[Kashi053]

Main decision factor - AT vs MT. If AT, buying a new seltos makes more sense since compass diesel AT lacks fun to drive factor. Like your requirements where you are looking for only MT, Jeep is the best in that segment. Go for jeep MT and she will keep you happy.

[androdev]

Team-bhp is like a group of elite movie reviewers and Seltos is a bollywood masala movie tailor-made to become a blockbuster by including action, drama, comedy, romance, etc. Masses love it, movie reviewers can't stand it.

I must admit I wasn't expecting someone like you to look beyond a sedan for highway driving.

[Red Liner]

Originally Posted by androdev

Team-bhp is like a group of elite movie reviewers and Seltos is a bollywood masala movie tailor-made to become a blockbuster by including action, drama, comedy, romance, etc. Masses love it, movie reviewers can't stand it.

I must admit I wasn't expecting someone like you to look beyond a sedan for highway driving.

So i guess the Compass is Christopher Nolan

My internal compass points that way too

[VS1811]

I was in the same dilemma as you year back and I really couldn't believe the kind of deals I could get on hardly used Compass and the plethora of options in used car market.

It just seemed too good to be true kind of a deal but then, hang on, for a car selling 0.5K - 1K a month, why are there so many Compass in the used car market at steal deals in the first place?

And that's when i started noticing challenges. First, there were frequent clutch issues in pre 2019 makes and would generally become hard over a short time. Test drove top variant compass with 10k on the Odo and clutch required decent effort. Second, Seltos is as spacious if not more, both inside the cabin as well as boot. Third, its not even a comparison when it comes to features. Fourth, Seltos GT line is a F-A-S-T cruiser and will honestly leave Compass behind in all kinds of standard test procedures. Fifth, Jeep after sales and maintenance is EXPENSIVE. A clutch replacement for an office colleague costed him cool 80K. Sixth, things where Compass shines, Seltos isn't far behind by any means. Ride is a little harsh but really flattens as the speed increases. Handling is right up there even if not in Compass league. Sure, there is no competition with the Jeep's build quality but that's more of a compliment to Compass. Seltos, on its own feels reasonably well built on the move and feel. Compass isn't crash tested but that's where it will definitely outdo Seltos with its disappointing 3 star rating.

I did the above analysis at the time of my purchase and realized i will be able to fetch the difference and more at the time of the sale. Seltos will definitely have a much better resale than a second hand Compass.
It was a resounding vote for Seltos a year back and honestly there are no regrets with that decision till date.

[Behemoth]

Originally Posted by AMG Power

Wow! What a revelation!

Thanks everyone for posting your opinions and for voting.

Didn’t realize the Compass would be the preference by the large majority.

Truth be told, my heart was with the Kia Seltos because of its performance and was willing to pay more just for that.

My vote also goes to the Compass! (I also own one) and I can tell you that the Compass build quality is miles ahead of the Seltos.
When the Seltos was launched and I went to see it, I was extremely apprehensive about its light build and very flimsy panels. It feels like a car which has been made larger than required on the outside and the monocoque structure does not convey strength. (On the other Hand, I was quite impressed about the Kia Sonet's build quality and every part of it felt Solid and well built. )

In fact I also witnessed a crash on the Delhi Jaipur highway between a Seltos and an Innova taxi. The Innova rear ended the Seltos at around a speed of 70 from the back (halfway mid) and the Seltos spun out of control and veered 2 lanes (the Innova on the other hand stayed straight on course). The degree of deformation of the rear hatch and the rear quarter panels was just massive - there was a deformation of almost 1 ft inside of the side panels and the tail gate. The Innova on the other hand had headlight damage and a small dent on the boot. There was less than 3 inch deformation in the front. This incident happened much before the Seltos crash test results were out and since then I had been extremely apprehensive about the Seltos crash worthiness.

Coming to the Compass, It feels like a very heavy car and gives a sense of stability at higher speeds. Even though the India version may not have been tested by NCAP, the global version is 5 star safe and the Indian version feels as safe with very heavy doors and heavy build quality (to me, in my 3 1/2 years of ownership).

