[Poitive]

Originally Posted by morphique

Since my primary choices have a waiting period, I keep checking for alternatives that might be available sooner. Checked out Kicks CVT yesterday

Thank you for sharing your drive experience, mate. In my case, I found the sound insulation rather poor. The steering was a joy for me, mainly due to the feedback. I guess you are used to an EPS in your daily drive (the Kicks has an HPS). If feedback matters to you, you just might enjoy the steering once you get used to it.

I did not really check some aspects, and it is really surprising that there is no storage as you mentioned. Strange design choices.

Which is the primary car you booked? An XUV700?

Originally Posted by heydj

- My advice would be to do TD on various routes and not just point the car to nearest open road. Its a given any modern car with turbo would feel great on open road however how it responds in very very dirty traffic is what needs to be observed.
-----
- Jeep Compass D - steering I found bit to heavy for my liking ...
Tucson D AT 4WD - superb to drive with lighting fast acceleration. However drive was so smooth that it was bit boring at times. This is a gem of a engine with great AT.
- However not sure between JC & Tucson which is better in rough terrain considering both have 4*4?
----
I am now confused between few things:
...
- Is it better to spend 32L on above or at 38L get Fortuner P AT? Considering 38L usage over 15 years vs 32L usage over 10 years?
- Or chuck everything get Thar P AT or D AT at 18L and if family expands then get XL6 etc in future.

- In my case, I did try most of them in traffic as well. For significant periods. All seemed okay to me. Kicks had some issues due to the nature of it's power delivery, but gained on it being of an apt size. I was even comfortable in the Harrier, which many complain about t. I guess much depends on what one is used to and what one expects.

- I actually thought that the steering of the Compass was an excellent balance between comfort and feel. If the tyre pressure was not checked, hardness could also be due to low TP. Much is also dependent on what one is used to driving.

- IIRC you were very clear about keeping the vehicle for long. 15 years. If I was in your shoes and found both equally appealing overall, I would look at reliable service over it's lifespan. There is only one winner here. Hyundai would also have way wider coverage, which would matter more into the later years of the car; especially for outstation trips (the gripe, IIRC you have with your current car). (Edit: the Compass also felt rather small inside, for a 6'3" tall person. It hardly seemed to the kind to have you on the rear bench with due comfort, if the need were to arise over it's long lifespan.)

- This choice is much dependent on what one's family also thinks about. Unless the Thar is something you keep dreaming of, going for one good suitable vehicle might be a better choice. Considering your low running, it seems questionable to pay for maintenance and insurance etc on two vehicles and not getting a premium experience on either.

- If the Fortuner really tugs your heart, it might be a good idea to go for it. 15 years is a long time. By the time you replace your car, much would have changed. EVs could well be ruling.

~~~~~~~

Folks, as for my purchase, some things have been happening at my end. Not entirely pleasant. There is also a sense of dejection with the whole process is panning out. Unprofessionalism by a company is putting a further spanner in the wheels. Will wait a bit before sharing further.

From really looking forward to the new car, it is gradually deteriorating to an bothersome experience of which the joy has been pulled out. Emotional, as I am about cars, I am in a bit of an 'escape zone' and been avoiding spending much time thinking about it all, hence the delays in writing on this thread. Partly as a diversion, and also due to interest, have spent most of my time on the forum on the Ukraine-Russia thread for a while. (link)

I shall keep updating the thread of significant things at my end - TD reports or being totally committed to a car.

[morphique]

Originally Posted by Poitive

Which is the primary car you booked? An XUV700?

Couldn't wait that long, so I didn't even test drive it. I was only considering options that were available sooner. But now I have multiple bookings for different cars! My original preference was to pick a Diesel AT - so it was between Sonet, Seltos, and Harrier. But the outrageous attitude of the local dealers (be it Tata / Kia / Hyundai) and the unavailability of my preferred options, has me extremely frustrated, leading to considering all possible options, even MT, even Petrol, right from i20 till Harrier, even in the used car market (never thought I'd ever do that in my life!).

[shancz]

Originally Posted by Poitive

Had the Knee-Console issue (as mentioned in the Test Drives on page 1) not been there in the Harrier/Safari, and if it had better NVH, the choice might have been much simpler.

The rumour/news of the Harrier being modified for GNCAP tests seems believable and if that's the case I really hope they sort out the knee console issue and you finally get some respite.

Wishing you better luck with the dealership stuff as well.

[Poitive]

From the first post on this thread:

Originally Posted by Poitive

While I have already paid a booking amount and am frustrated with the wait, I am willing/considering a change. To avoid bias and keep views flowing freely, let us ignore that a booking has been made - at least for now.

Since most of the discussion has been exhausted, and as shancz and heydj suggested, I should at least inform the thread of which one I had booked. I suppose it is overdue. It was an MG Hector. The choice had a lot to do with others having (near?) deal-breakers as described in the first page. It left me wanting, but with no real alternative in sight, and thought of taking in the collective wisdom of the team here. (Others in the close F&F circle had booked others as well, but details of that would be a total digression)

Thank you everyone for taking the time out and sharing points of view, and sharing this (yet incomplete!!) journey. Sorry, this is turning out to be such a long drawn process. Besides the value of the points, the sharing and camaraderie makes the wait and confusion less painful - so thanks again, for that too.

The unpleasant situation continues. One reason to go for MG was that after some initial hiccups the experiences shared on the forum were generally good - the car, dealership and the company. That good impression about MG Motors and it's professionalism is seriously changing. Have waited well over 6 months for a Hector, when it was expected before or around Diwali of 2021! It is not just about the delay either. I am giving it some more time before talking further about it.

I did test drive the Hector again, and would write a short report when I don't feel bugged enough about the whole situation. Hopefully soon, but won't commit. There are a couple of things which felt different from the older drives. Will try to TD more too. Even though it might be a bit delayed, I shall keep sharing.

