[Driver 33]

Our current car lineup is a Polo GT bought in 2016 primarily used by my brother and mom which is doing around 90,000km, a Škoda Octavia MK3.5 bought in 2017 which has been used by dad previously and been passed onto me around 83,000 kilometres, currently doing around 1,26,000 km and BMW 330i G20 (2020) dad's new car currently did around 50,000 km.

We have been facing problems with Indian roads for the past year, and my dad is planning to add an SUV to our lineup. The budget is flexible, and we have explored SUVs and MUVs ranging from 25 lakhs to 1.4 crores. We were primarily seeking a car that offers value for money, but most of the cars we considered did not meet this criterion.

As expected it's hard to daily drive 330i for my dad who primarily goes to construction sites and farms. Our primary focus in upgrading to an SUV was the good reliable engine, AWD or 4X4, drivability, rear seat comfort and 3 3-litre engine if the car is over a crore rupees.

We've checked out these cars and these are my brief impressions :

BMW X5: We drove the 30d and 40i M sport variants, both the straight six engines are beautiful to drive but didn't offer practicality as an SUV for 1.3 crores, main reasons for rejection are inclined rear seats and complicated touch screen which one needs to go a lot of sub menu's to do a simple task which is complicated for someone that is over 50 years old. From an individual's perspective, the new infotainment that offers Idrive 8 looked pathetic and way too stretched. Also didn’t offer blind spot detection and ADAS level 2 for 1,35,00,000/- car.

Volvo XC60: Volvo is known for its safety, durability and amazing design of seats which is said to have been done by orthopedic doctors, test drove the petrol variant. The car seemed overweight (2500 kg) and that 2-litre engine wasn't enough to crawl it efficiently a small tap on the accelerator and it made a heavy sound which is a big no for who daily drives a B48 engine. Also missed out on simple features such as ambient lighting and didn't offer drive modes and paddle shifters. I know Volvo has minimalistic interiors but this seemed to be overdone, anyway no surprise that the car price has been reduced by 7 lakhs flat on the ex-showroom price in Hyderabad.

Jeep Compass: It's a hugely improved car over its previous generation and offered value for money but we didn't like the way it drives, the transmission seemed jerky and slow which we weren't used as a daily driver of DSG's and ZF's.

Skoda Kodiaq: Beautiful interiors but didn't offer the drivability we expected, didn't feel the engine to be refined compared to the 2.0 litre B48 and it was an extremely inefficient engine that was offering 6kmpl to 7kmpl change. I just wished this car had got an EA288 2.0 TDI CR engine that offered Haldex AWD and power figures around 200bhp and 400nm of torque.

Volkswagen Tiguan: Same Kodiaq's EA888 engine but Tiguan felt lighter and quicker than Kodiaq but was depressed with the interior quality that is being offered for 44 lakhs as someone who also has a Skoda Octavia that offers much better interiors which was bought for 28 lakhs back in 2017. Also, Tiguan 2.0 TSI is super inefficient.

Innova Hycross: Love the bucket seats with leg extension in the rear but the drivability is just the opposite of that and the interior quality being offered for 38 lakhs seemed bad, with no illuminated lights on the power windows and cheap plastics being offered for that price. Felt amazing to drive in EV mode but when the ICE kicked in, we got clarity on the insulation which was not the best in the segment also it's a super slow car.

Mahindra XUV 700: We drove the diesel top end that offers a 2.2L Mhawk engine, which didn't offer the best insulation and the exterior didn't look aesthetically pleasing. Also, read that it’s getting a lot of issues regarding sensors and electronics.

Mahindra Scorpio N: We test-drove a diesel top-end automatic 4X4. This car offered good insulation firstly over the other cars in its segment being a diesel, has great drivability where the suspension has been well tuned to manage body roll and offer comfort at the same time, it's decently powerful and the Aisin 6 speed torque converter shifts well. Slightly slow on downshifts sometimes apart from that it's all good. I see this one of very few cars in the segment to get double wishbone suspension in the front paired with penta link setup (similar to multi link) in the rear. The NVH on this car has been managed well. All of our family members liked this car but the only concern raised was about sacrificing rear seat comfort by a margin which lacked under-thigh support and camera clarity. We did think about 2 days and then went ahead with the booking of Z8 L 4X4 Diesel AT which is promised to be delivered by January 1st week 2024. For our factors this was the car that offered more value for money which gets a very refined 2.2 litre Mhawk engine, a 4X4 feature that has differential lock and great drivability for the price paid, also we realized that for the lineup of cars we currently have we need a car like this which has go anywhere capability in comparison to our current lineup.

