[akshye]

Dear kith and kin,
I currently own VW Polo 1.0 TSI MT. It's the only car in my garage. While it serves the purpose, it's not a car for family road trips - mainly due to lack of rear legroom. Although there are only two and a half occupants in the car, most of the time for road trips, we have issues with long journeys.

My wife doesn't sit in the rear seat due to lack of legroom, and my son gets bored after a while, being alone on the back bench. So he wants to sit in the front passenger seat on his mother's lap, resulting in a crowded front passenger seat and an empty rear bench.

The moral of the story is, we need a larger car for our road trips.

Since Polo serves its primary purpose, I have no intention of replacing it. So we are considering buying a second car. When I started looking for a larger second car, I was first looking at sedans. But after a few road trips in Polo, I realised that road trips are often to unknown terrains. Hatchbacks and sedans can't be taken to remote destinations, hotels, etc. without worrying about a scratched belly and bumpers.

Hence I was then inclined towards SUVs. Thankfully, our market has a lot to offer in that segment. To be honest, I'm unable to make up my mind about what to go for. Also, since my requirements are long journey oriented, just a test drive is not going to serve the purpose. Hence, looking for opinions based on the user experience of the owners of the cars in the list. Additional suggestions are welcome too.

So here goes my list, please share your experience and opinion to help me make an educated decision.

Needs:

• A comfortable car for long journeys. Need not be a driver's car, since Polo satisfies that need

• Safe - Every safety feature counts - ABS, ESP, structural integrity, features for ease of parking, and off-course NCAP rating

• Good ground clearance and capable of running on unpaved roads

• Creature comforts - including cooled seats, a sunroof (for those one-and-a-half passengers), etc.

• Large boot space to carry more luggage than the two and half need

• Auto gearbox - no MT/AMT/IMT etc.

Need nots:

• No 6/7-seater - my spouse thinks those are tourist cars. Plus I don't want 3rd row to consume space when I don't have a need for it

• No MUV/MPV - neither of us like them

Not so sure:

• Diesel - I don't trust incumbent rulers in the centre (Ministry Ban on Diesels by 2027 (Petroleum ministry panel: Ban diesel 4-wheelers in big cities by 2027)), but diesel cars make economic sense

Contenders:

Jeep Compass
This is the first car I considered, since I always loved Jeep. It's a good vehicle and has a premium feel to it.

But I think, it looks outdated in this third decade of the century. I already have one outdated car in my parking; what would neighbours say?

Plus I have doubts about the longevity of the Fiat company in our motherland.

Tata Harrier
This is the only car from this list that I've experienced in the showroom. I just loved the car overall. I happen to have an emotional connection with Tata company as well, which may be the biasing factor for me loving this car. Interestingly, my spouse liked the car too, whereas she always spoke against big-bulky SUVs before this.

While all this is what the heart thinks, the mind doesn't agree entirely. I've seen ergonomic design issues with Tata cars, their QC too is inconsistent. So, although I like Tata cars, I still need more convincing to spend over 2 Million Rupees on their product.

Hyundai Tucson
Well, I know this is way more expensive than the earlier 2 on the list. But I genuinely liked the car. Plus it's not locally made with cost cut around corners, compromising 'structural integrity'. It actually a modern car with every creature-comfort at this price point - just what I need in a car for our road trips. It's sized right - not too big, not too small.

With a very good Euro-NCAP rating, this is just the right car. The only thing is the price - a million and a half more, than Harrier.

This is all I have on my list for now. I have decided to buy a new car in 2024.

[JoshMachine]

I would suggest that you draw up a budget range (min to max) to filter some of the buying decision. Else, this 5-seater SUV segment can be notorious.

All the 3 cars you have shortlisted - Harrier + Compass + Tucson have their own case to make and are positively different in their own way.
The Harrier AT is definitely a solid mile muncher and may appear a bit rugged while at the other end, the Tucson is a very wonderful piece of modern engineering. The Compass would sit somewhere in between. You might want to throw in a Hector (CVT) also just to complete the comparison.

