[The Adventurer]

My search for the best automatic SUV out there took me to Duster, Creta, XUV and even the Innova.

A small summary of my Test drive experiences. I tend to rate my test drives on terms with what i take back/remember from them.

Hyundai Creta AT
The Hyundai Creta AT was good to drive. This may not sound a logical reason, but there is nothing from the test drive I remember or cherish. It felt predictable and uninteresting. Or maybe like driving a raised i20. At over 16 Lakhs, Creta AT is currently my least preferred choice of the 4.

XUV500 W6 AT
I was happy to learn that the W6 AT comes with ESP and a 7 inch display. The commanding position and the size of the XUV500 are what I remember from the drive. I remember more engine noise in the car when the gear shifts.
I had the positive vibes with this vehicle, and decided to catch up with Mr Suresh Joseph (A Railway Man's Journey - look him up on his blog if you haven't! Its worth it!) who showed the confidence of driving from Kochi to St Peterburg in a new XUV500 W6 AT. He should be able to give a good picture on how the vehicle behaves and its fuel efficiency. He claims to have achieved 14 kmpl; which sounds great for an AT SUV it's size.
At the same price as Creta, I tend to like this one over the Creta. The only turn off is that Im worried the interiors is of a lower quality built, and might get noisy and squeaky after a while.
I haven't been able to test the new XUV on winding roads. I have an Altis that has significant body roll, and I hope this doesn't throw you around in the back seat. (I'd like to hear from someone who has experience with both these cars)

Innova Crysta AT
I had very high hopes on the crysta. But was disappointed to drive it. I found the innova steering to vibrate a bit, and wasn't silent and butter smooth to command a 10 Lakhs premium over the XUV500. I might as well buy and XUV500 and a Polo GT TSI than stretch my budget for this. I couldn't feel the extra power of a 2.8 engine either.
I'm definitely skipping this one.

Duster AMT
I hate the interiors of the duster. And it's pricing too. But after a test drive of the new full option which is priced at 14.8 Lakhs OTR after discount, it was something to consider. I've always liked the suspension and the ride quality of the vehicle. The AMT was fairly good and most importantly, I felt that the duster was quieter than the XUV. With the new infotainment system and ESP in place, I must admit this car has impressed me for now. Though the interiors look frugal, I get a feeling that they wont squeak.


And this, I am confused between the XUV and Duster.
The XUV would give me the feeling of driving something big and spacious but may not be as comfortable as the duster to travel or fuel efficient as the duster.
The duster on the other hand is Fuel efficient and comfortable to travel but will just feel like my jacked up Ritz diesel.

[amit1214]

Hi Folks,

Happy to be a part of the community. This is my first post here. Looking for fellow BHP’ians advise as I am confused between S cross Zeta 1.3 (11 Lac OTR Delhi) and Eco sport TDCI (10.5 Lac OTR). I could not find any convincing polls /reviews pitting S cross 1.3 against Eco sport. S Cross 1.6 pitted against the likes of Creta, Duster gets most of the attention I guess

While I would be mostly driving the car for daily office commute (70% city & 30% highway drive), we also plan to go for family trips and weekend getaways (at least once in every 1 or 2 months) which will majorly comprise of driving on highways & Hills. Hence looking at upgrading my 2009 Wagon R.

Well, here is what I am looking for:
1. Space: Able to accommodate 4 Adults + 1 kid comfortably, Decent Boot Space, at least 350 ltr & Plus
2. Safety: Good Build Quality, Airbags, ABS
3. Good ground clearance to tackle bad roads
4. Good Ride quality, good seating and comfort for the passengers
5. Driving pleasure and Good to drive in City, Highways & Hills: Good handling, stability, steering, cornering. A decent engine (preferably at least 90bhp with good torque). Able enough to deliver & tackle the requirements of driving in city, highways and hills
6. Light Clutch: very important for the stop and go traffic
7. Good Reliability and ASS
8. Good looking Interiors and a decent feature list
9. I plan to own the car for at least 5-7 years and my budget is strictly 10-11 Lac OTR (I have already increased it from 8-9 Lac earlier due to lack of good options)
10. Good Mileage

I considered following cars before zeroing out on ES & S cross

Honda City: My brother drives a Honda city petrol VX AT and a friend has MT. I have driven them a few times. It’s a great car, drives well in city as well as on highways, there is a premium feel to it inside out; but it’s low ground clearance, low driving position, light build quality, rattling, High running cost etc did not meet my requirements