[bijims]

a good choice indeed the Scorpio-N 4X4 is definitely the most VFM 4X4 you could get along with the ability to seat upto 7. The 2.2 litre engine with 6-speed AT is an excellent combo and for the price paid, the car definitely feels worth it.

In our market with higher taxes, anything above 30 lakhs, the value for money slowly starts to fall and the 30 lakhs segment is the sweet spot for best features and performance for the price.

[Shreyans_Jain]

ScorpioN is a good choice. As you are prioritising practically, cabin ambiance and comfort, pls take a test drive of the new Safari as well. Feels a full generation ahead of the Mahindra when you sit inside, has better ride quality and the gearbox is very smooth. Also gets super comfortable captains chairs for the middle row with cooling function.

Vehicles like ScorpioN, Compass, Safari, Hector and XUV700 provide the maximum value for money. Beyond this, law of diminishing returns catches up very quickly.

[DicKy]

Originally Posted by Driver 33

We have been facing problems with Indian roads for the past year, and my dad is planning to add an SUV to our lineup. The budget is flexible, and we have explored SUVs and MUVs ranging from 25 lakhs to 1.4 crores. We were primarily seeking a car that offers value for money, but most of the cars we considered did not meet this criterion.

As expected it's hard to daily drive 330i for my dad who primarily goes to construction sites and farms. Our primary focus in upgrading to an SUV was the good reliable engine, AWD or 4X4, drivability, rear seat comfort and 3 3-litre engine if the car is over a crore rupees.

As a vehicle model, the Defender would have been great for your use, but since it comes from the house of JLR, it won't be niggle free. Also just looked up the prices, and the diesel 5 door comes at 1.5 crores, crossing your budget.

Also any reason for not looking at Merc models?

The ScorpioN is defintely VFM compared to Fortuner, but since you had a highly flexible budget, any other reason for not looking at the Fortuner, except the VFM factor?

[Driver 33]

Originally Posted by Shreyans_Jain

ScorpioN is a good choice. As you are prioritising practically, cabin ambiance and comfort, pls take a test drive of the new Safari as well. Feels a full generation ahead of the Mahindra when you sit inside, has better ride quality and the gearbox is very smooth. Also gets super comfortable captains chairs for the middle row with cooling function.

Vehicles like ScorpioN, Compass, Safari, Hector and XUV700 provide the maximum value for money. Beyond this, law of diminishing returns catches up very quickly.

I’ve driven the Safari before. Comfort is good definitely but when it came to ride quality it wasn’t as refined as Scorpio and had a lot of body roll in comparison. It offers value for money but I’ve heard it’s painful to maintain in Tata as they have very bad after-sales and care for the vehicle, especially in Hyderabad. Tata also damaged around 4 of my friend's cars inside the workshop while trying to park the cars. Plus my friend BHPian viXit had many problems with the after-sales, they caused many problems to his car. I’m already having a painful experience with BMW after-sales, Tata seems to be worse than that and in our locality Mahindra after-sales seems to be good by reviews, hoping for a pleasant experience.

Originally Posted by DicKy

As a vehicle model, the Defender would have been great for your use, but since it comes from the house of JLR, it won't be niggle free. Also just looked up the prices, and the diesel 5 door comes at 1.5 crores, crossing your budget.

Also any reason for not looking at Merc models?

The ScorpioN is defintely VFM compared to Fortuner, but since you had a highly flexible budget, any other reason for not looking at the Fortuner, except the VFM factor?

Fortuner we didn't like because of the ride quality. Very bumpy in the middle row. I had back pain once when I went in my friends car. Drivabilty also seemed poor to me, hard steering and heavy body roll. It didn't seem easy to drive in traffic.

We checked out Mercedes GLC and GLE, the sole reason we didn't go for them is VFM.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by Driver 33

As expected it's hard to daily drive 330i for my dad who primarily goes to construction sites and farms. Our primary focus in upgrading to an SUV was the good reliable engine, AWD or 4X4, drivability, rear seat comfort and 3 3-litre engine if the car is over a crore rupees.

30-40 lakh cars offer you "all the car you need", in terms of space, power, features etc. Anything at 50 lakhs and over is purely driven by want (not need), indulgence and brand.

Since you & family have liked the Scorpio-N, stick with it. It'll be ideal for construction site visits where arriving in a flashy brand might not be the best idea. Plus, you already have 3 German cars, so this can be the rough-and-tough SUV and beater.

Trust me, these truck like body-on-frame tough SUVs with tall driving positions can get very additive. They aren't corner carvers at all, but the kind of "kick" you get is different. Tough, practical, abuse-friendly, no worry about bad roads. I took the Scorpio-N for a tour around MH last monsoon season and absolutely loved it.

