[blrboy]

For your current needs, Petrol will do but car buying is a long term decision. So think again and do the math.
Have you considered and thought through whether you foresee any future needs/requirements that would require more travel? If your answer still remains the same satisfies the above needs, then stick to Petrol.

For #3, if you are expecting 14 kmpl in city and 17 kmpl in highways, i really doubt that Petrol cars that too with CSUV will meet your need. Diesel is the option.

Of course, there is no perfect car which will meet 100% of your requirements. You have compromise on something somewhere. So my suggestion is to buy a car that suits your requirements/needs in foreseeable future.

Originally Posted by ravib

In that sense, latest Ford EcoSport facelift will match most of your needs (Either Trend+ AT or Titanium Diesel) in your budget. I don't expect Petrol to tick your 3rd point. Diesel will tick all your above needs, but with higher initial price and slightly higher maintenance cost. That is the price you pay upfront and compromise you have to do now.

-Ravi

Thank you Ravi . I have almost shortlisted Ecosport Facelift Petrol and Diesel.I am not sure about the maintenance cost of modern diesel engines.

Originally Posted by autorahul

You have mentioned your city as Bangalore and a small running of around 800 km a month, mostly in city. You are not just in petrol territory but in a territory where you can easily opt for a petrol automatic.

I would enjoy manual transmission as compared to automatic transmission. I feel its still someway to go for automatic transmissions to mature in our country (again not offence meant to any one who owns them , just my perception)

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[blrboy]

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[sudev]

Low running diesels are more prone to engine deterioration. Secondly as you plan to keep car for ten years you will not be able to resell with new environment regulations.

Unless it's a must look for pre owned low milage SUV. Petrol ones come at great bargain. Your budget will stretch to vehicles that are too braket up.

[aryayush]

The ideal choice for you would be the Ford EcoSport 1.5L Petrol Titanium MT. It is squarely within your budget, is the most powerful engine in its class, is fun to drive and handles like a dream, is from a company that has lately acquired a reputation for having low maintenance charges and is a safe, solid and well built car that looks handsome.

Diesel cars only require a little more maintenance than petrol ones on paper but in my experience (with my five year old Hyundai Verna), they can be extremely unreliable and the maintenance and repair charges can rob you blind. I have no experience whatsoever with Ford's engines but I'm probably never buying a diesel car again (despite the sweet torque they offer).

[blrboy]

Originally Posted by Ithaca

I am waiting for any updates on the HR-V and I sincerely hope that Toyota Rush is launched in our country.
I prefer sticking to the Korean & Japanese vehicles for peace of mind ownership.

Hoping your thread and query allows me to clarify a few doubts I have and i hope to get a clearer picture of what my next vehicle should be, in case it isn't the HR-V or Rush.

Good to know that this post is helpful for you.

I agree that the Japanese and Korean cars are good for peace of mind ownership. But I don't consider them as well built for Safety as compared to European or American makes.

I am pretty much sure that HR-V and Rush will be outside my budget range.

Originally Posted by aryayush

The ideal choice for you would be the Ford EcoSport 1.5L Petrol Titanium MT. It is squarely within your budget, is the most powerful engine in its class, is fun to drive and handles like a dream, is from a company that has lately acquired a reputation for having low maintenance charges and is a safe, solid and well built car that looks handsome.

Yes, I agree. But I am having my own doubts on how reliable Ford would be ,especially knowing that they are yet to make any inroads in India though they make good cars.

I am wondering what would I do for service and spare parts if they decided to shut shops and move away just like how GM did.

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[vb-saan]

Originally Posted by blrboy

Yes, I agree. But I am having my own doubts on how reliable Ford would be ,especially knowing that they are yet to make any inroads in India though they make good cars.

I am wondering what would I do for service and spare parts if they decided to shut shops and move away just like how GM did.

I feel Ford is pretty good when it comes to reliability and ownership costs; we have a good amount of ownership reviews here as reference.

