[FlankerH]

Hello All,

Hope you are doing well and enjoying your respective rides out there to the fullest. I am here to share my experience of the recent purchase we made as mentioned in the subject itself (in the most bizarre way possible) and how it's going so far.
The intention is to capture everything in the least number of words possible but please forgive me if the post breaches any threshold as it's my first one. The write-up begins with my quick introduction followed by sections:
Why a new car?
What all went into consideration?
How it started & progressed?
How did the purchase conclude?
And how its been so far?

Initially, I thought of not adding a new redundant post into the already brimming forum with a lot of worthy content, but then I realized its time to give back to the community (whatever little) which(TBHP) I must say made me a wiser man over the period of time. I have been reading TBHP posts since 2011 AFAI remember but only applied for membership in April this year. (I admit I am a lazy person with a keyboard). At the end of the report will share my experience with the much-denounced AMT gearbox, as I think not enough information is available over the internet, especially for Nexon AMT and its behavior which is slightly different and has pronounced variations tied to driving modes.

A bit about myself:
I love getting into the details of technical and mechanical stuff especially bikes, cars, and military platforms of all types. I am more of a "rider" than a "driver" and would prefer riding any day over driving. The permanent WFH made me a super lazy person who wants to step out only if the requirement can't be fulfilled by any app/delivery service out there. I have done a few long rides to distant places in Himachal and Uttrakhand in the last 10 years (from Delhi NCR), the most recent one is Noida-Munsiyari-Noida on my (bit of custom) RE Interceptor 650, a story for another day. I often just head out alone on any sleepless night to map the empty roads of Greater Noida to satisfy my riding urge, why night? I am not a morning person simply.



Although I love tinkering with things, especially vehicles, unfortunately like the majority of Indians I don't have access to enough space, great weather, encouraging rule of law, and favorable traffic conditions to invest resources in that direction and enjoy the outcome, so my hobbies are limited to listening music and surfing internet articles.

Why a new car:
Coming straight to the point my old ride a 2010 SX4 ZXI CNG had started showing all signs of aging and undergone (in Jan 2022) major repair work (at a known FNG), which included replacing all 4 shocks, the front link rods, and bushes. Fast forward to march 2022 one fine day power window switch unit on the driver's side door failed entirely leading to a hilarious situation where for everything we were opening doors as none of the window glasses were rolling. Then a week later an electrical fuse failed which turned SX4 into a 3-cylinder car as the 4th cylinder wasn't running, these 2 instances triggered a chain of thoughts where a lot of "what if" questions were popping into my mind here n there.

These issues were still somewhat manageable but my wife's disliking for this car wasn't, she always complained about the super heavy steering of SX4 and less than adequately comfortable rear seats (it's a subjective matter but then ladies...). For reference, she always compares driving SX4 to the Gadar movie's famous song featuring truck driving sunny paji "mai nikla oo gaddi leke".

Although I promptly got all issues fixed even further and added a new android head unit and reverse camera as well to somehow buy more time with SX4. But missus had made up her mind and clearly stated that she won't be driving this truck (a ton of exaggeration) to the office again as WFH time is about to get over, I think women find solutions to every problem in shopping no matter small or big. Meanwhile, my parents also shifted with us and due to my mother's fluctuating health, I felt the need for a more comfortable and reliable car, which led me to the spending trap (I am a miser too).

I wasn't ready to part ways with my dear car yet as she has been ultra-reliable and easy to maintain so far. Further, it's actually a great driver's car with great dynamics. In the last 12 years, SX4 has clocked only 74k km on ODO and almost lying idle since late 2019 clocking an avg. 400 KMS a month max. as me and the missus both have been working from home even before covid. In short "back then" we decided to keep the SX4 as well (as a secondary car) which eventually didn't happen and she just got a new home a week ago for obvious reasons.



What all went into consideration:

• I am a big fan of used vehicles but no one else in the family, so all arguments in favor got trashed right then and there.
• The budget was capped at INR 1 million or 10 lacs. Wanted to avoid car loans at all costs.
• Avoid DCT as much as possible (reliability was a top priority)
• It should be automatic with comfortable rear seats.
• It should be a safe car with at least a 3.5 or above crash safety score.
• A city (read wife) friendly car it should be.

These things were discussed and agreed upon by all parties concerned, but eventually, we failed to toe the lines.

How it started and progressed:
So we started discussing all things the lower end of the Indian four-wheeled passenger automobile segment has to offer which made me realize that government regulations especially applicable taxes and "make in India" policy had left us with limited options (few even substandard). I zeroed down to the premium hatchback segment as it was the closest match to our listed criteria, wifey was also convinced that a 4-meter hatchback will offer more leg space and a premium feel than a similar-sized cross-over/sedan. With these thoughts in mind and armed with the knowledge gained from countless Youtube reviews and TBHP posts we started our "showroom run" in late April.

The top contender was the recently launched Altroz DCA, followed by Baleno, Magnite, Amaze, Kiger and Tigor in that order. I20 was initially ruled out due to the DCT gearbox and poor safety rating combined(I didn't know IVT was also there).
Yes, Nexon was also not considered because I didn't want to spend 3 lacs more on an AMT car (we only considered top or 2nd top variants).
So what all happened during TDs and our mutual 4 cents (mine & wife's) on the overall experience during the whole process is as follows. I will try to mention only specific points as detailed vehicle reviews by others have already captured almost everything in detail:

Mahindra XUV700:
What, where the hell that came from? Yes like I stated above we never toed the line. I always liked the new "Thar" but it was way out of consideration in terms of offered practicality so the next best thing on offer was (and is) XUV 700, although I was aware of the waiting period still thought of giving it a try who knows Missus may blink. So Concept Mahindra Noida readily sent the TD vehicle which was a top-of-the-line petrol automatic. I and wifey took turns driving while my father checked the rear seat comfort. Already a lot is written in praise of that Ultra refined noiseless engine mated to the finest TC gearbox I have ever experienced still I'll add to it.
XUV700 is an overall very comfortable, well-tuned crossover with big car-like driving manners. I found 2nd-row seats are set awkwardly upright and can't be adjusted, strange! Otherwise, an excellent package, and would have been seriously considered it if only I had to take the final call.
Verdict: Too big for daily commuting and the waiting period is too high. Missus and Dad rejected it straight away.