Not sure if you are open for the pre-owned route, but a good (low mileage) Q3 or a Kodiaq (pre-BS6 diesel) can also be a good surprise for those long road trips. Never mind the 7-seater config of the Kodiaq, you can always use the extra space to add 2 more suitcases.

As for what neighbors will say, does it matter so much that your buying decision will get influenced.

[dicor]

Looking at your choices, I can assume a few things

• You have a budget of 20-30 lakhs.
• You are not hell-bent on real estate inside. You just want better ground clearance.
• You want Automatic.
• You want better Fuel economy, the sole reason for choosing diesel.
• You need creature comforts.
• You do not want sub 4 mtrs

If there is no frequent highway running, I suggest you stay away from Diesel due to DPF issues.

Your options are

• Creta (Even the petrol variant is fuel economical)
• Hector
• Scorpio-N (Petrol variant is fuel guzzler and Diesel demands frequent highway runs)
• XUV7OO (Petrol variant is fuel guzzler and Diesel demands frequent highway runs)
• Safari / Harrier
• Innova Hycross (Hybrid), No DPF issues.

If you come up with a budget and daily driving usage and pattern, members can put further points.

[GTO]

If you can stretch your budget for the Tucson, go for that only. It's the best SUV of the lot, a truly world-class product and quite an all-rounder.

Second choice = XUV700

Car you haven't considered = Innova Hycross. Drives beautifully, 15 kmpl thanks to the Hybrid, sorted ride & handling, spacious, has kit and is easy to live with (light steering, smooth AT). Doesn't have that MPV image like the Innova Crysta.

[NarediAni7518]

If your budget is flexible then why don’t you try out the Kodiaq ? The last row can always be folded down and used as luggage space. And if you find compass outdated, have a look at the Meridian as well because again its last row isn’t of much use, so better use it as a larger boot space. And any reason in particular to leave out the Citroen C5 ?

[Axe77]

1. I think in today’s day and age, you should try to avoid diesel if you can. Since FE and safety are both important to you, I’d actually recommend the Innova Hycross strong hybrid as the top choice. Its reliable, safe, fuel efficient, it’ll last a decade and more and it really does look posh enough for a family. I’d ignore the third row and think of it as a spacious 2 row car with a big boot.

2. My second recommendation from that list would be the Tucson petrol - it indeed is a really perfectly sized car which looks modern in every respect. The only downer is that if you’re more inclined towards a petrol, I suspect it’ll be a bit of a guzzler. How much this matters if this is for occasional long trips you can weigh up.

3. On an unrelated note, if you don’t mind my saying it, please never have your child in the front seat - EVER - in an adult’s lap - whether you’re going around the corner for a 2 min run or on a long drive. This is extraordinarily unsafe, more so with airbag equipped cars but even otherwise.

Get the child a car seat or a booster depending on age and put it at the back. If the child is adamant not to sit alone at the back, one adult should compromise with their comfort and sit at the back with the child. I’ve on numerous occasions driven alone at the front when my son was very small and he was throwing a tantrum for his mum to be at the back with him. But we simply did not allow not being seated in a car seat - it was non negotiable from very early on and became muscle memory for him.

[akshye]

Originally Posted by JoshMachine

Not sure if you are open for the pre-owned route, but a good (low mileage) Q3 or a Kodiaq (pre-BS6 diesel) can also be a good surprise for those long road trips.

I may have said it earlier on forum, I'll repeat. I've seen people drain life out of their cars and hence I don't trust resale vehicle. Another reason is, I don't understand mechanics much to tell well maintained machine from a rough used one.

Originally Posted by JoshMachine

Never mind the 7-seater config of the Kodiaq, you can always use the extra space to add 2 more suitcases.

