[Lowflyer23]

Originally Posted by charanreddy

Because you added the “other” option , adding my 2 cents.

In you comments, I see that you have not picked Nexon due to cost.

XZ plus petrol on road for Nexon is 11.9L in Bangalore.
Proven 5 star safety, decent space, 350L boot, nice cabin, 120 BHP engine makes it for a decent choice in the segment.

No offense mate, but if it's a Nexon it has to be the diesel, period. The petrol in the Nexon has flat spots throughout the rev band and the jerky nature makes the city experience unpleasant. The average gearbox doesn't help either, though it's not notchy but it's not smooth either. I sincerely don't mean to hurt the feelings of Nexon owners or admirers, it's a fantastic safe car and very stable and solidly built but the petrol is not what I'd advise someone to go for.

[rpm]

I'm a bit confused by your requirements. Does safety kit include a GNCAP rating? If yes, I'm not very sure if Ecosport has proven its mettle yet. If no, then the Koreans offer a decent safety kit.

Or it could just be that I've missed out on any discussions on this forum which have already established Ecosport as a proven and safe player. Please link them to me if you know.

[Sahilrai166]

Get the EcoSport Titanium if you love having a good feature set present in your car as Titanium model is quite feature loaded and now comes with a sunroof too and performs very well in the highways. Maintenance costs are also very reasonable but then there is no escaping the fact that this is now the oldest car in the segment and if that doesn’t bother you get the EcoSport.
That said Kushaq is clearly a segment above than the EcoSport but I doubt if even the base variant will land up at 12lac and Kushaq being a Skoda will be also be more expensive to maintain. But if you can live without having any sort of fancy features in your car then Kushaq will be a good upgrade from the Fabia.

[thehacker]

I wonder how a thread comes up on TBHP, everytime, exactly on the same dilemma that I am going through!

I am exactly in the same boat as yours, and have narrowed down to these 2 cars - Ecosport and Kushaq (and VW Taigun), except that I need an automatic. Moreoever, I am the kind of guy who would like to keep his car for as long as possible if I have developed an emotional connect with it. Now what is causing the dilemma is:

• Will the naturally aspirated 1.5L 3-cylinder dragon series petrol in Ecosport be more reliable than the turbocharged 1L TSI engine? Reliability is highest priority in my list and the last thing I would want is to be stranded in the middle of nowhere.
• Which will be easier to maintain and keep for a very long time? Both the engines are comparatively new and has time left. So, availability of parts for the core mechanical components shouldn't be an issue for a long time to come?
• Although, both the cars have Torque Converter automatics, which will be more reliable? 1.5L TSI DSG is out of my budget and the DQ200 gearbox anyways has terrible reliability.
• Will the higher ground clearance in the Ecosport matter a lot compared to 188mm GC in the Kushaq? I am planning to take my car anywhere I can, except offcourse on routes which require a 4x4.
• Both the cars have models with 6 airbags - but only a proper crash test of both will reveal the true safety characteristics. Ecosport is time tested but not by GNCAP. I wonder which one of these 2 will be more safer in a head-on collision or a T-bone scenario.

Or should I wait for a safe automatic car with high gound clearance from Honda or Toyota, if it will ever happen?

[Tucker48]

IMO, the probability of Nissan leaving India is less than that of Ford. My vote goes to Kicks.

[saur95]

Hi ramki.grandhi,

Considering the EcoSport isn't going anywhere soon, I'd suggest holding your purchase until the Kushaq is launched. It's just a few months and you've waited this long anyway.

However, do consider that prices will go up next FY. Not sure if the Ecosport variant you want will stay below 10L ex-showroom.

Alternative : Since you have low running and you keep your cars for long, have you considered an almost-new pre-owned vehicle? You might be able to land yourself a tasty 1-1.5 year old Ecosport S or a Titanium+ for roughly the same price or less than what you'll pay for a Titanium. You'll have a better equipped car that you'll feel like holding onto longer. A good detailing session and the car should be as good as new.

[amiya.c]

I would say two things:
- Stay away from Kushaq as it would be both new and won't fit your budget.
- Choose between Ecosport Titanium Plus AT(Petrol) and Kia Sonet HTX Turbo iMT(Petrol)

Believe me Automatic is the way forward, even before you consider electric car options.
Ecosport's 6 speed Torque Converter is good for both City and Highway runs.

[LPJ777]

If you can wait this long, no harm in waiting till the Kushaq launch happens. Who knows by then, there could a be wild card entry as well. Plus let's say, if the Kushaq is well within your budget then you could always avail the loyalty bonus since you presently own the Fabia and Skoda is offering such a scheme on the Kushaq. My 2 cents.

[pkk077]

Originally Posted by ramki.grandhi

Budget <12 lacs
Usage: Very low, say 3000-5000kms per year. Mostly highway usage.
Must be SUV. But safety kit, comfort(nvh), reliability, and decent interiors takes bigger priority.

