[lbklenin]

I would consider sticking with Fabia at least till end of this year. You will have multiple options - Taigun, Kushaq and *may be* some news around EVs and their future.

Whatever you decide, happy driving - Cheers!

[justwheels]

I think you should wait, and may be not for Kushaq but for the uncertainty of Ford's India strategy. I myself am an owner of the old gen Ecosport and love it for what it offerred then. Interior quality, the confident drive and the looks. I loved it then and love it now. Fords A$$ has been trouble free, nothing to talk home about though, spare and service costs have been manageable and well in line with any normal car.

So, why do I say wait, only because of the confused future of Ford. The product is still good, but that's only what I would be worried about for now.

Waiting for the Kushaq could just be the time that you need to judge Ford's strategy and also get to compare with the Kushaq.

[TwerkyC0ffee]

Haven't been to Bengaluru so can't comment on the roads there, but do take a good look at Altroz iTurbo. It perfectly fits within your budget, has 5 star safety rating, lot more improved engine and should suit your needs well considering you want to use it mostly on highways.

Altroz offers a very good handling (obviously better than SUVs with high GC and body roll). EcoSport is at the end of it's life cycle and Ford's future in India remains uncertain. Kushaq's base model (considering it fits in your budget) will be very very barebones when you compare it to Altroz's top end trim (which perfectly fits within your budget).

Also, neither the EcoSport nor the Kushaq (yet) have 5 star crash test ratings.

[landcruiser123]

If you can wait, I'd also see whether Suzuki ups it's game with the new Vitara Brezza.

Not sure the Ecosport will be the best choice for someone who holds their vehicles for long. The platform is already 8 years old (launched in 2013) and parts maybe a problem should Ford decide to pull out of India.

[GreyNomad]

Voted others.

The diesel ecosport is a delicious driver’s car but not the best in terms of comfort. Also IMO it won’t feel to be a noticeable upgrade over the Fabia. If ecosport it is then do TD the petrol auto. It’s not as fun as the diesel but the auto gearbox is way more comfortable than the manual. As someone else pointed out the clutch is heavy and worsens with time.

Do consider the Nexon diesel or SCross. Both are 5star rated cars. The SCross especially is a very comfortable car to be in. Given that you aren’t very performance focused, it could be quite the fit for you. It does have 180mm GC (20mm lesser than Ecosport) that navigates bad roads and then some quite competently.
Here too TD the auto. It’s a 4geared TC.

Finally, your running and driving preferences aren’t performance oriented hence I’d suggest NA petrol > diesel > turbo petrol.

[dhruvlath]

Given the usage and requirement of a MT I would seriously recommend you looking at the honda city I-vtec. It’s a safe and reliable long term car with a great engine and gear box.

[NarediAni7518]

I don’t think it is a good idea to get a diesel car with such low running. And looking at your requirements, did you not consider the Brezza ? I guess it’s a car that perfectly suits all your requirements. So consider it. And also, it is one if the FEW safer cars from the Maruti’s stable.

[ramki.grandhi]

Thanks for all inputs guys, I really appreciate it.

I've decided to wait till Kushaq's launch, I may increase budget little bit if it turn out to be a near perfect car.

Perfect points raised by some of you guys in this decision.
1) Ecosport may not look old today but surely it will, after 6-7 years. Given that I would like to keep my car for next 10-12 years.
2) I can always fall back to Ecosport option if Kushaq turn out to be too expensive or Not a great car. Hard to say anything, till we've full details.


Why I'm not looking at hatchbacks and sedans:
1. I'm facing a tough issue at night time, with low seating position, even a scooter guy can blind me for 1-2 seconds. Its very annoying and I feel its unsafe.
2. Bangalore roads.

If I ever decide to buy sedan or hatchback, I would prefer Rapid Rider. Hands down. Wrt value proposition, nothing can come close.

[RT13]

Wait a bit.

Plus as others have mentioned, the SCross is a worthy contender for your usage. The Brezza with the same engine would also work but I like the build of the S Cross better. The XUV 300 also has a nice engine at the price to go with a manual.

But yeah, this year seems like it’ll throw up new options. Having said which, I think prices are going to go up so just be prepared to shell out a bit more.

Good luck.

[peterjim13]

I voted for others here, but I feel you do not have any worthy options at this point of time.

I use and Ecosport 2014 and I have deeply evaluated the new EcoSport.

Based on your budget, I think you may not be able to afford the Skoda - so between the two its just the EcoSport. But no compelling reasons beyond the looks, drivability - the second row is yet to be sorted.