I am sure that you should be able to get some good pre-owned Jeep Compass is the market now - Many current JC owners are planning to the 2021 JC now, and upgrading from their current Jeeps.

Happy Motoring!

[AMG Power]

Originally Posted by androdev

Team-bhp is like a group of elite movie reviewers and Seltos is a bollywood masala movie tailor-made to become a blockbuster by including action, drama, comedy, romance, etc. Masses love it, movie reviewers can't stand it.

The Seltos does look like a Christmas tree at night - that a few other things do put me off but one of the few things that got me looking at the Seltos was this:



That and the fact that the turbo petrol is as good as the best in terms of zero lag and very few takers of the manual turbo petrol don’t make it too common. (arguments being put forward to justify to myself internally)

Originally Posted by androdev

I must admit I wasn't expecting someone like you to look beyond a sedan for highway driving.

Exactly what my friends have been telling me. They’ve been asking me to go take a test drive first and then talk and just refuse to discuss further. To be fair to them I have driven both for less than a km so far so there’s a long way to go.

According to them there’s no way I’ll buy an SUV as it wouldn’t suit my driving style.

Here is one of the several WhatsApp messages they’ve sent me to sort of “bring me to my senses”:

https://www.quora.com/Why-has-the-Ki...0bf&srid=Op95e

I didn’t really like the AMG SUV that was with me for a few days so I’m wondering about my reactions to the Seltos and Compass when I eventually get my hands on them. (Link (Driven: Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 Coupe! 367 BHP, 520 Nm, 0-100 in 4.8 seconds)

[bullitt1]

hi fellow BHPians, glad to be finally a part of this esteemed forum since following for many years.

I would go for Compass, as I am in same boat as you on scouting for used ones. I am particularly looking for 4x4 as what's a Jeep without this.

I have driven Seltos as well, it offers more bling, but lacks the character of Compass.

[AMG Power]

Originally Posted by Behemoth

(I also own one) and I can tell you that the Compass build quality is miles ahead of the Seltos.
.. in my 3 1/2 years of ownership)

Thanks Behemoth. An opinion of a long term owner does help.

Originally Posted by VS1811

I was in the same dilemma as you year back

Thanks VS1811 for sharing your feedback and experiences on a very similar scenario.

[yesyeswe]

The skoda kushaq and volkswagen taigun are right around the corner, they will have 1.5 tsi which is seriously fast and fun to drive, both manual and automatic variants with paddle shifters are going to be offered.

On features front they are going to loaded with all that is present in the competition, moreover the build quality is going to be superb with all the safety features thrown in including TC, ESP, ABS and 6 airbags(4 in the base variant)

As with all German cars they are going to be fun to drive, having good highway manners. They offer upto 6/7 years of warranty so you have that as well for peace of mind, and the 1.5 tsi + DSG combo in Troc and karoq hasn't reported any issues till now.

[aastiksaluja]

Thank you for writing the query. I was itching to do the same for a while as I too find myself in a similar dilemma.
Mods- Please let me know if I should post this separately as I wouldn't want to hijack this post

The Scenario:
We are a family of 5 shuffling between three places. My hometown is a hill station in the border region of Uttarakhand, which demands a pothole gobbler mile muncher for 550km odd run from my place in NCR. We have a second home in between(Rudrapur) which is a quick highway (4-4.5 hours; 225kms) drive from NCR and about 250 Kms (hilly drive, a mix of smooth and broken tarmac with some twisty narrow patches and a lot of construction work). Many years back, my Dad used to have monthly work trips from our home to Delhi but times have changed, and now I find me driving the most from NCR to Rudrapur and once in a while to my hometown. Even during COVID, I made around 1-2 monthly return trips to Rudrapur which demands a safe highway car with reliability and no niggles. The drive ratio is 80:20 for highway and city runs.

The garage: 2019 Alturas G4 4X4 AT, 2009 i20 Mana Petrol, 2013 Nissan Terrano XV P(O) 110 HP.

