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While the Ciaz can continue in his service, its done 1 lakh km and you also appear to be keen on a replacement. I say go for it = after all, the gentleman is retiring and it needs to be done in style!

New Honda City should be your top choice. Meets the requirements, has a smooth AT and is a fresh new model.

Second choice = MG Hector. Amazing backseat & soft suspension. Your Dad might appreciate the many "wow" features (budget will need extension).

Oh god, please no! 5 - 8 year old examples, CBU, obscenely expensive parts, horrible Nissan support, lack of familiarity by garages. It's like gifting his Dad a white elephant. Better to retain the Ciaz instead of a used car like the Teana.

Majority in the forum have suggested Honda City's latest generation. I would still suggest a test drive of Yaris VX (Top variant which comes with Acoustic & Vibration Control Glass) with your father before ruling it out.

Some reasons are
1. A silent cabin
2. Safety with 7 airbags, ABS+EBD+BA, VSC, all disc brakes etc
3. Yearly maintenance schedule instead of every 6 months.
4. Expect the car to be rattle free even if it is driven by driver.
5. Expect good customer service experience both at showroom and workshop.

Of course, the first criteria to consider even before the test drive is whether you are ready to invest in a flop car which has not set the sales charts on fire.

This is a very sensible suggestion. It is for a gentleman who is nearing 60, will be chauffer driven and lives in Mumbai. Yaris although a flop car from our enthusiastic owner perspective, it is a 1.5 L Toyota Petrol which could go on for a decade with very minimum effort to maintain.

Whichever car you go for make sure it is entirely keeping your Father's comfort and ease of ownership in mind. I would personally stay away from MG, VW and Skoda. Rather prefer replacing the current Ciaz with a Yaris or City or current generation Ciaz.

Rear headroom is at a serious premium in the Yaris. I'm 5'10" and my head brushes against the roof in the rear seat. OP's father is 6'
It's a great car otherwise with a more nimble chassis than even the 4th Gen City.

A very relevant point & makes a huge difference. Toyota reliability is one of the major reasons Yaris is on the list! Wish they offered the hatch variant.

If Dad likes the car, he will be chauffeur driven in the shotgun seat :D

Yes!!! hoping for better cars! I am putting my bets on venue/sonnet twins this year. They look to be the only segment disturbing launches.

I have missed out on Nissan Terrano 1.3 CVT. Awaiting a detailed review!!!

Any competent independent garage would be able to work on a Teana no crazy new tech on the car that makes it prohibitively complicated. Importing parts is also not a big deal and ought to work out cheaper than buying spares for a German car. Plus the money saved buying the car used should be more than enough to cover for maintenance costs on what is otherwise a fairly reliable car.

But is the Hector reliable?

There were some horror stories in which the car went into limp mode in the middle of the road just after a few days of delivery.

Have they ironed out these issues?

The whole point of not keeping the Ciaz is the potential niggles after a 5 year 1lakh km run. The alternative may be a used corolla around 2017 which should be in fairly good condition. I don't expect my dad to fiddle around for repairs and maintenance other than regular servicepreferably at a known/authorised service centre. At his age the dependence on local garage also should be minimal.

Anyways I don't see myself putting an effort into searching a used car other than a corolla. He always loved the diesel Jetta. That and corolla might be the only cars which I might look in the pre-owned options.

Suggesting you to go for the Honda city. Go for the V variant. Its the best variant with all essential and necessary features. Or you may try out the Creta/Seltos if something SUVish is considered. Also the Harrier may be or the Ecosport? Or the XUV 300. Oohh! The list is so long.

Take some test drives of the cars you shortlist and may be check what your Dad likes.

You may wait for the Sonet for the pricing. It may save you around 2~3 lacs for a decent packed variant. The Ecosport Automatic is also a great choice. IMO my pick would be the City. Do check out other options as I stated. Go for whatever you and your Dad approves.

Wifey is saying this is like asking public opinion on Kaun Banega Crorepati :D

I hear people out - time to look seriously towards Honda City- something I have ignored after the Dolfin ZX 1.5 VTEC. Looking at impressions they are back into the game...

Ecosport- No- too firm, cramped at the back. Harrier was on the list- but the automatic may be above the budget. Also tata's hit and miss service experience put a negative point. XUV 300 is a good option... Will check it out...

Like many BHPians have recommended, the new Honda City in petrol guise seems like a sensible choice for your requirements. It is a comfy and reliable Jap that does almost everything right. No complicated engine tech; just a simple, proven, silky-smooth NA 1.5 that is very unlikely to throw tantrums in the long run. But please ask your dad to check out the comfort of ingress and egress in person, since it is a low-slung sedan. Would also not suggest any SUVs since they tend to have a higher floor which would again be uncomfortable for senior citizens to get in and out of.

Another car that comes to my mind is the Maruti Suzuki XL6 / Ertiga. The XL6 has those comfy captain chairs in the second row, which I think no other car in its price segment offers. And the Ertiga is one of those cars which you can just walk into, with the seats set at just the right height.

IMHO Its more sensible to go for the Honda City since it is the more premium of the options out there and moreover a proper tribute car for your dad on his retirement, so you go out and try the City out. IMO the V variant of the current city is the best as I stated in my previous comment too. It has everything your dad needs. Good luck for your future decision. Will be really glad to see an initial impressions thread by you.

I would say go for the Yaris or the City. Both are high on safety and reliability. From a crossover and if you want to stay within the Maurti family the Scross will be a good choice too. It is spacious, has safer build than the Ciaz and is a Suzuki so should be Japanese reliable. At his age I would suggest as you already know to keep safety and reliability as the key points in the choice of car. Another option is the XL6 but this will like a taller Ciaz.

Maruti Ciaz, Honda City and Hyundai Verna. These three should be your top 3 in your list. All are executive sedans, with supreme leg room and creature comforts.

IMO 5th gen Honda City should be your pick.

Unless he's an enthusiast and knows how to deal with problems, I'd stick with only Maruti, Hyundai, Kia, Honda, and Toyota for reliable ASS.

Here would be my top choices in order of preference for a senior citizen:
1. Honda City
2. Kia Seltos/Hyundai Creta (1.5 petrol + IVT)
3. Toyota Yaris
4. Suzuki S-Cross
5. Suzuki XL-6

If you're open to used cars, then try finding a used Corolla. :)