[krishnakumar]

Hi all,

I have been wanting to buy a car for a long time and finally I'm in a position where I can afford one. The tipping point of course was the launch of Kia Seltos and now I'm itching to own a car.

However, I'm still not sure if Seltos would be the right way to go or if there are better options available in the market. Since this is my first car, I want it to be my first love and something that I'll cherish owning for a long time.

The budget:

I started with a budget of 15L but I have now pushed that to ~20L, considering what's on offer on the higher models of Seltos.

Usage:

My primary usage for this would be long drives with limited city usage. I currently stay very near to my office (<5km) and is likely not going to change for the next 1-2 years at least. Not sure after that, but generally would not prefer to drive the car for >15km given the Bangalore traffic (would most likely take the office cab).

Coming to the long drives, I suppose it'll be mostly highways but I do love taking the car out off-road. I plan to drive to Wayanad regularly (once in a month at least) and considering the off-roading opportunities available there, I'm still considering if I should buy a car with 4x4 capabilities.

However, it is safe to say that the split of highway/offroad usage is going to be nothing less than an 80/20 split.

Options in consideration:

1. Duster AWD

Despite the AWD availability, I'm still not convinced on this car because of the extremely bland interiors. I was very hopeful about the new 2019 facelift and expected them to offer better interiors but was left disappointed. And considering my rather sparing offroad usage (which I'm not even sure if it'll be a substantial requirement) makes me think if I should compromise on good interiors where you're going to spend a lot of time otherwise.

2. Seltos

To be honest, I love this car. It has a very good fit and finish, a loaded spec list and many first in-class features as well. So far, this is the only one I feel like buying on paper; however, I'm still not sure about the powertrains (see below).

The only downside is that Kia not offering an AWD version in India despite launching it globally. That in my opinion is a really bad choice - I'm pretty sure there are takers for it in India!

Coming to the powertrain options, I'm really confused between the 1.5L Diesel and the 1.4L Turbo Petrol. I tested both of them but couldn't come to a conclusion.

I like Diesel engines in general because of their low-end torque and smooth pleasant rides (provided the engines are refined). And the same was experienced in Seltos as well - very refined engine, no rattle or cluttering and a very light clutch as well. I was very impressed with the 1.5L Diesel performance.

Now here comes the big confusion, the HT-Line where the Diesel is on offer has only the basic safety features that's available even on the base variant. Whereas the GT-Line gets 6 airbags, Brake Assist, ESP, HAC etc. And only the the top-end GT has a diesel option but that too only mated to a torque converter.

The 1.4L turbo petrol on the other hand is a very sporty engine but I'm not sure of the DCT. In the very short test drive that the dealer offered, I really couldn't gauge if something was amiss. In one of the steep inclines it really fell flat but I'm not sure if it was because of something else. I noticed the same problem with the 1.4L turbo petrol mated to the 6MT as well. On a steep incline, the vehicle had to slow down because of a scooter in front. When the rpm dropped below 1000rpm, there was absolutely no torque. The engine rpm kept falling and I had to shift to 1st to prevent it from stalling. This caused the engine to rev really high and it felt like I was stressing the engine a lot. I feel with this engine+transmission, I may have to shift a lot between 1-3 gears if I'm going on inclines (read Wayanad).

Overall, considering the powertrain options I'm still not sure which Seltos to pick even if it came to that.

Can someone help me with this? Should I be looking at some other options as well?

[Jagann13]

Originally Posted by krishnakumar

Hi all,

I have been wanting to buy a car for a long time and finally I'm in a position where I can afford one...

I am not an expert in this but thought of sharing my ideas here. I will look into this section(15-20L) for sure but not anytime soon.

I can say that it would be easy for experts to answer this if you can elaborate more on your usage. I can understand that you need a car for highways and roads in Wayanad. I have been to Wayanad 2 times, quite a long stay comprising of 4 weeks and moved through different places only in a car.

From what you have written, I can say that you are more inclined towards the Seltos. From what I heard, although there is a little turbo lag at lower RPMs, the engine works fine after that. An owner of Seltos will help you with this.

