[NarediAni7518]

Any reasons for not including the Citroen C-5 Aircross in your list ? It’s a great car do check it out.

[vinodvayyat]

Originally Posted by NarediAni7518

Any reasons for not including the Citroen C-5 Aircross in your list ? It’s a great car do check it out.

Citroen doesn't have strong ASS network yet. I'm not very sure on Meridian itself. So C5 is not in the list. Going by reviews, it does seem like a great car - I agree.

[Asoon]

A lot of folks are suggesting Tucson but I feel its very difficult to down size, you get into that comfort zone where you do not have-to think about your luggage or the 5th/6th/7th passenger hence voted for HyCross (or Carnival) plus there are obvious reasons (comfort, reliability, overall package etc)

[gururajrv]

The way I see it, XUV 7OO / the Tucson makes the best case for you. Although Tucson might have few challenges in terms of finding a good technician within their network area, you're still covered by Hyundai as they should get you out of any challenges when you're on outstation trips.

7OO on the other hand should keep you safe and sound too. Both cars have their fair share of challenges but with 7OO may be you'll save some hefty money when pit against the Tucson.

Since your Hexa is doing pretty much everything, I assume the niggles faced is purely age related with India made cars and you're pretty lucky there's no mechanical related ones spice it up a bit and use it for few more years and then buy one of big 3!

[mugen_pinaki27]

I'd strongly suggest going for the Hycross. Being a Toyota with a proven drivetrain and strong hybrid technology, the car is a solid mile muncher as much as a top scorer in terms of safety, NVH and ergonomics. The space on offer is also very nice. I'm not sure about the drivetrain of the Meridian and given it's a Jeep, reliability, and after-sales are not as proven as that of Toyota. But as all the esteemed members have rightly pointed out, please take extensive test drives before zeroing in on the one you like.

[bullitt1]

I would suggest Meridian. My wife opted for Hexa XM through company lease which eventually turned out to be a lemon within a short time. We bought Compass diesel manual last year as we could not just bear with Hexa.

Havent had any issues with the car and rattles have been a hit or a miss as per owners. Compass/Meridian is a very well engineered car.

[Drlmtukkar]

Difficult to get a replacement for the Hexa in my opinion at its price point. I too have a Hexa n just love it.
I think the XUV 700 would fit perfectly.

Off topic- could you share how you are using the Realme tab on your Hexa. I mean os it wired to the system or connected by Bluetooth. Would love to get some pics of your setup.

[BattleHardened]

I am a satisfied XTA owner too. What I would suggest is that at this point in time you may not get the value for your Hexa, as the resale price is quite low. I bought a XTA post owning a XT. Ride quality and other pros for the Hexa simply and outrightly beat the cons. You may wait for a couple of more years before disposing off the Hexa when provisioning of the spares start becoming a problem at ASS. Any of the cars that you mentioned may beat the Hexa in feature list including a few safety upgrades, but the car beats all of them all in 1. Ride Quality 2. Space 3. Value for money.

[kaps454]

Voted for the Tucson, but, why fix something that isn't broken?
I have driven a TATA car for 2.8 lakh kms plus (Sierra, first gen TATA, had its share of rattles), current Zest petrol 1.3 lakh kms (not even rattles so far), my advice is to keep your current car, get it serviced at a FNG, do not bother with a TASS.
Invest money saved elsewhere,
regards kaps454

[yd_gli]

I have a Hexa XTA. There isn't much that will give you the ride, comfort and space that the Hexa offers unless you hit the 60-70L territory. To add to it the transmission is a gem. None of the cars you mentioned are an upgrade in the true sense. The Meridian maybe since the vehicle exudes class both from the interior and the exterior. But then again, it's not worth 40L in my opinion. The Hycross has too many unknowns in terms of the power-train performance and the overall quality. My gut says that Toyota has cut one corner too many on it. The Tucson...well is not a patch on the Hexa but for the engine. It's more of a cross over with a sedan like driving position. I'd say get the Meridian or then the Crysta as a wildcard choice if it is still available.

[inwester]

Originally Posted by vinodvayyat

[list][*]Should be an effortless mile muncher - highway drives are first priority. Powerful engine and a good transmission with a nice suspension setup.[*]It should be capable of going through broken roads without much struggle (just to tackle the surprises during long drives).[*]Comfortable 5-seater with at least 500L of boot space. 7-seater isn't a priority any more and is just a good to have.[*]Good ergonomics for driver, passengers.[*]NVH - should have good insulation from factory. Refined engine/power unit is a must. Good build quality is must.[*]Good ASS - service and support backing should be decent.[*]Most importantly, it should be a safe car - no compromise on that.

In my experience of driving cars over several decades, Toyota doesn't generally make cars that are engaging to drive. Plus top end Toyota Hycross coming with only captain seats is a deal breaker for me personally.

