[Marauder]

I feel you’ve still not nailed down on your exact requirements from the new car, so it’ll be worthwhile waiting a couple of months for the new launches. You’ve tried a few cars but they haven’t been upto your liking, so it’s best to hold on (especially with the pandemic in full force at the moment) and make a purchase which really appeals to your heart.

I’d recommend waiting for the XUV700. It’s expected to be move up a segment from the XUV500 and the top end variant should cost just under 30 lakhs on road. I’m sure it will have more space than the Tucson and Compass and the engine is expected to be more powerful. The driving dynamics may be compromised as compared to cars like the Tucson and Compass, though.

The sedan options in this segment have diminished quite quickly and the new Octavia seems to be the only viable alternative.

[vikrantshete]

Since I read a mention of VW/Skoda cars here, I'd like to add my two cents.
VW/Skoda cars are undoubtedly comfortable for highway rides and they are fun to drive but the cars are not that reliable. If you wish to keep the car for long time like 8-10 years then VW/Skoda is expensive (despite 6 years warranty)

Like people have mentioned, the DSG gearbox itself is not reliable and the previous octavia had issues like coolant leakage, Gearbox failure and engine failure itself. It is not a car that would reliably take you around for many years. Most likely, it will some day break down on a trip. In fact, on one my visits to service centre I overheard a road side assistance request for broken down superb in Matheran, which is not uncommon for Skoda/VW cars.

Apart from the reliability issues, the cars do have some fragile parts that keep breaking even after gentle use and cost quite a lot to repair. AC vents can cost upto 18000, Steering mounted controls can cost upto 22000 for repair. (prices may keep increasing) and these parts usually break for quite a lot of users. Also the AC compressor is not the best in business and usually does not last as long as korean/Japanese cars.

If you go for a Sedan like Octavia (GC 155mm), the underbody plastic keeps breaking due to bad roads in India. I replaced once and will have to do again within just two years of ownership.

These cars keep sipping little bit of money every now and then and don't really offer great reliability or an economical experience. They are more inclined to satisfy people who want fast and better handling cars and don't mind spending somewhat more (and in some cases a hell lot more) money.

If you are looking for a reliable family commuter with no surprise expenses then vw/skoda might not be the one.

[RishavRBhardwaj]

I would pick the Jeep Compass anyday!

-Tuscon, I feel is just a larger, more spacious Creta.
-Road presence is something you'll certainly miss, It's too easy to mistake it for the older-
gen Creta.
-As an overall package, it seems dated.

We have owned a Jeep Compass (Diesel Manual) for almost 4 years now. I must tell you what a bomb of a SUV it is.
-Super fun to drive
-Spot on Handling
-Feels extremely planted even at 150.
-The new BS6 facelift smoothens out all rough edges the older one came with.
-Looks Unique (Who doesn't like breaking necks)
-Frequency selective damping really works!

A picture after some light off-roading.

[agrawalyash11]

Sorry for replying so late everyone. I was waiting for the test drive of the tucson which was scheduled for sunday to have something concrete to reply to all of you. Here it goes.

Originally Posted by a4anurag

Hyundai Tucson is what I'll go for given a chance.

The 2.0L Diesel engine + 8-speed TC combination is great for both city and Highway usage. Feature-wise has everything one is going to need. A little negotiations and discounts should be available I feel since it is not a high seller for Hyundai.

Thanks for the reply @a4anurag. You are absolutely right. Felt the same on the test drive today. The engine and the gearbox combination is STELLAR! The car feels very sprightly and stays very planted on the roads. The features were good enough but the ventilated seats were sorely missed. I thought we wouldn't need them but in our test drive of over 30 minutes in which I was driving for 15 and was a passenger for the other 15, my back got sweaty and felt a little uncomfortable. I have a kia sonet gtx+ as well which is equipped with ventilated seats. It has black leather seats from factory as well but due to this feature the back and the shirt remains as fresh as a clean, pressed, linen bed-sheets.

Yes the discounts are offered as well and it is a good deal. Will update as and when we take the plunge.

Originally Posted by lamborghini

The tucson diesel is definitely the superior choice between the two powerplants.

