Hello everyone, this is asc2022 from Hyderabad and this is my very first post in this forum. I am a new member of Team BHP, though I have been following this forum since many years and this has been my go-to forum for all things cars.
I have been driving a Ford Ecosport Petrol manual, since Dec 2016. Prior to that I had a Maruti Suzuki Ritz, petrol manual which served its duty well for 80k km before I decided to part with it after 7 years. I recently got the new Alto K10 AMT for the home ministry, which I too use occasionally for runs to a crowded market. The AMT, though not the best automatic out there, is still super convenient in bumper to bumper traffic. My left knee thanks me each time I drive it. Though, in my opinion, a manual has it’s own charisma and the joy of changing gears and experiencing the rush of power is surreal, but city traffic is a thing

.
Coming back to present day - I am facing quite the predicament ever since Ford decided to revisit its priorities for India. This has resulted in an excuse for me to look for a new set of wheels. I have somehow managed to curtail the itch since Sep 2021 convincing myself that my car is in excellent shape (which it still is after 55k km, with 2 years of rest during the pandemic) and that prices for the new generation of cars have skyrocketed (Hyderabad being even more expensive with 19% road tax for a second vehicle) which might burn a big hole in my pocket. However each time I see some of the enticing new breed of cars on the roads, such as Harrier, Compass etc, the itch to upgrade to a new and bigger car with modern day conveniences, and more importantly more space and an automatic gearbox surfaces.
So far, I have contended myself by taking test drives and visiting showrooms. As time has progressed and as my kids are growing up, the need for a bit more space during family trips is gaining importance. Till date, I have seen the following cars in a hope that one of these will present itself as a worthy upgrade and will be an undoubted revelation of being the one: Jeep Compass, Tata Harrier, Tata Safari, Mahindra Scorpio N, Alcazar, Mahindra XUV 700, plus a bunch of Sedans - Slavia, Virtus, Honda City and the new age Verna.
Sadly none of these have tugged at my heart strings so much and I felt that none of them come close to what Ford offered as an overall experience, even today after it is long gone. I’m talking about build quality, driving pleasure, service experience, pricing, overall fit and finish, engine refinement, robustness (no rattles and unnecessary sounds), the satisfaction of sitting in something that you know is reliable and tough. Finding all these in one package and that too at a price that doesn’t sound outrageous looks like history. At least to me it appears that way. Again, no offence to anyone who is driving the cars that I mentioned above, I love every one of them and they are all good cars and preferences are an individual thing.
The Jeep Compass (present day variants) came very close to what I was looking for in a car as an upgrade from my Ecosport, but the OTR prices in Hyd, 35L for the Model S Petrol variant just seems a little overpriced to me, though this one tugs at my heart strings the most, among the list that I mentioned (with a little compromise, narrow cabin at the rear)
The other 2 options that I am considering are, the new Tata Harrier XZA (w/o sunroof, as I don’t really want it) and the XUV700 AX5, diesel auto both of which may be between 25-28L OTR. I feel these 2 may be sensible choices and more VFM too, but I am a bit concerned about the future of diesel motors, specially with the Govt. coming up with stricter norms, and reading about DPF issues and regular niggles related to TATA and Mahindra products. I plan to use the car for at least 6-7 years, if not more. Also, would it make sense to retain the Ford for some more time given Ford exit and long term commitment?
So here I end my monologue and would like to invite all your valuable suggestions / advice/similar experience sharing and outcome :-).
Thank you in advance.
ASC