[supertinu]

Hey Folks, need some advice around what car to buy for my 2nd car. Let me set some context and background.

Current situation - We are a 2 car household. Primary car is our XUV700 D AT which we bought fairly recently 6m ago and its my daily driver as well as road trip companion. Our 2nd car is a 2012 Ford Figo which my wife uses mainly for school pickup/drop and once in a while errands. We intended to keep that car till it lasted since it has only 62k km on odo and well maintained but recently it broke down twice (EGR & Injector issues) and my wife is not confident on using it since last time she got stranded.

Requirement - A sub 4m car makes sense for occasional city use but wife is not high on another hatchback, so after checking out small SUVs we did like Skoda Kylaq. Usage of the car will be 100-200km per month max and I intend to keep the car for 15+yrs and hopefully with low maintenance so DSG cars are out of question. Despite being city car preference is to have something with 5 star safety rating and decent space for 4 adults. We could use it for airport hops or nearby day trips.

Now comes the confusion. Even then 2nd from top model of KYlaq in BLR costs around 15 lacs and pricing of other SUVs like nexon, venue, sonet are similar ranging from 15-18 lacs on road. Top model of Punch EV LR is ~15 lac and so is Nexon EV MR.

What does the forum think? Would EV make more sense here given its more future ready, no emissions, hopefully lower maint. Would batt last 15yrs given that charge cycles will be less ? my apt allows charging socket in parking which makes it easier to handle charging.

[It's Magic]

Originally Posted by supertinu

Usage of the car will be 100-200km per month max
Despite being city car preference is to have something with 5 star safety rating and decent space for 4 adults.

With a monthly running of 100–200 km, I would recommend sticking with petrol cars and not opting for EVs. EVs make more sense for high usage, such as annual running exceeding 15,000 or 20,000 km.

Looking at your post, it seems you are more inclined towards the top-end variant of any car. In that case, you would need to be prepared to pay upwards of 12 lakhs for most of the compact SUV options available. If you both like the Skoda Kodiaq, you can go for it. It’s got a 5-star safety rating, which is essential for you, and it’s a very good car to drive. The only thing I would advise you to check is the proximity of a Skoda service centre to your location.

In my opinion, a hatchback suits your requirements better and would save you money as well. It would be easier to drive in the city. For long drives, you already have the Mahindra XUV700.

Best Wishes!

[yedukrishnan199]

Originally Posted by supertinu

Requirement - A sub 4m car makes sense for occasional city use but wife is not high on another hatchback, so after checking out small SUVs we did like Skoda Kylaq. Usage of the car will be 100-200km per month max and I intend to keep the car for 15+yrs and hopefully with low maintenance so DSG cars are out of question. Despite being city car preference is to have something with 5 star safety rating and decent space for 4 adults. We could use it for airport hops or nearby day trips.

Now comes the confusion. Even then 2nd from top model of KYlaq in BLR costs around 15 lacs and pricing of other SUVs like nexon, venue, sonet are similar ranging from 15-18 lacs on road. Top model of Punch EV LR is ~15 lac and so is Nexon EV MR.

What does the forum think? Would EV make more sense here given its more future ready, no emissions, hopefully lower maint. Would batt last 15yrs given that charge cycles will be less ? my apt allows charging socket in parking which makes it easier to handle charging.

Now, considering your requirements, a small EV doesn't make much sense if you are paying a premium for it over its ICE counterpart, so EVs like the Tiago.EV, Tigor.EV, Punch.EV, etc cost a lot more (at least 1.50 to 2 lakhs) than their ICE counterparts with similar feature sets and considering your low running, the extra investment isn't worth it. Moreover, considering decent space, the Comet EV is also out of the question.

That leaves ICE cars and a few EVs with prices similar to their ICE counterparts. So the cars like Nexon, Curvv, Creta, etc come up to the picture, but as they get more and more expensive when going towards the top-end variants, where the prices of the ICE and EV are the same.

For example, taking the Nexon as an example, the Nexon Creative 1.2 Petrol AMT costs 14.81 lakhs OTR, whereas the Creative 45 EV costs almost the same at 14.88 lakhs OTR in this case, the EV is a good option to consider owing to lower fuel costs. lower service costs and the like, but still the chance of it lasting 15 years is a question.