The Tiguan will come with the 2.0TSi motor, and I don't expect it to be priced below 30L ex-showroom (even more if they take the CBU route) : if you're open to spending that much, do check out the petrol X1 SportX as well (after discounts).

As a Tiguan owner, I picked the Tiguan over the X1 due to better pricing (7-10L difference between equally Tiguan HL and X1 X-Line), better seat comfort, AWD, etc.
But the X1 was superior to drive, has the brand value, and I expect it to be equal in terms of maintenance (maybe even lower). With the GLA launch, there could be good deals to be had on the X1 soon which could make it a tempting proposition for many.



T-Roc, although tighter on legroom, could be a good option (with extended warranty of course, I don't trust the 7 speed DQ200 DSG).
Its compact, safe, stylish, and due to limited imports : it's fairly rare as well.

Hey again @lamborghini. The upcoming tiguan is on the waitlist. I don't prefer the entry level models of the luxury brands because they don't seem to offer the full experience. I tend to look for the best product to buy in the given price range, and luxury brands aren't usually those. Most expensive offerings from brands like vw, skoda turn out to be way better products than entry level products of mercedes, bmw.

I would do the same you've done and get a tiguan given the choice between it and bmw x1. Test drove the t-roc and although it is good car to drive, the space is at a premium an it doesn't seem to justify its 25.3L rupee OTR price.

Originally Posted by Jash2709

I was exactly in your spot a couple of months back! Was shopping around the 30-35 range and had shortlisted Compass and Tucson!
Here’s my views about the two cars:
Compass:
I had model S 4x4 in mind.
Looks good plus the interiors feel amazing. But once you get past the initial awe, the interior quality let’s down badly and also the boot size! The door handles creak and the central console shakes and the plastics don’t make you feel like you are in a premium car! When you pay 35 odd lacs you demand a certain premiumness and exclusivity. The compass loses on both. Latter because the range stretches across almost 17 lacs!
Now about driving! The gear box doesn’t make you smile at all! However good the handling and straight line stability be, it might make you remember the feeling you get while overtaking using your brezza diesel! Since you have a brezza too, so I think you can empathise!

But all in all, the car has the capability to take your heart! Somehow the car comes with this sense of go anywhere feel that brings you a sense of peace and confidence while driving in the most difficult terrain. Your leh trips, if at all, could be done easily in this car!

Tucson
2.0 diesel 4x4
The moment you step into Tucson after compass. The interior is a let down! The linear BSVI power delivery isn’t great to talk about either! The car sure is quick but the power delivery takes the fun out! Plus the steering! I never got to take it to the twisties but high speed lane changes were not very confidence inspiring! Also, it just feels old! Spending 32 lacs didn’t make sense to me then!

Somehow post both the test drives, I landed up at a Skoda showroom and just for the heck of it test drove the superb. Never wanted a sedan. But boy I was wrong! The drive brought a grin to my face which didn’t happen in both the previous cars. The interior thought seems dated makes you feel like you are in a class above when you enter the cabin. Plus the little stuff like hydraulic struts for the hood, headlight washers, electric boot, the solid door closes reassure on the premiumness! Did I mention how good the engine is? Damn! Luckily they are bringing it to the new line up! Apart from the GC, the car is super practical in all regards!

The only downside I feel is that I just can’t take this car “anywhere”! The thought of “how’s the terrain going to be like” always bugs me while going for a long drive!

So my suggestion to you would be to strictly wait for the Tiguan and if you can stretch your budget, the kodiaq!

Let us know how it goes for you then! :

Thanks for the reply @Jash2709. I echo a lot of your feelings about my choices. Fun fact: the chronology of my test drives is exactly opposite yours!

We test drove the superb first in January 2021. The car had us fell head over heals for it. The car ticked every box, looked GREAT and the space is something even the great Khali would complain about. Since we weren't in a hurry to buy the car, my father decided to ponder over his feelings for the superb and thought an SUV would fit the bill better in this price range and we can get a luxury sedan later.

After this episode, work and covid second wave kicked in and we were glad we didnt make an expensive decision then. However time has passed and he is ready to take the plunge for the right product.

So we test drive the Compass and Tucson. I have described those test drives above.

