (which in my opinion is way too much). So, unless you are desperate to get a toyota, i'd SUGGEST you to get the XUV500 rather than the fortuner.

[ssahadevan]

Mohit, it’s been 4 months since I moved up to an XUV500, and it has been a good experience thus far. (Would have been a brilliant experience had it not been for 1 niggle that cropped up last month. An “Engine Check Lamp” which lit up in error during a sojourn). Every One of the 6000 odd KMS that I have driven thus far has put a smile on my face. I love its acceleration and road presence, beautiful!!!!
I don’t love the plastics as much as some of it especially the Faux Wood finish on the dash is Garish and the fit and finish could do with big improvement. An occasional creak from somewhere near the dashboard does appear once in a while and then disappears on its own (No! none of the panels have fallen off thus far )
Being a W6, it’s got a dozen less gizmos than the W8, but perhaps less electronics is good wisdom on a Mahindra if the forum reviews are to be believed. What pleasantly surprised me was the customer centric attitude of the folks at Mahindra who promptly responded to a frantic customer (Me!) when the service centre decided they needed two days to diagnose the symptoms of my Engine Check Light coming on the eve of a long weekend, beyond jumping on the case immediately they even offered to loan me another XUV for the weekend.
SDP summarized the XUV beautifully, and I can only add that the newer babies like mine seem to have a lot more immunity and visit the clinic less often that its older siblings.
Go for the XUV, its true value for money and Yes Mahindra are getting its act together

[Kratos453]

Originally Posted by drmohitg

My first and foremost choice is the Toyota Fortuner.

Pros:
1. In love with the looks of the car from day 1 of its launch.
2. The love affair has continued over the last few years since its launch and has probably only become stronger! Even today I literally drool at every Fortuner on the road (and there are plenty).
3. Provides the same Toyota experience.
4. Absolutely amazing looks.
5. Seating comfort is not better than Innova ofcourse but one of the better ones in the 25L SUV segment ( including all 3 rows).
6. With the latest refreshed model, the feature list now has also become slightly more exhaustive and it kind of has all the features that I need in a car.
7. Absolutely love the looks!

Atleast from your Pros which I have highlighted in bold expresses your love towards the car and your desire to own it. You have admired it's looks ever since it's launch and 4 times in your 7 point pro's itself.

When there is money to own it and a burning desire to have it, in my opinion nothing should stop you. XUV might be a better option but at the end of the day for every small niggle you encounter with XUV you will keep regretting your purchase and kicking yourself for the decision you made.

Go by your heart. You will not be let down in many many ways.

[jamwaldds]

My suggestion would be to go for XUV 500/Thar and retain your Innova for family. The Toyota will still be able to serve for some more years.
Keep that 10L for future upgrade.

[rugsrags]