~~~~~

Originally Posted by morphique

Couldn't wait that long, so I didn't even test drive it. I was only considering options that were available sooner.

Hope you were able to find something suitable, mate, and were luckier than me.

Originally Posted by shancz

The rumour/news of the Harrier being modified for GNCAP tests seems believable and if that's the case I really hope they sort out the knee console issue and you finally get some respite.

Wishing you better luck with the dealership stuff as well.

Thank you for remembering to mention it here, shancz mate. I have quite been off automotive news for a while. After your post, I did make a basic check. An article in (IIRC) Rushlane quoted Team-Bhp, which in turn had a thread based on an anonymous person as below. No idea how credible it all might be. I really do hope that Tata does do something about the knee-console issue (more so, as bit by bit, the MG experience is turning sour), but considering cars are in short supply, I wonder if they will bother.

Originally Posted by TusharK

Thanks to the Team-BHP fan (he prefers to remain anonymous) who sent this information in. Heartfelt gratitude for sharing it with other enthusiasts via this Team-BHP share page!

[shancz]

Originally Posted by Poitive

It was an MG Hector.

When I read the first post I had assumed that to be the XUV700 but then your TD experiences left me confused.
Although I am surprised that the Hector has such a long waiting period !

Originally Posted by Poitive

No idea how credible it all might be. I really do hope that Tata does do something about the knee-console issue (more so, as bit by bit, the MG experience is turning sour).

Apart from the rumour/news, common sense dictates that this would be the right time for them since the lack of GNCAP ratings for their flagships is ever more apparent after the XUV700 scored 5 stars.
They can't win the race by staying in the slipstream of smaller cars, they have to make a move and now but I wouldn't put a date to it, probably someone else could.

On to your next car. Did read your VVS experience here (Finally! “Driven!” & “Chosen a Diesel Sedan” – The VVS Magnum (Chevrolet Optra)).

Gave a glimpse into the level of involvement you have in the selection process of the car. I find it quite strange that as the number of options have spiralled from what they were in 2011, the innovation and excitement seems to be waning.
We seem to have a lot of the same and very few outliers but this could just be my limited understanding and information.

IMHO your car has to be special and so I suggest a look at the following cars and consider sedans too, at least a TD to check the ease of ingress/egress, rear seat comfort and most importantly does it come close to the VVS :

• Slavia : suggest the 1.5 MT, not mentioning the Virtus since it doesn't have the 1.5 MT IIRC
• Jeep Meridian : hoping that the "knee issue" has been looked at and sane pricing, 29th March seems to be the day, have a look (India-bound Jeep 7-seater SUV, named Meridian).

