[ramnaresh_2000]

Hello fellow Bhpians,

I used to own 2017 TUV 300 AMT T8 variants and recently sold it due to ongoing AMT issues, since then I had started looking for alternatives. My 1st and foremost preference is for safety, rest all are secondary.

TUV has spoiled me for space and hence looking for a spacious vehicle SUV or Sedan as well. I have shortlisted below based on my research and budget (OTR 15 lakhs).

Kia Selots

I almost zeroed down to Seltos without even taking a test ride based on reviews, I was only contemplating on which variant to buy, you can read more about this in the thread below

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/suvs-...hout-mods.html (Kia Seltos variant dilemma - HTE with mods or HTK+ without mods?)

However, after disastrous GNCAP rating of 3 stars and unstable body structure, I wanted to spend my hard earned money else where. So Kia Seltos was knocked of my list.

Ford EcoSport

Took a test drive of 10 km's in my hometown, the SA reached my house within 30 minutes of calling. I requested for top-end Titanium S variant in Diesel. The TD vehicle was in the Canyon Ridge color, not a huge fan of this color option. I really liked the Lightening Blue and Race Red colors.

+ve

• Well built vehicle. However, after Seltos 3* fiasco, I will not make any assumptions. I need hard proof from crash testing agencies.
• S variants features list (including safety list) is impressive.
• Low maintenance.
• Minimal or zero body roll.
• Great mileage (as I drive 60+ kms per day, after Covid situation, mileage is also important but not at the cost of safety).
• Bonus - Service center available in my hometown as well. This will give me peace of mind.
• All the variants were well within my budget. Ford has very transparent pricing. No inflated insurance (reasonable quote), no "Handling Charges", SA did not push for any extras like accessories or extended warranty in the quotation he gave.

-ve

• Coming from TUV to EcoSport, I felt very cramped. TUV offered space equivalent to a plane.
• Turbo lag felt in 2nd gear. 4 adults were in the TD vehicle. I constantly had to shift to 1st gear in normal traffic conditions. I managed to stall vehicle a couple of times in the short TD I did.
• Backseat is for 2 passengers only. 3 people will not be comfortable for long ride.
• Mahindra has 51% stake in Ford India now. I really hate M&M for giving me a lemon vehicle as wasted my hard earned money. Staying away from M&M as much as possible, else I would have purchased XUV 300 eyes closed for it's 5* rating.
• Rumors of upcoming facelift version. I don't want to own an old model, even though it ages well. After I purchased TUV 300 T8, Mahindra released T10 variant in 3 months, it really got my nerves.

Rapid TSI

+ve

• Turbo petrol puts a smile on many reviewers (did not get chance to TD as no Skoda showroom in my hometown).
• Solid build as it is based on Polo platform, I am sure it is 4* safety rated (assumption only).
• Dad is a huge fan of Polo and Rapid. He will be happiest if I buy this.
• Monte Carlo edition is a looker. It oozes character. Onyx as well.
• Minimalist design, I don't care about wireless chargers, keyless entry, sunroof and other gizmos.

-ve

• No service center in my hometown. I regularly service vehicles at my hometown, as I visit mostly during weekends and city ASS is always crowded.
• Low ground clearance.
• Turbo petrol long term reliability unknown. I want to keep my new vehicle for at least 10+ years to recover the loss of my old vehicle.
• Skoda ASS in Hyderabad is not confidence inspiring. I heard horror stories about Mahavir Skoda.
• High maintenance, availability of spares.
• Outdated looks.
• Claimed mileage of 18.9 kmpl. It will put a big hole in my pocket.
• Showing it's age. I wish Skoda released the facelift model which was released in Russia.

Nissan Kicks

I did a small TD 1 year back of the diesel variant.

+ve

• Unique odd-ball styling, in videos and pictures it looks like a small SUV, however, it has good road presence.
• Space on offer is good. Especially back seat passengers will be happy.
• Proper 5 seater unlike others.
• Well designed interiors, I really love the leather dashboard and seats.
• 1st in class 360 camera. It is a boon in city driving and parking situation. I know the pain as TUV is a huge vehicle and often used to struggle while parking it.
• Ride quality is fantastic. Minimal body roll.
• Turbo petrol is fun to drive.
• Felt solidly build.

-ve

• Pricing was way over my budget for the top end variant. Waiting for year end discounts.
• No crash test ratings. This is based on Duster platform, is it safe to assume it is not 5*?
• No diesel on offer for BS6 avatar.
• Turbo petrol mileage is pathetic.
• Spares parts availability is a concern, we have a Renault Scala which shares same spares with Nissan, we used to wait 1-2 weeks for spares after ordering them.
• Low re-sale value.

Below vehicles are not considered

Hyundai Creta - My father already owns a SX(O) variant. So big no.
XUV 300 - No M&M vehicles please.
Tata Nexon - Tata sales and service in really bad both in my hometown and Hyderabad. I have friends and relatives who are suffering a lot.
Jeep Compass/Harrier/Hector - Out of my budget. No used car policy in my family.