And I believe getting paranoid about Ford following GM is like asking “if Nissan or Mitsubishi close shop in India, will Honda/Toyota follow them”

[aryayush]

Here's another video from CarWale comparing the Ford EcoSport, Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza and Tata Nexon:

https://youtu.be/dkzpQeTKyy0

Although I agree with the conclusion, does anyone else get the feeling that the looks of the Vitara Brezza get short shrift in these comparisons? I think it's just a beautifully designed, very proportionate car with an understated elegance about it. If it weren't a common sight on the streets and had a more prestigious logo slapped on it (and carried a price tag to match), it'd probably be on every best designed vehicles list they made. I find it strange that it always gets rated the lowest on looks in these comparisons.

[arindambasu13]

Originally Posted by aryayush

I find it strange that it always gets rated the lowest on looks in these comparisons.

As far as design is concerned, while I am a fan of understated lines myself, I cannot help but admit that the Brezza has grown a bit long in the tooth a bit too soon, with better designed competitors having flooded the market in a short span of time since its release. There is a very thin line between understated and boring, and the Brezza unfortunately comes across as the latter rather then the former.

No wonder then that it sits at the bottom of the rung when it comes to looks, especially because the Indian market has tended to gravitate towards 'funkier designs', cases in point being the Nexon and Ecosport, not to mention the over-funky WR-V.

[mikeautherton]

Hi all,
I am looking for a good drivers car. With a total daily office commute of 10-12 km in typical city traffic and travel to my home town about 350 km far for 4-5 times a year and may be some short touring once or twice in a year. This will be my first car.

In Brief
Cars short listed - Fiat Punto, Tata Nexon, Honda Jazz
Price range - Can stretch till 9 lakhs on road in Hyderabad but Value for Money (VFM) is important.
Maintenance & After Sales Service (A.S.S.) expectations -Car should be good with decent service and lite on pockets.
Average distance traveled per month - 500-1000km/month
Where car will be mostly used (city / highway / rough roads etc) - Mostly in city with pot holed roads and occasional highway trips.
Chauffer driven / self driven - Self
Whether the vehicle will be shared by other members of family- Some times Wifey may drive.
Any specific requirements from car (ex. Better luggage space, responsive engine, rear seat comfort) - Should be manageable in traffic at the same time fun to drive. Safety is a priority.
How long you intend on keeping this car (and how important resale is to you) - I generally don't like to part with my vehicles. At least that is the case with my bikes.

I have been an auto enthusiast right from birth with cars and other vehicles always being in my thought process. I liked the Fiats starting from 118NE and the Palio and now the punto. I also have some inclination towards TATA vehicles and like the refinement of the Honda's.

Cars and Showrooms so far
Three months back with a budget around 7 Lakhs
Tata Zest XMS petrol : It is a good VFM car, Spacious, ABS, EBD, Three driving modes. Odd looks from some angles and TAXI tag put this one out.
Tata Tiago : Top end with over 6 Lakhs for petrol and little less than 7 lakhs for diesel. Although a spacious hatch, Given that we both are tall and may be difficult to accommodate a 5th person, Not in serious consideration.

Fiat Punto: This was the serious one. Wanted to buy a petrol but somehow did not follow about this car off late. Walked into show room

Me: Looking for a Punto petrol
SA: Sir, Diesel will be better

Me: My mileage is less I will be OK with petrol
SA: How much mileage

Me: Should be around 500 per month
SA: OK sir then petrol is the one you should go.

He hands me over the brochure and runs down with the specifications and features. Then I realize that for petrol, there is only 1.2 dynamic variant at 6.2 lakhs on road and it lacks the safety features (ABS, Airbags)
Should I require these in petrol I should go for the 1.4 Abarth which is beyond my means. In between the Glitterati Gold colour is now discontinued. So is the 1.4 petrol and the 75hp variants in diesel. I somehow get a feeling that Fiat knows how well not to sell good cars.

Seeing my disappointment, SA suggested to go for the Diesel which is the popular variant. The 1.3 Multi Jet Diesel top end Emotion variant comes with all the safety features but costs over 8.5 lakhs on road.