Tata Safari:
Not again boy, why even you made a list in the first place? So on 29th April at sharp 9:30 AM on a hot Saturday morning, we left home to visit as many showrooms as possible and decide on something. The nearest was the branch of Sagar Motors (Tata) at sector 62 Noida, we asked for Altroz DCA TD to which assigned SE requested some time to check on the availability as HQ and the branch showroom shared the same TD vehicle. We were offered seats, water bottles, and coffee in that order. Meanwhile, we checked out the Harrier and Safari on demo. Knowing that wifey won't agree I took little interest and just stood there watching her inspecting both.
Suddenly I noticed something strange, Missus went on checking all 3 rows of safari followed by driving position with all possible variations of the seat and steering. In the end, she asked if we can TD this. A diff. SE dedicated who was there for Harrier/Safari promptly nodded yes and requested her DL. In the next 5 mins, the wife was sitting in the white TD safari automatic setting the driving seat position to her liking. It was a short TD of approx. 2 KMs on a mix of open and busy stretches around.
We felt safari was more comfortable while NVH was higher than the XUV700 (of course it's an oil burner) and steering was heavier. Overall wife was pleased and said we can go for it, I was like what the hell just happened? Still, I maintained my composure and discussed with SE the availability and price of Safari XTA Trim. Meanwhile, it was updated to us that Altroz DCA is at the sector 5 branch and can be sent to our place for TD on Tuesday. We thanked them and left. I asked wifey again are you still positive about what you said earlier and she nodded, it was the first time in my life I was unable to decide whether I should be excited or remain cautious (I know this lady very well that even I didn't bother to drive Safari).

MSIL Baleno:
The next stop was the nearby Nexa showroom, it was bustling with a crowd and I felt like everyone wanted to step inside the new XL6 and feel it. A lady reached out to us enquiring about our needs and promptly assigned an SE, this guy first gave us a quick tour of the new and updated Baleno and proudly boasted about the 5-star rating of the car, which I countered that the new model is yet to be crash tested. Upon which he showed me a screenshot of some auto portal which mentioned: "New Baleno can get 5-star rating". I virtually banged my head and requested a TD which we got in the next 10 mins. Again it was a short 2 KM drive on a mix of good and broken roads.
We both took turns and drove the car on the same patch, while SE kept on detailing about features on offer. We both liked the car, especially the leg space all around, comfortable seats although they were a bit soft and may sag during long drives, nimble and responsive engine at city speeds. The metal sheet quality felt better than the previous generation and it looks like MSIL has paid special attention to increasing the door thud noise as it definitely sounded heavy. The rest of the fit and finish was slightly better than typical Maruti but can't be labeled outright premium. One thing which I really liked was this "leatherette padding" just behind the driver-side door grab handle where we rest our elbows while driving, that little thing made a lot of difference. That being said Baleno has the best-looking speedo console I have witnessed so far in the sub 10 lac Rs. segment. The major reason for considering Baleno was 6 airbags offered on the top 2 trims and excellent FE, which is around 14 even in city conditions.
It was my first experience driving an AMT and now I knew what "head nod" and "lag" was, albeit it was minimal, Maruti has done a great job here. Mated with a proper 4-cylinder at times AMT behaved like a proper automatic. I was very much interested in 2nd top variant which was priced at around 9.7 lacs on road (Noida). SE updated that waiting is around 3-4 months for AMT and in case of booking cancellation INR, 500 will be deducted. We further checked XL6 and shared our opinions that how it's not useful for us due to middle-row captain seats. We thanked them collected water bottles and left.

Skoda Kushaq/Slavia:
Skoda people at Noida have played smart here, they have opened a small store just opposite the Nexa showroom at sector 62. It's literally a shop of approx. 12x20 sq. feet only with a back-to-back parked Kushaq and Slavia next to a counter. Even if half of the Nexa customers are visiting the Skoda outlet they must be getting good inquiries I am sure. We both took TD of Kushq and Slavia 1.0 TSI automatic and literally got blown away by the sheer acceleration, dynamics, and space on offer. Overall fit and finish of both cars were good and felt like they can last at least a decade. We both liked the Kushaq but the infamous "fuel pump" issue stopped me from moving ahead. SE took my number and asked for a suitable time to connect then we left.