Just went through the thread. Well let me tell you my experience. I have been a fan of Mahindra and Toyota both ( even through Mahindras niggles off and on) having owned 2 previous scorpios both driven upwards of 100k Kms and owned a corolla and now still have a Camry.
I must say the service quality has definitely gone down over the years. Be it the showroom or the service center.
Was out in the market a few months ago to pick myself a SUV having sold off my tried and tested Scorpio. Budget was anything under 30l but we did require highway safety. Checked the xuv as the first and logical choice of a Scorpio upgrade. Looks were important and hence innova was ruled out inspite of knowing the comfort the car provides.( been a fan of SUVs and not MUVs). Somehow the overstyled bits on the xuv were a bit beyond my choice. The plastic mesh sticker on the front the weird logo on the tail lights and the hard plastic quality of the interiors. I know Mahindra and well I knew over time those parts would rattle my head out. The various electrical glitches etc mentioned on the various threads and advise by my trusted mechanic at the Mahindra ASS in kanpur sealed the case against it (he personally showed me atleast 10 vehicles parked at the ass since the past couple of weeks all with electrical faults). Still called for a TD and the TD vehicle proved my doubts as the vehicle which had done just 12k rattled over most pot holes. The salesman ofcourse blamed the roads or rather the lack of them but then realistically those are the roads where id be driving most of the time anyway.
Atleast the Mahindra ASS here in kanpur are very proactive and sent the car as and when promised . Infact the xuv was brought to me at 8 in the morning at home for a TD as I'd informed them that my dad and me leave soon after!
Once the xuv and innova were off my range came the fun part and finally convinced myself that this was a sign to go in for a fortuner even though it's overpriced and isn't as comfortable as expected( have travelled a bit in friends fortuners). Called the Toyota showroom didn't get a proper response so asked them if there was a fortuner I could see and they called me to visit the showroom. Took time out and went to the showroom to find that there wasn't any fortuner there. Didn't loose my patience and enquired for a TD of the fortuner and they said they would send the car the next day. Waited the next day and got no call so called them again on which they apologised and asked me to visit their other showroom cum workshop which is a good 40kms away and that they do have an automatic fortuner for TD there. (Since xuv and innova were out decided to have the convenience of an automatic). So finally manage convincing my father to join me and we drive over to the showroom only to be told that no fortuner is available even to look at forget about a TD. By now I'm truly pissed and call the SE and let him have my mind. In the meanwhile on our way to the showroom the horn of the Camry starts acting up so ask them to check it since we are already there and in the meanwhile roam around the showroom where just to pass time we check out the innova. Still doesent inspire us enough to make a decision towards an innova. Sadly and as expected the Camry part isn't available and we leave.
Come the next day and I get a call from Mahindra telling me that they've now launched the rexton in kanpur just yesterday and they would like to come visit me. Call them over to my office and to the dot they are there with a spanking new rexton AT! And what a car. An automatic with all the bells and whistles and a ride to die for. Even though the gearbox is slow and the horn sounds as if it's placed inside the cabin I fall in love with it. May not have the reliability over time of a Toyota but the engine is super soft at idle and since the last bench is sparingly used if ever it wasn't my top priority in any case. The rest of the seats are nice and comfy and the cabin light and airy. Booked it right there and then so much for the snobbish attitude of Toyota!
Even though iv had it now for a couple of months and driven over 12k Kms faced a couple of niggles I must say the Mahindra people atleast treat you like royalty and having a personal service executive to cater to all your needs and fancies is an added bonus. Any problem at all and they're at your doorstep to cater to you makes one overlook quite a lot of deficiencies at the workshop! Toyota on the other hand still off and on call me to ask me why I didn't pick the innova!!! I think fortuner is a car they don't need to promote to sell and hence no effort is put at all towards marketing it. I was blatantly asked by the Toyota SE on my first visit if I had any political connection as only then could a fortuner be available before the waiting period of 1 and a half month!! It did help in the second visit when they did see the Camry and bring delivery time down to 1 month but then I was completely put off by my experience with the sales people at the Toyota ASS!
My suggestion is to review the rexton yet again as the car is atleast built well enough to last 5 years even with the apathy of the Mahindra service!!

[Rajesh1968]

I am huge Mahindra Scorpio fan, and still posses one, which 9 years old but still amazing to drive, but the one sore point is the service at Mahindra, they treat the cars just the same, the workshops are just better than dump yards. I did buy my Fortuner for the simple reason, one that M&M had put up the price of booking an XUV vehicle at their whim and the electronics were too much , which I do not like, it is a personal opinion, as I wanted to go for the XUV, but bought the Fortuner, Toyota are like Maruti, highly reliable and cost of maintenance is very economical and have not regretted yet for the last 1 year. Despite all this my sister bought a WUV W8 a couple of months ago, and it is performing well, now the Service is not an issue as the dealership is owned by a close friend of mine, unlike my extremely bad experiences with Mahindra service, not much to choose, but Budget is the main difference and Mahindra monopoly on spares and consummables

[kaizanfan]

I recently bought the Fortuner AT. But it was a very tough and stressful path to the decision day. I did lots of reading and spent lot of time talking to existing owners of XUV, Fortuner, Cruz, VW cars, Verna, Honda City, i10s, Brio, etc., I started off with a desperate need to buy an automatic hatch or small/mid-size car.

Luckily I had a wide spectrum budget that allowed me to go for the beast. Going over the rational behind this decision is beyond the scope of this post.

Based on my research here are few points you might want to take note of (in the context of XUV vs Fortuner):

- XUV will give you better ride quality
- XUV will leave you with much cash (or less debt)

- XUV may bug you with niggles that may or may not get resolved over a period of time
- Mahindra A.S.S will make sure that you are never too happy with their service (generally speaking)

- Fortuner will keep your heart happy for a long time to come
- Fortuner will live and run long with low maintenance cost (fully refined vehicle and excellent A.S.S)
- Fortuner will make your friends and relatives take note of your car (read: envy). In other words, you will own an SUV with distinct personality that is respected by all on the road.

- Fortuner will not give you that great comfort factor that people are used to driving sedans. Expect the ride to be bumpy because it's actually a tough truck with a decent cabin on top. Having said that it's not that bad either. You must take more than one test drive with family and close friends.
- Fortuner is expensive (because it's a CKD kit imported from Thailand, and it's a Toyota!)

Based on the points listed above you take an interim decision - then I suggest you get your decision reviewed by your family and a bunch of close friends. Remember, tomorrow when your family and friends see your new car they should pat your back and tell you that you made the right decision. This is an important factor that most folks don't pay much attention to.

