[vivekgk]

Why hasn't anyone suggested the Nissan Kicks XV CVT? It's 13.94 lakhs ex showroom Bangy.

With the Magnite being a runaway hit, Nissan isn't packing up their bags soon. The Kicks is selling slow, which means you can bargain hard for discounts.

It doesn't have the fancy tech of the koreans, but the engine is a gem, and it's paired to a smooth CVT.

Since you're in the late 30s, in a couple of years you'll want to trade in handling for better ride.

The Duster platform on which the Kicks is based has a plush ride sans boaty handling, excellent GC which you'll be thankful for when you inevitably need it, as well as a much more modern interior than the Duster.

[brohanv]

Hey everyone, hope you're keeping safe from the pandemic and are in good health. I have recently been accepted into this forum, and the timing couldn't have been opportune as we're buying a new car. We currently own a 2010 Honda City that I've christened Schumi and love to bits despite its heart wrenching GC.

Some background:

1.We're a middle class family and my father is a government officer.
2. Our running isn't particularly high with Schumi having done only 80,000 km. in 10 years.
3. My 53 year old father and 51 year old mother will be the primary users with me and my brother being in College most of the year.

Our Requirements (Not in order of preference):

1. Decent Power. Not looking to do breakneck speeds, but enough grunt to make highway driving (however rare) a breeze.
2. Good looks. This is obviously subjective, but a generally handsome and imposing vehicle is what we're looking for.
3. Petrol Engine due to low running and refinement levels. We're flexible on this as long as the NVH is reasonable.
4. As little compromise on safety as possible.
5. Reasonably comfortable. Our expectations are realistic in this department, since it's pretty tough to outdo schumi on this front short of an octavia.
6. An automatic would be preferable, but not a deal breaker.
7. Car has to roll off a showroom floor and not someone's driveway. (My father is particular about this, but I disagree)


Keep in mind, like every middle class family ever, we want every last bit of value for every last penny spent. Point being, it has to appeal to the heart as much as the head.

Options Considered:

1. Mahindra Scorpio:
This is my father's first preference. It has good presence and immense aspirational value. A fun car, with decent power, loads of space and not much else. The downside is that the only variant in our budget is the barebones S5 sans even an audio system. Another kink in the armor is the poor safety rating. However I'd wager that with the airbags, against most objects, due to it' size and weight it'd fair pretty well. (The NCAP test happens against a perfectly immovable object, I might be completely wrong, in an elastic collision like most real world accidents, it might fair better than the test)

2. Ford Ecosport:
Very Practical, Feature Loaded, Sensible option. But is also outdated, overpriced by 2 lakh IMO and most importantly incites NO emotion and isn't particularly quick.

3. Mahindra Thar:
This wasn't even considered until we saw one right next to the Scorpio at the Mahindra Dealership. I fell in love with it immediately. No other car in our budget has even comparable personality to this. The bumpy ride quality and the lack of rear doors or boot space, make it an impractical buy. The jury is however still open on this, as I think it's the only genuinely great enthusiast's car for the money.

4. The Hyundai-Kia Twins:
Not too keen on these due to the terrifying brake failure stories and and an ill experience with Hyundai QC issues. Also find the Creta to be too ugly and the Seltos too blingy.

The Nexon, XUV300 are out because they don't fit the handsome bill in the eyes of my rather demanding father. I would still consider a Nexon, but the Magnite and Venue are out of the reckoning due to a light build

[Eddy]

Look at the S-Cross. Except looks, all your requirements will be catered to. But its a car that is bought by the head, not the heart.

[karan0009]

If you can wait for a month or two, Kushaq/Taigun 1.0 with TC gearbox will be a good option.

[sam264_2000]

I would recommend you to check out S-Cross. It's an underrated car.

[haisaikat]

You have mentioned your choice is petrol but considering you are considering Scorpio I am assuming you are open for Diesels.

On that ground, I would like to contradict to your claim that "Ford EcoSport is not quick". I can vouch that the Diesel Manual avatar of Ford EcoSport with that 1.5 Diesel can put a lot of big cars to shame, its such frugal especially on highways and has a solid build, only the rear seat being not for 3 adults.

Go for the Scorpio if you have tall people, Scorpio gets advantage of the high head room and can handle abuse well. Did you consider the TUV300 or XUV300 which are also spacious and have decent powertrains?

I do not think that Thar can be your only family car, but consider it as the second car if you decide to keep the City too or wait for the 5 door version to come out.