Alturas and i20 are kept in hometown used by my dad for trips to Rudrapur and city work respectively.
Terrano is my daily driver for now with 90K on ODO, and a recent brake assembly and clutch plate replacement- the first I had outside dealership to avoid the pricey service charges. During my last visit the home, I brought Alturas back and put 4K on ODO in a month for my various trips. The car is back with my dad which we exchanged during our last trip to Rudrapur, where we both come once in 1-2 months from our respective workplaces to spend time together. I really wish to clock more on Alturas but my father gets gout pain with manual drive, which was a primary reason to buy a full-size AUTO SUV. Hence, even if I want to, I cant have Alturas with me all the time.

The need/Itch:
My Terrano (Decimator as I call her in my head when it glides over broken roads) is showing her age, and honestly, the only reason I see the need for replacement in the near future expenses. I'm an enthusiast and loves to pin down the throttle whenever I get a chance. So with my driving style, and thanks to never-ending construction on NH 24, it might call for some repair and routine expense which are bound to happen at this stage and in the next 10K(90K currently) of car's life.
Another itch is that if I will continue owning this, I would probably get touch-up on the dents put by some stupid people( Autowallah screeching my Passenger door and rear fender coming on the wrong side while I'm stuck in a highway jam, and an over enthusiast and over-the-line car cleaner boy who one day decided to take it for a spin and ended up denting my neighbour's swanky new blue Tiago while pulling out of parking spot, giving my car a sweet dent on from left fender, Huh!) and probably a detailing and fog light replacement to LED. this seems to be a 20-25K expense, which I believe will not add to the resale price while planning to eventually upgrade in a couple of years(1.5-2).

My Hunt:
I searched for three brackets"
1. Stick to tried and tested platform- Kicks/Duster with new turbo variant, haven't taken a test drive yet, but the continuous downgrade for the manufacturers and these products on the forum made my inquisitiveness for them fade away. And honestly, it wasn't an upgrade, just sticking to what's working for me now. It will be an option only if I don't find a good preowned option in my desired budget.

2. Look for the new boys in the town- Seltos GT line(Too expensive or not VFM IMHO). And a car which doesn't exude primary characteristics of a car in the way they ride and get handled, doesn't cut the mark for me. I would rather choose a Nexon if it drives better. I still recall back in 2013 when I took back-to-back Test drives of XUV and Duster and immediately knew what I want when the wooden brake feel of XUV gave me a scare on a rather modest speed of 60 on JVLR in Mumbai, and the next minute, I was zipping past traffic like a small hatch in Duster. Chose Terrano for those crispier looks and slightly better interiors.
Again, a personal opinion by no means I'm comparing the two. Apologies to anyone who doesn't like my opinion. Everyone loves their ride.

3. Dilemma between Harrier and Used Compass-
Harrier ticks most boxes with its 2020 170PS version. And I can stare at that sexy rear for hours. Even my wife teases me now when she sees a Harrier on the road . The only downplay is the torsion beam rear setup, which I believe, is no match for independent setup of Compass. Also, FrequencySelective Damping, I would like to hear from the first-hand experience of users or experts to know more about that. I believe, during my highway drives, if at all I would be left wanting for more in a Harrier, it would be for the superior ride/handling combo of Compass. To give you all a perspective, I drive the Terrano in a more spirited manner than Alturas because it lets me handle it at high speeds. Although the Alturas is a silent killer, which reaches high speeds very quickly with road noise so well damped you don't feel like you're doing those numbers. But when it comes to taking pass or gliding through zigzag truck patterns, Terrano feels like a go-kart. With this driving style and my type of fun, I have a hunch that Compass will suit the requirement better.

Apart from valuable comments/feedback on the car to be chosen, I would appreciate it if existing compass owners can share their experience and things to look out for while looking for a pre worshipped. Or if there are any fellow BHPians who have one around them, as I am not too comfortable trusting these dealers especially in Delhi NCR, and my father has finally given a go-ahead to consider a pre-owned which he never really preferred in his 30 years of ownership. So it's highly imperative that I get a clean vehicle.