I'm surprised you didn't shortlist Skoda Kodiak here given your requirements.

Any particular reason? Petrol / fuel efficiency? Or reliability issues?

[vinodvayyat]

Originally Posted by gururajrv

The way I see it, XUV 7OO / the Tucson makes the best case for you. Although Tucson might have few challenges in terms of finding a good technician within their network area, you're still covered by Hyundai as they should get you out of any challenges when you're on outstation trips.
...
Since your Hexa is doing pretty much everything, I assume the niggles faced is purely age related with India made cars and you're pretty lucky there's no mechanical related ones spice it up a bit and use it for few more years and then buy one of big 3!

Duly noted. One of the motivations though not mentioned in my post perhaps, is to get my better half to drive along with me during long drives. She doesn't find Hexa an easy horse to tame. She is a short lady and it is very cumbersome for her to manoeuvre around. That is one of the major motivation to shed some weight and height of the car without compromising too much on ride height. But I agree with you and many others that Hexa is no bad car and is definitely hard to find a like for like match - I never said Hexa isn't serving me well in my posts. About getting into the big 3 - I'm not too sure if I will end up spending that much (not just for purchase of the car, but on the maintenance costs as well).

Originally Posted by Drlmtukkar

...I too have a Hexa n just love it.
I think the XUV 700 would fit perfectly.

Off topic- could you share how you are using the Realme tab on your Hexa. I mean os it wired to the system or connected by Bluetooth. Would love to get some pics of your setup.

Thanks mate for the inputs. I didn't like XUV 700 much - Tucson on the other hand is more pleasing for me since it has more space spent for 2nd row space rather than being used for squeezing in a 3rd row.
Here you go on Hexa's tablet setup. It is just connected via bluetooth.

Originally Posted by kaps454

Voted for the Tucson, but, why fix something that isn't broken?
I have driven a TATA car for 2.8 lakh kms plus (Sierra, first gen TATA, had its share of rattles), current Zest petrol 1.3 lakh kms (not even rattles so far), my advice is to keep your current car, get it serviced at a FNG, do not bother with a TASS.
Invest money saved elsewhere,
regards kaps454

Thanks for your comments. Let me reiterate here - I'm not fixing that is something broken. It is just my effort to find a better match for my needs. As most of us do, I'm one such human being who keeps adapting over time on one's own tastes over time. I bought Hexa 2 years after my Bangalore to Ladakh trip during which I got inspired by a friend's Tata Safari in those high altitude terrains. At that time, I wanted to own, drive and experience a big car which could do it all. Right now, my palettes are changing and I just want a comfortable 5-seater more than a 7-seater which is powerful and reliable enough with good creature comforts for the money I spend. Money is a significant part of my life too and I manage it quite well. I'm planning to buy Tucson with Corporate lease option which saves me almost 11 to 12 Lakhs compared to full lumpsum cash buy or hypothecation buy. Let us leave the money part out from the discussion. Also as I wrote in my original post, I don't have too much time in life to go after car maintenance. With Hyundai, I have easier and more options for giving my car for a service or maintenance. But saying all these, purchase of a new car depends on the fact that I get to like a car finally. 2nd Tucson test drive is scheduled for today and I might decide against the purchase evaluating all the points.

Originally Posted by inwester

...
I'm surprised you didn't shortlist Skoda Kodiak here given your requirements.

Any particular reason? Petrol / fuel efficiency? Or reliability issues?

Skoda cars are amazing. But I'm scared of all Skoda stories that have come out so far. I may not ever buy a Skoda in life.

[vinodvayyat]

Finally I got Tucson to my home (22kms away from city) for a test drive and took it through my daily drive routes and some highway stretches.

Observations:

• Ride quality is in't very stiff. It is at an acceptable level for SUV of this size. It can't be compared to ride quality of Hexa on normal roads, rough patches and mid sized pothole filled roads.
• Leg room for second row and fully isolated boot area is the right thing I am seeking and exactly what is in offer from Tucson - this is unmatched across cars of this price range.
• Tucson doesn't have the bounciness of Hexa - very settled and takes the undulations without much fuss.
• Ergonomics is simply amazing - my wife felt at home easily whereas she used to struggle to coordinate different aspects of drive in Hexa. With 10-way seat adjust and the big reach adjustment of the steering, she was smiling all the time.
• Electronics and the controls are top notch just like any other Hyundai cars. Very predictable.
• Lane keep assist isn't annoying - provides the right amount of steering feedback to let you know you are deviating and it brings you back if you oblige.
• Can't even compare to Hexa's ride quality on completely broken roads - it throws you side wise at all times. But these are the worst of worst roads - I don't have complaints here. But Hexa is better at the end of the day.
• Engine is very powerful even in Economy mode. I never felt like there is a need of Normal or Sport mode.
• Transmission doesn't have sport mode. This is a big problem for me. In Hexa, I get to move the gear lever to the left and I get immediate surge of power as well as heavy engine braking ability - I use this very regularly in Hexa and I don't need to take manual control over the gear shifts. Lack of a paddle shifter in Tucson makes it even worse.