Nissan Magnite:
Next, we landed at the Nissan showroom to check Magnite. Showroom people were lost in themselves and didn't look very keen to entertain anyone. A middle-aged SE got assigned by FOE after waiting for 5 mins in that empty showroom. Surprisingly there wasn't any clean demo car parked inside, SE took us to the adjacent service center/yard where at least dozens of Magnites were parked in the front half section while the other half was service area. Magnite is definitely a good-looking car, further, it felt practical and spacious in all aspects too. Interiors are sub-par, especially the speedo console which it shares with Kiger looked similar to 90s gaming consoles. The CVT automatic TD car had some issues with AC and hence they offered us the TD of manual variant. Again the TD was short like 3 KMs max, I drove while wifey was tasked to check the rear seat comfort. The TD vehicle had only 10k KMS on ODO but the door panels were already rattling and over the breakers, there was a squeaking noise from everywhere. Whatever the reason was every undulation of the road was felt inside the cabin, in one word the ride was harsh and left us disappointed. TBH I had high hopes for this car but all of it got crushed under that rattling noise. That TD made me realize that "perhaps" Powerdrift guys are doing over-the-top paid reviews and conveniently not talking about very basic issues. Overall Magnite's engine (turbo), dynamics, and features on offer make it the most VFM proposition.
SE updated that the waiting period was only 10 days and they will send the CVT variant for TD at our home which BTW never happened, we thanked them and left the place. Now it was time for a lunch break, we went to "Shree Ratnam" got re-energized, and headed for the next stop which was again TATA showroom sector-5 (see how determined we were to conclude it the same day)

TATA Altroz DCA:
Sagar Motors TATA sector-5 was the most crowded showroom we visited that day. They had a total of 5 cars parked in the demo area and all of them were surrounded by people checking them inside out. FOE attended to us took our details, called a guy on phone to bring Altroz DCA from the yard, and then politely requested us to check the demo vehicle in the meantime.
Altroz was the top contender in the list, we both made up our minds from day one that post TD we will book the car and head home straight from there. We both watched multiple Youtube reviews of the car and I had gone through the TBHP Altroz DCA review in detail. It was clearly being stated everywhere that it's a noisy car as the NA engine is seriously underpowered but mated to a very good chassis, the car is good only for light-footed city commutes. Well, I thought that any way we only need a well-built city car so Altroz DCA should suffice the need. The realization came later that I should better respect the reviews especially TBHP ones coming directly from mods. Altroz is a well-built great looking spacious car but that's about it. No, it can't be categorized as premium, especially for those odd looking part digital part analog speedo, rest of everything interior, fit, finish, and quality was acceptable. I mean why TATA why? Is it that you didn't learn a single thing from JLR?
I asked Missus to drive first and test extensively, (We both are fast drivers and love overtaking between the gaps. All credit goes to the excellent tuning of the SX4 chassis and powerful engine). She started in peak traffic and surprisingly immediately said that car is lugging even in second gear speeds, on top of that the engine was very much audible inside the cabin. she switched seats with me within 1KM of TD itself and said that it felt like driving an underpowered CNG car. My experience was no different, the engine really felt strained and is meant to be driven gently, it took its own sweet time to reach even 70 KMPH. This TD was a complete downer and we almost felt as if we were robbed of hope (so much melodrama, I know but that's how it was). We gave our feedback to the FOE, meanwhile, the wife asked me to request them for sending a Safari for longish TD at home which they readily agreed.

Honda Amaze and City:
Honda showroom was nearby and we reached there within 5 mins. It was the most well-maintained vehicle showroom with ample parking space out there but devoid of humans, only a FOE and an SE that's it. Missus always had a liking for this car (or such cars e.g. Dzire, Tigor) as it has good luggage carrying capacity without compromising much on leg space despite its small size.
Amaze is a decent budget car with nothing to complain or praise about as such, the 1.2 petrol engine felt slightly underpowered but smooth. It was a day of many firsts, this time it was CVT. Now I know what's rubber band effect is, the disproportionate rise in engine noise but constant speed was surprising for me. As if the car was responding to throttle inputs a second late that too by increasing engine volume not speed. Overall it's a great city car with compact dimensions, a 4* safety rating, smooth power delivery, good leg space, and comfortable seats.

Now I wanted to further test the City automatic as well to understand how the much acclaimed Honda CVT works with 1.5 Liter engine (definitely not worth considering with amaze, IMO). I have extensively driven Honda City MT (3rd Gen) and Accord 2.4 (2nd Gen), both are really good and responsive cars and I am sure any enthusiast will agree with that.
Honda City has always been a benchmark in its segment, refinement, comfortable seating and fine interiors are its strongest forte. A quick fast drive later I realized that spirited driving and CVT are not a match made in heaven or say factory, although the same gearbox performed better with a 1.5L engine my experience is now ruined forever. Now I was thinking perhaps the CVT performs better with bigger engines as I never faced any issue whatsoever pushing the mighty Accord around the corners or say driving pedal to the metal but got corrected in no time (or within 2 weeks). We checked on the availability of amaze, enquired about discounts, and took off only to land 500 meters away.

Toyota Glanza and Urban Cruiser. The booking:
The Esprit Toyota showroom was just around the corner hardly 500 meters away, by this time (4:30 PM) we both were tired, dehydrated, and slightly irritated. A day before I stated that I am planning to check out Fortuner and Audi A3 as well (coz why not), now the moment I stopped at Toyota wifey confirmed if I really want to check out Fortuner like now as it was late and she is unwilling to even step out of the car. I told her about Glanza and almost dragged her along to the demo section.
I must say Glanza is a looker (IMO better than Baleno), and the 2nd gen Corolla-inspired front section looks premium. The missus was a bit surprised to find out that Toyota is selling rebadged Maruti vehicles, she confirmed the same thing twice with the assigned SE making me look like a fuming fool. SE confirmed they don't have any Glanza AMT TD available as of now (wifey wanted longish TD) and waiting for the AMT is around 3 months due to chip shortage, but they will try to deliver in 2 months. Missus looked much interested in Urban Cruiser due to its SUVish looks, BTW I forgot to state that her favorite car was Ford Ecosport but unfortunately it was out of production else it would have been a no-brainer.