If nothing else works out I suggest to wait for that special car and get something workable with a good resale since the intent would be to sell it once something suitable is launched.
Keeping everything in mind and your requirements I would suggest to check out the Ciaz. Similar dimensions to your car but minus the feel and no pushed back in your seat moment.
This option assumes that you need something to meet your needs now while you wait for the car you like.

If you can wait, that's good but in the current situation with semiconductors and upcoming launches I don't know how long that wait would be, unfortunately.

Will wait for your experience with MG, at your convenience.

[morphique]

Originally Posted by Poitive

Hope you were able to find something suitable, mate, and were luckier than me.

Nope! We are in the same situation - the only difference being I am having a tough time with Kia dealers (Kia Seltos : Official Review). I am surprised reading about your experience with MG. I have only heard good about MG dealers, and the Pune dealer has always pushed me for Hector saying it can be made available within a few weeks - my guess is it was for the CVT though, since he had one in ready stock not too long ago. I wonder if there could be such a vast difference in waiting period for the Diesel one.

[Poitive]

Mahindra XUV300 (Petrol AMT) Mini Test Drive

Background
Having no plans to spend as much, thought I'd anyway try the Tucson due to the strong recommendations (not on the thread) and also to help a fellow Bhpian make his choice. Also thought "you never know what it leads to". Had fixed the time for the TD and due to some confusion/laxity on the part of the SA who wasn't on duty on the given day, the Tucson didn't arrive. I took the opportunity to try out whatever else I could and reached a Mahindra Showroom. XUV700 was not available in MT, only in AT. Gave it a skip.

Happened to sit in the cabin of the XUV300 again. Was impressed again. Though I could not sit (or even comfortably enter) on the rear bench behind the driver's seat adjusted to my position, I thought I'd try it anyway. An AT was available, and that too in Petrol. Thought I should try it out if only to rule it out.
The idea was to get a basic feel of the car as that was the only one available, and I was sure that I don't want a Petrol AMT.

Main
Ingress was pretty good. As easy as the bigger ones. The cabin was checked in the in-showroom piece and for me it was pleasing. Not overdone as it is in many of the newer vehicles. Felt more aesthetically done up than the XUV700. It didn't feel like a Mahindra-Tata product - felt more to international standards. Ssangyong roots showing, I wondered.

No knee-console issue. Brought a smile. Comfortable posture. A good front seat to be in. Not cramped, nor overly spacious. Better than what one might expect of a sub-4 meter car. Much better. The ergonomics were quite good. The legs sat at ease. Like the XUV700, the buttons on the armrest were too far back (away from the hinge) and the padded support wasn't well placed. Acceptable, not good. Overall, I liked the seat, even though it didn't have the arm-chair like armrest comfort of the XUV700.

For using the rear bench, I had to move the front seat forward. If moved all the way forward as would often be possible if there was just me and the driver on board, the legroom felt okay. Probably not much worse than the Compass, I thought. Just about enough headroom (IIRC - been a few days). It wasn't a deal breaker.

We get moving, and it is easy enough to take out of the tight lane. I can't say that it felt significantly easier than the 700 I had driven out on the same lane, which is a compliment to the 700. The height didn't feel SUVish, but was a very comfortable height. As one expects of a petrol, it was quite silent and smooth. A bit of traffic, and it is a good easy size to handle. Just not imposing like it's elder 700 brother. The sound insulation from traffic was good. Not much engine noise either. Harshness was well controlled too.

On getting a somewhat open road, I pull it a bit. Quite peppy and likeable. Not comparable to the 2 litre diesels, of course, but generally enjoyable. What stood out was how the engine noise could be heard. The 3 cylinder revealing itself. Besides that, the NVH remained well controlled. Traffic noise probably better than even the 700, I wondered. The gear shifts were not an issue despite it being an AMT, but don't take my word on it. I am very much an MT guy.

The screen wasn't functional, so some of the settings were a bit of a task to set. The steering had 3 modes - something an EPS can provide (I hope and wish the XUV700 gets this - it should really be a mapping and a bit more to add). I set that to sports (hardest setting). While the steering got hard enough and had good feel, it could not be expected to be like an HPS or provide proper feedback. Good for an EPS, I'd say. In terms of response to steering inputs, it was okay. Not slow, not sharp. I presume that would be due to the suspension-chassis setup.