We also test drove the Citroen. The ride quality is AMAZING and the sound insulation is unlike anything I've experienced before at price points above this. However I expect some space but the rear seats have NONE. I am a 5-8/9 guy and I drive kinda laid back. However my seat was touching my brother knees at the back and that was the deal breaker. That and no center armrest.

However, after both the test drives we remembered how the superb made us feel after the test drive and how none of these cars managed to do that. We have been thinking about that ever since. Will see if there are any updates for the tiguan in the coming couple of weeks and will update as soon as any decision is taken.

P.S. do you own a superb? if yes I would love to know about your experience so far with it.

Originally Posted by Marauder

I feel you’ve still not nailed down on your exact requirements from the new car, so it’ll be worthwhile waiting a couple of months for the new launches. You’ve tried a few cars but they haven’t been upto your liking, so it’s best to hold on (especially with the pandemic in full force at the moment) and make a purchase which really appeals to your heart.

I’d recommend waiting for the XUV700. It’s expected to be move up a segment from the XUV500 and the top end variant should cost just under 30 lakhs on road. I’m sure it will have more space than the Tucson and Compass and the engine is expected to be more powerful. The driving dynamics may be compromised as compared to cars like the Tucson and Compass, though.

The sedan options in this segment have diminished quite quickly and the new Octavia seems to be the only viable alternative.

Thanks for the reply @Marauder. My requirements are very clear. I want a car comfortable for a family of 4. That is it. I don't have a preferred body style or fuel type or anything. I have a budget of about 30 lakhs and are willing to stretch it if the car commands it(i.e. the Skoda Superb). The specifics about how it will be used are mentioned in the first post.

We are open to waiting for the car but the XUV700 seems too far down the road. It is rumoured to debut in about 2 months but that doesn't confirm it will be launched then. We are waiting for the launch of new Octavia and Tiguan.

Originally Posted by vikrantshete

Since I read a mention of VW/Skoda cars here, I'd like to add my two cents.
VW/Skoda cars are undoubtedly comfortable for highway rides and they are fun to drive but the cars are not that reliable. If you wish to keep the car for long time like 8-10 years then VW/Skoda is expensive (despite 6 years warranty)

Like people have mentioned, the DSG gearbox itself is not reliable and the previous octavia had issues like coolant leakage, Gearbox failure and engine failure itself. It is not a car that would reliably take you around for many years. Most likely, it will some day break down on a trip. In fact, on one my visits to service centre I overheard a road side assistance request for broken down superb in Matheran, which is not uncommon for Skoda/VW cars.

Apart from the reliability issues, the cars do have some fragile parts that keep breaking even after gentle use and cost quite a lot to repair. AC vents can cost upto 18000, Steering mounted controls can cost upto 22000 for repair. (prices may keep increasing) and these parts usually break for quite a lot of users. Also the AC compressor is not the best in business and usually does not last as long as korean/Japanese cars.

If you go for a Sedan like Octavia (GC 155mm), the underbody plastic keeps breaking due to bad roads in India. I replaced once and will have to do again within just two years of ownership.

These cars keep sipping little bit of money every now and then and don't really offer great reliability or an economical experience. They are more inclined to satisfy people who want fast and better handling cars and don't mind spending somewhat more (and in some cases a hell lot more) money.

If you are looking for a reliable family commuter with no surprise expenses then vw/skoda might not be the one.

Thanks for the reply @vikrantshete. I'll make sure to keep this in mind while making the decision. I so hope this doesn't come true because I want the Superb that much. I hope some of the niggles you mentioned you have mentioned are ironed out. Eg -

New steering might've solved the fragile controls issue(metal scrolling wheels).
DQ381 gearbox for the 2.0 TSI.

I feel a Superb is similar to a luxury car ownership. It would demand mantainence and unwanted repairs might come as a shock. One can only hope for the best. Will update as soon as I make the decision.

Originally Posted by RishavRBhardwaj

I would pick the Jeep Compass anyday!

-Tuscon, I feel is just a larger, more spacious Creta.
-Road presence is something you'll certainly miss, It's too easy to mistake it for the older-
gen Creta.
-As an overall package, it seems dated.