[Sridhar K]

Brezza may be a good alternative that you may have not considered. 4 star rated, decent space, interiors can always be spruced up with excellent seat covers. Service, spare parts availability, re-sale value.

Or even Scross, an extremely underrated car and you may get some very good discounts in December

[AkMar]

Hello,

If not the Nexon & XUV300, I would suggest the S Cross or Brezza. Brezza has a 4 star GNCAP rating. S Cross is not tested yet.

Both are no nonsense cars. They are low on bling but jack of all trades & fairly reliable. 1.5L petrol engine is good enough going by Leoshashi's review. Both these cars will be very reliable & with a wide service network. With a budget of 15L OTR you can stretch to top variants to get some gizmos.

Though not GNCAP tested, my pick will be S Cross. Do take a TD of both & decide which suits you!

[fhdowntheline]

The only car that would be left as per your preferences would be the Brezza/Urban Cruiser.Of these, the Brezza is GNCAP certified. None of the sedans like City/Vento/Verna are certified.
Also, I am not sure what fiasco you are talking about with respect to the Seltos GNCAP test. Its not rated zero stars, agreed its not 5 star either. But there are other cars that people are buying that are more expensive than the Seltos and are also not rated.

[ramnaresh_2000]

Originally Posted by Sridhar K

Or even Scross, an extremely underrated car and you may get some very good discounts in December

I forgot to mention, I also did TD of the S-Cross diesel variant long back, almost 1.5 years back. It was a good vehicle, but I was let down by the quality of plastics used inside. At that time I dropped it because the price quoted for my TUV was very bad, it hardly covered my bank loan. I can re-consider it as I already sold my TUV, however, it is a shame that the diesel variant is discontinued.

I would like to stay away from Brezza, again horrible interiors quality, the handling is good, excellent re-sale value, good spares availability and cheap to maintain. However, my colony is filled brezza's, need something to stand-out from the crowd.

Originally Posted by AkMar

Though not GNCAP tested, my pick will be S Cross. Do take a TD of both & decide which suits you!

Will start exploring S-Cross. Thanks for the suggestion.

Originally Posted by fhdowntheline

I am not sure what fiasco you are talking about with respect to the Seltos GNCAP test.

I am sorry, I cannot digest the fact that I have to pay 15 lakhs for mid variant and live with a 3 star unstable body structure vehicle? When vehicles like Altroz which do not cost a bomb are able to achieve 5 stars, I see no reason for Kia to achieve 3 stars. A lot has already been discussed in this forum on Seltos disastrous ratings, so I would like to stay away from this discussion.

[Sridhar K]

The new scross looks slightly better on the inside and a modern engine than the 1.3 ddis. You can also try the Honda WRV diesel. A nicely packaged car from a space perspective, costs similar to a Brezza and Honda reliability or even the New City or even Amaze, considering you have Rapid in the mix.

[Kosfactor]

Not going to suggest a particular vehicle however , considering you would like to keep the vehicle for long.

1. Buy vehicles that are New , do not buy outdated cars, they will get discontinued soon.
2. Buy the vehicle that you like to drive, do not look at random numbers from the internet, dealership experience etc only to decide what vehicle to buy.
3. Buy vehicles where the brand is committed to stay in India and will likely provide good support over the next 10 years, do not fall for extended warranty, stay away from brands that are known to be troublesome.
4. Buy the biggest vehicle your money can get, they tend to stay useful for longer.

Happy shopping

[GTO]

You should strongly consider the XUV300. It's a brilliant crossover. I know you are hellbent against Mahindra, but it is truly a top-class crossover. Has very good discounts too.

Since you are open to the Rapid but are afraid of Skoda's service, how about the VW Vento? How is VW's service in Hyderabad? If no serious complaints, this should be a top contender.

If nothing else, go for the Vitara Brezza. Maruti's 1.5L petrol is pretty competent. But from this list, I'd go for the XUV300 or Polo / Vento TSIs.

[landcruiser123]

Seems to me that you value safety, practicality, peace of mind, ease of service, and long term reliability. Get the Brezza AT.

While it is not the fastest car compared to the ones mentioned in your list, it is good & fairly competent and will definitely be faster than your TUV which has the aerodynamics of a brick wall.

Side note: A friend TD’ed a Rapid to replace his TUV and just didn’t like the slow slung seating position. He bought a used Fortuner

[mi2n]

I own a TUV and have also made multiple long trips in BHPian DJR and ShuvC's S-Cross top end 1.3 diesel. The S-Cross makes a very strong case for itself. Coming from the TUV, you'll immediately notice the better seats (and interiors), the compliant and almost flat ride, the refinement and overall excellent NVH levels and the gizmos on offer including Cruise Control and the brilliant auto LED headlights. It is very easy to drive as well. Space is at par with the TUV till the middle row, the boot volume takes a hit in comparison, but is still very reasonable. Middle row is also a very comfortable place to be in the S-cross. It is also totally niggle free.

I have not driven the 1.5 petrol variant and am unsure about how long Maruti plans to keep it in production. But you should reconsider the S-Cross.