All the best.

[46TheDoctor]

I will advise you as follows:
1. Don't buy a fortuner if you are not planning to do any off roading as it will not offer you the sitting comfort and ride quality that you are used to with your innova for all the seven seats. I have many friends who own both innova and fortuner, but, always prefer innova for comfort.
2. Don't buy a xuv because it won't be as reliable as your innova; also it will not offer you any space for luggage when all seven seats are used.
3. Keep your innova if its in good shape and buy yourself some exciting sedan if you are bored with the innova. Or else, buy a new innova.
4. If you have to buy a SUV, buy Pajero sport which will offer you comfort better than innova and image and capabilities as good as the fortuner.

[getsurya]

Being a M&M fan, I went and purchased a Fortuner recently. My initial plan was to go for a XUV and a Thar. However, both these new products continue not to be issue/niggle free and have not seen any quality upgrade in the manufacturing process(when compared to my earlier two Scorpios). I expected M&M to fare better with the new products and they did disappoint me.

I agree that Fortuner is pricey, however have aligned to the fact that 'Quality/Reliability comes at a cost' and offers peace of mind for the owner.

My two paise...

[avimal]

There are 3 limitations in xuv:
1. Low beam is not enough on highways. Some have tried HIDs and I am not sure how good are those solutions. M&M has no solution.
2. Brakes are spongy I.e. there is some initial play but braking is good if you press it hard.
3. There is lot of horizontal movement on bad roads.
So if you can live with these 3 or find fortuner better for most of these parameters then only should prioritize fortuner else it should be xuv. I own nov 12 xuv but I do not have much experience with fortuner. I am loving my xuv b/c it is more like a drive of a car than truck.

If you have to drive a lot on bad roads or you do lot of offroading then my choice will be pajero sports. I have only heard good reviews on PS on this forum and from owners at Mitsu service centre at Bangalore.

My few cents.

[Rajith]

Thanks for this thread.

i am also in process of upgrading 2011 Scorpio vlx to a pre-worshipped 4wd fortuner.

Toyota trust in bangalore quoted me 18Lacs for single owner 2010 sept model fortuner driven @ 55000kms.

Please advise me the checklist to check before buying a used fortuner and the market prices.

Reason for opting fortuner is because of its immense Road presence,Bullet proof quality and Toyota Brand.

Hope a set of Bilsteins may refine and settle its ride quality.

[abs182]

Hi Mohit,

Your dilemma isn't resolving any time soon it seems!

Remember when I met you here in Baroda at the Toyota Service center I mentioned my intentions of replacing my 8yr old Corolla with the Fortuner? Well I am still undecided as like you I too balked at the price when I inquired. My best friends owning probably the 1st few fortuners in my city also were shocked to note than something they bought for 18-19 OTR is now touching 30 lacs OTR. I still haven't made up my mind on the replacement and the Fortuner is constantly in my mind every time I revisit my dilemma but cannot make up my mind. For me tough XUV 500 etc. aren't in contention as my requirements aren't the same as yours.

Nevertheless here are my two cents: Look patiently in the used car market for a Fortuner both there in Delhi and here in and around Vadodara too if its possible. And if you can't find it than go buy a fortuner brand new. My logic is simple and it works for me. There will be people who won't agree with me though. Once the initial halo of a new car dies down the car becomes a routine in your life. You just start it and go. The ride quality. body roll etc. don't stick with you for too long provided it gets the job done all the time. And in that aspect a Toyota i.e. the fortuner will just do its job. You look at the threads of some of the long termers for a fortuner owners and you'll see that its gets the job done day-in and day-out. So the bottom line is are you willing to be a bit more engaging as an owner with your car? than a XUV500 will be fine as you'll be hand-on with everything that it throws up at you. Or else are you looking at a family car which will serve you for a long time and will not require too much of your involvements in its upkeep and will just get the job done than the fortuner makes sense.

My verdict though is the Fortuner and if its on the agenda than that too an AT version.

[aniketi]

I have different advice. It seems you don't have budget problems. You are ready to spend 26 lacs. So why not buy 2 cars?? I f i am in your place, i will buy one XUV (W6) or Safari Storm and will buy one Ecosport or Nissan Terrano with balance money. With these 2 cars you will get one 7 seater and one city SUV. To be precise i will buy one XUV W6 (Less gizmos less problems ) and will buy either Ecosport AT with Eco boost engine or buy Nissan Terrano 85 BHP. With this i will have 2 different cars which are good. Also when required i can go with 10-12 people in these 2 cars with lots of luggage.