We have owned a Jeep Compass (Diesel Manual) for almost 4 years now. I must tell you what a bomb of a SUV it is.
-Super fun to drive
-Spot on Handling
-Feels extremely planted even at 150.
-The new BS6 facelift smoothens out all rough edges the older one came with.
-Looks Unique (Who doesn't like breaking necks)
-Frequency selective damping really works!

A picture after some light off-roading.
Attachment 2161762

Thanks for the reply @RishavRBhardwaj. The tucson package might seem dated but it is still very solid and dependable. I for one love the analogue dials, 8" screen(as opposed to 10" on the newer hyundai models) and physical climate control dials. Everything feels solid to touch and use. It feels built to last and worth its asking price. I dont think the creta and tucson look similar in any way. It remains high on our list.

I have heard good things about the diesel manual but the same cant be said about the 9 speed automatic. The transmission seems lazy to shift and it undermines the engines performance. The tucson on the otherhand is much better to drive than compass. The new Compass' interior does seem more premium than the tucson but it doesnt have as much room. Thanks for the picture of your Compass. It does look very handsome.

[agrawalyash11]

Originally Posted by agrawalyash11

We are confused between the Tucson and Compass. The scales are tipping towards the Tucson. We are not in a hurry to make a decision so any upcoming launches in 3-4 months are also welcome. I turn to the wisdom of TEAM-BHP members who can help me make the choice.

Seems like I have contradicted myself over here. While I thought we could wait for 3-4 months, after taking the test drives the itch to buy the new car has started. We could wait for launches in the upcoming month or so but not more than that.

[Mail.atyagi]

[quote=agrawalyash11;5072303]
Yes the discounts are offered as well and it is a good deal. Will update as and when we take the plunge.

Can you share ballpark figure of discounts being offered on Tuscon? I am awaiting a test ride and it could be handy for negotiations if everyone in the family likes it. I'm definitely more inclined towards it after your test ride feedback and also due to the fact that Compass AT is not fun to drive.

Same as you, I am also having the itch to get the new car soon

[agrawalyash11]

[quote=Mail.atyagi;5072531]

Originally Posted by agrawalyash11

Yes the discounts are offered as well and it is a good deal. Will update as and when we take the plunge.

Can you share ballpark figure of discounts being offered on Tuscon? I am awaiting a test ride and it could be handy for negotiations if everyone in the family likes it. I'm definitely more inclined towards it after your test ride feedback and also due to the fact that Compass AT is not fun to drive.

Same as you, I am also having the itch to get the new car soon

The discount figure depends on whether you choose to get the insurance from the dealership or not. I was offered a discount in the range of 80k but we haven’t discussed the specifics of the deal yet since I haven’t decided on the car. The insurance quoted to me by the dealer and my agent has a whopping 70K difference with my agent’s insurance being the better one. I don’t think I would be offered the same discount if I get the insurance from somewhere else. But playing hardball might help.

Good luck on your car purchase. Would love to hear from you once you finalise what to get. Cheers.

[Jash2709]

Originally Posted by agrawalyash11

P.S. do you own a superb? if yes I would love to know about your experience so far with it.

Yes I do, just got it like two months back!
The experience so far has been lovely. Barely driven 1500 kms yet because of the lockdown. But so far the car comes off as super practical. It's the little things that awe you, the way the door closes, seemless gear shifts, felt lined door pockets, sleep package, instrument cluster, no touch boot release, umbrellas in the doors, music system, massive boot etc. But the best part is the engine! Hands down! Put on the sport mode and you won't be able to wipe that grin off your face. Regarding handling, I am itching to go drive on the ghats, but handling seems to be good so far considering high speed lane changes. The pot hole absorption is amazing but that could actually be a set back while driving on the highway. Due to the soft suspension, while driving tripple digits, if you encounter multiple expansion joints in a row, or if the road is super uneven, the car goes bouncy! On the other hand, despite the popular opinion, I have been getting a decent fuel economy. You go eco on highway and you can even manage 14-15 kmpl. 10-11 for city is easily achievable!