I wonder if a car like this exists. Certainly not a new car in this budget. May I suggest a pre-owned CRV?

[fiat_tarun]

Originally Posted by ramki.grandhi

...
4) Requirements: Must be SUV(thanks to worthless bangalore roads and super bright lights on scooters/autos etc). Must be manual, not too worried about performance or mileage or running costs or resale value. But safety kit, comfort(nvh), reliability, and decent interiors takes bigger priority.

...

Given your requirement and I don't see a mention of too many fancy features there, I would say wait for the Kushaq. The 1.0L TSI manual base variant should fall around 12L and Skoda has hinted that safety features like ESP, 6 airbags, TPMS, etc. will be standard on all trims, so slightly better equipped than the Ecosport Titanium.

The Ecosport is a great car but the Kushaq is from a segment above. Going by the fact that you have a Fabia, I see you tend to keep your cars for long, so the Kushaq should stay fresher for long.

The only downsides I see to the Kushaq are that the initial batches will be prone to odd niggles given this is the first car on the Indianised MQB platform and of course Skoda service & maintenance cost.

[jeganatu]

Originally Posted by ramki.grandhi

Okay team, here is the dilemma. I've decided to get a new car to replace my Fabia, though it is perfectly running i've chosen to upgrade.

Context:

2) Budget <12 lacs (Previously it was 15 lacs, but reduced because of various reasons, changed my requirements also accordingly)
3) Usage: Very low, say 3000-5000kms per year. Mostly highway usage, for city usage we are depending on uber\ola\bus.
4) Requirements: Must be SUV(thanks to worthless bangalore roads and super bright lights on scooters/autos etc). Must be manual, not too worried about performance or mileage or running costs or resale value. But safety kit, comfort(nvh), reliability, and decent interiors takes bigger priority.

3) Kicks: Excellent car and package but not sure about Nissan's future in india.

If you want a car immediately, apart from Ecosport, the only option comes to my mind is Nissan Kicks. I was the first to own one even at the times of rumours about Nissan quitting India. But now with Magnite, they are here to stay for ever. Moreover, unlike other brands, the RNIPL factory is owned by Nissan and also used by alliance partner Renault.

The kicks XV 1.5 NA petrol is one sweet variant to miss owning one!
At 11.85 Lakhs on road Bangalore, this variant is fully equipped with ABS+EBD+BA, 8inch touch screen, rear camera, rear parking sensor, fog light, functional roof rail, a proper 400 liter boot, 17 inch alloy wheels, rear seat with cup holder, several silver accents for looks, rear Ac, rear wiper, nissan connect and many more useful features. All this with superior ride quality and NVH levels. You will love the top-notch highway ride quality in Kicks which is best among competitors.

If not kicks, it is Ecosport with all bells and whistles only miss being smaller in size!

Kushaq

Originally Posted by ramki.grandhi

Negatives of Kushaq:
1) Fresh product, not sure what can go wrong.
2) My budget allows me base model only. Base model can be total bare bones, cannot say that yet.
3) There will be lot of waiting period, for sure.
4) Doesn't have that SUVish look, atleast to my eyes.

Rightly pointed out! Remeber, Skoda is a niche affordable premium brand for the common public who cannot afford the big 3 ( Merc, Audi, BMW) ! Moreover being a skoda, expect hefty spares cost and maintenance bills. If you are prepared, then worth the wait and then decide based on price.

[ramharis]

IMO, Nexon does fit all your needs and then some on safety. I had the same confusion last November and test drove Nexon and Ecosport back to back and bought Nexon (clocked over 7K since Dec). Ecosport is a good car, but nothing has really changed since the original launch. And the engine in BS6 has become a bit dull.

Plus Ford really needs to change their game if they are to survive in India, they have lost their magic since the New Figo. I would consider looking at other options before Ecosport.

[aravind.anand]

Originally Posted by ramharis

Ecosport is a good car, but nothing has really changed since the original launch. And the engine in BS6 has become a bit dull.

wait a minute, the engine, transmission, the entire dashboard, the instrument cluster, headlights bumper and grille are all new on the facelift. Compared to any other facelift, this is a substantial change. The facelift has managed to keep the EcoSport contemporary.

I wonder what you would say about namesake facelifts like the one the Swift got recently

[jkaushik]

All I can say is that:
It has to be a Petrol.

Voted for EcoSport, but you wont go wrong with XUV300, Nexon, Brezza or its Toyota sibling as well.

[AKSarkar1]

Voted for the Kushaq.

I would say that a tiny bit of patience would go a long way. The Kushaq would be coming on a new platform that the VAG India group aims to capture the market with, this car would definitely not feel outdated for at least the next 5 years. The Ecosport is an older version (although extremely capable and proven) and I suspect Ford has something in the making to replace this sooner or later. Therefore, I would suggest that if you want to go in for something newer, arguably more exciting the Ecosport and lastly a machine that would not feel dated in the coming years, the wait is 100% worth it.

The price point as many have pointed out is going to be slightly higher than the Ecosport.