I will go with the AWD Duster with my eyes closed if it was a real facelift. Like many, I am also disappointed by the facelift, mainly the interiors. If Renault had given the Triber's infotainment and instrument cluster with some soft touches, the facelift would have been nice. Even the new Kwid has got a better-looking interior(subjective). If this is not going to trouble you, you can pick the AWD for sure. From my experience on the roads in Wayanad, the Duster will make it a cakewalk as it is the best in the business when it comes to ride and handling.

Also, as you were looking for off-road capabilities, I suggest you to take a look into the XUV 500 AWD and Tata Hexa 4x4. It can fit your budget with a little stretch. Both are tested highways riders, and can even seat 7. Got big boot than Seltos in 5-seater mode and the cars are tested, unlike the new Seltos.

If Seltos is what you are going to get at the end, make sure you test drive it a few more times, make sure it fits you well, make sure the engine pleases you as this is your first car! Being your first car, it should always put a smile on your face. Wishing you a good luck in finding your first love!

Thanks!

[knrn]

With a budget of 20 lacs you should look at the king of the road the mighty Innova crysta. The interiors and space will definitely woo you. Rear wheel drive takes care of 50% of off road usage and the biggest plus point you get the Toyota badge.

Another option would be the xuv 500. With discounts to the tune of nearly one lac you can save some money as well as get in the big league plus it is very car like to drive. Believe me nothing can beat the pleasure of driving an xuv on the highway. 6th gear and you will be doing 120 at 2200 rpm. Total silence. Worth a look. Please look beyond seltos. If you are willing to wait they have an excellent package arriving next year with nearly 170 horses. Personally I am waiting for that next year and hence not buying any. Innova you will get the base model while you can nearly go in for top spec in xuv and also there is the awd version too.

I would not recommend harrier. It's tractor like.

If high class interiors are your liking then you will be amazed by the hector too.

I am also in the same boat but my budget is limited to 15-16 hence I have shortlisted xuv. But you should take a look at these vehicles. All of them are a segment above creta seltos duster. You get humongous space, nice interiors and power to ride the highways.

My suggestion- take test drives. As many as you can and repeatedly if possible to make up your mind.

If you are into sedans then the new elantra is absolutely fantastic. Lovely interiors. Feature loaded to the gills and Hyundai is the new Honda/ Toyota.

Even the corolla altis is spot on. Has lovely reclining rear seats and bulletproof. For me these are the only two worth a look in this segment. Stay away from skoda and Volkswagen. The maintenance is a pain. You can read plenty of not so good experiences on the forum.

[lapis_lazuli]

Originally Posted by krishnakumar

Hi all,

I have been wanting to buy a car for a long time and finally I'm in a position where I can afford one. ?

Few questions...do you drive regularly? In Bangalore? A new 20Lakh car as a first bought car will come with its share of many heartburn moments. If you are an experienced driver and have driven around the city, of course, I have nothing to add. Your choices are indeed good! Would just add the Compass to your list. If 7 seater plus comfort is also needed, perhaps the Hexa would be a great choice as well!

[Arjun Reddy]

KrishnaKumar you seemed to be mentally engaged to Kia already.: Nothing wrong with that.

Go for the top spec DCT. or the top spec diesel auto. Though not a 4*4 you can dial in some traction with the different modes on offer. Also you get the full range of safety kit on offer.

The other car is the Hexa 4*4. It will offer acres of space for your long drives with a full 4*4 for off roading.

With good discounts available the Jeep Compass Limited should now cost you around 23-24 lakh OTR Bangalore. Negotiate hard and you could get a Limited 4*4 at a good discount. You will end up paying a little more than your budget but this will be the best buy for your requirement ie highway and off road. The 2 ltr engine, gearbox, ride and handling is in a different league altogether.

If you still have to stick to your initial budget, the Ford Ecosport top spec diesel is also a great car.

[neil.jericho]

Originally Posted by krishnakumar

However, I'm still not sure if Seltos would be the right way to go or if there are better options available in the market. Since this is my first car, I want it to be my first love and something that I'll cherish owning for a long time.