Duster: I had driven the pre facelift 85 bhp version earlier, had a very heavy clutch. This time Drove the AWD version (Dealer didn’t have FWD versions at that time). I really liked the space, Build, pickup, ride, handling but the interiors were a big let down. Have heard that Renault has made changes to make the clutch lighter, don’t know how much of that that is true and to what extent this has been resolved. Only 85 ps will fall in my budget but I don’t like the interiors and It can’t match the level of equipment and features that are available with ES & S-cross

Amaze: Liked the car for Power, torque rating, driveability, comfortable in both city & highways, space is quite all right, Light Clutch too. Misses out on some features and equipment, is light build, has low ground clearance and very poor NVH levels. Somehow I also felt that Amaze lacked the premium feel that is there in Honda cars like Jazz and City. Also, tried Jazz but the same Diesel engine some how in Jazz didn’t feel good to drive and had same NVH issue

S Cross: I really liked the power/torque on tap, puts a smile on your face though there was some lag in lower RPMs but it didn’t seem that bad. Also contrary to many, I actually liked the exterior and styling of S Cross. It has everything to my mind that I need but It’s out of my budget range (INR 2.7 lac more than the 1.3)

Creta: I some how have not been very keen for Hyundai cars, but Creta is a great car and has a lot going for it which is evident in the sales figures as well. I some how liked the S Cross better for better interiors, beautiful combination of SUV characteristics and a car like feel to the drive and also the Creta 1.6 clutch felt heavier to me in comparison. Moreover, the 1.6 SX was way beyond budget, 1.4 was not available for test drive at the 2 dealers I inquired and given the specs, I am not very sure that it would be as good as the ES or S Cross.

Ecosport: Meets most of the requirements but wife finds the front seat to be small and not very comfortable however it’s not a deal breaker. Also the rear is not as spacious as S cross and passenger may feel a little uncomfortable because of the rising window line, there is lack of brightness and airiness in comparison. Also, I found the clutch a little heavier as compared to S Cross 1.3.

S Cross 1.3: Meets most of the requirements. Test drive was for about 10-15 min, drove it in the dense city traffic. Didn’t find any major flaws. Only thing is that I am not sure if it will be serve well in City, Highways as well as Hills. While I have read/heard great things about ES engine, driveability and handling. I am not very sure how good is Scross 1.3 in this department and if there is a significant difference. I found ride comfort to be a little better in S Cross as compared to Eco sport. I plan to take a longer test drive of both cars.

So, in a nutshell, the final fight is between ES and S cross 1.3. Hoping that Fellow BHPians expertise will help me steer towards a decision. Also, please let me know, if you think I should consider any other car that fits my requirements.

Thanks !

[sourabhzen]

Originally Posted by amit1214

7. Good Reliability and ASS

Go for SCross as it suits your requirements IMO. I am not sure about Ecosport but few of my friends who owned Fords spent alot on ASS as compared to Maruti/Hyumdai/Honda.

[vamsi2390]

Originally Posted by amit1214

So, in a nutshell, the final fight is between ES and S cross 1.3. Hoping that Fellow BHPians expertise will help me steer towards a decision. Also, please let me know, if you think I should consider any other car that fits my requirements.

Thanks !

I was in the same boat as you. Booked a S-Cross 1.3 ZETA and then cancelled it after some issues with NEXA. Then the whole family loved the Ecosport for its straightforward features, looks. Was about to book it when the Renault sales guy called up and informed of the year end 80k off.

If you are looking at around 12L OTR, if you can live with the dull interiors, Duster is pretty VFM right now with the discounts going on.

I ended up paying only 40k(mind you, the ES is under the 12% Road tax while the Duster was at 14%) more over the Titanium+ ES for a car from the next segment (almost) except for the features. Iv never been a guy for electronics so i can live with it. The only things im gonna miss is the Auto AC and the 6 air bags, but then again, the ride quality, extra space and appeal of Duster over the ES adds up to it for me atleast.


Creta never really appealed to me. Its just not desirable enough to me (personal opinion. no offence meant to anyone). Also consider the fact that it is grossly overpriced by atleast 1.5Lakhs on the diesel variants.

S-Cross would be a decent buy as well. I still think if someone wants to buy a Maruti, it should only be a S-Cross for its classy interiors, build & ride quality and better build.