Our request for a TD of Breeza sibling got promptly entertained and wifey drove it for full 5 KMs in all traffic and road conditions while I was in the rear seat and kept on discussing with SE about any possible discount or prioritized delivery of Glanza (TBH I didn't like the dated interiors of the urban cruiser at all, also new breeza was just 2 months away). Wifey liked it very much and now Urban Cruiser was the top contender on her list, while I was sold on "Red Glanza G" and wanted to book it then and there (I am an impatient and trigger-happy guy). This led to a bit awkward situation where I wanted to book the car then and there to cut the waiting window as much as possible, while wifye wanted to discuss things at home and then take a more informed decision. Anyway, I convinced her for booking as the cancellation was fully refundable and we have got enough time to think through if we want to stick to it or not. We booked the car with a token amount of INR 5k at 6:30 PM in the wife's name, requested SE to send a demo car at home, and left. I had an ear-to-ear grin of accomplishment while my wife chose to remain "silent" till we reached home (A happy wife is a myth).

The reason for going for Glanza was simple: Everything Maruti Suzuki Baleno + Extended warranty of 3 years and better looks. I didn't find the top "V" variant which adds a (gimmicky) Heads UP Display, 360 Degree camera setup, cruise control (city car only remember), auto-dimming ORVMs, and Fog lamps to the feature list worth spending 1.2 lac more, hence opted for "G" i.e. 2nd top trim with 6 airbags. (I tried my best to check all the boxes of the created list, a sorted person, see!).

Analysis Paralysis:
We reached home at 8:00 PM, and briefed parents about the day and booking. Missus clearly stated that she is not much inclined for Glanza and instead in favor of a high-riding (SUV/crossover) car. The very next day i.e. on Sunday, the entire "consideration list" got flushed out with morning rituals and we were discussing prospects of owning the Safari over breakfast (Yes, you read that right). Who was the proposer "same lady who wanted to drive a city-friendly car" , in my wildest thoughts I didn't imagine this one scenario. Ever since she had experienced the comfort and street presence of the big, bold, luxurious crossover she made up her mind to retain and "flaunt" all of it. Missus now wanted a proper upgrade over SX4. Arguments in favor mostly included, we are now a big family with 4 adults and a kid we need a big car to move around comfortably, if not now when we will do it and I know you like to own big butch SUVs (While I was still in a state of confusion, what's wrong with her?). On Tuesday as promised by Sagar Motors their SE came along with a Safari XZA+ demo vehicle, wifey took a longish test drive of around 9 KMs on a long open stretch while crossing a small market area. Findings (from lady):
The front engine area or bonnet is way too flat, which hinders proper road view. (Now she is all praises for SX4's clean front view)
360 Camera setup is a must for a car this big and It's a big, very big car unfit for her daily office commute which requires driving through one of the busiest industrial areas of Noida. Ok, I thought now we are sorted, even this time also I didn't bother to drive the Safari. Why smell blood when you can't have the meat?

Now missus is keen for "Urban Cruiser" or say a high-riding vehicle and her list also included "Nexon". I explained to her that a new Breeza is just 30 days away with lot better things on offer why settle for a 6 yr old model? While Nexon is a great car but I am not going to spend north of 10 lacs on an AMT car (i had to literally eat my words here). A week went past this way with not many discussions further, following Monday we decided to check Renault's Kiger because why not? I called the Renault Noida showroom in sector 62 and requested a TD of "CVT Kiger" at home, they swiftly obliged and sent a "Kiger AMT". They somehow goofed up and promised to send the CVT model the following day. Anyway, it was good for me as I got to test drive both variants.

Renault Kiger AMT and CVT:
Kiger is a great-looking car from all sides no doubt about that, especially in blue and Red. The interiors are average with hard touch panels everywhere and are shared with cousin Magnite including a very childish speedo console. Rear seats and ride quality felt more comfortable when compared with Magnite may be due to less stiff suspension or lower tire pressure surprisingly in both TD cars. 2 strange things that I noticed in Kiger: first the front seat belt locker is awkwardly placed deep between both front seats and gearbox cavity which requires serious efforts to buckle up initially. Second, the window controls on the driver's side door are placed quite a rear set which causes elbows to rub against the B pillar.
The TD was 20 Km long this time I wanted to fully understand the AMT setup. This 3-cylinder engine with 71 HP is slightly underpowered for a car this heavy and AMT made things further messy. The car struggled to maintain the gear and keep shifting down with heavy noise when pushed through gaps, the infamous AMT power lag, and head nod was very much noticeable in this car, which wasn't that pronounced in Baleno. Next day CVT variant.

Kiger is by far the best-performing CVT automatic car I have driven (out of a total 4), the 1.0 Liter turbo petrol mated with this "magically" tuned CVT gearbox gives you brisk and lag-free acceleration till almost 100-110 KMPH post which power fades out. I think Renault-Nissan has done a fantastic job here. We (me and wifey) both liked the way this car moved and handled but wasn't very satisfied with the overall package. SE updated that 1 car each from the top and 2nd top variants in blue and brown shades respectively were available while for others waiting of 10-15 days was expected post booking. We discussed available discounts which were there as the new 2022 version was about to get launched within a few weeks. We were not convinced!

Honorable Checkouts:
One month passed already and there is no sign of the car, the reason was "chip shortage", especially for automatic varients the waiting time was and is simply beyond explanation. Although we had SX4 for some reason we both were getting restless and wanted to get our new set of wheels as quickly as possible. So I checked a few more not so considered "off the list" cars as well:

Hyundai I20 - After going through all the details on various forums, I thought of giving a try to the I20 IVT (DCT is strictly no-no). Noida has 3 different Hyundai dealerships but none had one for TD. Strangely SAs at all 3 said they will try to arrange a TD on a customer car if one ever comes up for delivery, also the waiting was of approx 4 months. This NA I20 engine and IVT gearbox combo are neither known for performance nor being frugal but what really goes for this car is its "premium" feel, fit n finish. Everything feels top-notch and built to last, a true premium hatchback.