The Hexa 4x4 seems to be perfect on paper. But given how you are looking for more of a heart decision, ultimately, you will be the only person who can correctly judge how each option in the market, tugs at your heart strings.

[ruzbehxyz]

Considering your budget, I feel the XUV500 AWD suits best. Other options like Duster AWD and Tata Hexa (4wd in manual only) are good options but may not last long in the market. Heard a rumour that Hexa production will stop next year. Since XUV500 is a flagship model of Mahindra and one of the most successful Mahindra cars after Scorpio, I think Mahindra will only keep updating it and never stop production. Nothing beats the pleasure of driving a XUV500 on the highway with a powerful and silent engine (from personal experience of owning a XUV for 5 years). I use to get 18 kmpl with AC on the highway with a light peddle and crusing at 90-100 kmphr. Don't want to debate this, but these are facts. Besides this XUV500 is a value for money with the extra features. The only advantage of Innova is that it's a Toyota, but its definitely overpriced for what you pay. It's like paying a premium at the start for the lesser costs on service later. Keep your options open and listen to your heart.

[knrn]

I see that you have changed the title of your thread and also upped the budget. So two new contenders.
The tucson is a gem. Lots of space lots of gizmos and Hyundai reliability. Personally it is my dream car. Had driven a friend's Tucson. The 400 nm of torque is addictive. Something one has to experience.

The Jeep Compass also fits your budget and requirements. The only put off is small space as compared to Tucson. Please go and see both for yourself and see which suits you. Both are winners in their own accord.

Jeep has few service centres and Tucson has few numbers. So service and maintenance might be of concern but remember this and I quote SDP here

YOU LIVE ONLY ONCE

[krishnakumar]

Originally Posted by knrn

With a budget of 20 lacs you should look at the king of the road the mighty Innova crysta. The interiors and space will definitely woo you. Rear wheel drive takes care of 50% of off road usage and the biggest plus point you get the Toyota badge.
.
.


Even the corolla altis is spot on. Has lovely reclining rear seats and bulletproof. For me these are the only two worth a look in this segment. Stay away from skoda and Volkswagen. The maintenance is a pain. You can read plenty of not so good experiences on the forum.

Thank you for your response and sorry for the late reply.

I'm not a fan of the MPV segment and hence Innova isn't in consideration. Also, my requirement currently doesn't even need 5 people.

When you're saying there's an excellent package arriving next year, are you referring to Mahindra or Kia? Sorry, got a bit confused there. I'm not in a functional need of a car right now; I thought of buying only because of my love for cars and driving. Totally okay waiting it out for a more decent package.

I love XUV500! Have driven that car on two long drives before and completely agree with you on the pleasure it offers. It was my long time love (when I couldn't even think of buying a car). However, my only qualms with it is that it is nearly at the end of its lifecycle and the current package isn't all that nice. The AWD is also out of my already stretched budget.

I haven't really looked at the current Sedans on offer for mainly two reasons:
1) The current hot releases are all in the mid-size SUV segment (which are offering some really really cool features).

2) Would love to have something with some off-road capabilities. I'd be visiting Wayanad often and would love to take the car out on some muddy/slushy/rocky fun.

Originally Posted by lapis_lazuli

Your choices are indeed good!

Thank you and sorry for the late response.

I don't drive regularly. Never owned a car myself but used to drive my dad's car and used to rent cars a lot.

To be honest, I don't really have a requirement for car. I stay very close to my office and I'm not a family man yet. I'm considering to buy one purely for my love of driving. And every rental car comes with its own problems and restrictions!

Originally Posted by Arjun Reddy

KrishnaKumar you seemed to be mentally engaged to Kia already. Nothing wrong with that.

You're absolutely right! I'm biased towards Seltos because it just simply checked most of the boxes on my list (just wish if it had a 4x4 option!!). I have been actively following the mid-size SUV segment evolve in the past 1-1.5 years and this one just wow'ed me. So I guess its that first love kinda thing.