Similar is the case of the Curvv, where the Creative Plus Hyperion GDI Petrol DCA costs the same as the Accomplished 55 OTR, around 20.80 lakhs.

Ditto the Creta and the Creta EV as well.

So in these cases, although you could get an ICE or its similar EV counterpart for the same price on-road, where the EV seems a good option owing to lower fuel costs, your requirement for maintaining it for a long time, 15 years, is what makes the decision difficult for the EV.

EV technology is improving at a rapid pace, and the current EVs will get outdated in a few years, so they don't hold their value for long. Usually, EVs tend to last for around 8 to 10 years or more, but 15 seems a bit too much to expect.

So you could either go for these EVs, which are at par on price on the road with ICE cars, or you could go for ICE cars, which usually should hold their value for longer.

Regardless, here are the best options for your needs:

1. Tata Punch Creative Plus (S) AMT
It costs under 13 lakhs OTR and should be a better pick as compared to its EV counterpart, owing to the price difference of over 2 lakhs. a small, safe car (5-star GNCAP) that is an all-rounder and one of the best-selling cars from Tata.

2. Skoda Kylaq Signature Plus AT
At 15.36 lakhs OTR, the Kylaq is a small but fun SUV and should meet all your needs to the T.

3. Tata Nexon EV 45
The Nexon EV 45 is a great choice currently when compared to its ICE counterparts and is priced quite well, and is an option worth considering.

Other options are the XUV 3XO AT and Nexon AMT, which are quite expensive considering the higher-spec AT variants.

[heydj]

I am in somewhat similar boat with Tucson D AT as primary vehicle and need for second city car for 20-30kms daily usage. I am thinking of either getting Taigun Petrol MT 1.5 with crazy 3L discount or maybe Thar Petrol MT/AT RWD (3 doors). Cant seem to decide as both have pros and cons. One thing I know for sure whatever I get it should not confuse me on whether to take Tucson or that so might end up with Thar as Taigun 1.5 MT is again a beast to drive.

My advice whatever you get it should not distract you from your primary vehicle.

[sharmanova]

Your requirements scream the Hyundai Exter AMT!

Sub-4M - check
Low maintenance - check
Reliability - check
Space - check
Safety - no comments

IMO Exter seems to be a perfect option for you minus the safety though!

[IshaanIan]

If you want to keep the car for another 15+ years there is no point looking at 1st generation EV products right now. If it absolutely must be an SUV, then do look into more practical options like the Jimny, Brezza etc. at the end of the day these are NA motors that will definitely have fewer issues than direct injection turbo charged motors. The Jimny is also one of the narrowest vehicles currently available to buy. That coupled with its looks (middle class g-wagon) makes it very popular amongst mothers and wives.

With the kind of loss in faith that you described happened with the Figo merely for having EGR and injector issues after 13 years, I wonder if you should seriously consider more simplistic and reliable cars only and even then you should prepare yourself for some basic maintenance after 10 years I feel.

[07CR]

For such low usage, I would recommend staying away from EVs.

Have you considered used cars? A Ecosport Dragon AT sounds the perfect bet IMO.

It's got a Naturally aspirated engine with a TC automatic, and hence reliable. Good space for 4 and the ASS despite Ford leaving has been great in Maharashtra. It is also decently loaded for a 2020 car. Powerful, sturdy build, good set of active and passive safety features are other goodies. You would easily save around 10L. Do give it a thought.

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by supertinu

Hey Our 2nd car is a 2012 Ford Figo which my wife uses mainly for school pickup/drop and once in a while errands.

Requirement - A sub 4m car makes sense for occasional city use.

Usage of the car will be 100-200km per month max and I intend to keep the car for 15+yrs

. Despite being city car preference is to have something with 5 star safety rating and decent space for 4 adults. We could use it for airport hops or nearby day trips.

Top model of Punch EV LR is ~15 lac and so is Nexon EV MR.

What does the forum think? Would EV make more sense here given its more future ready, no emissions, hopefully lower maint. Would batt last 15yrs given that charge cycles will be less ? my apt allows charging socket in parking which makes it easier to handle charging.

To me, it is an absolute no-brainer. Notwithstanding what anyone else may say, your usage pattern as described here, shrieks from the rooftops that you’re the perfect EV Customer.