The suspension was comfortable enough. Not bouncy. Not plush. Not harsh. Quite middle of the road stuff which should keep many happy. Though balanced, the suspension+chassis setup wasn't Nissan Kicks/Jeep Compass class. A bit closer to the Kicks, as both have a torsion beam and the Compass a Multi-link. The steering response was in line with this - neither slow, nor crisp (surely faster than the Optra Magnum, which was slowish to react).

The turn I like to specifically test the car on, wasn't free enough so keeping safety as a priority I didn't push the car much, but on what I could feel, it was rather well controlled. Didn't have the agility of the Kicks or Compass. One could feel fairly confident in this one too. It took speed breakers well too, even while with a bit of a turned steering at moderate speeds. (Things should be checked such only if one is confident and a fairly experienced driver - could be dangerous otherwise.) It was good on poor roads as well, but wasn't tested as well as the others.

I wanted to test it further, but the whole idea of a automatic transmission was getting on to me. It really wasn't intuitive and controlled driving as I like it to be. One part of me felt hassled. Yes, there are people who find an MT simpler and easier to be with . Despite trying much on Manual mode, it was just not the same. At a point, I was like "chuck it ..." and didn't want to drive it anymore. I anyway didn't want an AT, nor a petrol. We turned back.

A small bit was tried on the rear seat, the cabin experience of which I shared above. The rest was nothing to write about. Felt okay.

And yes, I could enter the passenger seat with ease, unlike the XUV700!
(link)

For myself: The boot felt rather small. More like a big hatch. While it did have an excellent feel in the front row, and wasn't too bad at the rear too, I wasn't sure if I liked it enough as the others I was considering were of a different category. I don't totally rule out the diesel manual as yet, as it has an excellent torque to weight ratio (comparable to the Optra Magnum!). It being of lesser capacity (1.5L vs 2L) and only 3 cylinder, I expect it to be peaky power, but that is an untested guess. A diesel MT wasn't available. I might try it later.

The key takeaway also was that I became 99% sure that I want to stick to a Manual Transmission.

Mahindra XUV300 (Petrol AMT) Mini Test Drive - Summary
(Wasn't a proper TD and of fuel and transmission I wasn't interested in - a chance mini TD)

• Good balance of comfort and control, due to a well balanced suspension+chassis setup.
• The EPS steering has 3 modes, which is very welcome. Should suit many - from comfort driven to ones who like it weighty. Of course, no HPS feedback. Moderately responsive.
• Interiors not modern and blingy, but pleasing and well appointed for it's class.
• No issues with headroom, ingress-egress for a tall hefty fellow. Fairly good ergonomics.
• At the cost of the boot, the main cabin has lots of space for a sub-4m vehicle, thanks to it's 2600mm wheelbase.
• I expect it to behave well on a highway with a good balance of comfort, control and composure for it's price and sub-4m SUV bracket.
• Felt like a quality car with a good balance of drivability and comfort.

For anyone considering a car around it's price or category: If you can manage to live with the boot, this is a must-try car. I expect the diesel avatar to be even better.

PS: Just in case you directly landed on this page, the main test drives are here on the first page.

[shancz]

Originally Posted by Poitive

Felt like a quality car with a good balance of drivability and comfort.

Ditto on your experiences but I drove a petrol MT of a friend. The moment I sat in and started driving the feeling I got was "lets head to ladakh", that feeling usually comes after spending some time with a car, this was different.

Quite a mature cabin and car.

Ditto on MTs.

Excellent review as always

[Poitive]

Originally Posted by shancz

- I am surprised that the Hector has such a long waiting period !

- Apart from the rumour/news, common sense dictates that this would be the right time for them since the lack of GNCAP ratings for their flagships is ever more apparent after the XUV700 scored 5 stars.

- On to your next car. Did read your VVS experience here (Finally! “Driven!” & “Chosen a Diesel Sedan” – The VVS Magnum (Chevrolet Optra)).
Gave a glimpse into the level of involvement you have in the selection process of the car.

- I find it quite strange that as the number of options have spiralled from what they were in 2011, the innovation and excitement seems to be waning. We seem to have a lot of the same and very few outliers but this could just be my limited understanding and information.

- IMHO your car has to be special and so I suggest a look at the following cars and consider sedans too, at least a TD to check the ease of ingress/egress, rear seat comfort and most importantly does it come close to the VVS :

• Slavia : suggest the 1.5 MT, not mentioning the Virtus since it doesn't have the 1.5 MT IIRC
• Jeep Meridian : hoping that the "knee issue" has been looked at and sane pricing, 29th March seems to be the day, have a look (India-bound Jeep 7-seater SUV, named Meridian).

