[vin11]

Originally Posted by Sudeep_Kimster

1. Fiat Punto Evo - Highest GC 185mm to be precise, driver centric

3. MSIL Swift - would meet your requirement, but fit and finish after regular running on these roads, is questionable. Lots of rattling issues from owners too.

Definitely not the Swift. It has a fairly stiff rear suspension which is good for stability on highways but not comfortable on broken roads. At the front, it is a bit manageable but definitely not at the rear seat. It is a different thing if you tend to go fast (and rash) over broken roads, but not good for the car. Add to that, the average GC and long front overhang - which means that the bumper gets scratched from the lower edges.

And, I didn't knew that Punto's GC was 185mm. I thought it to be 195mm.

[drmohitg]

Honestly I have taken my Altis through some really bad roads and at times on quite considerable speeds too. Till date it has never let me down with zero under body hits and no rattles whatsoever.

Ofcourse the ideal car for really bad roads will always be a true blooded SUV or even the MUVs on sale in our market.

[Sudeep_Kimster]

Originally Posted by vin11

Definitely not the Swift. It has a fairly stiff rear suspension which is good for stability on highways but not comfortable on broken roads. At the front, it is a bit manageable but definitely not at the rear seat. It is a different thing if you tend to go fast (and rash) over broken roads, but not good for the car. Add to that, the average GC and long front overhang - which means that the bumper gets scratched from the lower edges.

And, I didn't knew that Punto's GC was 185mm. I thought it to be 195mm.

Swift as a driver's car still fairs better, but your are right not as rear passengers, it gets really uncomfortable there

Yes Punto Evo's GC is 185mm.

[swiftnfurious]

Originally Posted by vin11

Definitely not the Swift. It has a fairly stiff rear suspension which is good for stability on highways but not comfortable on broken roads ....

You should try the current gen Swift. One of the best tuned suspension, very close in the league of Euro cars.

Yes, it's not so spacious in the rear, but comfort on bad patches is really good compared to the first gen version.

[Sheel]

Try these cars at places where a CV's rear overhang scrapes, chances are, save for the Duster [and that too with careful driving/judgement] most cars too will scrape away to glory.

The 4WD counterparts of SUV's are less wallowy and you can traverse any terrain with peace of mind, that is the most comfortable thing for me.

[shasha]

A surprise for the price , when it comes to bad roads , is MM Logan IMHO. When driven through the same ( bad ) patch as my Vento, it let me know only half the holes underneath. Worth a special mention by the Jury though not the exclusive winner.

[Aroy]

Originally Posted by shasha

A surprise for the price , when it comes to bad roads , is MM Logan IMHO. When driven through the same ( bad ) patch as my Vento, it let me know only half the holes underneath. Worth a special mention by the Jury though not the exclusive winner.

Yes most of the French cars have excellent suspension, which just soak the road undulations. I believe that is due to a lot of "cobble stone" pavement in French cities and villages.

[Rahul Rao]

Originally Posted by geotracks

How about the automatic Hyundai Creta?

An automatic Duster would also be great, given so much is spoken about the Duster in this thread.

Creta is fine, maybe second to Duster and the Storme 4X4 for such roads as long as there are only two people on the front seat, but with the weight of four, the suspension goes down, and you start feeling all the jerks.

Even in the Storme the 4X2 has body roll that troubles when you hit a curve at speeds, and come across a pothole in the curve.

Rahul

[balajisv]

I'm pretty comfortable driving on absolutely notorious Bangalore roads in my Zest. Moving from Swift, I should admire the suspension, comfort and ground clearance Zest offers. Most of the undulations in city roads are easily taken care off.
Swift is a pain in bad city roads. Of course, it is a heart stealer on highways!

[vin11]

Originally Posted by swiftnfurious

You should try the current gen Swift. One of the best tuned suspension, very close in the league of Euro cars.

Yes, it's not so spacious in the rear, but comfort on bad patches is really good compared to the first gen version.

Not to start a debate here, but what I felt from the rear suspension of my 2013 (New Shape) Swift was the lack of comfort and very stiff ride quality. At the front, you don't feel much except the 'thud' sounds but at the rear, the passengers will have to hold grab handles (or whatever they're called ) on bad patches (potholes basically). Assuming that you're also a previous-gen Swift owner (from your Avatar), I agree with you that the suspension is better tuned in the new-gen. On highways, it is among the benchmarks though.

If you've been in the Punto (rear seat), you'll be surprised with the ride quality. You feel nothing except some sounds of the suspension working, when you expect a serious effect in the cabin on bad roads.

[revintup]

Originally Posted by vibbs

I believe a CUV (S Cross/Duster/Creta/Ecosport) would be the best bet if you dont prefer beefy full size SUVs.