Made a couple of rounds to each of the two dealers in the city. While one appeared to be contend with concentrating on the Jeeps the other was friendly and gave Test drives. Since I did not drive for the last few years I let the SA drive. The 1.3 MJD appeared well powered while the 1.2 petrol was ok and refined. Cabins looked similar but for a lid on a storage space.
They were also offering a year old 2016 June manufactured 1.3 MJD Emotion with a 1 lakh discount. Although tempting not given a serious thought.

Honda Jazz : Always liked the looks of the vehicle. Went to the showroom. Must say in a casual way. Top end VX petrol comes at 9 lakhs on road after discount. V versions is cheaper by 40k. Honda is premium and is said to be expensive to maintain.

Now with this situation, Decided to wait a little to accumulate some vitamin M and purchase the Punto top end diesel for the build quality, safety and above all the drivability vouched by a small but avid Fiat fans.

Then came the disruption called the TATA Nexon. With all the goodies , looks and features. With Safety standard across the variants and the price started tilting towards the Nexon. Resisted the temptation to make the booking since it is a new launch. The mid variant XM petrol is 8 lakhs on road. But since it is a 3 cylinder I became skeptical, That too a service interval of 6 months is questionable. XM diesel goes over 9 lakhs.

Now with this situation and some random news about Fiat's future. I face a dilemma between Punto, Nexon and Jazz. Also whether to cash in on December discounts or to purchase in new year.

Thank you

[autorahul]

Originally Posted by mikeautherton

Honda Jazz : Always liked the looks of the vehicle. Went to the showroom. Must say in a casual way. Top end VX petrol comes at 9 lakhs on road after discount. V versions is cheaper by 40k. Honda is premium and is said to be expensive to maintain.

Hondas are not expensive to maintain. We have 2 Hondas in our garage, and when choosing our next car, Honda will definitely be in consideration. Most of my services have been around 3000 Rs mark, and haven't yet had to change any part of my car yet out of turn. Also, in Hnda, I would recommend getting Honda Jazz V Platinum edition instead of the VX as its much more value for money and comes with much more useful ICE.

Originally Posted by mikeautherton

The mid variant XM petrol is 8 lakhs on road. But since it is a 3 cylinder I became skeptical, That too a service interval of 6 months is questionable. XM diesel goes over 9 lakhs.

All these skepticism can be verified by checking and driving the car in person. If you have not driven receintly, take a friend/colleague/relative who does and ask them to compare the cars back to back.

In addition to your list, I would suggest you also check out Ford Aspire Titanium+ Diesel. Its nearly same price as Honda Jazz VX petrol, priced around 1 lakhs more than its petrol sibling. The car has 6 airbags and the engine is simply great to drive for an enthusaist. Quite likey that you will be able to score some good offers on this. You would recover the extra 1 lakh you spent on diesel in around 50000 km and the amount of fun you have with this car is priceless.

Also, why not check Baleno RS. While its not as hot a hatch as many were hoping for it to be, its still quite a good car, comes from a manufacturer with proven cost of ownership, is loaded with bells and whistle, and is very spacious.

[chiranjitp]

Originally Posted by mikeautherton

Hi all,
I am looking for a good drivers car. With a total daily office commute of 10-12 km in typical city traffic and travel to my home town about 350 km far for 4-5 times a year and may be some short touring once or twice in a year. This will be my first car.

Thank you

Your post title reads mini SUV or Hot Hatch, last year we exchanged our FIAT Punto (mjd) with a Ford Ecosport T+ (tdci). Let me tell you that these mini SUV don't have any special advance except for higher ground clearance. Somehow they are marketed to be of a higher segment than the premium hatchbacks, for me they are premium hatchbacks with more ground clearance.

For your running petrol is the way to go. I would advice you to go for the i20 Asta (O), it will be within your budget & is loaded with features, safety (6 airbags). The only drawbacks I can think of is mediocre performance from the 1.2 kappa engine & slightly lower fuel efficiency. You can also check out the Baleno, it is priced very well, backed by the strongest service network. Mileage & performance will also be good than most cars in its segment owing to its low kerb weight.

[Sebring]

The diesel Nexon is with me for 3 months now, and that's my 'Landie' clicked today, parked outside my house - looking as fresh as the day it was bought. My daughter is not allowing the ribbon to be removed and on top of that, she wants balloons as well, LOL. Even I have no issues retaining the ribbon though fine scratches are a problem - those can be removed gingerly by Meguiars rubbing compound or by 3M. But, the feeling of taking out a fresh car every day: Priceless!