Originally Posted by NarediAni7518

If your budget is flexible then why don’t you try out the Kodiaq ? The last row can always be folded down and used as luggage space.

I've seen some reviews where it's visible that last seat folds flat to open up large space. I'll consider seeing in person.

Originally Posted by JoshMachine

As for what neighbors will say, does it matter so much that your buying decision will get influenced.

Originally Posted by NarediAni7518

And any reason in particular to leave out the Citroen C5 ?

They're so few and far. Don't even have much first hand customer experience.

Originally Posted by Axe77

... I’d actually recommend the Innova Hycross strong hybrid as the top choice...

https://www.toyotabharat.com/toyota-...ery-lead-time/

As per this link the waiting period is over 24 months. ZX and ZX(O) bookings are halted.

Originally Posted by Axe77

3. On an unrelated note, if you don’t mind my saying it, please never have your child in the front seat - EVER - in an adult’s lap - whether you’re going around the corner for a 2 min run or on a long drive. This is extraordinarily unsafe, more so with airbag equipped cars but even otherwise.

Yes. I always ask them not to sit on the front seat like that, but a man can convince whole world, but his wife.

I win argument sometimes, I don't win other. That's why I am thinking of spending large sum to make sure they're safe in rear seat, without complaining.

[Audioctor]

Originally Posted by akshye

My wife doesn't sit in the rear seat due to lack of legroom, and my son gets bored after a while, being alone on the back bench. So he wants to sit in the front passenger seat on his mother's lap, resulting in a crowded front passenger seat and an empty rear bench.

Your story sounds so much like my own.
My wife used to be wary of road trips for comfort issues. My 8 year old son prefers sitting in front. He has motion sickness and used to vomit several times on all our long drives in my previous car, the S-Cross.

Then came our Harrier Automatic and things have changed dramatically for the good. We just did a long road trip of 2800+ kilometres. I have even posted my experience in this forum.

You may read it here:

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route...errerid=597509

My wife was happy and she thoroughly enjoyed. My son had vomitting just once in the entire trip. He,himself, admitted that the he was very comfortable in the Harrier while he used to get apprehensive every time we had taken our S-Cross for a long drive.

So, in my opinion, you may very well consider the Harrier. Now it has been upgraded even further.

[GoBabyGo]

Hi Akshye - I have been in search of a SUV for my friend and have done extensive research on the various options. My friend has finalized Toyota HyCross ZX(O), but currently it is not available without a premium (as of now dealers / agents are asking 3.75 lacs to 4.25 lacs) and new bookings are closed. If you are not in a hurry then I would suggest you to wait for Maruti version of HyCross which is expected to launch in July 2023 and deliveries may start by end of July / August 2023. I am hoping that if you are okay with Maruti badge then you might get that early. Keep in touch with most trust Nexa / Maruti Arena showroom for booking.

However, if you can't wait for 3-4 months, then you can check XUV7OO Diesel AT (again not available without premium which is around 1.25 lacs to 1.50 lacs). I do not trust on reliability of Tata Harrier & Tata Safari so can not suggest it over XUV7OO. If you are okay with 10kmpl to 12kmpl FE of a Petrol SUV, then you can consider MG Hector Savvy Pro CVT (around 25.50 lacs onroad). I have personally test drove 2023 model and believe me after seeing MG Hector it is very difficult to convince wife & kid to see any other SUV.

I may be completed wrong in my assumption, but I do not suggest Tucson (to anybody) because it has consistently been a very low selling Hyundai product and Hyundai may not be selling it say after 2 years from now. This is Tucson fate in every generation since it was launched in India.

I sum up with my take that wait for Maruti version of HyCross to launch and then go for it. I am sure when your son get his driving license, you will still be driving it, it is that reliable.

All the best for your search.