Originally Posted by vin11

The car of choice for tackling the potholed roads would be the Compact UVs in the market - Ecosport, Duster, Terrano and even S Cross and Creta. Small and agile enough to negotiate traffic easily and strong enough to negotiate bumps and potholes with ease.

Not the Ecosport please. Low speed ride is very firm. I know because I own one and this is the one lone issue that bothers me. But have to say that the ride is superb once you gather some speed.

Originally Posted by smartcat

The cheapest option - your existing car, with air pressure in all 4 tyres set at 27 to 28 PSI. If you haven't tried it, you will be flabbergasted by the difference in ride quality.

Originally Posted by neeravnaik

yes i do keep the Air pressure around that level. wondering what is the experience in other cars. I also have a Dzire which gives a better ride I feel.

Exactly. I am extremely satisfied at 28 psi against the recommended 30psi. But this comes at an increased risk of tyre failure-puncture due to the increased contact of the side walls.

[GTO]

The best all-rounder for potholed / broken / inexistent roads would be the Duster. Excellent ride quality, good view of the road ahead, high ground clearance and the availability of AWD. The 85 & AWD variants top that up with superb driveability.

Originally Posted by freedom

Its been raining since morning plus its a Friday. I am in nostalgia mode. I am going to throw a wild card. How about Peugeot 309!

Outstanding ride quality + rough road ability. The car was built for abuse.

Originally Posted by vin11

The car of choice for tackling the potholed roads would be the Compact UVs in the market - Ecosport

Oh, not the EcoSport! It has a stiff ride at low speed.

Originally Posted by smartcat

The cheapest option - your existing car, with air pressure in all 4 tyres set at 27 to 28 PSI. If you haven't tried it, you will be flabbergasted by the difference in ride quality.

. Just make sure you don't lower it too much, else your tyres will overheat / suffer uneven wear. And switch back to recommended pressures before hitting the highway.

Originally Posted by aqualeo2040

Considering the fact that Corolla/Altis is the preferred choice of our MLAs/MPs(?), how comfortable are they on our lunar/martian terrain?

Very comfortable. The Corolla Altis also offers a great backseat.

Originally Posted by GeneralJazz

Even though the Duster is fantastic over potholed roads, I maintain that the best vehicle for our Indian roads, even now, is the good old Amby. Those heavenly seats eat up those potholes with ease!

Hahahaha! You mean the 'spring-loaded' rear sofa!

Originally Posted by Rahul Rao

The Duster , Terrano siblings are the perfect answer for damaged roads, but once stuck is traffic, the heavy clutch is a real pain.

The newer ones have a lighter clutch that isn't as much of a pain.

Originally Posted by geotracks

How about the automatic Hyundai Creta?

Yeah, the Creta's low speed ride is very good.

Originally Posted by shasha

A surprise for the price , when it comes to bad roads , is MM Logan IMHO. When driven through the same ( bad ) patch as my Vento, it let me know only half the holes underneath. Worth a special mention by the Jury though not the exclusive winner.

Another awesome contender! The Logan's suspension can flatten the worst of roads. And lets not forget, the Duster is based on the Logan's platform.

Originally Posted by Aroy

Yes most of the French cars have excellent suspension, which just soak the road undulations. I believe that is due to a lot of "cobble stone" pavement in French cities and villages.

Thanks! Learn something new everyday.

Originally Posted by balajisv

I'm pretty comfortable driving on absolutely notorious Bangalore roads in my Zest.

Definitely the best among the compact sedans.

[vibbs]

Guys, I am a little confused with some of the replies here. Is the question about cars with best low speed ride?

I thought the OP wants to know which cars are best for potholed roads. To tackle such roads without worry, in my opinion the car needs two things. One, good GC and then a mature suspension that means you dont need to slow down for every break or bump on the road. My answers Punto (among hatchbacks) and Ecosport were with this in consideration.

If it was low speed ride, most Hyundais will be on top, but the moment you encounter undulations and broken stretches the soft suspension set up keeps the car bouncing all the way (based on my experience with the i20).

My limited experience with Ecosport suggests that although low speed ride is harsh, it soaks up bad roads pretty well. That coupled with the GC, you can be pretty much confident taking on bad roads. Again my experience with Ecosport is very limited.

[AWD]

A comfy suspension car been on my list since a long time now, helpful topic. So Duster it is as most have suggested. Btw when did the changes like lighter clutch, rubber beadings on doors, etc..figure, beginning this year ?

How is XUV's ride quality ? Heard TUV3OO doesn't fare good.

[lurker]

So it seems amongst cars the main contenders in this price bracket are

1. Punto
2. Logan
3. Used Corolla
4. Liva

Amongst soft (monocoque) SUVs

1. Duster