[Revvman]

I second searacer932's opinion that with your kind of travelling, you must look for petrol only models and Maruti Grand Vitara K15C or Toyota HyRyder should be able to serve you well.

Having said that, if you're looking for a more premium cabin and a higher feature list, do take a look at the MG Astor. Have heard some good things about the car as a total package.

[itsmeparvathy9]

Originally Posted by searacer932

Honestly for that kind of running you should be looking at only Petrol and trust me for Kerala highways the Brezza AT would be more than sufficient

If you want a better fit and finish vehicle then consider one of the following
1. Seltos IVT (but a 3* only rated car in GNCAP test)
2. Creta IVT (same as above)
3. Toyota HyRyder/Suzuki Grand Vitara K15C AT (should at least be 4* rated if not more) - Better fit and finish than Brezza but the same engine as that of Brezza.

P.S : I am not suggesting any DCT/DSG or the Skoda/VW twins considering their unreliability!

If you want a fill it, shut it, forget it kind of vehicles in automatic category then go ahead with traditional torque convertors or CVTs/IVTs!

Originally Posted by Revvman

I second searacer932's opinion that with your kind of travelling, you must look for petrol only models and Maruti Grand Vitara K15C or Toyota HyRyder should be able to serve you well.

Having said that, if you're looking for a more premium cabin and a higher feature list, do take a look at the MG Astor. Have heard some good things about the car as a total package.

Thank You for your suggestions. I will definitely look into the above, yes, it is true that my running doesn't warrant a diesel car, but I felt spending just around Rs.60,000 or so for a 1.5 litre diesel engine car that is tuned for 113bhp and 250nm of torque and providing much better mileage as well as a good torque converter gearbox was worth it over the 1.0 litre turbo petrol DCT.

As regards Kia Seltos and Hyundai Creta, the CVT variants that fall below 20 lakhs are the HTX 1.5 CVT at 18.55 lakhs on-road in Kerala and SX 1.5 Petrol CVT at 19.40 lakhs on-road respectively. However, I am not sure if it is worth spending the extra 85k on the Creta considering the only major difference is Creta having a bigger panoramic sunroof. Moreover, the Creta's looks are polarizing and the Seltos does feel to be the much better to look at. Also, to factor in spending the extra money on the Seltos, over the Sonet just doesn't seem worth it for me.

Toyota Urban Cruiser HyRyder/Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara K15C AT can be considered but considering the pricing of the Maruti Suzuki Brezza's automatic variants, like the ZXI at 15 lakhs and ZXi+ at 16.7 lakhs in Kerala, they too are likely to be on the pricier side.

The MG Astor does seem like a sensible choice considering all what it offers for the price, but I heard the mileage offered is one of the lowest among the competition. I surely can't afford single digit mileage.

[itsmeparvathy9]

Originally Posted by itsmeparvathy9

I am in search of an Automatic Transmission Compact SUV as well, I am a from the rural parts of Thrissur, Kerala where the roads are almost non-existent during the monsoons, so a vehicle with a higher ground clearance was a must for me.

Requirements
So, we are now on the lookout for an SUV with
1. Budget 15 lakhs on road in Thrissur Kerala.
2. At least 180mm of ground clearance
3. Ability to seat 4 of us comfortably (most SUVs can do that I suppose!)
4. A Proper Automatic Gearbox (no AMT)
5. Rear Camera
6. Good Fuel Efficiency (Any fuel is fine too!)
7. Fit and finish should be top notch
8. NVH levels should not be too high.
9. ABS, EBD, TC, ESP, Hill Hold Control
10. Rear AC Vents

I would like your thoughts on this and bring in all your valuable suggestions!

My running is low, hardly 5000 km a year but I expect it to improve going forward and I am open to a diesel.

It's been quite a few days since I have posted my query on the forum, and I am still confused as to which car to buy. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

[Floyd de Souza]

Suggest you try the VAG twins 1.0 AT variants in your budget. Have a thorough test drive.

[itsmeparvathy9]

Originally Posted by Floyd de Souza

Suggest you try the VAG twins 1.0 AT variants in your budget. Have a thorough test drive.

Thank you for your suggestion, but the Kushaq cost 17 lakhs on the road in my state and the Taigun costs 17.5 lakhs too, don't think they are justified for the 1.0 litre engine.

[archat68]

If you have decent service of Nissan in your area I'd suggest Magnite.

[ajayc123]

Originally Posted by itsmeparvathy9

Sorry about that! Newbie here My running is low, hardly 5000 km a year but I expect it to improve going forward and I am open to a diesel because of the mileage and better power and torque figures diesels have over petrols.