[heydj]

Originally Posted by amit1214

Well, here is what I am looking for:
1. Space: Able to accommodate 4 Adults + 1 kid comfortably, Decent Boot Space, at least 350 ltr & Plus
2. Safety: Good Build Quality, Airbags, ABS
3. Good ground clearance to tackle bad roads
4. Good Ride quality, good seating and comfort for the passengers
5. Driving pleasure and Good to drive in City, Highways & Hills: Good handling, stability, steering, cornering. A decent engine (preferably at least 90bhp with good torque). Able enough to deliver & tackle the requirements of driving in city, highways and hills
6. Light Clutch: very important for the stop and go traffic
7. Good Reliability and ASS
8. Good looking Interiors and a decent feature list
9. I plan to own the car for at least 5-7 years and my budget is strictly 10-11 Lac OTR (I have already increased it from 8-9 Lac earlier due to lack of good options)
10. Good Mileage

Between your two choices Scross and Ecosport its the latter that meets most of your points.

Rest take a decision on what your heart wants rather than brain as in the long term you don't want a product that makes more sense instead one that urges you to drive more.

[vamsi2390]

Originally Posted by vamsi2390

I was in the same boat as you. Booked a S-Cross 1.3 ZETA and then cancelled it after some issues with NEXA. Then the whole family loved the Ecosport for its straightforward features, looks. Was about to book it when the Renault sales guy called up and informed of the year end 80k off.

If you are looking at around 12L OTR, if you can live with the dull interiors, Duster is pretty VFM right now with the discounts going on.

I ended up paying only 40k(mind you, the ES is under the 12% Road tax while the Duster was at 14%) more over the Titanium+ ES for a car from the next segment (almost) except for the features. Iv never been a guy for electronics so i can live with it. The only things im gonna miss is the Auto AC and the 6 air bags, but then again, the ride quality, extra space and appeal of Duster over the ES adds up to it for me atleast.


Creta never really appealed to me. Its just not desirable enough to me (personal opinion. no offence meant to anyone). Also consider the fact that it is grossly overpriced by atleast 1.5Lakhs on the diesel variants.

S-Cross would be a decent buy as well. I still think if someone wants to buy a Maruti, it should only be a S-Cross for its classy interiors, build & ride quality and better build.

oh and btw i would rate as below for your parameters.



1. Space: Able to accommodate 4 Adults + 1 kid comfortably, Decent Boot Space, at least 350 ltr & Plus
Back seat: Scross > Duster> Ecosport
Boot space: Duster>Scross>Ecosport

2. Safety: Good Build Quality, Airbags, ABS
Ecosport>Scross>Duster

3. Good ground clearance to tackle bad roads
Duster>Ecosport>Scross

4. Good Ride quality, good seating and comfort for the passengers
Duster>Scross>Ecosport

5. Driving pleasure and Good to drive in City, Highways & Hills: Good handling, stability, steering, cornering. A decent engine (preferably at least 90bhp with good torque). Able enough to deliver & tackle the requirements of driving in city, highways and hills
Highway: Scross(1.6/1.3)>Duster(110ps)>Ecosport>Duster(85ps)
Traffic: Duster(85ps)>Ecosport>Scross(1.6/1.3)>Duster(110ps)

6. Light Clutch: very important for the stop and go traffic
Scross> Ecosport > Duster

7. Good Reliability and ASS
Scross> Ecosport > Duster

8. Good looking Interiors and a decent feature list
Scross> Ecosport > Duster

9. I plan to own the car for at least 5-7 years and my budget is strictly 10-11 Lac OTR (I have already increased it from 8-9 Lac earlier due to lack of good options)

Scross ZETA is 11. something, the same with Ecosport Tit+. Duster would be 12+ for sure on RXL. RXE would be 11 point something again.


10. Good Mileage
Scross>Ecosport>Duster


Mods: please merge with the previous post if needed.

Regards,
Surya Vamsi

[SVS1806]

Hello everyone, I am contemplating to buy a SUV and am confused between the Duster and Creta. On evaluating everything and due to the offers on Duster, my decision is tilting towards the Duster. But recently I've been reading at a number of places that Renault is planning to discontinue the Duster after the launch of Kaptur. If its so then I'd like to stay away from Duster. Is anyone aware of any such news or update? Thanks in advance

[raja_ys]

Originally Posted by SVS1806

Hello everyone, I am contemplating to buy a SUV and am confused between the Duster and Creta. On evaluating everything and due to the offers on Duster, my decision is tilting towards the Duster. But recently I've been reading at a number of places that Renault is planning to discontinue the Duster after the launch of Kaptur. If its so then I'd like to stay away from Duster. Is anyone aware of any such news or update? Thanks in advance

Between Duster and Creta, both are evenly placed vehicle wise in the compact SUV segment, major difference being Duster is old whereas Creta is a new to market. Duster is a proven vehicle and raining discounts while Hyunai is milking customers on Creta craze. Renault may not discontinue Duster but may launch a facelift soon. Duster is a sub 15 lakh segment rivalling Mahindra Scorpio etc whereas Kaptur will be placed above Duster in the 15-20 lakh bracket to rival Mahindra XUV500

[drmohitg]

Well honestly it is very tough to say this vehicle is best at this price point and so on. Budget, usage pattern and number of seats will all differ individual to individual and hence a few vehicles in the list may or may not qualify.