- If nothing else works out I suggest to wait for that special car ..

- I surprised myself by booking the Hector, which is why this thread. It was the last man standing after the others were knocked down by near deal-breakers. Good reports by people of dealerships and company in general swayed things further. Gave a refined experience on the TD. Things change; they did.

- Indications (and they may or may not be correct) are that Tata might send the petrol one for the GNCAP, to avoid a suspected issue with the Fiat MJD on a RHD vehicle causing issues with the ratings. As far as I know they are only suspicions and speculations, but not totally without reason. More on the Harrier in upcoming posts soon.

- I really do appreciate you taking the time to check the ownership report of the VVS Optra Magnum, shancz mate I really do need to write a post about that special vehicle; probably after finalizing/getting the SUV.

- I think, like most products (audio products being one example), cars designs too are seeing a change due to how purchases are made. Companies respond to customers. Customers appear to now decide more on social media, feature comparisons, perceived badge value, and things which are less to do with the car itself. Also, parts and platform sharing has increased significantly. This shifts things towards leaving out the outer few percentage of the extreme of the population for mainstream car makers, as that is more cost effective. The outer few percentage could be to do with anthropometric scale or even what one expects of a car in terms of driving. HPS has given way to EPS - cost and most customers wanting a synthetically soft steering, at the cost of a better connect with a car (which most don't care for). The simulation via EPS is getting better, however.

Also, Optra Magnum at that stage and price was an opportunity, and such don't come too often. I have resigned to recalibrating my expectations to get a car than endless wait. Just don't want it to end up being mainly a practical A to B vehicle without character.

- VVS - Very Very Special (Laxman) - it was aptly named. . How much ever I might want it, I really don't see another car as special happening to me in acceptable budgets, also considering the "special" list of demands/needs/wants I have. To add to the driving and comfort experience, it is now a higher vehicle and lots of headroom in an age of sloping coupe-like rooflines at the rear. Sigh! And looking for dynamics of very well sorted suspension of a low sedan in a high SUV is almost like stretching physics a bit.

I did check the Slavia. More on that soon.

Thank you for connecting me to the Meridian Thread, which I missed as I've hardly been reading about automobiles. Even though I am very reluctant to increase my budget beyond a point, if the gap between the Compass and Meridian is really small (unlikely, considering it is being compared to a Fortuner), It does look lovely in the maroon colour they have pictures in.I just might get tempted despite other issues with Jeep itself. A price protection at launch and early deliveries too would sweeten things in this age of regular and significant price increases, and ever reducing options.

- Waiting for cars has another major issues. Unlike most people, I would not be happy to increase the budget even if time passes. Cars are rapidly getting more expensive. One of the YouTube videos claimed that the XUV has already increased 3 lakhs in price since launch (correct?). An interim car also adds to total cost and hassle.

Originally Posted by morphique

Nope! We are in the same situation - the only difference being I am having a tough time with Kia dealers (Kia Seltos : Official Review). I am surprised reading about your experience with MG. I have only heard good about MG dealers, ...

I wish you luck, mate. Hope you get to your ride soon. I too was surprised to see things at MG - not just from the dealer, but also the company. Makes me wonder if it is a good choice after all - also considering how nasty politics can be as seen in the Ukraine-Russia thread - China ain't no friend, and this is a 'connected car'

MG also seems to be keen to make only the top end model of the car. I guess due to higher profit margins on those. I wonder at the fairness of taking bookings of models they don't expect to deliver - with the hope that a customer might be frustrated to going in for one which suits the company.

Can anyone please suggest where I could get a variant wise breakup of cars delivered/sent to dealers by MG?

Originally Posted by shancz

- Ditto on your experiences but I drove a petrol MT of a friend. The moment I sat in and started driving the feeling I got was "lets head to ladakh", that feeling usually comes after spending some time with a car, this was different.

- Excellent review as always

- That, to me says that a car has been well thought out. Like my old ride.