The last point on engine braking/transmission sport mode becomes my major issue along with broken roads handling at slow speeds. Wife continues to push for a Tucson buy and I am not in favor of this option anymore. Hexa has gifted another rattle over last week and some remote key unlock issues - looks like I will be behind fixing these in near future.

So I am mostly drifting towards retaining Hexa for some more time. Sad that the market doesn't have any vehicle for me despite ready to shell out 40+ Lakhs. Tucson came closest and was definitely the most sensible next car for me. Thanks to GTO and other 29 "thanks" received on his post - it is not a new info for me, but still helps.

[Livnletcarsliv]

@vinodvayyat We are in the same boat except for 2 things - My budget (35L) is less than yours and I was an ex-Harrier owner (You are a Hexa owner). Happy to have a company.

Here is my thread link for your reference https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/what-...-car-next.html

The following are my next action items which I will keep updating my thread as well.

1. Tuscon, Tiguan, 700, Hycross TD
2. Wait for the facelift Harrier
3. Wait for the X-Trail and Qashqai (It may probably be the ideal car for both of us) launch. Through my sources, I understand that X-Trail will be launched in April most likely. Qashqai may or may not be launched in April.

I already stole the words from you regarding the minimalist proper 5 seater options available for a 30L to 50L buyer (mentioned in one of posts in my thread).

[AG532]

Hi,

I can understand your situation because this 30-45 lacs bracket has very few cars and almost all of them have few traits which makes it difficult to either choose or not choose one of them.
I was in the same situation 5 month back when i had to choose among

1. Hyundai tucson
2. Jeep meridian
3. Scoda Kodiaq
4. Xuv 700 Axl awd ( booked 2 cars , purchased 1 )

I will describe in detail about each of them in descending priority order , starting from least favourite to the car i choose and booked.

1. Others ( Fortuner , jeep compass , Tiguan )

a. Fortuner - Too big for daily use in city , too much body roll on turns , and most of all very few features for a car costing 50 lacs on road.

b. Jeep compass - Too small , no space for rear passenger’s, and although driving dynamics are great , engine feels underpowered and gearbox seemed confused in city traffic

C. Tiguan - At this price point i would rather go for kodiaq than tiguan as it has more features and better brand value

2. Xuv 700 - I already have a one in my family and its been a headache since we purchased it, half of the features not work properly and if they do work then there is a constant fear at the back of the mind that what new problem will arise every time we come from a trip, also interior quality is not upto mark for a car which costs 30 lacs on road. There is just too much plastic in interior , which makes it feel less premium even when compared to a segment down german cars like virtus and slavia.

3. Jeep meridian - Test drove it and immediately felt the engine choking , almost as if asking for power as it has the same engine as jeep compass with a bigger and heavier body, and then the same problem with gearbox , never felt sporty, too much lag between pushing the pedal and the turbo kicking in. Everything other than that seemed fine , specifically the driving dynamics. The car just remains flat at high speed turns, but the underpowered engine is just too much pain, as its robs out all the fun from the car


4. Skoda kodiaq - This is literally the perfect car, floor the pedal once and see the traffic sizing down in the rear view mirror with a huge grin on the face. The car is quite luxurious and the build feel is solid. The car drives like a tank on the road. My reason of rejecting it was the fuel economy as this car will not return a fuel economy of more than 5-6 km per ltr ( when driving normally) , floor the pedal down and forget the word fuel economy from your dictionary , also the reliability issues with the dsg gearbox coupled with high maintenance cost was dagger in the hurt, and finally leave the waiting period, this car is not even available for booking for at-least 3 months ( add 6 more for waiting period).

5. Hyundai tucson - This car is an all-rounder, from driving dynamics and comfort to luxury and reliability. Its not as good as a german car in terms of drivability but it also doesn’t feel shy in satisfying the driving enthusiast in you . The engine is just too powerful ( diesel one) and 8 speed gearbox always manages to find the right gear as per the conditions on the road, also it shifts very fast. In terms of luxury and features it’s comparable to the likes of big 3 germans and you don't ever feel that something is missing ( leaving rear sun blinds and peddle shifters ) . The fuel economy is also great , around 20kmpl. The only downside as per me was that it didn’t have the road presence feel of a suv and the hyundai badge for a 40 lacs car just seems odd , but thats just my personal opinion and not a dealbreaker, if you can get past them , then i think this is perfect allrounder car in this segment.

Thanks