Looking at your usage of the Fabia, I think it will be the best to retain it essentially as the need for a new car is not defined. And dont you think the diesel cars needs some KM on the ODO?

And to be honest, we do not have any exciting cars worth buying at this particular point.

Thanks

[Shwet]

[quote=Behemoth;5031299]My vote goes for the Kushaq too and it should be a good overall package and have a fresh feel to the car.
Another option you can maybe consider is the Kia Sonet which will also fit your budget and requirements. While it has not been safety tested, it should be in the same safety range as the Venue which is 4 star rated. In a budget of 12 Lacs you should be a able to get the HTX 1.0 Imt variant which will also be convenient to drive.[/QUOT

My thoughts regarding the Sonet are quite contrary. I had a small incident on the Mahipalpur Flyover last week. A white Sonet , on my left side suddenly swerved and hit my left fender the impact was sudden and the my car definitely shuddered as i was taken aback by the incident. The clown driving the car was quite unapologetic and behaved as if nothing happened and gestured towards another car overtaking him, due to which he banged my side. Anyways no point in arguing, though i was concerned with the damage seeing that his fender had a bend and the paint was scrapped off. My concern was regarding the damage to my Ertiga considering the lighter build quality compared to the new breed of Hyundai/Kia's. I was surprised that my fender did not have any dent and had a deep scratch with white paint. I was somehow able to lighten it using Meguiar's 2.0 scratch remover.

I have decided to leave that little scratch which is now considerably lighter and doesn't really merit a paint job. The point is my surprise on seeing the damage considering the impact and the fact that the Sonet had a visible dent. Maybe the older gen Ertiga is better built ! To be honest , i don't have any clue as to how i escaped with such a minor scratch. I will vote for the Ecosport anyway since a Skoda is usually tough to maintain with quirky service centre issues.

[TJ02]

If the choice is Kushaq or Ecosport why to confuse and give other options. I would say you can comfortably go with Kushaq. Few reaons why:
1. Skoda is heading VW group 2.0, will not run away for next 5 to 7 years with the amount of money invested in India.
2. Zac Hollis is very active and Skoda has really improved in the recent year or so with their service costs and parts availability. Also more dealers are getting added. This is my personal experience.
3. Their service value pack is pretty cost effective and I am sure they will bring that our for Kushaq too. Also Kushaq has 95% locally made parts so service cost will be competitive.
4. The turbo charged engines from VW are the best available in the Indian market.

For Ecosport- It is a good car but again Ford future is doubtful as Ford is struggling globally also the car is due for next gen. As you keep your cars for long and running is low I think Kushaq makes more sense.

[Pjango]

Voted for Ecosport (but for Petrol) given your running & budget. The Ecosport petrol engine too is good & unlikely you'd get a Kushaq at 12L IMO. Although, to kill FOMO, you can choose to wait till the prices are unveiled. It's not a distress purchase for you anyways.

[S15]

Originally Posted by Behemoth

Another option you can maybe consider is the Kia Sonet which will also fit your budget and requirements. While it has not been safety tested, it should be in the same safety range as the Venue which is 4 star rated. In a budget of 12 Lacs you should be a able to get the HTX 1.0 Imt variant which will also be convenient to drive.

Originally Posted by Behemoth

Thats true and I am actually Hesitant to recommend the Sonet because of Kia's Seltos record. But between the Seltos and Sonet the Sonet is much better in Build and one can pick up a well kitted GTX version also with six airbags. Anyway no one can guess until they really test the cars.
The Kushaq should be a better car, but in 12 lacs it may not be possible to get a higher variant with betters safety.

https://www.financialexpress.com/aut...erent/1556546/

The US and Indian venue are COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.
So much so, even their wheelbase is different, (which hints at a different platform)

[rpm]

Originally Posted by S15

https://www.financialexpress.com/aut...erent/1556546/

The US and Indian venue are COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.
So much so, even their wheelbase is different, (which hints at a different platform)

While it hints at a different platform, they are actually built on the same platform. (Understanding car platforms, starting with the Hyundai Venue)

As BHPian RSR's post reveals, the same platform without UHSS reinforcements and some missing HSS elements has been employed in the name of Indianisation. That it would fare worse than the international Venue because of missing reinforcements is a likely outcome, but I will refrain from calling it a certainty until a crash test is conducted, because a car with just HSS can also be engineered to achieve a good result, viz., the old gen Creta tested in Latin NCAP which secured a 4-star rating.

All credit for the above information goes to BHPian RSR.