- Thank you.

~~~~~~~~~

Considering the XUV300 mini-review, I guess not many are checking the thread anymore, possibly due to it being such a long drawn process. I shall likely keep sharing of future updates a lot smaller, as a large part of writing them was also to give back to the forum readers.
Coming up:

• MG Hector again
• Tata Harrier again
• Jeep Compass again
• Mahindra XUV700 again (hopefully)
• Short notes notes on Slavia and Kushaq very soon
• Who knows what else!

~~~~~~~~~~

[DicKy]

Originally Posted by Poitive

Mahindra XUV300 (Petrol AMT) Mini Test Drive.... I don't totally rule out the diesel manual as yet, as it has an excellent torque to weight ratio (comparable to the Optra Magnum!). It being of lesser capacity (1.5L vs 2L) and only 3 cylinder, I expect it to be peaky power, but that is an untested guess. A diesel MT wasn't available. I might try it later.

Oh please.

Do TD the diesel manual. Am sure you wil love it !!! The Ecosport steering is waaay better, Brezza has more upright SUV seating, the Nexon has more mature suspension (XUV300 is softer), but, something about the XUV300 makes us feel at home in it. The only negative we could find was that the rear seat was set low. Let's say, like a sedan. Ofcourse the rear seat was wide, but underthigh support was so-so.

Btw, it is a proper 4 pot diesel.

[Poitive]

With a short window in hand, checked the cabin of these two to know if I should try for a proper test drive. Short notes from my perspective below.

Skoda Slavia

Not sure if I liked the looks, but was surely pass the acceptable threshold. Ingress was nowhere like the (pseudo) SUVs. Wondering if it was acceptable, I held the steering, and thought how it might be to drive. Just the thought of being in a low sedan and not a high centre of gravity "SUV" got me smiling. Keeping it short now.

Notes:
- Cabin quality felt nothing to write home about.
- A slightly jazzed up feel; not premium. Acceptable.
- Thankfully no knee-console issue.
- Rear seat ingress-egress wasn't too great for me. Still considered further.
- While on the rear seat something struck me. (Check pic.) - The side of the car feels caving into the roof. Too curved. Gave me a somewhat claustrophobic feeling. Despite a larger wheelbase, felt visually more cramped than the Optra.
- The Ceiling felt closer to the eye-level than I'd want.
- I push my head back, and it hits the ceiling! Can't turn my neck backwards in this car and sit. Deal-breaker!
(IIRC, what they have done is to scoop out a part of the ceiling to increase the headroom at that point, and it is odd and doesn't work for me - vaguely seen in the picture)

The only sedan which was somewhat considered was off the list. However, just being on the seat reminded me what I'd be missing in a higher centre of gravity car. Sigh!



View from the rear-left seat.

.



View of the ceiling at the rear.
.

Skoda Kushaq

It felt way bigger than the impression I had from pictures. Thought: I can live with this size happily, I think. Liked the overall exterior styling, though at some points, felt like a huge hatch. The width to height proportions also suggested the right balance between easy ingress-egress for my back, and not taking the centre of gravity beyond what was really needed.

Notes:
- Fairly easy ingress-egress in front.
- Legs did not sit as comfortably as one might want, but if all else was okay, they were livable.
- Cabin quality: didn't focus much but probably like the Slavia.
- Passenger seat had a protrusion which became more obvious when the seat is pushed back. See pic. Not that I use this seat often, it felt odd to not be able to move one's feet back while on this seat.
- Rear seat ingress & egress: not great for it's height, but bordering on acceptable.
- The caved in feeling due to the side wasn't really there.
- What felt very strange on sitting straight was ceiling from my eye-level. It felt too too close. The part joining the B pillars is much lower, so in a sense, the ceiling above the front seats and rear bench have been scooped out. The lower part of the ceiling felt just above eye level. Really not something one can feel at ease with. (see pics.)
- Further, when I lunged forward, my head hit the protrusion in the ceiling. So if I have to pass something from the rear seat to a passenger in the front, I can't really do it with any reasonable comfort.
- The rear bench ceiling experience was a deal breaker.



Dip in ceiling between B pillars as seen from the rear bench.
.


View of the ceiling from the rear bench.
.


Passenger seat protrusion.
.


Passenger seat protrusion - top view.
.

General Notes/Cribbing:

I wonder what happened to solid basic car design, when the basics of seating took priority. It appears that to satisfy some styling elements or to make the most of shared parts and cost cutting, the basics of design are being left behind. Sloping roofs trends, and to get the ceiling that one inch lower, probably to reduce drag to increase the tested FE by that fraction, basic practicality is being compromised. I guess there aren't many my kind, and that small market is sacrificed.