MSIL New XL6 - I was accompanying a friend who was interested in XL6, and we checked out both automatic and manual variants. It was a short TD of 3 Km only, the car drives well and can absorb small bumps and potholes easily without giving many hints inside and shows good performance till 80 KMPH post that all enthusiasm fades out. The engine is tuned for maximum efficiency and the gearbox is not comfortable with any A-pedal adventure, but everything is delivered smoothly without much vocal drama like Altroz (of course it's a 4-cylinder and a Maruti).

The RC made in heaven: TATA Nexon XZA+ (HS) Petrol Delivery

Caution - Not recommended way to buy a car! Grab the popcorn, please.

It was 15th June around 6 PM at the clock, I was sitting at a hospital in Delhi waiting for my turn in OPD. Already bored of looking at the phone, I just turned my attention toward my fellow patients/attendants and their activities . There was 1 guy who was on the phone swearing by his 6-month-old Nexon, he was all praises for the car to the extent where at one moment he compared it with Mercedes. Trust me this was the moment that turned the course of my purchase decision. I thought why not try Nexon as well, I immediately searched and dialed "Sagar motor" sector-5 Noida's phone no. (although I had contact no. of one of their SA still) and requested them to connect me with an SA for Nexon.
I got a call back within 5 mins. (lighting fast, things are changing here) from person X (not sure if I should mention his name):

Me: (Post general courtesy) I am looking for spot delivery of Nexon AMT, can it be fulfilled?
Mr.X: With usual and expected no, "car has minimum 4 months of waiting, that too you want an automatic which is simply not possible. You have to book the car and I'll try my best to deliver within 2 months that's the best I can do for you.
Me: I'll pay in cash color and variant are not a concern here. (I was just playing, wasn't serious at all coz why not? I had time.)
Mr.X: Not possible sir, you have to book Blah blah...
Me: I already have 2 bookings for Glanza and Sonet (playing again) I am not going to book 3rd car, if you can arrange a quick delivery then ita okay else leave it. (One of my good friends has Nexon AMT, so I thought why not test drive his car and get a review from the horse's mouth as well.)
Mr.X: Sorry sir not possible, let me know if your mood changes, bye.

I was mostly expecting something similar to happen, Nexon is no doubt a hot seller and now I can say unarguably it deserves those numbers. But what happened next that day was least expected, within a few minutes scenario got completely changed as I was getting a call again from Mr.X within 15 mins. of the last call, follow on:

Mr.X: Hello sir, I just checked my database we may have a top-model Royal Blue Nexon XZA+ HS readily available, are you interested?
Now I was in a fix, how should I respond to this guy coz this one car I never considered for having AMT and overbudget by 3.5 lacs?
Me: That's awesome, what's the catch here?
Mr.X: Sir, as of now I have verbal updates, if you are comfortable with the variant, color, and price then only I'll put my efforts to hold it.
Me: Yes please hold it for me and confirm ASAP.
Still not sure how I said that without getting approval from the home ministry. Although I knew that wifey would rejoice in this one decision, but what about TD?

Mr.X promised to come back with further updates and disconnected. All of this happened within a span of just 30 mins.
I immediately dialed and broke the news to misuse and earned her quick appreciation in return along with the question, what about TD? (I was so happy that at least I know my wife well). I reminded her of the drive we had at her parent's place in a relative's manual shift Nexon around November last year and how much we liked the car. She got convinced (What was happening here). TBH I was tired of this extended car game and decided to experiment and manage with whatever pops. (Stupid decision, yes I know but that's how it was). Anyway, we checked out the Royal Blue shade on various vlogs, feature lists, and whatnot about the particular variant on the call itself (yes, that too waiting in an OPD queue).

BAM Mr. X called again just after almost 20 mins. (boy, he is fast) and informed "sir, It won't be possible to allocate the car as the status is not clear, I would request you to kindly book the car, I'll try my best to deliver ASAP". I just said let me think over it, thanked him, and disconnected. It was my turn to see the doctor.

The next day was supposed to be a usual boring day for us and no surprises were expected. Then at around 12:30 PM I got a call from Mr.X:
Mr.X: GM Sir, the status of the car is clear and confirmed, we can deliver it within 3 days subject to full payment.
Me: (Almost stammering) Okay, that's great, but didn't you say that there is a waiting of 4 months on AMT?
Mr.X: Yes there is, the original customer has asked us to push the delivery by a month, we don't have that much space in our yard. And since you have no constraints around color and variant with ready finances we are offering you. Kindly book it right now so that I can hold the inventory
Me: Just give me 5 mins. I'll call you back.
I literally jumped from my workstation and landed on wife's workstation scaring the shit out of her, narrated everything in single breadth, and asked her opinion. We discussed and agreed to move ahead and decided to lighten the account by another 3.5 lacs over and above the agreed budget.

I called Mr.X and asked him to book the car for us with a condition that the final payment will be made only after PDI and there wouldn't be any deviations in that, to which he agreed. We booked the car with INR 10k by account transfer and shared the requested documents over WhatsApp, against which he shared the payment receipt within 30 mins.

Later that day I met Mr.X and further questioned him, why he is not pitching the car to the next customer in the waiting queue, to which he said "Sir, this is the top model and a new color in the lineup, no one else have booked this color and I may have to call each of them and explain the situation, then 1-2 of them will turn up to have a personal look, its long process. And since you don't have any issues, I'll be able to reach the monthly target faster". I already got the insurance quote from Policy-Bazar and asked him to match it, which he initially denied but post hard bargain I managed to bring the difference to only 5k also I refused the showroom accessories despite his best effort. The car was in the yard and will be bought at the showroom for PDI the next day.