Considering frugal engine, decent ride quality and space I see you have missed out Duster, are you not considering it at all?

[KK_HakunaMatata]

As Eddy and others have mentioned you should include S-Cross also in your list, considering your requirements. The 1.5 petrol may not be very enthusing to drive, but it would not be a let down on the highways. Also you have the option of TC AT.

KK

[SenPai_GTi]

Since you mentioned reasonable comfort, I urge you to test drive the scorpio with your family in the backseat to get an estimate of the comfort factor. Scorpio wouldn't be best known for comfort or handling, but if you frequently travel on pothole ridden roads, you can consider it. Also since you have a low running, it would be advisable you stick to petrol engines rather than diesel ladder frame SUV's. But if you plan on keeping both your old and this new car, scorpio can be a good second car considering you frequently plan long trips with extended family members.

As for thar, it totally depends on your personal taste and passenger accesibility into the cabin(two doors can be cumbersome for the elderly). Ford has still not clearly established its long term plans for India, so do look out for that. Hyundai-Kia is subjective to your looks, but they are definitely very good options if you look beyond the appearances. I suggest you visit the Kia and look at the less blingy model (for example Seltos HTK plus in grey) something like this

In my opinion, the Kia Sonet will be a good option, although I can't comment on how much of an upgrade it is from the city. As for the Suzuki's, I heard that they might get pure hybrids sometime in 2022 or early 2023. You can have a look at s cross too, as suggested by other members, but in my opinion, the interiors are a bit of a let down for a 2021 car.

[Samba]

Originally Posted by brohanv

Hey everyone, Hope you're keeping safe from the pandemic and are in good health. I have recently been accepted into this forum, and the timing couldn't have been opportune as we're buying a new Car. We currently own a 2010 Honda City that I've christened Schumi and love to bits despite its heart wrenching GC.
Some background:

1. Decent Power. Not looking to do breakneck speeds, but enough grunt to make highway driving (however rare) a breeze.
2. Good looks. This is obviously subjective, but a generally handsome and imposing vehicle is what we're looking for.
3. Petrol Engine due to low running and refinement levels. We're flexible on this as long as the NVH is reasonable.
4. As little compromise on safety as possible.
5. Reasonably comfortable. Our expectations are realistic in this department, since it's pretty tough to outdo schumi on this front short of an octavia.
6. An automatic would be preferable, but not a deal breaker.
7. Car has to roll of a showroom floor and not someone's driveway. (My father is particular about this, but I disagree)

Do take a test-drive of the Duster 1.3 Turbo petrol in both Manual and AT.
It should more or less tick all your requirements.

[07CR]

I am not sure if you have driven the new Ecosport with dragon petrol engine. 125 odd bhp on tap and that free revving NA engine can put a lot of big cars to shame. The diesel engine is very well known for its punchy power delivery ( don't go by the plain paper figures).

That said, since most of the time the car will be driven in City, I would suggest to avoid Ecosport. It's not bad per say in the city, but if your city roads are terrible, than the stiff ride quality isn't something you will prefer. But if roads are good, Ecosport can be the perfect option, as it satisfies all your criteria. Don't think because it's old, it's bad! It's imo still the most complete car in the segment! Atleast have a test drive of it. You will be surprised how connected you would feel to the car.

Other options I can think of are-
1) Maruti Scross ( looks are the only negative as per your requirements)
2) The new City (I believe the GC has improved)
3) Renault Duster CVT Turbo ( Interiors are outdated, but that Mercedes engine punches way above it's weight)

Happy hunting!

[porsche_guy]

I'd still ask you to consider the EcoSport one more time and check it out. It's an absolutely brilliant car that imo still comes out as the best in the segment. However with that in mind, these two will be the options I would suggest you-

1. Vitara Brezza/Urban Cruiser AT- It might not be exciting or cool or have a lot of gizmos but it makes for an excellent all rounder. It's offered with a proper TC AT as well. 4 star safety rating with a stable crash structure should be the cherry on top. Yes, the AT is just 4 speed but I see you don't have much highway running and for those rare occurrences it would be fine. It's a car that will definitely appeal to the head.

2. Tata Nexon- Yes, it's a Tata and you'll have to compromise on the peace of mind aspect but Nexon has turned out to be one of the better Tatas in terms of reliability. It will have all the gizmos you want, decent enough looks, a 5 star rating and has an option for an AMT as well. But since you're okay with a MT I'd rather suggest you go with that.