Added Compass to the list even though its well outside my stretched budget of 20L. But I just want to know how it feels to drive something like Compass.

I have got myself a test drive this weekend and specifically told the sales guy that I want to test it on some off-road conditions. So let's see how it goes!

[knrn]

Hi there.
By the new package I meant the xuv 2020. It's supposed to be based on the ssangyong korando platform just like the tivoli based xuv 300 and the rexton based alturas. So you can expect a much better car and equipment. Only gripe being since it will be an entirely new platform and vehicle from Mahindra you can expect a few teething problems. But with 170 horses and with awd it will be a force to reckon with.

Another expectation is the xuv aero. It will be an xuv based crossover sedan, something like the BMW X6. So a sedan with xuv power and awd. These were the packages I meant. While the xuv 2020 is slated for next year the aero might take some time.

Take your pick among the lot. Compass and Tucson you should drive last. Because if you drive them before others, you might not be able to enjoy the others.
As I said take multiple test drives. And do let us know what you decide in the end. Best wishes.

[Tjv777]

Originally Posted by adimicra

...I know this might come as a total surprise to all of you. So, let me summarize how I ended up with the decision -
=========
I forgot to mention that Seltos was very much into consideration but the 3-4 months wait time (possibly more) was not feasible, as we needed a second car sooner. Seltos is a very good option though I feel both the interior and exterior designs are overdone with too many elements and might not age very well. If Seltos would have been available in 1-2 months, I would have probably gone for it.

What a story. I was reading this like a movie. More of love triangle There is a Malayalam movie called Premam. The guy has an affair with his classmate and never works out. And with his teacher. Neither that too. Finally, in the end, he marries a very young girl. And that is the surprise element. I was reading the threads in the same line. How you took us through like test-driving each of the vehicle. From Octavia, Tucson, Tiguan, Compass, Seltos, back to Octavia, Compass and the list goes on and on. Good read and a great experience.

[EvilZombie]

Originally Posted by krishnakumar

I don't drive regularly. Never owned a car myself but used to drive my dad's car and used to rent cars a lot.

To be honest, I don't really have a requirement for car. I stay very close to my office and I'm not a family man yet. I'm considering to buy one purely for my love of driving. And every rental car comes with its own problems and restrictions!

I am going to share a very unpopular opinion here. Considering you do not need a vehicle for your day to day activities, and as this will be your 1st car, I feel you should follow your heart but don't ignore the mind. Spending 20L on a hobby is great, but see how much are your actually gonna be able to drive. If you get a car, will your day to day life change in any way. Will you prefer to take her out for a spin on weekdays, or is it a weekend only kind of activity. You stay very close to your place of work, so it may not make sense taking a large SUV out everyday for a <5km trip. Consider this, 3 yrs down the line, your needs may change, you may want an AT instead of an MT, or maybe a smaller car. Its for you to decide, but dont take a plunge unless you are absolutely sure what you want. My suggestion would be to also look at the sum 4m category for some "more-affordable" options.

From the options mentioned in your post, Duster is more fun to drive. I was seriously considering it but in the end, choose not to go with it primarily because of the reported niggles and relatively higher maintenance the car demands. Seltos on the other hand was a very well rounded package and one that I enjoyed TDing. Between the two, Seltos is better IMO

Also, since you dont mind waiting, there will be a slew of cars coming up in the next few months, so you may want to keep an eye on that.

[TheCatalyst]

Originally Posted by PPS

I think you've pretty much made your decision here i.e. Honda CR-V !
With its car like mannerism & good ride quality it will be easier to drive around rather than a bulky SUV especially in stressful Mumbai traffic. Your kids will certainly be comfortable in the 3rd row of seats rather than an adult. You can opt for extended warranty for peace of mind.

