[androdev]

There, fixed it for you!

Originally Posted by dailydriver

Must have requirements

• Automatic under 12 lakh rupees on road in Bengaluru
• Good drivability and ground clearance for Shiradi and Charmadi ghats
• Spacious 5 seater with adequate boot space
• Dual airbags and ABS-EBD are a must
• Fuss free ownership. Can't keep visiting the service centres to address niggles; have neither the time nor the inclination (specific about this as any issues might need my intervention and presence )

Undecided requirement

• Can new drivers manage with AMT or should I stick to CVT/TC given my budget constraint?

Nice to have requirements

• Hill hold and Creep mode needed
• 6/7 seater with modifiable boot space
• Seat height adjustment and/or telescopic as well as tilt steering
• Kids would love a sunroof; not an absolute need though
• Fuel efficiency of around 15kmpl in city and 18kmpl on highways.
• Petrol vehicle preferred due to less running

[mohitchalla]

As everyone has already mentioned, the car that fits your requirement does not exist. The Ertiga however comes pretty close.

This made me wonder that whenever anyone wants a car with a long list of requirements and has budget constraints, the result is almost always a Maruti Suzuki. It is no surprise that they are dominating the Indian car market.

[RaceHorse]

The closest car that matches your requirements is Ertiga, my colleague has one and he is very happy with it.
Except sunroof and higher fuel efficiency requirement all other criteria is matched.

[aarnav_b]

You can go for either Venue S DCT new or if you get a pre owned SX DCT, then it's the best. Space is a little limited at the back and 5 will be a squeeze, but you mentioned children so it should not be a issue. The engine + gearbox combo is one of the best in the segment, and in the S model, you have all the necessary features with just no AA/ACP and Auto AC and sunroof. It should come to just under 12 onroad.
Or if you really want a 6/7 seater, then Eritiga is the best choice in new.

[psankar]

Ertiga and XL6 comes closest to your requirements. The price may have to stretch a little more though. Toyota's version of Ertiga may be coming soon and if it comes with a hybrid, that will fit your requirements perfectly. But knowing Toyota's non-commitment to the Indian market, I am skeptical if that would happen anytime soon. Maruti may do it before Toyota too.

There is also Marazzo and a promised AMT version, but it has rumours that it may be discontinued.

FWIW I have similar requirements and budgets like you and have decided to wait for XL6 to get hybrid and/or a better gearbox.

[starke]

The Kiger/Magnite CVT twins will tick all your boxes under 10 lakhs. Much better value-for-money alternative than any other competitor in the segment.

[arjunsatheesh]

I know you mentioned petrol but why not look at the Amaze Diesel Automatic? It gives good FE, has enough power, is pretty spacious, has a smooth gearbox and fuss-free service. The ground clearance is also not that bad. I think you get the VX CVT for around 12L in Bangalore.

[ScorpioYadav]

One car which doesn’t quite tick all your boxes but is one which should definitely be in the consideration set is RENAULT TRIBER.

Am surprised no one has suggested it till now !!

It does miss your requirements of the type of AT used, it won’t give your desired FE (which will be offset by the savings done in the on-road price!!), the non-availability of the Turbo engine & the sunroof.
But it does make up for by all the other criteria it meets be it of space or safety.

Do read the official Triber review thread for a better perspective (it isn’t too long). There is one member who is using the MT version in Himachal & doesn’t have any issues either the performance of the 1L NA engine or the lack of it.

[anikrish90]

I would suggest taking a Jazz CVT test drive with the family. Yes, it can be underpowered in the ghats, but is still pretty much manageable. It has 354 litres of boot space, which is class leading and a huge amount of legroom. But there are no adjustable rear head rests.

I have a Honda Jazz petrol manual for the past 5 years. Over the past 5 years and 39,000 km, I have had zero issues and have just carried out regular service. Fuss-free ownership - that's what Jazz is for. I am a part of the Indian Jazzers Club and rarely come across any issues reported by users. I am not saying it's perfect, but it is way better than some of the best selling cars in India right now.

I would say it meets 4 out of 5 must have requirements. It doesn't meet the very good drivability requirement. About the drivability, it is average. You have to test drive the car and see for yourself. Regarding the fuel efficiency, my petrol manual returns 17-21 km/l on the highway and 13-15 km/l in the city with 4-5 people on board. I have never faced any issue with ground clearance on Kerala roads. I find it adequate.