[Turbolove]

Originally Posted by yesyeswe

The skoda kushaq and volkswagen taigun are right around the corner, they will have 1.5 tsi which is seriously fast and fun to drive, both manual and automatic variants with paddle shifters are going to be offered.

On features front they are going to loaded with all that is present in the competition, moreover the build quality is going to be superb with all the safety features thrown in including TC, ESP, ABS and 6 airbags(4 in the base variant)

As with all German cars they are going to be fun to drive, having good highway manners. They offer upto 6/7 years of warranty so you have that as well for peace of mind, and the 1.5 tsi + DSG combo in Troc and karoq hasn't reported any issues till now.

The above seems like the best option over choosing the Seltos or Compass.

[90Horses]

Voted for Seltos and shy away from the Compass. Sole reason is the Service experience of FCA in Bangalore, Neither PPS or KHT deliver the Service that's required for a Jeep or a Fiat. I own a Fiat and I shy away from Service centers from 2 years as they are treating customer as a Cashing Cow and they do a sub par service when it comes to repairs.

Initial years service will be fine, after 3 years once you start changing the parts like timing chain, Fiat's sub par service will make your car more and more untrustworthy. Nonetheless, these machines are awesome, nothing can match its dynamics or quality.

[Turbohead]

Originally Posted by yesyeswe

The skoda kushaq and volkswagen taigun are right around the corner, they will have 1.5 tsi which is seriously fast and fun to drive, both manual and automatic variants with paddle shifters are going to be offered.

Let's not get carried away! I know you have close ties with an insider and I appreciate the info you bring out to the forum.

But VW/ Skoda are no Toyota's. I'm expecting a few serious niggles/reliability issues in the first year of production and it's very difficult to recommend them to someone who will be primarily using them in the highway. Getting stranded in the middle of nowhere is painful.

If you don't believe me, check this out: https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/techn...2012-a-11.html (A case of unreliable Volkswagen Ventos (2010 - 2012))

Yes, I'm a slightly level-headed VW fanboy.

[petrolHead_1609]

Originally Posted by yesyeswe

The skoda kushaq and volkswagen taigun are right around the corner, they will have 1.5 tsi which is seriously fast and fun to drive, both manual and automatic variants with paddle shifters are going to be offered.

As far as the reports go, 1.5 TSi will be mated to DSG but 6 speed manual can only be had with 1.0 TSi.

Given your inclination towards manual, if you somehow are still not convinced with sedans, better not to kill time and go ahead with compass. It might miss out on a feature or two but aces in mechanicals, I think that's what counts.

Compass can't be compared to a dated looking, high on features, low on practicality, overpriced, not so reliable, unstable bodyshell bearing pseudo SUV wearing tons of LEDs everywhere it could.

[yesyeswe]

Originally Posted by Turbohead

But VW/ Skoda are no Toyota's. I'm expecting a few serious niggles/reliability issues in the first year of production and it's very difficult to recommend them to someone who will be primarily using them in the highway. Getting stranded in the middle of nowhere is painful.

I have been aware of all the issues skoda and volkswagen face, and have faced, whenever I see someone talking about the Koreans(which itself are having issues) i just mention the German twins.

The OP himself is considering a seltos which according to our forum and other sources is facing braking and other issues, he himself isn't talking about Toyota or reliability, so no harm in mentioning a similar priced product. He wants a fast car with sorted dynamics, and that the 1.5 tsi fulfills.

The thread which you have quoted involves diesel Ventos and that too initial batches having injector failures. The current Germans including the karoq, T-Roc, polo and rapid having the 1.0 tsi and 1.5 tsi engines haven't reported any issues surprisingly, so they can be considered. But still i accept that a person who wants 100% reliability should stick to tried and tested cars.

Originally Posted by petrolHead_1609

As far as the reports go, 1.5 TSi will be mated to DSG but 6 speed manual can only be had with 1.0 TSi.

1.0 tsi with 6 speed manual and 6 speed torque converter
1.5 tsi with 6 speed manual and 7 speed DSG
Confirmed