Looking back, I didn't have an iota of doubt on the product when I purchased it, as it felt solid like a Fiat and the engine was really smooth like in the Japanese cars. This strong belief has paid off. It's a great mix of all worlds and means the world to me and my family. I'm fastidious when it comes to my cars. Every morning I get up at 4.30AM, ensure the car is washed/wiped/ vacuumed properly, turn on the engine for a minute, run it on idle, switch it off and then go about my day. The car's clocked 2000Kms and I haven't faced a single niggle so far. The three drive modes feel like driving three different cars. The gears are really smooth. During service I stayed with the car for four hours, ensuring everything is perfect and the guys at Aadya motors know me by now and are always courteous and accommodating. Don't know what the future holds but so far the Nexon hasn't let me down!

[mikeautherton]

Originally Posted by chiranjitp

Your post title reads mini SUV or Hot Hatch, last year we exchanged our FIAT Punto (mjd) with a Ford Ecosport T+ (tdci). Let me tell you that these mini SUV don't have any special advance except for higher ground clearance. Somehow they are marketed to be of a higher segment than the premium hatchbacks, for me they are premium hatchbacks with more ground clearance.

For your running petrol is the way to go. I would advice you to go for the i20 Asta (O), it will be within your budget & is loaded with features, safety (6 airbags). The only drawbacks I can think of is mediocre performance from the 1.2 kappa engine & slightly lower fuel efficiency. You can also check out the Baleno, it is priced very well, backed by the strongest service network. Mileage & performance will also be good than most cars in its segment owing to its low kerb weight.

True with mini SUVs, That is why Punto with 185mm Ground Clearance makes a point. I20 and Balenos are no doubt good with the service backup and goodies but they dont have that extraa kick.....may be they are too perfect . Although it becomes easy to go with the Maruti's and Hyundai's I personally feel them a little boring.

Nexon and Punto on the other hand are solid in build.

[chiranjitp]

Originally Posted by mikeautherton

True with mini SUVs, That is why Punto with 185mm Ground Clearance makes a point. I20 and Balenos are no doubt good with the service backup and goodies but they dont have that extraa kick.....may be they are too perfect . Although it becomes easy to go with the Maruti's and Hyundai's I personally feel them a little boring.

Nexon and Punto on the other hand are solid in build.

If build quality is your priority than the likes of Punto, Nexon, Ecosport are better. Somehow I feel the combination of heavy build & petrol engine doesn't give good fuel efficiency, if you are not too bothered by fuel efficiency then there is no problem. For the Punto you would have to go with the diesel, anyways the MJD is not known to give any trouble due to low running (one of my neighbor's Swift D has only done about 20k kilometers in 5 years).

But buying a Punto in 2017/2018 may not be the most wisest thing to do, considering the fact that you want to keep her for a long time. Almost all Nexon reviews seem to suggest that the diesel is better than the petrol, still I would recommend you to take a good TD of both the engines & then decide for yourself. Also you could have a look at the New Ecosport, our experience with the Ecosport for the past one year (& 25k kilometers) has been good.

Happy shopping

[mikeautherton]

Originally Posted by chiranjitp

But buying a Punto in 2017/2018 may not be the most wisest thing to do, considering the fact that you want to keep her for a long time. Almost all Nexon reviews seem to suggest that the diesel is better than the petrol, still I would recommend you to take a good TD of both the engines & then decide for yourself. Also you could have a look at the New Ecosport, our experience with the Ecosport for the past one year (& 25k kilometers) has been good.

Happy shopping

Thank you chiranjitp, Punto being an old model and the future of Fiat brand in India are the exact reasons for the dilemma, else I am sold for the 1.3 MJD Emotion pack. I liked Punto from a long time. There is nothing Negative about the Nexon either. But Have to stretch a little for a Mid variant Diesel.

Meanwhile is it true that Punto is getting a facelift. Dealer said the production resumed after a brief stoppage.