An update after a month. My Diwali trip to Pune with my kids highlighted the importance of the 7 seater as there are times when my wife insists on taking even the maid with us. So after returning from the short trip, finally made up my mind to opt for the CRV AWD. I did take 3 test drives (within city) before putting my money on it. Frankly speaking, I couldn't fault the city drivability as it performed flawlessly in the Mumbai traffic, quickly closing traffic gaps and making brisk progress. Most of my driving is below 80kmph due to pathetic traffic and roads of Mumbai. The AWD will definitely come in handy on the rainy slush roads and trips to those elusive destinations. Did quite a lot of reading on 2018 model AWD tech and its a totally new and capable (mildly) system.

So finally booked it due to the on-going offers which cost me a sweet deal of 32 lakhs on road including add-ons. Got the stockyard PDI done and thereafter got the delivery last week.This was a recent Oct 2019 manufactured car as per the VIN. So far I am impressed with the premium-ness and the NVH levels.


Few observations during the first 300 Kms-

Pros -
- Premium, classy and understated. Inside out.
- Build and component quality is on par with 40 lakh segment.
- Gearbox is perfectly tuned and masks any on-paper power deficit brilliantly.
- Its a 7 seater SUV, diesel automatic and AWD. Jack of all trades. Has panoramic sunroof too. Yes, I have a 6 and a 1 year old for the last row of seats.
- Ride quality is plush and body roll is negligible by SUV standards. Rear seat space is great. (Almost everyone in the family is less than 5'10'')
- Decent sound system and features.
- Top notch safety features and systems, what a family man (should) look for.
- Fantastic fuel economy. Getting 14 kmpl in the city. Even though this was a lower priority on the list, makes me feel good now.
- Perfect ingress/egress for everyone, especially kids/senior citizens.
- Honda's ownership, ASS and low service costs. Planning to take extended warranty for Rs. 42K during first service.
- Excellent offers at this time.


Cons -
- On-paper specs for 1.6 Diesel. Twin turbo would have been sweet. Then again, I may not have got these offers and wouldn't have made it on my list.
- Slight slow response time when shifting from 5th to 4th gear. I think that's the dog clutch at work there. You cant really tell unless you are looking for it. Haven't used the 8th and 9th gear yet, probably not in the running-in period.
- Little diesel noise creep around 1400rpm. Nothing alarming and can easily be drowned in the music sound. This is only audible at slow speeds.
- Light interiors, though they look great, will be pain to maintain especially with kids.
- Not really a negative, but road presence is average. Suits my personality to be honest, but maybe a downer for some.
- Missed on the buyback offer due to confusion at dealer's end.
- Uncertainty around diesel resale. I keep my cars for a really really long time, so again not a negative.


I am hoping to get a ownership thread, provided I get a reprieve from my hectic family schedule.

I am attaching a pic too. Definitely getting to know each other more and more everyday.

[sridhar-v]

Originally Posted by krishnakumar

2) Would love to have something with some off-road capabilities. I'd be visiting Wayanad often and would love to take the car out on some muddy/slushy/rocky fun.

To be honest, I don't really have a requirement for car. I stay very close to my office and I'm not a family man yet. I'm considering to buy one purely for my love of driving. And every rental car comes with its own problems and restrictions!

I have a Grand Vitara specifically for going offroad and long driving holidays. On almost every trip i land up having to do a significant amount of badroading/offroading.
Even moderate offroading will result in panel dings and scratches to the paint work.

So I would strongly recommend your looking at a 3-5 year used SUV with AWD/4WD. AT box is highly recommended.

[adithya.kp]

Nice thread. One of my friends has similar requirements. He wants to keep a low profile and hence doesn't want to buy any luxury car. He is looking at 5 seater D segment sedans and SUVs. Ruled out Compass, Hector and Harrier since they dont appeal to him. Ruled out D2 segment sedans since they are bulky. Civic and CRV are out due to engine options. Altis is out since it looks old. So he is left with only 4 options.
1. Elantra 2.0 SX (O) AT : Concerns. The least selling in the segment. That too after the face lift.
2. Octavia 1.8 TSI L&K : Concerns. Beige interiors.
3. Tucson GLS 2WD AT Petrol : Concerns. Interiors not impressive.
4. Tiguan Highline TDI: Concerns. No petrol option. Noisy engine?
Would appreciate any input.