[srirang]

I got home a Skoda Rapid Rider plus AT 2 days ago for 11.5L. This car definitely ticks some of your boxes and definitely does not tick some. Although my car is just 2 days old, a colleague and a good friend has the same car and my points are based on that ownership experience also. (In fact he was the one who convinced me to go for Rapid instead of Amaze which I had almost finalized. Right now, after multiple test drives, I am feeling good about the change).

Engine is fairly powerful. I am not at all a ghat section driver, but the engine is delightful to drive on regular roads / highways. AT is smooth and doesn't cause any headaches in Bengaluru traffic. Boot space is good. ESC / ABD / Hill Hold / 2 Airbags offered from base variant itself. Good build quality, feels safe.

What you won't get in the Rider Plus variant :

1. Projector headlamps / Alloys / Steering mounted controls / Rear camera
2. Central tunnel which means if 3 people are sitting in the rear seat, the one in the middle will have to put his/her feet on either side of the tunnel. This is not a problem in Amaze. This was a major plus point for Amaze in our consideration.
4. No diesel engine

Skoda service has been infamous but I hear things are improving. With increased localization parts availability is not an issue and maintenance is not exorbitant like it used to be. I am yet to experience this myself though.

[niceguisuku]

Like most of them pointed out, fuel efficiency requirements of OP is a dream for many cars under 12L, so that has to give in. So my order of preference would be as follows.
1. XL6 / Ertiga - Most qualifying one if 6 seater is a definite criteria and if OP is ok to stretch little bit over budget. Should be a decent performer on ghat roads too.
2. Kicks / Duster - They are capable in most of the departments. If OP does not prefer dated interiors of Duster, Kicks could be the choice for fresh air.
3. Triber - Safety is a bigger thing going for this by the ratings but the engine can just about manage the ghat roads i believe.

If OP can live with used cars, he can have many choices.
1. Crysta AT - Little hard to find at the budget with low ODO but can be found if OP is ok with 65k and above on the ODO.
2. Pajero Sport - A very capable machine let down by poor marketing and sales. If OP is able to find a reliable FNG since finding parts looks to be comparatively ok, this can become an VFM option if maintained properly.

[sany0023]

I don't want to compromise on driveability in highways while overtaking and in hilly areas. Since Nissan Magnite CVT doesn't come with paddle shifters, Do I miss the convience of manual mode while overtaking ?

[CR07]

Hi all. I am in a dilemma to purchase a reliable workhorse for primarily city usage. I will try to be as thorough as possible with my requirement set, for you to guide me in purchase of the car.

Prelude- We are a family of three (soon to be four in may 2022). Our family has always bought brand new cars, but due to my stern insistence on atleast checking out a used car, we purchased an used Ecosport S TDCI in July 2020 (23 month old car). I was lauded by my parents for saving almost 35% money as we intended to get a brand new Ecosport at that time. The car has served us extremely well till date, and apart from a small scratch on front passenger door, still looks darn new. Our annual travelling has been a consistent 10K/ annum, and I expect it to remain the same.

Need for a second car- I would soon be transitioning to married life in a few months, and with the pandemic easing up (thank heavens for that), I would be requiring a second car in the family. This car will be seeing a usage of 7000 kms annually, with 4000 of those in city conditions. I plan to use this atleast for next 5-7 years.

For the second car, I have two approaches, but confused which I should adopt-

1) Keep Ecosport as the primary drive for all highway drives. Use the second car as a city vehicle. This way I can buy a car that is a bit older, and doesn't cost much upfront.

2) Buy a second car, that is equally capable for the highway drives as well as serves the city duties. This way the initial purchase cost will increase significantly, but hopefully will be easier to maintain in longer run.

Budget- 8-8.5L. Can stretch to 9-9.5L, if the deal is worth it.

