[longhorn]

Since safety is the top priority, I would suggest you go for the XUV 300. I believe the XUV 300 is getting an updated turbo petrol with more power and torque. If you can live with the small boot and slightly outdated dashboard, it is in fact a very competent product and would be my top pick.

The Nexon is a sales chart buster, but the petrol engine isn't as competent as that of the XUV 300.

The Brezza is more of a jack of all trades kind of product. Does everything okayish, but doesn't excel at anything. It is the most SUVish looking product among the four you have shortlisted. The SCross is better put together than the Brezza but it might not meet your criteria of SUVish looks.

[Benoit]

Stretch a little more and get the Nexon XZ+. It has all the essential features like rear wiper/washer, 60:40 split, Height adjust driver seat(believe me this is a boon). With XZ+, you will only miss TPMS and cruise control. Since you will own the car until its end of life(like me), you wouldn't want to miss the essential features. The only grouse for me is the digital instrument cluster. If you are able to live with it, you are good to go.

[Wason4699]

Tata nexon is the one which I would suggest you dear.Nexon is already a tried and tested product and the crusader of Five Star Safety ratings.

Moreover cabin space is good and rear seat comfort is best in class. The infotainment system is one of the best provided by an OEM.

Higher GC means you can track through any terrain. Drive modes add more pleasure to the drive.

[adityasiera]

My Nexon XZA+ completed 35k kms somewhere in Punjab today. She has logged around 4k kms in this trip so far with another 4k to go home.
So far only 2 issues in the 35k kms in 3 years.

1. Coolant pump leakage (replaced under warranty)
2. Drive mode error due to bad fuel somewhere in AP during the current trip. Tata sc in Kurnool were super helpful to get us back on the road in under three hours.

I am so happy that I can't decide which car to upgrade to. Safari/Harrier give only 30% bump in everything for about twice the price.

We have done some long days including one where we did Nagpur to Noida in about 12 hours. This speaks about the comfort levels and cruising capabilities of the car.

If I were in the market for a Csuv then I will still pick the Top of the line Nexon Diesel.

[krishnakumar]

Originally Posted by adityasiera

So far only 2 issues in the 35k kms in 3 years.

1. Coolant pump leakage (replaced under warranty)
2. Drive mode error due to bad fuel somewhere in AP during the current trip. Tata sc in Kurnool were super helpful to get us back on the road in under three hours.

I am so happy that I can't decide which car to upgrade to.
If I were in the market for a Csuv then I will still pick the Top of the line Nexon Diesel.

I cannot tell you how reassuring these statements are. I'm considering the XZ+ (S) variant as the top contender for my first car purchase.

I took the TD of Nexon yesterday and couple of things that I noticed:

1) The car kept bouncing around or felt very jittery. I have driven Nexon rental cars (BS4 models) on long trips before and don't recall it this way. Is this a problem with the new one? Or maybe the issue is with the car?

2) In one hard-braking situation, the brake jittered and fought back strong. The SA mentioned that the brake pads are due replacement. Wanted to understand whether this is a problem that anyone else have faced?

3) The steering felt heavy even at low speeds (<30kmph). Is this normal?

4) The engine felt very unrefined. The SA said this is because the car is due service and hasn't been serviced post 15k (it was at 18k on ODO). So not sure if this is normal.

[adityasiera]

Originally Posted by krishnakumar

I cannot tell you how reassuring these statements are. I'm considering the XZ+ (S) variant as the top contender for my first car purchase.

I took the TD of Nexon yesterday and couple of things that I noticed:

1) The car kept bouncing around or felt very jittery. I have driven Nexon rental cars (BS4 models) on long trips before and don't recall it this way. Is this a problem with the new one? Or maybe the issue is with the car?

2) In one hard-braking situation, the brake jittered and fought back strong. The SA mentioned that the brake pads are due replacement. Wanted to understand whether this is a problem that anyone else have faced?

3) The steering felt heavy even at low speeds (<30kmph). Is this normal?

4) The engine felt very unrefined. The SA said this is because the car is due service and hasn't been serviced post 15k (it was at 18k on ODO). So not sure if this is normal.

1st issue maybe due to incorrect tyre pressure. Nexon rides stiff and best to keep the heavy foot down over minor to medium size craters.

Rest all are not true in my case.

[krishnakumar]

Originally Posted by adityasiera

1st issue maybe due to incorrect tyre pressure. Nexon rides stiff and best to keep the heavy foot down over minor to medium size craters.

Rest all are not true in my case.