Having read your post, a few things come to mind:

No to diesel
- on the way out as a fuel for smaller vehicles
- we have seen a lot of soot issues for short runs in bs6 diesels and you may have to run for regen etc
- your runs will be limited in your town and short, so not suitable for diesel
- we could face more stringent measures related to diesel (higher risks vs other fuel classes) in future from NGT/govt

Petrol
- could consider if your running stays low
- Japanese cars should be most fuss free
- you should have better service access for Japanese cars around your town
- being a sedate driver, only NA

Strong Hybrid
- very suitable for city/town running with high mileage
- if you increase your runs, as you hope to, then the running costs will stay in control
- if budget is a constraint, then you may go for low/mid variants

General
- seriously think about your situation in your town. If you are not facing bumper to bumper traffic, be open for manual gearing for better control. Usually Japanese car clutches are quite light.
- watch for price premium of strong hybrid over NA. 10-12 % premium should be ok, but if it is much higher, wait for a year or two.
- sedate driving / city driving / focus on mileage - larger 1.5 NA over smaller turbo.

TLDR
Grand Vitara/ HyRyder strong hybrid depending on service availability closest to your place, if priced decently, otherwise wait for 1 or 2 years for more options with better pricing parity. We may even see policy measures related to strong hybrids in near future, which may offset costs.

[itsmeparvathy9]

Originally Posted by archat68

If you have decent service of Nissan in your area I'd suggest Magnite.

The Nissan Magnite and its cousin the Renault Kiger were two cars I had considered initially and were watching them since their respective launches.
The Magnite felt the better car overall, but since I had the Kwid, Renault were pestering me to consider exchanging my Kwid for a Kiger.

I eventually heeded to their request and went for the test drive and got my Kwid evaluated, they even offered me 3 years of service, roadside assistance and extended warranty as free too, but when I had the test drive, I felt the interiors were full of hard plastics, ergonomics not that great, uneven panel gaps and fit and finish not great either. The CVT gearbox was good, and the drive was smooth. 4-airbags on the RXZ Turbo CVT was an added advantage, but it hardly had any active safety features, not even Hill-Hold Control. I eventually dropped the Kiger from my list.

The Nissan Magnite felt similar with 360-degree camera and active safety features like ESP, traction control, hill hold control, brake assist and TPMS as added advantages. But despite having a showroom and service center nearby, everyone around me including my friends, some of whom who even own a Nissan Micra and Nissan Kicks advised me against buying it citing its future in India with Magnite being the only saving grace and very poor resale value.

So eventually, the Magnite also had to be stricken off my list.

Thank you so much for suggestions by the way!

[itsmeparvathy9]

Originally Posted by ajayc123

No to diesel
- on the way out as a fuel for smaller vehicles
- we have seen a lot of soot issues for short runs in bs6 diesels and you may have to run for regen etc

Exactly, why I would like one, to own a new one before they are no longer available. This engine is one of the most widely used in the Hyundai-Kia lineup with i20, Venue, Sonet, Creta, Seltos, Verna, Carens, Alcazar and Elantra all using the same engine, although with a WGT in the i20, Venue and the Manual versions of the Sonet. Hyundai, Kia, Mahindra and Tata all have a major chunk of their market share from diesels with Kia selling more diesels than petrols too. As far as soot issues are concerned, I have hardly heard of any from the Hyundai-Kia cars.

Originally Posted by ajayc123

your runs will be limited in your town and short, so not suitable for diesel
- we could face more stringent measures related to diesel (higher risks vs other fuel classes) in future from NGT/govt

Nope, we have quite a few airport runs and a run to my maternal home once or twice in a month, which of course being the major running we have and we live just 400 metres from the highway. stop and go traffic only in the town (hardly any trips).
With the high number of diesels plying on the roads in Kerala, a ban in the immediate future is highly unlikely.

Originally Posted by ajayc123

Petrol
- could consider if your running stays low
- Japanese cars should be most fuss free
- you should have better service access for Japanese cars around your town
- being a sedate driver, only NA

Totally agree with your views here.

Originally Posted by ajayc123

Strong Hybrid
- very suitable for city/town running with high mileage
- if you increase your runs, as you hope to, then the running costs will stay in control
- if budget is a constraint, then you may go for low/mid variants

Surely a point to note and we are eagerly awaiting the price reveal of the Hyryder on August 16 and if Strong Hybrid models prices aren't through the roof, the Hyryder/Grand Vitara could be a serious candidate

Originally Posted by ajayc123

General
- seriously think about your situation in your town. If you are not facing bumper to bumper traffic, be open for manual gearing for better control. Usually Japanese car clutches are quite light.
- watch for price premium of strong hybrid over NA. 10-12 % premium should be ok, but if it is much higher, wait for a year or two.
- sedate driving / city driving / focus on mileage - larger 1.5 NA over smaller turbo.

Totally agree with your views here, but having driven automatics all the time including me, my mom, my dad and my brother being used to the sheer convenience of an automatic, not able to go back to a manual. Waiting a year or two is out of question as my dad wants a car ASAP, can't wait longer.

[itsmeparvathy9]

Originally Posted by Revvman

I second searacer932's opinion that with your kind of travelling, you must look for petrol only models and Maruti Grand Vitara K15C or Toyota HyRyder should be able to serve you well.

Having said that, if you're looking for a more premium cabin and a higher feature list, do take a look at the MG Astor. Have heard some good things about the car as a total package.

if the on-road price of the Maruti Grand Vitara K15C or Toyota HyRyder's base Automatic variant falls within 15 lakhs on-road, I will be seriously considering it. the leaked prices look so tempting.