Don't even look at the Duster imo. It's too outdated now and has nothing over competitors except that 150HP tag. Since it's your father who'll be driving it most of the time, I don't think you'll need that much power either. In other aspects, it pretty much lags behind other cars. Service is patchy, it's low on features, it isn't safe, the engine is relatively high tech and might face part problems in the future. It's cheaper sibling, the Kiger is, believe it or not, a much better car in most areas. You can look at that if you want to save some cash

[Emvi]

Given your(and your father's) wishlist, I can think of 2 cars(3 actually).
1. Maruti S-Cross
2. Maruti Brezza/Toyota Urban Cruiser.
My pick among the two would be the Brezza/Urban Cruiser. Either car should tick all the right boxes for you.

[akash_v12]

From your list, maybe take a look at the Thar & EcoSport, they're the only sensible options. The Scorpio is pretty old and is due for a facelift later this year or early next year. Whilst, you've ruled out the Hyundai-Kia twins.

If you can live with it, the VW-Skoda twins might be worth waiting for. The only downside is the After-Sales, which if you've a good relationship with the dealers should be not too bad too.

The S-Cross is also a good option, like others have mentioned. My uncle got one in October and it's pretty good for the price. He got the Zeta which pretty much comes with everything except the LED headlamps. I must say, 6-years on, the design has aged rather gracefully on that car.

[BlackPearl]

I would suggest the Thar, but as far as I know middle aged men from Kolkata, your father will go ahead and buy whatever he likes and not what a bunch of people on an automotive forum suggest

[brohanv]

Thank you for all your inputs, your advice is greatly appreciated. One thing I forgot to mention is that the Honda City will be retained.

Originally Posted by karan0009

If you can wait for a
month or two, Kushaq/Taigun 1.0 with TC gearbox will be a good option.

I have been waiting eagerly, but with no word on release date short of speculation plays spoilsport. However I remain hopeful as the 1.5 tsi equipped Kushaq should make a good contender.

Originally Posted by Eddy

Look at the S-Cross. Except the looks, all your requirements will be catered to. But its a car that is bought by the head, not the heart.

Will do, this isn't a car I was considering earlier. Thanks for your input.

Originally Posted by haisaikat

You have mentioned your choice is petrol but considering you are considering Scorpio I am assuming you are open for Diesels.

On that ground, I would like to contradict to your claim that "Ford EcoSport is not quick". I can vouch that the Diesel Manual avatar of Ford EcoSport with that 1.5 Diesel can put a lot of big cars to shame, its such frugal especially on highways and has a solid build, only the rear seat being not for 3 adults.

Go for the Scorpio if you have tall people, Scorpio gets advantage of the high head room and can handle abuse well. Did you consider the TUV300 or XUV300 which are also spacious and have decent powertrains?

I do not think that Thar can be your only family car, but consider it as the second car if you decide to keep the City too or wait for the 5 door version to come out.

Considering frugal engine, decent ride quality and space I see you have missed out Duster, are you not considering it at all?

I am open to diesels as well. We have a figo aspire with the 1.5 tdci in the family already. It's a great car without a doubt and is reasonably quick, buy to pay more for the same engine is something I struggle to get onboard with. XUV 300 is a strong contender, holding verdict until I get behind the wheel. TUV300 doesn't have the charm the Scorpio does in my eyes for most of the money.

Originally Posted by SenPai_GTi

Since you mentioned reasonable comfort, I urge you to test drive the scorpio with your family in the backseat to get an estimate of the comfort factor. Scorpio wouldn't be best known for comfort or handling, but if you frequently travel on pothole ridden roads, you can consider it. Also since you have a low running, it would be advisable you stick to petrol engines rather than diesel ladder frame SUV's. But if you plan on keeping both your old and this new car, scorpio can be a good second car considering you frequently plan long trips with extended family members.

As for thar, it totally depends on your personal taste and passenger accesibility into the cabin(two doors can be cumbersome for the elderly). Ford has still not clearly established its long term plans for India, so do look out for that. Hyundai-Kia is subjective to your looks, but they are definitely very good options if you look beyond the appearances. I suggest you visit the Kia and look at the less blingy model (for example Seltos HTK plus in grey) something like this

In my opinion, the Kia Sonet will be a good option, although I can't comment on how much of an upgrade it is from the city. As for the Suzuki's, I heard that they might get pure hybrids sometime in 2022 or early 2023. You can have a look at s cross too, as suggested by other members, but in my opinion, the interiors are a bit of a let down for a 2021 car.