If I had to nit pick:
-> Dash seems dated
-> Infotainment screen is slow to respond
-> No dedicated button on the steering for phone calls
-> Panaromic Sunroof isn't panaromic
-> Tyres could be better; road noise seeps in through the apollos
-> Wireless charging are should have been cooled
-> Reverse camera quality could have been better
-> The biggest one being the ground clearance

But despite the above, its a sheer joy.

I kind of like my cars to be just cars, they gotta perform well in any situation they are thrown in. On the other hand Superb due to low GC needs pampering. But its a trade off which is worth it. But if your budget permits, go for the Kodiaq! With the new engine and gear box, it should be drool worthy! I dont't know much about Tiguan, but we had considered allspace too, but it didn't feel premium enough next to superb. Plus suspensions are really hard and fuel economy is bad too!

Also, you can get nearly 2-3 lacs discounts on superb if you haggle!

Best of luck with the shopping!

[NarediAni7518]

If you can extend your budget by a few lakhs, then I would strongly recommend the Toyota Camry. Since you’ve mentioned that you’re fine with a sedan, I am 100% sure that the Camry be the one for you. It’s a Lexus in a Toyota badge. It’s feature rich, smooth, refined, spacious, comfortable, looks great, is safe & is built nicely, is powerful & a true Hybrid, that means good Fuel efficiency. And as the car has been around for a while, you might get a good discount on it as well. And being a Toyota you will never have to worry about the after sales service or it’s reliability, and lastly, it will last longer for sure.

[agrawalyash11]

Originally Posted by NarediAni7518

If you can extend your budget by a few lakhs, then I would strongly recommend the Toyota Camry. Since you’ve mentioned that you’re fine with a sedan, I am 100% sure that the Camry be the one for you. It’s a Lexus in a Toyota badge. It’s feature rich, smooth, refined, spacious, comfortable, looks great, is safe & is built nicely, is powerful & a true Hybrid, that means good Fuel efficiency. And as the car has been around for a while, you might get a good discount on it as well. And being a Toyota you will never have to worry about the after sales service or it’s reliability, and lastly, it will last longer for sure.

The camry is 41L ex-showroom in Ahmedabad. Seems too overpriced(because of the 43% taxation) for what it offers. I would consider the Camry if it were not for one reason. In 2021 it doesn't even offer Apple Carplay an Android Auto. I've been using it since 2017 and cannot imagine using a car without this feature. There were talks of releasing an update in H2 2021 but there hasnt been any official communication yet.

The car looks very sleek in person and wouldnt be opposed to checking one out though. It doesnt seem as premium as the Superb on the inside.

[lamborghini]

Originally Posted by agrawalyash11

Hey again @lamborghini. The upcoming tiguan is on the waitlist. I don't prefer the entry level models of the luxury brands because they don't seem to offer the full experience. I tend to look for the best product to buy in the given price range, and luxury brands aren't usually those. Most expensive offerings from brands like vw, skoda turn out to be way better products than entry level products of mercedes, bmw.

We test drove the superb first in January 2021. The car had us fell head over heals for it. The car ticked every box, looked GREAT and the space is something even the great Khali would complain about. Since we weren't in a hurry to buy the car, my father decided to ponder over his feelings for the superb and thought an SUV would fit the bill better in this price range and we can get a luxury sedan later.

I so hope this doesn't come true because I want the Superb that much. I hope some of the niggles you mentioned you have mentioned are ironed out. Eg -

New steering might've solved the fragile controls issue(metal scrolling wheels).
DQ381 gearbox for the 2.0 TSI.

I feel a Superb is similar to a luxury car ownership. It would demand mantainence and unwanted repairs might come as a shock. One can only hope for the best. Will update as soon as I make the decision.

Hi,

I completely agree with you on the X1 v/s Tiguan, but would still advise checking it out once - especially if they can offer a good deal on the diesel.
The engine, arguably better reliability than VW/Skoda, better handling & steering feel, etc. make for a fun self-drive package and with enough leg-room for two 6' to sit behind each other, and arguably better ride quality than the Tiguan.
The Tiguan is a size bigger (I found the rear seating to be more comfortable than those on the X3), has more features, equally well built (both have some cheap quality bits), and is a very solid family vehicle due to these reasons.