Edit:

Originally Posted by DicKy

Oh please. Do TD the diesel manual. Am sure you wil love it !!! The Ecosport steering is waaay better, Brezza has more upright SUV seating, the Nexon has more mature suspension (XUV300 is softer), but, something about the XUV300 makes us feel at home in it. The only negative we could find was that the rear seat was set low. Let's say, like a sedan. Ofcourse the rear seat was wide, but underthigh support was so-so.

Btw, it is a proper 4 pot diesel.

Right! It is a 4 cylinder. I haven't really studied the car enough and had an incorrect impression (possibly due to the petrol). Thanks mate
I actually appreciate suspensions which can give comfort, yet remain composed, and find those mature. Haven't really driven the others so can't compare. Under-thigh support is rare for tall guys. The rear seat ingress height wasn't any significant issue for me, IIRC, so not a deal-breaker. The boot almost is. It seems you own an XUV300, Dicky mate. Do you?

[shans281]

Little help required here!

On 10 April this year I got the opportunity to test drive XUV 700 AX7 D MT from Koncept Mahindra Lajpat Nagar, New Delhi. I was simply blown over the ride quality, the smoothness of the steering and softness of the pedals. Comfort was amazing.

I test drove harrier manual XZ and had tons of issues with it. First of all the clutch was way too deep for me. I am 5'6. Due to its hardness and depth the car kept shutting down. Next was the steering, I found it harder than XUV 700. The SA mentioned that the car had some issues but the vehicle I will book will be way better than this one. Not a very convincing answer.

Went ahead and booked an XUV 700 AX5 P AT on 17th April in spite of the fact that I didn't get to drive an automatic. Budget was not the issue. I chose AX5 as the SA guy said that i will get it in 4-5 months. I planned adding accessories later to bring it closer to AX7.

The first shocker came from Mahindra website which delivery timelines of Feb 23! The SA is still sticking to his 4-5 months delivery timeline. But I am not convinced.

After some thought called up the Tata SA and asked him if he had an AT harrier. He said he had a Safari AT which I can test drive immediately. He would also bring Harrier AT in a week.

Yesterday I drove the Safari AT XZA+ and I liked it a lot. The SA said that the feel and drive of the Safari AT will ge the same as Harrier AT. Is that true?

Next question is if I find the Harrier AT drive comfort to be the same as the Safari one does it make sense to book it. Especially since I am hearing rumors of face-lift coming soon. The SA simply mentioned that he doesn't have any info about it from the company.

Thirdly, I have always driven a Petrol car (Hyundai Xcent VTVT). How much of difference will i face while driving a diesel one. Mine would be mostly city driving and occasional long drives (once or twice a year).

I would have picked Harrier petrol if it was available.

[shans281]

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[Poitive]

Originally Posted by shans281

1. I test drove harrier manual XZ and had tons of issues with it. First of all the clutch was way too deep for me. I am 5'6. 2. Due to its hardness and depth the car kept shutting down.
3. Next was the steering, I found it harder than XUV 700.
4. Budget was not the issue...
5. Mahindra website which delivery timelines of Feb 23!
6. The SA said that the feel and drive of the Safari AT will ge the same as Harrier AT. Is that true?
7. Next question is if I find the Harrier AT drive comfort to be the same as the Safari one does it make sense to book it. Especially since I am hearing rumors of face-lift coming soon.
8. Thirdly, I have always driven a Petrol car (Hyundai Xcent VTVT). How much of difference will i face while driving a diesel one. Mine would be mostly city driving and occasional long drives (once or twice a year).
9. I would have picked Harrier petrol if it was available.

Welcome to the forum, mate. At times, I too wonder if others read this thread anymore (had read your one line posts before they were deleted).

1. At times clutches feel bad due to improper seat adjustment. Having the right distance between the back of the seat and the pedal can help.

2. I too had the engine shut down a couple of times and wondered if it was an issue with my TD vehicle (mentioned in my TD reports on the first page). It could also be due to a shorter first gear and a tallish second. For such setups one needs to change to second gear at a slightly higher speed.