[EightSix]

Aside of the safety rating criteria, you should consider the WR-V from Honda. It’s a great package and more spacious than the Ecosport. Then the XUV 300 in case you want a good safety rating.

The UC would be my pick over the VB mainly because of Toyota Badge Value, but the XL6 might be within your budget and might appeal to you more as a big car, making it a suitable upgrade from the TUV300.

However, I chose the Nissan Kicks in the poll because I always liked it myself and the only thing that did not work in its favour is Nissan’s poor brand presence in India and Post sales and service experience and Nissan is working to improve it. It seems Nissan is trying hard for the Indian market and maybe you should give the Kicks another TD at-least and then you’d might want to wait for year end discounts.

[sahil624]

I voted for Nissan Kicks. However, given the stress you’re giving on the Safety , I am not very sure about the crash rating it will get given that only the top model has four airbags.
Also, the review of Duster turbo petrol from Teambhp noted that the suspension has been retuned and most of that magic carpet thing is gone. I don’t know how much of that is true regarding Nissan Kicks Turbo Petrol. I suggest you to take a long test drive and, if possible, compare it with Nissan Kicks Diesel (please do share the results too).

[ramnaresh_2000]

Originally Posted by landcruiser123

Side note: A friend TD’ed a Rapid to replace his TUV and just didn’t like the slow slung seating position.

Wow me and your friend are in same boat. I finally went to Skoda showroom (Jubliee Hills, Hyderabad) today just to get quotations. They had Onyx amd Monte Carlo versions in display.

I sat inside Onyx variant and adjusted the seating position to my liking, I just couldn't see the bonet or sides. This was one great thing in TUV, you sit in a great commanding position. I was really disappointed with seating position.

The SA was assigned straight away, he was willing to sell Ambition variant only (they must have them in stock), when asked for discounts, he agreed for free 5th & 6th year extended warranty which is valid for 1.50 lakh kms and 3 years service package. No cash discount or anything.

When enquired on upgrade bonus, he referred to the same offer he previously explained. I enquired about Monte Carlo version availablity and discounts, he said "Currently not available, but can check inventory at other stores".

He sent me whatsapp images of customer feedback and 1 screenshot had MID showing mileage of 21.1 kmpl, however, the chat was 1 year old? I guess it was Diesel variant, not sure.

The steering felt very small and toy like. Interior quality was good, boot was huge. The SA demonstrated the thud sound of the driver door and claimed "very sturdy and very heavy built" .

He also offered TD, but due to time constraints, I declined. I lost half of the interest in the vehicle due to SA's attitude. He asked me when I was planning to buy, I replied Jan'21 for which he smirked. It really irritated me and gave him a my piece of mind. I told him I am not stupid to buy a vehicle which will lose 15% of it's value in 1 month. He then changed topic quickly.

My father who loves Polo was surprised when he saw Rapid in flesh. He said "This looks very small". It is safe to say Rapid is dropped from my list.

Originally Posted by mi2n

I have not driven the 1.5 petrol variant and am unsure about how long Maruti plans to keep it in production. But you should reconsider the S-Cross.

I wish Maruti has brought back Diesel bs6 S-Cross. The petrol is tuned for mileage and not performance. I am yet to drive it, but for now it is last on my list. It neither has a juicy Turbo Petrol like Kicks nor has been crash tested.

Originally Posted by EightSix

Aside of the safety rating criteria, you should consider the WR-V from Honda. It’s a great package and more spacious than the Ecosport. Then the XUV 300 in case you want a good safety rating.

WR-V was considered initially but for just 70-80k extra, EcoSport was offering many extra safety features and hence dropped WR-V from my list.

Wildcard Entry: 2020 Thar

I know I told no M&M, but today 2020 Thar crash results came out and it did a decent 4 stars and rated stable for body structure. I always had a crush on Thar since beginning, and my love for Thar made me purchase TUV as previous version Thar had zero safety features. If M&M had not screwed the AMT, I would have still been a happy M&M customer.

[locusjag]

I voted for "Other". To go beyond the TUV, you would ideally look at Fortuner/Endeavor or at MPVs.

If you're no longer into butch SUVs, you can consider the Vento or something.

The HRV, the Ecosport...they are just not the same thing as the TUV.

I know that I would probably get a TUV 300 Plus or a used Fortuner when it's my time to upgrade...or a Force Traveler even.

[airbus]

Originally Posted by ramnaresh_2000

XUV 300 - No M&M vehicles please.

While I understand your strong aversion to Mahindra, but I think they are improving gradually. I would suggest not to write them off just for that. Based on your research, you can decide the car. XUV3OO is on road for nearly two years and any major issues and most of the niggles must have been known by now.

Originally Posted by locusjag

I voted for "Other". To go beyond the TUV, you would ideally look at Fortuner/Endeavor or at MPVs.
...
I know that I would probably get a TUV 300 Plus or a used Fortuner when it's my time to upgrade...or a Force Traveler even.

I agree, I am using TUV3OO for nearly five years and more long term usage may limit my future upgrade options. I would have considered Thar by now, only thing holding me back is rear seat access. I am willing to wait until the launch of new XUV5OO and Scorpio