Requirements and expectations-

1) Must be an automatic. Since we are looking for a used car, CVT/AT preferable, well tuned AMTs are also good enough. DSGs will be avoided.
2) Should be from a reliable brand where the car won't just be reliable, the annual service bill will also remain lower than 15-20K.
3) Me and my father (5'8 foot and 5'10 foot) are relatively taller, while my wife (5'1 foot) and mom (4'11 foot) are relatively shorter. As you can decipher, legroom/headroom isn't a huge issue for us (myself/dad would 90% be seated on front seats), but we would appreciate if car could seat 5 adults comfortably.
4) Accustomed to the tank like build of Ecosport, need a safe car (either by perceived build or a 4-5 star rated NCAP product).
5) In ride vs handling, ride quality matters more. City ride @ <40 kph speeds is more important in this regard.
6) This car won't necessarily be driven in pedal to metal style. At highway speeds too, this will spend most of it's life in 90-120 Kph range.
7) Will appreciate a quiet cabin. This not only includes engine noise, but also road and tyre noise and rattle free interiors.

Feature requirements-

Must haves- Auto AC(Chiller Unit required), Cruise control, decent headlamps, Fog lamps, a decent audio/touchscreen system, Alloy wheels, rear wipers (for cars other than sedans), auto dimming IRVM.

Good to haves- Puddle lamps, Keyless entry and go, Android auto equipped touchscreen, LED/HID headlamps, remote engine start stop, TCS and ESC, dedicated cornering lamps

Not necessary- Sunroof and Connected car tech

Shortlisted cars-

1) Corolla Altis 2013 (10th Gen)- This car has almost everything that I require. I will also be able to get one at around 5L; sizeable savings.
Three doubts I have with this car-
a) The annual service costs. Will they be lower than 15-20K?
b) The car is 9 years old, can I trust this to remain trouble free for next 5-7 years?
c) It's nearly 4.6 metre long. I have never driven this kind of vehicle yet, will it be really hard to drive one daily in city traffic? I stay in Viman Nagar region of Pune, which has relatively lesser traffic than Bangalore or peak Mumbai traffic.

2) Corolla Altis 2015(11th Gen)- A substantial visual upgrade (externally) to the above car. The positives remain the same. My doubts also remain the same.

3) Tata Nexon Diesel AMT (2018)- The only C-SUV styled car, that fits my budget. 5 star rated GNCAP product, strong build, plenty of GC, spacious as a 5 seater, it has a lot going for it.

Two major grouses-
a) It's a TATA. Have seen and read about many Harrier/Safari owners complaining about frequent niggles. If the flagships have so many issues, am I supposed to expect much more for Nexon? (My sister owns a 2016 Tiago (MT), which has been trouble-free for most part, therefore have included Nexon)

b) Since it's an AMT, will this be much of a bother for my cruise type of drive on highways? It also misses out on cruise control, which I have found extremely handy on Ecosport.

4) Honda Jazz V CVT (2018) and City VX CVT- Traditional Honda +ves. Also satisfies most of my criteria. I am only unsure of the NVH levels and AC performance. Also is the CVT trouble free?

5) Hyundai Verna SX(O) AT/ SX+ Diesel AT (2018)- Verna's only major weakness of limited rear seat space, is not bothersome for me. Two grouses, the petrol SX(O) is stretching my budget till 9.5L (may get it down to 9), while diesel AT misses out on Keyless entry/exit, cooled seats 6 airbags and the likes. Second- Any issues that I should be aware of with regards to 6 speed ATs? Can they last trouble-free for next 5-7 years?

I request anyone with any knowledge on the above cars, to share it with me and help me make an informed decision. You can also suggest any other car, that I might have missed out on. Thanks in advance!

[Sran]

Looks like you have made up your mind on having a sedan and no hatchbacks which I believe are better suited for city driving and mixed highway drives. This is also why I dislike Tata for not providing autoamtic in a supreme product like Altroz which in turn is helping their rivals. In my opinion having tasted owning a very competent second hand car you should now go for a new car keeping in mind owning it for next 10 years for a fuss free experience. You should probably look for Kiger or Magnite.

With short of under 10,000 km run in an year you should avoid looking for a diesel vehicle and go for petrol. You already have a CSUV so I will rule out Nexon because a person needs to have cars with different sorts of driving dynamics in their garage.

[sunikkat]

I would suggest stretch the budget to 9.5 and look for a new Amaze. It might not meet all your criteria’s but will meet many.

I believe below 10 lakhs range (unless the car has very low resale) it’s not worth going for a used car. They are either old or you hardly save anything.