[lamborghini]

We were in the same boat and bought Tiguan for site visits, long trips, etc.
Have been super happy - so much so that dad uses it every opportunity he gets despite having a Lexus ES as his daily along with a driver.

Surprised you found the quality lacking - I was fairly happy with it coming from the Laura and other VAG cars. In fact it's been solid with less down time than our Laura despite more abuse thanks to deteriorating road conditions!

Given you'll have an inclination for European cars - with their stiffer suspensions and more fun to drive nature, and this car will also be self driven - I would urge you to skip the Japs and Koreans by and large barring the Tucson.

I would also urge you to check out the Q5, Q7 from Audi. Fantastic deals, punchy engines, quality interiors, etc. But do keep in mind the Q3, Q5, Tiguan, Kodiaq are expected to be replaced with all new models soon so may feel a little old in the tooth. Not that the rivals are really fresh either barring the GLA, GLC, and X1.
And it would require 95 octane fuel minimum.

[Driver 33]

Originally Posted by lamborghini

We were in the same boat and bought Tiguan for site visits, long trips, etc.
Have been super happy - so much so that dad uses it every opportunity he gets despite having a Lexus ES as his daily along with a driver.

In the 2-litre petrol segment, I first got my hands on the B48 engine, after driving this engine I've seen no other 2-litre petrol engine that is as refined, reliable, and efficient as this one. I am not a fan of VW 2 and 3 litre petrol engines, the main reason would be the reliability and efficiency which is a deal breaker for me. We've already got relatively aged cars to maintain, we wouldn't want something like this in our lineup next.

[kika]

Why not check the Tucson ? Or wait for the facelift which I believe is around the corner. It might suit your needs.

[Amrit@wheels]

You already have a great set of cars. All of your current vehicles offer great driving pleasure. Now it's time to add practicality and versatility, which is a BOF 4x4 SUV. As other members have said, the ScorpioN 4x4 should be your choice. Add a decent set of AT tyres and you're sorted. The lack of under-thigh support can be fixed in the aftermarket.

[Cresterk]

If you thought an X5 was uncomfortable in the rear but the BOF Scorpio-N is decent, then I don’t really have any other suggestions for you

I understand your thought process though, I too looked at a lot of high end cars before buying something 2 segments below. Prices for the German marques have gone up around 20L in the last 2-3 years but you don’t seem to be getting much extra for it. Doesn’t make sense to spend a crore and still have to compromise.

Your dad will enjoy the Scorpio-N. There is something liberating about buying a resilient car that is way below the budget you had set initially. You won’t baby it around nor will you lose any sleep about a scratch or two. You won’t feel that ache in your heart when you accidentally go over a pothole too fast nor will you feel the need to check up on it constantly after you park it by the roadside or at a busy construction site.

[rb003]

For what it's worth, the XC60 (even as a T8 variant) is nowhere near 2500 kg. It's quoted at 2142 kg. Though it likely wasn't the T8 that was in question here, given its relative lack of pace. The other variants are significantly lighter than 2 tons.

I suggest a Tiguan or Kodiaq then - they have great engines and the sort of build / material quality you may be looking for.

[84.monsoon]

Why not consider the Hyundai Tucson? It is a fairly new design, superbly silent and powerful diesel engine (it sounds almost as hushed as a petrol), an 8 speed transmission, modern and edgy exterior design, decent interior quality and safe enough as it is a global model. Very spacious inside as well and maintenance will be a while lot easier than a Tata or a BMW.

[Mustang Sammy]

Originally Posted by GTO

Trust me, these truck like body-on-frame tough SUVs with tall driving positions can get very additive. They aren't corner carvers at all, but the kind of "kick" you get is different. Tough, practical, abuse-friendly, no worry about bad roads. I took the Scorpio-N for a tour around MH last monsoon season and absolutely loved it.

As someone who transitioned from 25 years of driving sedans and coupes to the ScorpioN, I couldn’t agree more. The vehicle is fun to drive, value for money, can be taken pretty much anywhere and has tons of character. The last trait also includes the niggles and rough edges that come with a not-perfect implementation, but those are not dealbreakers in my experience.

[DevD]

Originally Posted by Driver 33

my dad who primarily goes to construction sites and farms. Our primary focus in upgrading to an SUV was the good reliable engine, AWD or 4X4, drivability, rear seat comfort and 3 3-litre engine if the car is over a crore rupees.

Toyota Hilux would be a nice option considering your dad's requirements. I would recommend to test drive and see for yourself.