Thanks, I did notice that the TPMS was showing low pressure on the left front tyre. Maybe this was also affecting the steering heaviness.

I'm planning to take another TD soon, hopefully it'll get clearer then.

[professor.march]

Background:

I have a 2015 Polo 1.2 petrol that has done 1.1 lac km so far. Excellent to drive but it's been having its fair share of troubles. I stayed in Chennai for the past 3 years and I was able to get it repaired at FNGs whenever needed. But I've moved to a tier III city now with no official service centre nor a capable mechanic. My car's ac broke and the issue was said to be with the compressor. I gave it for repair and the mechanic kept the car for 2 weeks telling the compressor is coming from Bangalore tonight and so on and on. End of the day, the compressor did not come and the steering wheel is out of alignment from when he opened the dashboard to clean the ac lines. The steering wheel buttons and the horn aren't working either. And I don't have much confidence that the car will not have another issue even after getting it repaired at an official service centre. I haven't had good experiences with the official service centre too. The car's registered in a tier 2 city with just the one vw dealer before I used it in Chennai and they have been doing a terrible job lately. Long story short, I realised the car is impossible to maintain in a small town and I'm looking to sell it for whatever amount I can get.

Requirements
- A highway cruiser. Wife and I love to drive and we have done a few trips out of Chennai that we enjoyed a lot.
- Automatic.
- Prefer diesel slightly.

Options considered
1. Mahindra XUV300 W8(O) Diesel AMT.
Test drove the manual version. Found it quite nice. It was a very short test drive though. Maybe 4-5 km on the national highway. Could not assess anything other than highway manners. Powerful diesel. First choice but the only concerning factor is the AMT. I have been hearing stories about AMT and how some people hate it so much that they sell off their cars very early. The local dealer does not have an AMT test drive vehicle either. I have to go to Bangalore or Hyderabad for that. I understand how the shifts happen but I have that fear of what to do if I don't like the shifts after buying the car.

2. Tata Harrier.
Great road presence. Beautiful looks. But I am really unsure about the quality control and the service centre experience.

3. MG Hector.
Feature rich. The dealer network is a little thin. They have dealers in just 3 cities In Telangana. Maybe they will open more with the new Astor.

Other cars considered/not considered.
Heart says Jeep compass, wallet says no.
VW/Skoda. Not too happy with the price for the top end models.

We have an unofficial policy to only go for the top end models. Don't want to have any regret about missing features when the difference in EMI is a few thousands.

Financially, XUV 300 is the car that's making the most sense for me, the lure of Harrier/Hector at a fairly achievable price point makes it hard to ignore.

Finally, we are in a tier 3+ city now but plan to move to a bigger city in an year or two. Mahindra and Tata have service centres in most of the urban areas and it might be easier to get service there. MG still has a limited network. And so do VW and skoda.

My wife's the primary owner of the car. Although both of us are gonna be driving, she has certain preferences like no Hyundai, Kia for their safety ratings and Honda just because. I've been trying to get her to test drive various models, but it's just not possible with the work schedule we have. And we stay 30km outside of the already small city that we live in.


Thank you for going through my post. And any help in shortlisting models is greatly appreciated.

[Mickey1986]

Hi All,

Let me introduce my ecosport - 2013 model, Ambiente - Diesel. I booked this car right when it was launched around 26th June 2013. Was a complete newbie to the car world and had hardly some experience of driving on our old Chevy Beat (Awesome car though).

Nevertheless, since then, I have driven my car to from one and to the other end of the country Leh / Kanyakumari, Dhanushkodi, etc. I have never been disappointed by the car and it has served its purpose of being a mile muncher. Being a diesel vehicle, average hasn't been a major issue as well.

But now as it has aged and cant drive around for more than 20months further in Delhi / NCR, I need to look out for a change. And hence, the great dilemma has started - new one or pre owned, Diesel or petrol or EV.. Also as I travel between Delhi and Bangalore, (DL registered car) whether should I buy in Delhi or Bangalore.

Anyhow, I don't want to spend a tons of money on the car at the moment but then don't want to compromise on the Built and Drive quality. Below are my major criteria:

1. SUV or CSUV (Higher GC)
2. Solid Build equality at par with Ford Ecosport
3. Good Power - 250+ NM torque
4. Good safety features

I don't know if am asking for more or being unreasonable with this but don't want to spend more than 15L +/- 10%.

I have been scouting for pre-owned Jeep Compass as well as it suits my all the above criteria but not sure of the service and maintenance cost.

Hence, would seek advice from all the learned folks around here.