I use to own an i10 with a steering that use to rock from side to side. Post that, I have largely lost faith in Hyundai Quality control. Once bitten, twice shy.

Originally Posted by Samba

Do take a test-drive of the Duster 1.3 Turbo petrol in both Manual and AT.
It should more or less tick all your requirements.

I can't believe how demanding I am, but I find the duster to be very ugly to look at.

Originally Posted by 07CR

I am not sure if you have driven the new Ecosport with dragon petrol engine. 125 odd bhp on tap and that free revving NA engine can put a lot of big cars to shame. The diesel engine is very well known for its punchy power delivery ( don't go by the plain paper figures).

That said, since most of the time the car will be driven in City, I would suggest to avoid Ecosport. It's not bad per say in the city, but if your city roads are terrible, than the stiff ride quality isn't something you will prefer. But if roads are good, Ecosport can be the perfect option, as it satisfies all your criteria. Don't think because it's old, it's bad! It's imo still the most complete car in the segment! Atleast have a test drive of it. You will be surprised how connected you would feel to the car.

Other options I can think of are-
1) Maruti Scross ( looks are the only negative as per your requirements)
2) The new City (I believe the GC has improved)
3) Renault Duster CVT Turbo ( Interiors are outdated, but that Mercedes engine punches way above it's weight)

Happy hunting!

I have test driven the petrol EcoSport on two occasions. I find the dynamics to be exceptional and the ride quality acceptable. However, I already own a 1500cc naturally aspirated engine that leaves my expectations quite high. I find the low end torque to be better than the City's but the mid-range and top end to make more noise (I find the three cylinder note to be harsh) than progress. Doesn't feel like an upgrade or a fresh breathe of air on the drivetrain front. So I stand by my opinion, get behind the wheel of 10yo Honda i-vtec and you'll know just what I mean.

Originally Posted by porsche_guy

I'd still ask you to consider the EcoSport one more time and check it out. It's an absolutely brilliant car that imo still comes out as the best in the segment. However with that in mind, these two will be the options I would suggest you-

1. Vitara Brezza/Urban Cruiser AT- It might not be exciting or cool or have a lot of gizmos but it makes for an excellent all rounder. It's offered with a proper TC AT as well. 4 star safety rating with a stable crash structure should be the cherry on top. Yes, the AT is just 4 speed but I see you don't have much highway running and for those rare occurrences it would be fine. It's a car that will definitely appeal to the head.

2. Tata Nexon- Yes, it's a Tata and you'll have to compromise on the peace of mind aspect but Nexon has turned out to be one of the better Tatas in terms of reliability. It will have all the gizmos you want, decent enough looks, a 5 star rating and has an option for an AMT as well. But since you're okay with a MT I'd rather suggest you go with that.

Don't even look at the Duster imo. It's too outdated now and has nothing over competitors except that 150HP tag. Since it's your father who'll be driving it most of the time, I don't think you'll need that much power either. In other aspects, it pretty much lags behind other cars. Service is patchy, it's low on features, it isn't safe, the engine is relatively high tech and might face part problems in the future. It's cheaper sibling, the Kiger is, believe it or not, a much better car in most areas. You can look at that if you want to save some cash

The Nexon is coming out to be strong contender despite the initial prejudice.

Originally Posted by akash_v12

From your list, maybe take a look at the Thar & EcoSport, they're the only sensible options. The Scorpio is pretty old and is due for a facelift later this year or early next year. Whilst, you've ruled out the Hyundai-Kia twins.

If you can live with it, the VW-Skoda twins might be worth waiting for. The only downside is the After-Sales, which if you've a good relationship with the dealers should be not too bad too.

The S-Cross is also a good option, like others have mentioned. My uncle got one in October and it's pretty good for the price. He got the Zeta which pretty much comes with everything except the LED headlamps. I must say, 6-years on, the design has aged rather gracefully on that car.

The thar remains a strong contender, let's see if the tide shifts in it's favours despite it's obvious shortcomings.

Originally Posted by BlackPearl

I would suggest the Thar, but as far as I know middle aged men from Kolkata, your father will go ahead and buy whatever he likes and not what a bunch of people on an automotive forum suggest

I'm afraid the cliche doesn't stand true. Headstrong and stubborn as he maybe being an Indian middle aged man, he's met with what I'd like to believe is decent opposition at the hands of his petrolhead son.