1. Citroen eC3
2. MG Comet
3. Tata Tiago EV
4. Tata Punch EV
5. Mahindra XUV400

The convenience, silence, comfort, practicality, efficiency and overall inexpensive nature of owning, charging, maintaining and running a car of this kind, realistically speaking, has way too many advantages for you to be able to ignore.

Unless of course, you’re wantonly blind-folding yourself and wearing sound blocking ear-plugs.

The icing on the cake is that you can charge it overnight in the Apartment and be ready to drive. Given your usage pattern, I think you may charge it once a month. And it will likely cost you less than 150-200Rupees in a month, considering the above, with a standard 15A plug.

Think of it as a high end Mobile Phone with wheels, thus enabling efficient mobility in relative comfort, convenience and safety.

As for longevity, there are enough and more 15 -17 year old Mahindra Revas and 10-12 year old E20’s running about the city.

As I said, for you, an EV is an absolute no-brainer.

At least go and test drive a few of these cars and then decide.

[VWAllstar]

Originally Posted by supertinu

Usage of the car will be 100-200km per month max

With such low usage and a very capable highway SUV available, I would suggest let your wife commute stress free by using an Uber. 15 Lakhs invested and spending max 2000/- on Uber for those 100-200 KMs can get you an amazing upgrade from XUV 7OO post 7/9 years from now.
Ofcourse, investments and expenses are personal choices, if you had to buy one then buy an ICE car. With such low running, EVs don't make any sense unless you want to experience the newer technology.

[Jazzybala]

My opinion in this is pretty similar to what Shankar.Balan says, going EV seems to be the most simple choice.

In case you didn't want to go EV way, my next suggestions would be a good honda or Toyota car from the used market, since reliability is a key concern. I'd suggest a decently maintained WR-V or Jazz Automatic as the best choice here.

[Time_Machine]

There are a couple of scenarios here-
1. Since safety and reliability are your priority, cheapest option is 2024 Maruti Dezire. Its 5 star rated and gives crazy mileage. If you want more something cool, you can go for Gymny.
2. You can buy any EV, even MG Comet and use it as your daily driver instead of XUV700. It will save you a lot in running cost and the XUV700 can take care of any urgency at home.
3. Invest this money (likely 10L +) and use Uber/Ola.

[EeshanChatterje]

I like the combination of the two above answers - A hassle & (almost) maintenance free EV is what I would recommend. Across friends who have taken similar advice in similar situations, I've noticed that the EV had become the unsaid primary family vehicle without ever intending to be so.

A latest gen (LFP) Nexon on the used market might be a great deal - saving you some moolah upfront as well as on an ongoing basis. The batteries are covered for long enough for you to be worry free for 5-6 years at least, and beyond that I expect LFP cells to only reduce in price in case a change is warranted. Research suggests, though that LFP cells are generally good for much, much longer than that.

I wouldn't be surprised if you end up doing a few of your shorter highway runs on it as well!

[qaqa]

I'm in a similar situation. My primary is a Tucson D-AT and we are looking to replace our second car (Ecosport AT). The primary car sees fairly heavy usage of about 2-2.5k per month while the ecosport is used for hardly 200km in a month.

The Tucson's city mileage is nothing great. It's also often ferrying just 1-2 people. So the idea is get an EV second car which can takeover some of city driving duties from the Tucson. Idea is to reduce the relatively expensive to run Tucson's mileage and use the EV more. This sort of rebalancing just wouldn't make sense with an ICE second car.

I'm looking for something like the Punch EV but preferably not with a Tata logo on it. Need a simple and low maintenance make. Hoping one of the EV launches this year will fit the bill !

[Drive.Thru.KKS]

Originally Posted by qaqa

I'm looking for something like the Punch EV but preferably not with a Tata logo on it. Need a simple and low maintenance make. Hoping one of the EV launches this year will fit the bill !

I was in a similar situation like you last year and chose to go the TATA route (kinda forced but now happy in retrospect, touchwood), getting a Punch EV MR Empowered+ for primarily city usage, keeping my EcoSport 1.5D for highway / outstation duties. This was the best decision with an avg usage pattern 1k-1.2k km city drives on Punch EV and ~500km highway drives per month on EcoSport. This gives the best combination of city drives with a small footprint EV car for errands/ school drops / office drives and allows me to enjoy the highways on the punchy Diesel EcoSport !

Happy choosing your future steed and happy motoring

[Red Liner]

Jimny all the way.

Then steal it on the weekends.