Thanks in Advance.

[dr_TJ]

Coming from a Ford Ecosport, A pre-owned Jeep Compass will be the best choice I feel.
Orelse a pre-owned Maruti Suzuki S-Cross 1.6 is also a good alternative.

Mahindra XUV300 or the XUV700 would also be good choice. Not as dynamically exciting as a 2013 Ford Ecosport but good enough.
Hyundai and Kia also has good diesel SUVs but with poor safety ratings

I recently sold of my 2020 Ford Ecosport AT Petrol and got a Mahindra Thar Diesel AT. Reason being I wanted a Torque Convertor Automatic SUV with minimum 4 star safety rating. Thar was the only option for me.

[Mickey1986]

Originally Posted by dr_TJ

I recently sold of my 2020 Ford Ecosport AT Petrol and got a Mahindra Thar Diesel AT. Reason being I wanted a Torque Convertor Automatic SUV with minimum 4 star safety rating. Thar was the only option for me.

I too like Thar Diesel AT but two things are going against it:
1. Insane waiting periods
2. Wife doesn't like it

Not a fan of Maruti, Kia/Hyundai. I love to drive and would like to have some sense of relief while on road in terms of safety..

[AutoNoob]

Originally Posted by Mickey1986

Also as I travel between Delhi and Bangalore, (DL registered car) whether should I buy in Delhi or Bangalore.

Buy in Delhi, register for BH series. You'll be good in any state.

[Dr.Abhi]

Your latest car ownership is very similar to mine. Same 26 june 2013 booking, ambiente diesel and hence I can understand your level of expectations must be high. You can go for tata nexon diesel as it meet all your requirements plus nexon's rear seat are very comfortable and feel much like sofa. I was also looking for my ecosport's replacement but bs6 diesel's dpf giving problem at high altitudes. If I switch to petrol, then my running cost will increase. Moreover my ecosport is currently quite trouble free(finger crossed), i am planning to retain it till electric conversion kits become mainstream in our country

[Sushil Pingua]

Originally Posted by Mickey1986

1. SUV or CSUV (Higher GC)
2. Solid Build equality at par with Ford Ecosport
3. Good Power - 250+ NM torgue
4. Good safety features

I dont know if am asking for more or being unreasonable with this but dont want to spend more than 15L +/- 10%.

I have been scouting for pre-owned Jeep Compass as well as it suits my all the above criteria but not sure of the service and maintenance cost.

Hello Brother,
If you do not aspire for a bigger vehicle than your current car, and can live with a diesel for another 10 only years then there are two vehicles which fulfill your four criterias -

1. Force Gurkha or
2. XUV 3OO

Secondly, I second your opinion on the Jeep Compass BUT never a pre-owned. Loyalty never comes second hand. If budget permits then Jeep-Compass is the best bet.

Lastly since you are a cross-country adventurer, an EV could be a future option 10 years down the line, the current state of infrastructure required for an EV to traverse across states is not available throughout our Country.

Enjoy.

[Mickey1986]

Originally Posted by AutoNoob

Buy in Delhi, register for BH series. You'll be good in any state.

well yeah that could be a good option - just that my office isn't present in multiple locations as of now..

Originally Posted by Dr.Abhi

Your latest car ownership is very similar to mine. Same 26 june 2013 booking, ambiente diesel and hence I can understand your level of expectations must be high. You can go for tata nexon diesel as it meet all your requirements plus nexon's rear seat are very comfortable and feel much like sofa. I

Thanks sir. Problem is I hate Nexon's design. I tried to like it somehow but couldnt. And trust me I tried a lot as I could see this car as the only option for myself.

Originally Posted by Sushil Pingua

Hello Brother,
If you do not aspire for a bigger vehicle than your current car, and can live with a diesel for another 10 only years then there are two vehicles which fulfill your four criterias -

1. Force Gurkha or
2. XUV 3OO

Force Gurkha is too big of a car and XUV 300 lags good GC and boot space. Mahindra killed this car and dont know why.

Originally Posted by Sushil Pingua

Secondly, I second your opinion on the Jeep Compass BUT never a pre-owned. Loyalty never comes second hand. If budget permits then Jeep-Compass is the best bet.

Yeah, the mind isnt permitting me to spend so much on a depreciating asset

Originally Posted by Sushil Pingua

Lastly since you are a cross-country adventurer, an EV could be a future option 10 years down the line, the current state of infrastructure required for an EV to traverse across states is not available throughout our Country.

Enjoy.

EVs are something for the future. Not sure if things can turn around in an year or so.