The next day although it was drizzling we (me and missus) reached the showroom for PDI at around 3 PM it was Friday 17th June. The car was parked in the delivery area and oh boy she was looking gorgeous. I had the Team-BHP PDI checklist handy with me. We both quickly inspected the car for any paint jobs or scratches, inspected the surface for any undulations (mild dents), and checked all controls and functions properly. Form-22 mentioned the factory dispatch date of 6th June only, duly noted down the tyre make and model which was Goodyear Assurance. All in all everything looked good so we moved ahead paid the full amount via bank transfer, and completed the paperwork. We were delighted and decided to take the delivery on Sunday 19th June and left for the day.

During PDI


The Day: We reached the showroom by 12:30 PM, the showroom was again bustling with a crowd. Mr.X is a man of his word he kept everything ready, multiple people quickly got involved with us, and Missus signed a few more papers (extended warranty and a few others) while I was getting a quick demo of functions, features, and toolset including tyre inflator followed by customary cake cutting ceremony and key handover pics. It all happened really fast and by 2 PM, we were out on road in our brand spanking new once "not so considered Nexon" for the temple.

The new car:


Nexon's Hexa inspired front macho looks are more pronounced in this Royal blue color shade.




Thanks for bearing with me till here, ownership review follows in the next post just below.

[FlankerH]

"At the end of the report will share my experience with the much-denounced AMT gearbox, as I think not enough information is available over the internet, especially for Nexon AMT and its behavior which is slightly different and has pronounced variations tied to driving modes."

It wasn't even 100 KMs on ODO and I was already regretting my big purchase. Yes, it happened, in fact, I regretted it so much that whenever I was driving Nexon somewhere I was thinking of selling it, why?

1. Coming from a 4-cylinder powerful, silent, and smooth petrol car (SX4) this 3-cylinder slightly noisy and vibrating engine was a complete downer for me. Although I was aware of all this still wasn't able to accept it.
2. Till 1600 KMs I wasn't able to find a comfortable driving position for myself.
3. And a laughable one is essentially responsible for all this mess (will explain, keep following).

I cursed myself every day for being such an impatient moron, I should have gone for a test drive before buying. But all this cribbing lasted for 2 months or 2500 KMs. The initial 2 months were rather busy and we quickly covered 2500 KMs in and around Delhi NCR with 1 short trip to Vrindavan. While missus when understood the behavior of AMT made peace with it and started enjoying the car to the fullest, I was still struggling to find even a comfortable driving position.
On SX4 I had lumber support installed with the backrest always remaining upright (almost at 75-80 degrees), I wasn't able to replicate this setup with or without lumber support in Nexon coz it has proper bucket seats.
Simply I wasn't able to adapt without getting into the mold, until one fine day post driving 1600 KMs, finally! One thing is sorted.
Usually, I don't judge things or people before giving them ample opportunities to prove their mettle but here I made this one mistake and lost patience with poor Nexon without even understanding it fully, my bad.

AMT: I am the Devil's Advocate

The Nexon has 3 driving modes Economy, City, and Sports. The default driving mode is City and post every restart car goes back into city mode. These driving modes clubbed with 'turbo' make AMT on this car special, as each mode not just changes the character of the engine but also of the gearbox (described below). Maybe for some of you, the following information may not be a news flash, but for perspective buyers, I hope it makes difference, follow on:

• Economy Mode - Only suitable for relaxed cruising on highways or crawling bumper-to-bumper traffic. In this mode, the car will try to remain within 2K RPM and rarely breach 2500k mark. You will feel the vibrations on the steering and side panels of the gear stick. The engine will quickly upshift even at the slightest opportunity and will engage 6th gear at as low as 70 KMPH. In this mode, one will feel clutch release jerks i.e. the infamous AMT head nods, and momentary power lags quite often.

• City Mode - Good for city driving or even highway cruising, vibrations on steering and panels are negligible. The engine feels peppy and eager to do the run for you. The car will always have adequate power when needed. The head nod, power lags, and jerks are still there but much less compared to Eco mode. You need to adapt to driving in this mode as due to the absence of a manual clutch control car jumps in b2b traffic. The 6th gear gets engaged only upwards of 85 KMPH in city mode.

• Sport Mode - This is the most natural state of this engine where all 118 horses are ready to run the derby. This mode simply transforms the car, as if 1 more virtual cylinder got added. In sport mode, there are almost no head nods (only in 2nd gear), no vibrations and zero power lags, Yes no power lags! AMT in this mode 'almost' behaves like a torque converter. The engine holds RPM for longer, shifts are real fast and the car doesn't feel muzzled now as if it lost some weight. With the use of a light left foot, this is the most recommended mode to drive Nexon. The engine will engage the 6th cog only above 110-115 KMPH (not suitable for relaxed highway cruising).

I was trying to get adapted to AMT driving style which is essentially being "light-footed" but unfortunately, that's not the best working approach at least with Nexon.
Instead one should try to understand his / her driving style and choose the nearest matching driving mode out of the 3. For me, it's the Sports Mode.
Till 2500 KMs or 2 months I drove 80% of the time in Eco mode and kept cursing the car. Why? Reason no. 3: The laughable one. Since the 'real-time fuel efficiency' tracker and trip mileage indicator was something new for me, I thought of extracting the maximum out of the car using them. Coming from a CNG car to a gasoline-driven small tank took a heavy toll on my mental stability and for almost 2 months my whole attention while driving was on the "real-time efficiency tracker" as the aim was to extract maximum mileage to an extent where I never even tried sport mode for more than a few hundred meters here n there.
Needless to say, I was a fool back then! Now I drive mostly in sports mode as much as possible wearing an ear-to-ear grin when overtaking through gaps. In short 'Nexon' is a fast, bulky, high-riding hatchback and I am a satisfied owner.
It's been fuss free 6 months with no technical or mechanical issues at all. TATA has done a great job in all aspects, also Sagar motor's team has in fact been very courteous and acted swiftly wherever required, full 10 on 10 for quick delivery and awesome experience so far.