That being said, with the entry of the Superb into the foray - I would undoubtedly pick the Superb over the Tiguan : If you don't need the ground clearance & AWD, the Superb would offer better ride & handling, performance, practicality (leg-room, boot space, etc.) & arguably a better ownership experience (assuming the Tiguan would be a CBU v/s CKD Superb - generally European CBUs face more issues with A.C., sensors, etc. owing to our conditions + Superb 3rd gen has been fairly reliable).
In our case, we desired a family SUV to compliment our sedan biased garage but if the option is there, the Superb gets my vote.

Regarding maintenance, there will be small niggles yes. But the Octavia, Tiguan, Kodiaq will also similar niggles and will have similar maintenance.
In our case, our Tiguan TDi has the rear grab handle spring issue where it does not return to resting position on it's own; some members have reported vibrations / noises from their vehicles (refer Kalyan's thread on his Tiguan AllSpace with contributions from other AllSpace owners), etc.
Superb being the oldest of the lot should be the most niggle free in my opinion, but yes - maintenance would be higher than the Korean twins in your garage and would be closer to the luxury segment.

If the Octavia space is suitable, an alternate option is also the A4 which was seeing some massive discounts. If they are still offering such deals (upto Rs. 12-15L off I believe), it is a very competent vehicle.
Compared to the Octavia: expect better interior quality, better suspension tune, better NVH, better kit, etc. for the premium it would command.

[46TheDoctor]

Tucson is a great car and if you can get awd within Rs 30L, it should be a great buy. Only concern will be over the parts availability in the long run due to its generation change and poor sales numbers in our market.

Compass is a great car too and should not give you any ownership troubles as your monthly running is relatively low.

I will suggest you to consider Safari and Innova also before making the final decision.

Make the decision depending upon your requirements like space, AWD, features, expected resale value, etc.

Among the upcoming launches you can consider Kushaq/Taigun also as they are expected to check all the boxes including the safety but without diesel options which shouldnt be your problem given your low running. If they can fulfilling your requirements, you will also end up saving approximately Rs 10 L.

[agrawalyash11]

Sorry that I have been inactive for a while. Didn't have anything substantial to contribute to this thread until now. Since the last week we have had multiple test drives and looked at various potential contenders.

Until last week we were almost gonna book the Tucson but my younger brother was hell bent on making us choose any other car other than hat. He HATED the interior. Not sure why, it was a little bland nut not offensive at all. The solidity and simplicity is what my father and I actually loved about it. But his opposition to it made us reconsider the other options.

A chat with one of our business associated implored us to look at the new Fortuner. His exact words were "Sir, 30-40 lakh me FAARtuner hi best gaadi hai." Over our 30 minute conversation, we were almost convinced to go ahead and make the booking. And so the same day we went to the Toyota showroom.

In typical toyota fortuner fashion, the SA told us he didn't have any cars on display as they have a lot of other showrooms and having that many cars on display for prospective customers would block the deliveries for current customers. The Totota plant shutdown didn't help either. The SA was estimating a minimum 2-3 month waiting on the delivery and wanted a substantial amount on the booking.

Since the ford delaership was nearby, we decided to pay a visit to the Ford Endeavour. Loved the presence of the car. The interior seemed a bit basic but QUALITY was apparent. The test drive was AMAZING. I haven't driven the 3.2 so without that frame of reference, the 2.0 with the 10 speed automatic was AMAZING. The car was very smooth to shift and had effortless acceleration. The confort was amazing and the cra didn't bounce around too much, something which I was afraid of because of the softer suspension. The SA was also keen on negotiation and the wait for delivery wouldn't be as long. The only thing that we were hesitant about was the climb it took to get into the car. So we decided to get another test drive on the weekend with the family to make sure noone has a problem with it and probably go ahead with it then.

Now seemingly, we went from looking for a car at 30 lakhs to then looking at 40 lakhs. Soon we started to ponder over the idea of an X1, XC40, A4s of the world.

However our saner heads prevailed and relaised the overpriced Toyota fortuner, camry and the luxury cras weren't of our use and we WOULD NOT spend over 36 lakhs on the car. Not settinf a limit to the budget would mean the sky is the limit. So these we our shortlisted options in the same order of preference.