[sidoxic]

I will strongly recommend XUV700 AX7L from personal experience of 40% expressway of 30k kms on the odo in 1.5yrs.
It's super VFM & includes top safety ratings, airbags and, most importantly, AEB. The last row in ours is folded permanently. The interior and exterior looks more luxury than touristy - the spouse will be delighted. Rear seats are crazy spacious and comfortable. Overall it's got what it takes to be a highway mile muncher.

Only missing feature from your checklist is ventilated seats and I miss it too sometimes, but the AC is a crazy chiller so it's a matter of feature FOMO actually. Also, our petrol is a guzzler so maybe worth considering diesel.

If I'd to pick amongst all available options today in the 20L-40L OTR range it would be this. Maybe the Tuscon as second, but that's no where as VFM as this.

[mkumar79]

If I were in the market, I would avoid the diesel SUVs. In my books, the hybrids make the most sense for non-enthusiasts in non-hilly regions.

Honda Elevate strong hybrid should tick most of the boxes. Watch out for the boot space though.

It doesn't hurt getting a feel of the powertrain with a test-drive of the well-engineered Honda City strong hybrid. If you like it, you can get ahead in the Elevate queue.

Else, the XUV7OO AX7L is always there, or is it? I would prefer going for the Skoda Kushaq 1.5 TSI for the cylinder deactivation tech but that's me in Pune hills trading away the in-space for better FE, less bulk and Garve's honest service.

[Kosfactor]

Not going to suggest a car as such but just one thing to help you along.

Avoid having a second car unless there is going to be some regular usage, I suggest exchanging the Polo and getting a nice driving compact crossover that can be used in the City as well as practical for long drives.

[madhukarmohan]

If you can stretch your budget a bit, the European siblings (Tiguan and Kodiaq) are the best option. You can flip the last row and make more room for luggage. Another great car in the same price point is Citroen C5 Aircross, However I am not sure of the longevity of Citroen in India.

If not, the two best options are Compass and Tucson. Both of them are good in design, features, build quality and since we see them very less on the road, it gives them a different kind of road presence. I doubt the long term reliability of Harrier, XUV700 and Hector. Hence, I don't recommend them.

Kushaq and Taigun are also a nice one to have in your list. However, they lack road presence and do not give you that big car feeling.

About not opting diesel cars based on recent news, I feel that we have not reached the stage of banning diesel cars. I expect we can still keep the new diesel car for at least 15 years if we buy in 2-3 years from now. More on this: https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/india...ml#post5544460 (Petroleum ministry panel: Ban diesel 4-wheelers in big cities by 2027)

[akshye]

Originally Posted by Kosfactor

Not going to suggest a car as such but just one thing to help you along.

Avoid having a second car unless there is going to be some regular usage, I suggest exchanging the Polo and getting a nice driving compact crossover that can be used in the City as well as practical for long drives.

Thanks for the suggestion, but no. Polo is a keeper. It's done ~30k kms in about 1.3 years. If I get another car, some load will be shared. 2 cars doing about 10-20k kms each, in a year is better, IMO. My car runs a lot. VW downtime is a worry as well. But I won't part with it.

I purchased Polo with a determination to keep it for at least 10 years, and I'm going to stick to it. It's truly a driver's car. I don't think I'll ever buy a real high-end driver's car like BMW, Porche, etc. So this is the closest to driving pleasure I can have.

Having said that, Polo is definitely not a family car. It's alright for family city runs and solo/duo highway runs. But family trips are difficult with this car. Hence the need for a second car.

One more point is, I stopped driving 2 wheeler a long time ago. I take my car everywhere - even where parking space is at a premium. Polo itself is difficult to take in crowded city traffics and finding parking there is even tougher. A size bigger will be a nightmare. So Polo stays.

[Roonil]

I don't think it makes financial sense to spend 30-40L on a car that will be used sparingly. You could just upgrade to a Taigun/Kushaq, instead. And use the same car for both. It'll fill all your requirements,i believe. Sunroof, ventilated seats,good GC,and quite spacious.

With your budget,you can get the 1.5L DSG with active cylinder tech.