Soft Roading? Hmm



List of Great Things:

1. Power on tap - More than adequate always.
2. Drivability - Easy to maneuver with controlled body roll
3. Safety - Confidence from 5 Star rating and rather heavy doors
4. Comfortable - Adequately cushioned seats with good under-thigh support.
5. Suspension - Just good enough for our Indian road conditions.
6. The music system - Just awesome, punches way above its weight.
7. Ground Clearance - Best in class, helped me wade water easily in which almost all other hatchbacks and sedans were stuck.
8. Space - Adequate space for 5 adults with luggage.
9. Fast charging USB - Dash-based USB socket can juice up your phone really fast, I think it's above 25 watts.
10. Excellent braking - Confidence inspiring even at triple-digit speeds.
11. Modern Interiors - It's a nice place to be in.

Not-so-good things:

1. Slightly noisy 3-cylinder engine - Although one can quickly get used to it.
2. Ground Clearance - Not the best for grandparents even with side steps.
3. No Cup holders in front - Why an umbrella holder but not a cup holder?
4. Childish Speedo console - I don't like it.
5. Sunroof - Waste of money. Not for polluted Indian conditions.
6. Noisy tyres - Although Goodyear Assurance offers good grip, at speeds above 70 KMPH you can easily hear the tyre noise inside the cabin.

Mileage: Try to keep the car within 2K RPM as much as you can (i.e. always keep Eco mode engaged) and she will reward you with 12 KMPL city mileage and 19-20 KMPL highway mileage. Both figures are based on the tank-full test method. Further, you can have a look at my other Nexon mileage run post with the context of this picture here. (Tata Nexon : Official Review)

[Aditya]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[yashg]

Originally Posted by FlankerH

I immediately dialed and broke the news to misuse and earned her quick appreciation in return (I was so happy that at least I know my wife well).
...
the original customer has asked us to push the delivery by a month, we don't have that much space in our yard. And since you have no constraints around color and variant with ready finances we are offering you.

Congratulations! You got extremely lucky there, both in terms of life partner and the car! Wish you two many happy miles in the new car.

[prasi55]

Many congratulations. I recently test drove the Nexon Petrol AMT and also my friend's Nexon Petrol AMT for more than 100 km. Contrary to my expectations (coming from the KWID AMT and having driven DCT, CVT, and my friend's Sonet Diesel AT), the AMT performed above average in the city and boss on the highway, especially in Sports mode, with minimal lag. I wish it came with a smoother transmission, but as you've mentioned, it provides superb drivability, power, suspension, and interiors. Despite the AMT (and the somewhat busy cabin), I felt it punches above its weight for the price.
Wishing you many happy miles with it and looking forward to longer-term ownership reviews.

[SulemanP]

Congratulations on your new purchase without a TD, initially while reading I thought something terrible might have happened. Glad! that it was only about making yourself familiar with the car & its characteristics.

Enjoy your ride!

[Zanskar]

Congratulations on your purchase. Hope now they have added hill hold/hill descent control or something similar to the AMT Nexon.

I had a scary experience sometime back when I was on my way to Ooty driving a Zoom Car Nexon AMT, while navigating a sharp U-turn going down I needed to come to a stand still and take the car in reverse but as soon I would leave the brakes it would start going forward.
I ultimately had to resort to hand brake + both feet (in a automatic!) to build enough power to be able to do that. Being used to Polo TSI back home it was a revelation for me.

[FlankerH]

Originally Posted by Zanskar

Congratulations on your purchase. Hope now they have added hill hold/hill descent control or something similar to the AMT Nexon. .

Yes being a top model this model has a functional hill hold feature, which i have tested so far only at mall parkings. The hold is there for precise 3 secs and does the job as expected.

[Spinnerr]

Congratulations! Thank you for the AMT sports mode feedback, reassuring to know TATA got it right.

Originally Posted by FlankerH

.........
Me: (Post general courtesy) I am looking for spot delivery of Nexon AMT, can it be fulfilled?
Mr.X: With usual and expected no, "car has minimum 4 months of waiting...

Me: I'll pay in cash color and variant are not a concern here. (I was just playing, wasn't serious at all coz why not? I had time.)
Mr.X: Not possible sir, you have to book Blah blah...

Me: I already have 2 bookings for Glanza and Sonet (playing again) I am not going to book 3rd car, i.....
Mr.X: Sorry sir not possible, ....

.... Mr.X within 15 mins. of the last call, follow on:

Mr.X: Hello sir, I just checked my database we may have a top-model Royal Blue Nexon XZA+ HS readily available, are you interested?
Me: That's awesome, what's the catch here?..........

I liked this part the most, the negotiation , the confusion and opportunity thoughts running on the sale guys and your mind. Fun to play out that scenario in mind.

This is something I should try in my next car purchase. And yeah, bank balance too has to agree, but hay, that's another story.

[AROO7]

Originally Posted by FlankerH

I was trying to get adapted to AMT driving style which is essentially being "light-footed" but unfortunately, that's not the best working approach at least with Nexon.
Now I drive mostly in sports mode as much as possible wearing an ear-to-ear grin when overtaking through gaps. In short 'Nexon' is a fast, bulky, high-riding hatchback and I am a satisfied owner.