1. Ford Endeavour 4x2 AT Titanium+
2. Skoda Superb L&K
3. Hyundai Tucson

The Hyundai slipped to the bottom but would be the safety option in case the other 2 wouldn't work out.

Come to Sunday(6th June) and we called for the test drive for the Endeavour. Unfrotunately the car wasn't available. To be fair, I shouldv'e booked a test drive earlier, but I was under the impression that the cra was in the dealership based on my call with the SA the earlier day. It actuallr wasn't even in the city but at a neighbouring town. Hence our sunday f=plans were foiled.

But we wouldn't let our Sunday get spoilt so easily. After feeling dejected for a while, we headed for the Skoda showroom to see the Superb again. And after January 2021, we fell in love all over again. The grins we had during the TD and walkaround made it apparent that we LOVED this car the most. This time though the car on display was the Sportline. The interior of the Sportline doesn't translate on any video or picture. In our opinion, the Sportline felt WAY more special inside than the L&K. The new 3-spoke flat bottom steering wheel looked and felt gorgeous. In the words of the SA, the Sportline had been a slow mover, so it had bigger discounts than the L&K much to our happiness. A meeting was scheduled on Tuesday at out house to finalise the deal.

And so today, on Tuesday 8th June we have booked the Skoda Superb Sportline. It wouldn't be wise on my part to post the deal online but fair to say the discount was MORE than we could have asked for and the experience with the SA and the manager of Stellar Skoda, Ahmedabad was very good. We have been informed the delivery would be in 5-7 days and the car is already in transit. Will soon post pictures as soon as the car is delivered to us.

Thanks everyone on this thread who gave their opinions and helped me make the decision. I read something on a Team-bhp forum which was VERY accurate for this situation. It goes something like this - " you know what car what you want in your heart but the validation of other BHPians for the same nudges it towards approval and makes the decision that much more satisfying.

[cos.sec]

Dear BHPians,

I am looking to move away from my first car, Vento (TSI AT petrol) which has been now with me for 6 years, and has been driven to ~70,000 km. I would want to upgrade to a vehicle that I can keep for the next 7 years, and then hopefully, the world would move to EVs. I have a budget of around INR 40 lakhs.

A bit of background:
- A family of 3, with my 8 year old daughter
- Aspirations galore (to taking the car to Leh, North East, Bhutan, Europe(who knows)

There are a few criteria that I have in mind:
- Automatic 4WD
- GC of 200mm+ (is this adequate?)
- No lag gearbox (coming from DSG, anything else would be a letdown)
- Car for city + highway use

Other wishlists are
- Paddle Shifters
- Ventilated Seats

I am looking at the Trailhawk, Tiguan, Allspace and the Q2.

My questions
1. Any other cars that I should include?
2. Suggestions recommendations are really welcome
3. When is the best time to buy? I can wait till Sep - Oct

Thanks for your help
__________________

[Bibendum90949]

Originally Posted by cos.sec

- Aspirations galore (to taking the car to Leh, North East, Bhutan, Europe(who knows)

There are a few criteria that I have in mind:
- Automatic 4WD
- GC of 200mm+ (is this adequate?)
- No lag gearbox (coming from DSG, anything else would be a letdown)
- Car for city + highway use


I am looking at the Trailhawk, Tiguan, Allspace and the Q2.

You should certainly include the Ford Endeavour AT too into your shortlist if you aren't too perturbed by Ford's future in India. You'll have to stretch your budget a bit more assuming 40 lakhs you mentioned is OTR price. That's one car that meets most of your requirements, if not all. Though it's a 2.0 litre engine, for a small family as yours it's more than adequate in real world conditions including your trips to Himalayas. There are good reviews about it's 10 speed AT. It's sort of an all round package. It's well loaded on the safety front too.

I feel you should go for a tough true blue SUV with a body on frame construction since you intend to tour extensively. Soft roaders and those German Monocoques aren't as abuse friendly as the Ford/other ladder frame vehicles. The peace of mind it offers is unmatched especially when you're out on the lesser travelled roads and hinterlands.