3. The Harrier+Safari have a Hydraulic Steering. They are often harder at low speeds and reflect to the resistance which a tyre feels with the road in a truer sense. Hydraulic Steerings have been appreciated by enthusiasts for long; It is one of the major draws to the Harrier in my case. While they might not be the most convenient, they provide feedback of the road and how the tyres interact with it a lot better than an EPS (Electronic Power Steering). EPS are typically easier to drive; HPS (Hydraulic Power Steering) allow one to get more out of the car (if one is inclined for such).

5. My guess is that many Mahindra bookings are by people who have booked multiple cars and a large number will eventually get cancelled. Price hikes too induce that, as do new launches. A part of the production will also be taken over by the expected high demand for the upcoming Z101 (Scorpio Sting?). How much the company has factored into the system for such changes, and how much of the waiting time is a marketing ploy is anyone's guess. Going through XUV700 threads and one specifically for it's deliveries might be helpful.

6. I tried the manual variants of the twins and found them similar but not the same, as reported on the first page. I would urge you to drive them before committing. People experience cars differently and what might be a negligible difference for one might be a big one for another.

7 & 9. Facelift rumours have been around and a Google search would lead you to some, as would a search on T-Bhp. There is one of a Petrol Harrier too.

5 & 8. Having driven different samples of TD cars of many SUVs in the segment and at times the same TD car about 8-10K kms apart, I'd say that the difference between petrol and diesel can be big in terms of NVH, especially at city speeds. They also changed much on the specific car on that given day! At highway speeds, a well powered diesel can be comparably silent as a petrol; or at times even better (torque available at a lower RPM implies the car can cruise at a lower RPM on the highway).

Further, If a petrol like experience is what you are after and the XUV700 is what you loved, considering you mentioned that budget isn't an issue: one car you should try is the Tucson. I talk from second hand knowledge.

• The diesel is said to be silent like a petrol. Their petrol version is well specced, but the diesel is special as @Tony2298 on the thread would vouch for.
• Power and torque in the diesel would put a smile on your face, much like an XUV700 would.
• Has a multi-link independent suspension at the rear - as in the XUV700 and Jeep.
• EPS - Hyundai is known to go for softer steerings and you'd probably like that.
• I hear that it is a CKD from South Korea, with an implied 5 star crash rating (check posts by @rron178 and @lordrayden in this thread).
• CKD would also mean a quality product, though parts if needed over the years might have longer waiting times.
• Am told the rear seat after sliding back has huge space.
• Downside is that the model is now not being produced and a new one is expected in a few months. I heart that it would be a 7 seater and likely to be a lot more expensive. It also resembles the previous gen. Creta, if that matters to you.

Tucson just might be the car for you, but you'd need to hurry as the only ones available now are ones with dealers; no more production at the plant. One can make more appropriate suggestions if one knows your selection criteria and needs better.

[shancz]

Originally Posted by Poitive

- I wonder what happened to solid basic car design, when the basics of seating took priority.

- I guess there aren't many my kind, and that small market is sacrificed.

- Everytime I read your review I learn something I had never thought of
Ditto on your sentiments,.
I find it frustrating when I find the basics wrong in a car and especially beyond the B segment. They're supposed to be upgrades.
I have stopped bothering and come to the conclusion that I have become obsolete with the current "trends"

- Those weird roof designs look cheap.
I am not sure if they've researched enough to ensure that this extra room will actually be usable ? They could have just given a flat roof liner(not the structure) like most other cars which would sit lower but not spoil the aesthetics.

On your car hunt, your next TD should be the Scorpio 2022, rumours of a under 2 month launch window are ripe(20th June).
Fingers crossed and wish you the best.

Originally Posted by shans281

- Next question is if I find the Harrier AT drive comfort to be the same as the Safari one does it make sense to book it.

- How much of difference will i face while driving a diesel one. Mine would be mostly city driving and occasional long drives (once or twice a year).

- Depends on your requirements, do you need the 6/7 seats, are you comfortable managing it in traffic ? Stuff like this.

- Ditto with Poitive's points.
From a driving perspective only, a very crude suggestion is if you usually drive your petrol under 3000 rpm then a diesel will actually feel better to drive and run at lower rpms with better FE. Especially true with an AT mated to a large capacity diesel like the 2.0 MJD.
The other traits of diesel related to operation, DPF, AdBlue and maintenance notwithstanding but I am not eligible to comment on those.

I hope you've made your shortlist post your requirements analysis and TDs.