First of all congratulations on your purchase and wishing you atleast 1 lakh kms of fuss-free ownership experience.
Coming to your observation on the AMT gearbox, you are bang on just put it in sports mode and let it glide. Also driving the car is a headache in bumper-to-bumper traffic if you are coming from a manual and thus takes time getting used to it. That said, have you tried driving it in manual mode, if not then do it. You are going to love how much smooth it becomes then. Lastly, I would add that if you are now used-to to how car drives just consider easing off the throttle the moment you sense the AMT is going to shift, head nods will reduce even further (applicable to all drive modes and manual mode).

[DriveOnceMore]

Congratulations!

I am kind of pulled off similar act last month when I bought Tata Altroz XZ+ Dark
I first was considering Creta diesel -- then switched to i20 petrol and then diesel-- finally settled on Altroz.
Mind you, all the above mentioned cars were readily available as I was lucky.
Creta Knight edition was almost booked BUT due to some 'sensible (!) ' financial calculations I thought of saving some bucks (around 4.5 lakhs) now and go full fledged after few years.
So then moved to i20 petrol, which was again available but later dropped due to not so inspiring FE numbers.
Thus came diesel i20 into the picture, which sales person agreed to arrange in a week as it was in transit.

All this process took a week and suddenly we went to adjacent Tata showroom.
Checked out Altroz -- liked it very much -- cheaper than i20 (I know Altroz misses out on some features ) -- readily available in Dark XZ+ trim (because I dialed down my choice from Creta to Altroz, I took a liberty of spending 20K additional for Dark edition :P) -- paid 11k booking amount in first visit itself -- got the car delivered in a week after.

I always take good time to do my calculations / decision making thoughts and discussion with family, BUT once the decision is made I can't wait to have the car with me. I dial multiple showroom, tackle sales guys just the way you did and somehow manage to get the car ASAP.

Just felt like sharing

[FlankerH]

Originally Posted by AROO7

That said, have you tried driving it in manual mode, if not then do it. You are going to love how much smooth it becomes then. Lastly, I would add that if you are now used-to to how car drives just consider easing off the throttle the moment you sense the AMT is going to shift, head nods will reduce even further (applicable to all drive modes and manual mode).

Thanks! I tried manual mode few times but honestly didn't find it practical enough but can be used occasionally like when you want car to drive in a specific gear only.
Further yes tried timing the A pedal in city mode it definitely helps but engaging sports mode is lot easier and fun.

[FlankerH]

Originally Posted by DriveOnceMore

Congratulations!

I dial multiple showroom, tackle sales guys just the way you did and somehow manage to get the car ASAP.

Just felt like sharing

Congratulations and high five we are a bunch of trigger-happy impertinent guys

[Theyota]

My first car buy was something similar to yours. Back in the down south United States, about 4-5 months into my first job after graduate school, one morning, I was with a senior colleague who liked to call me "bubba" on the shop floor of my employer. Something got me to tell him that I got to leave work a little early because I had to go and get me a new car in the evening. My student time 1991 Honda Civic had broken down and it was not worth fixing it. He told me he knows a couple of dealers in the small town we were in through his firefighting volunteer work and he can hook me up with a nice car. With him being a quintessential "bubba", his issue was that the only cars that fit me are pickups. I told him that, after 4 months out of college into a job, I have only so much money in my bank account and I don't like bank loans for depreciating assets. As most typical desis at that time in the US, I told him I want a Toyota Corolla, because that's that best Toyota I could afford without a loan at that time. In hindsight I wished I had bought a Tacoma. I missed out on so much fun. He poked fun at me and called a contact of his in the Toyota dealership in the town. Told the guy on the other end that a brother from another mother is in need of a Corolla and they got hook me up with a good one and passed the phone on to me. They told me to come over and have a look. I told them I know the exact variant of Corolla I want and just hook me up with one of them. They told me to come over at least for a few minutes so that I can also make a comparison between a Corolla and a Corolla Matrix. They also told me I would still have to go there at least for paperwork. So went in during lunch time, I liked the Corolla Matrix, but they didn't have the variant I wanted on their lot. They told me, I may have to wait for a couple of weeks if they need to get a new one from Toyota or they can check inventory of other dealers in that region and if they find one, they can get it in less than 24 hours for 150 dollars extra. They found one and gave me a total on-road price which was fair compared to what I had seen on edmunds.com valuation and I did not negotiate a single dollar on it. Finished the paper work. Then asked them if they would buy my old 91 Honda Civic. I told them what the problem was with the car and they just started the car for barely a minute and offered 600 dollars. I asked them for 800 dollars and they were like, "done" without any haggling. So I got 800 dollars for a car I had bought for 1900 dollars and had driven about 50k miles. All this was done by 1 PM. They kept my old car their and gave me one of their cars to go back to work until they could get my new car. At around 5:30 PM they called me and said they have my new car ready with the plates and they could bring it to my work. So around 6:30 PM, they handed over my new car to me, took back their car and the transaction was done. Between the phone call in the morning at around 10:30 AM to having a brand new car in hand at around 6:30 PM and selling my old car in that period, I might have interacted with the dealership for maximum of 1.5 hours. Never ever have I felt cheated in that transaction. This was was in early 2005. I drove that car for 115k miles with only basic oil and tire changes plus a one time serpentine belt change at around 80k miles.

[FlankerH]

Originally Posted by Theyota

This was was in early 2005. I drove that car for 115k miles with only basic oil and tire changes plus a one time serpentine belt change at around 80k miles.

Thanks! Now we know why your name is Theyota