Having said that the Ecosport gets my vote as an Urban SUV. I am in the market for one right now and whatever people say, at its price point it is difficult to beat. The closest rival in our list is the Creta Petrol AT and it is a cool 4L costlier while offering slightly more room and auto-folding mirrors. At the same time it loses out on 4 Airbags, hill descent, ESP.

Of-course if one needs 3 rows of seating then the XUV makes more sense. Although if I was in the market for a car with 3 rows, I will rather opt for the Innova AT and be done with it. The price is anyways made up in the no-nonsense ownership experience and phenomenal resale value.

[civic-sense]

My Ecosport is nearing its warranty expiry (4 years) and its time to look for an upgrade, probably in another year. Problem is, I can't find a worthy alternative.

The Creta comes close, but I can't seem to trust Hyundai's build. The Yeti is priced out of my budget. The Duster is too crude. The Brezza is a Maruti.

Am hearing rumors about the Jeep Compass and Ford Kuga but no concrete news yet.

Are there any other alternatives within the 15-20L price bracket?

[Sebring]

If you could wait Nissan Kicks could be a good buy. Ive seen it here in person and its outstanding. It compete with the Ecosport and even betters it in few areas. Cant think of any other car.

[phamilyman]

Originally Posted by civic-sense

My Ecosport is nearing its warranty expiry (4 years) and its time to look for an upgrade, probably in another year. Problem is, I can't find a worthy alternative.

The Creta comes close yet, I can't seem to trust Hyundai's build. The Yeti is priced out of my budget. The Duster is too crude. The Brezza is a Maruti.

Am hearing rumors about the Jeep Compass and Ford Kuga but no concrete news yet.

Are there any other alternatives within the 15-20L price bracket?

Check the suspension once. If your use case involves extensive driving over bad roads with someone in the rear seat, then creta is simply too bouncy. I'm evaluating ES & Creta and I held back my Creta booking cheque after a 40kph drive over a battered quarter mile. It's okay for the driver. The passenger may never forgive you though esp if you have plans to take it to Leh or such.

The tire pressure was set to manufacturer spec before the drive btw.

[vinair]

Originally Posted by civic-sense

The Creta comes close yet, I can't seem to trust Hyundai's built

Believe the Creta is decently safe when compared to other offerings in the price bracket it falls in. I would say build quality, fit and finish was never an issue with any of the Hyundai offerings.

[arvind71181]

Originally Posted by civic-sense

My Ecosport is nearing its warranty expiry (4 years) and its time to look for an upgrade, probably in another year. Problem is, I can't find a worthy alternative.

The Creta comes close, but I can't seem to trust Hyundai's build. The Yeti is priced out of my budget. The Duster is too crude. The Brezza is a Maruti.

Am hearing rumors about the Jeep Compass and Ford Kuga but no concrete news yet.

Are there any other alternatives within the 15-20L price bracket?

How about the S-Cross 1.6? Should be a good upgrade performance wise, not sure looks wise

[AYP]

Originally Posted by civic-sense

My Ecosport is nearing its warranty expiry (4 years) and its time to look for an upgrade, probably in another year. Problem is, I can't find a worthy alternative.

The Creta comes close, but I can't seem to trust Hyundai's build. The Yeti is priced out of my budget. The Duster is too crude. The Brezza is a Maruti.

Am hearing rumors about the Jeep Compass and Ford Kuga but no concrete news yet.

Are there any other alternatives within the 15-20L price bracket?

Seems like you don't want to consider full sized SUV's.

The smaller SUV's have been rejected by you.

That leaves you with the Tucson and the HR-V, which may be launched this year.

If you can stretch your budget, you can go for the base Tucson. Though, it will definitely feel like a downgrade in terms of features(if you have a Titanium or Titanium+). The other option is to wait for the HR-V. If not the top variant, then one below top variant should mostly fall within your budget.