[androdev]

Maybe I am in the minority here, but I love driving a BMW in Kerala. In fact, Kerala would be my first choice if I have to go on a fun road trip with a BMW. Not like Karnataka with roads full of potholes and speed breakers. The roads are maintained really well, have beautiful sweeping curves and one can really make good use of the power and dynamics of a car like BMW to overtake safely and avoid close calls. This is probably the main reason why the OP is scared to drive Seltos.

You need a safe car to protect yourself against other's blunders (those buses in the wrong lane in a blind curve) and you also need a car that can get you out of tight situations. I would any day prefer a powerful car on narrow roads for safe overtaking instead of gambling with a slow car. It is extremely stressful to plan overtaking manoeuvres on busy and narrow roads if you are not having a safe and powerful car.

I would say you can manage a wide expressway in any "Mr Bean" car. Narrow and busy highways that you find in Kerala need safer and responsive cars.

[Candy$Cars]

All fellow members have recommended getting a BMW. I too recommend the same - you have owned mediocre cars all your life, you have the budget, ICE cars are a dying breed so ask yourself, if not now then when?

However, I would add some suggestions. 50lacs is a big amount and you would not want to get buyer's remorse later.
Go for a crossover from the BMW stable like a X1 or a X3. They drive really good as far as I heard, almost sedan like plus you get the added benefit of Ground Clearance. I know getting a 3 series fast sedan sounds very tempting but I don't think practicality wise they are a good decision for Indian roads more so for Kerala roads, you would rarely get the occasion of enjoying that handling but most of the time will just be stressed from bottoming out or slowing down and maneuvering carefully specially because you have been driving high-ground clearance cars from quite some time.
I know people will say you will adjust, it is not a problem that much but in reality it is! I have driven the Honda City a lot. From past one year, have been driving the Harrier. When I switched back to the city I was surprised how much I had to slow down for smaller bumps, potholes or general irregularities, basically occasions where the Harrier just glided over and I never gave a thought to the work Harrier's suspension was doing for me. Add the peace of mind of higher ground clearance. With lower profile tyres of a 3 series you will much be slowing down more than a City. Honestly, it just takes away the joy of driving!

So, summing up I strongly advise against a low slung sedan just because you are habitual to crossovers. Modern crossovers like the X1, Q3, Compass etc. provide you the best of both worlds. After all the road is not a race track and the joy is not in driving through curvy roads like Schumacher (how often do we even find empty curvy roads?) but in the peace and tranquility.
Also, do test drive the Citroen C5 aircross - it is in your budget and has received glowing reviews everywhere - even our friendly mod GTO seems to be highly impressed with it.

[Comrade]

Since you feel you have always "compromised" in your car choices, ask yourself what among the three listed would not be a compromise.

Jeep Compass: May not be much of an upgrade over Seltos. What if, after an year or two, you once again feel that you have compromised? To my knowledge, 9-AT is not exactly impressive.

Octavia: Good car but would you feel you have compromised by not buying a BMW 330i or be bored soon by beige interiors?

330i: Top pick among three choices on all fronts. You would not feel you have compromised on any front, but rather feel that you have finally bought a machine that you always wanted. Will keep you happy for a longtime. Also, ground clearance for pseudo SUVs is overrated (IMHO). You should rather buy a Mahindra Thar or a Toyota Fortuner to command the respect from bus drivers and truck drivers on single-laned highways. Everything else (BMW 330i or Skoda Octavia or Jeep Compass) gets same respect. At least in a BMW, you can overtake others much more quickly.

edit: Kerala had good tarmac on all roads, and I rarely found major broken roads or potholes in cities or highways. I would actually prefer a low slung sedan for winding Kerala roads.

[Raghu M]

You indeed have a problem. May I suggest the Toyota Camry. I think with the budget you have, it would be a delight to own the Camry. It's amazing engine, high end interiors and Toyota's bullet proof build and ASS should tick all your requirements. The maintenance would definitely be low when compared to the Germans. If the low slung seating is not a problem, the Camry would be a lovely car for you.

[lamborghini]

I would suggest looking at the BMW. While spares are expensive, routine service isn't that much. Also, BMW offers some brilliant service & warranty plans that can be explored.
One issue you may face is with your boss not being happy when they hear the bill for this.

The Octavia doesn't make sense, as the family friendly Superb & luxurious A4 are a stones throw away in terms of pricing, given the discounts many members have managed to snag. Heck, the A6 may not be too far away from the upper end of your budget too, with it's 245bhp 2.0TSi engine

The Camry is a great family car - but for someone who self drives, the Superb would be a better option in terms of balancing family and self.

If you want something more understated, do look at the Tucson as well. Its a Hyundai, but with the explosive 2.0D engine mated to an improved gearbox, mature ride and handling, etc. it could be a good option too.

[anandavinash]

Why not consider a new A4 given that ridiculous prices we are hearing of in Western & Northern India (Rs. 39 Lakhs, OTR) for the Premium Plus Version? The 2.0L TSI engine I hear is extremely good. You get a better package than the Octavia at only an incrementally higher price.

[fhdowntheline]

Honestly speaking, GNCAP front impact rating should be just one of the parameters of a car's safety. The Compass which you are looking at, has not even been officially tested.The BMWs are imported and we must "assume" that their Euro-or whichever rating applies to India specific variants, but its still an assumption. Do you know if they make any modifications in the Indian context ?

At least the Seltos has been officially tested if that is so pivotal to your needs. Its DCT related woes are no longer there as per your own assessment. Besides your variant (GTX Plus) does have 6 airbags and ESP, and all-disc brakes with decent stopping capability. It is by no means a "dangerous" car by any yardstick. What exactly are your expectations?
How fast and safely are you going to be able to drive with family on those single lane highways where the occasional danger lurks around the corner anyway? You may find yourself backing out of that overtake maneuver at 60-70 kph and stay put in your lane, more often than not. And then what is the use of all those hundreds of horses under the hood ? At the risk of inviting ire, I'd urge you to carefully re-think before plonking any amount of big-lakhs on a replacement.

PS: I've also been there, done that but am perhaps the wiser for it these days.

[coolboy007]

With a budget of 50L, you really have a lot of options. If it is the ultimate driving pleasure you are looking for, look no further than the BMW 330i. BMW's reliability is excellent and you would not even need a BSI. Routine services cost 18-23k and the only other consumable required would be brake pads at 28-35k kms which cost around 20-25k. Just take the 4 year extended warranty and you are all set. You need to be a bit careful on bad roads and see if your family's luggage can fit in the smallish boot.

If you are open to pre owned, you have a sea of options from 5 series, X3/X4 etc. If you drive through mostly good roads, the 330i is a great option. It is not that you can not take her over bad roads but you need to take it easy for its low profile tyres and the low ground clearance. Have a test drive of the 3, the seating is a bit too low compared to other sedans and every one is not that comfortable with it after driving a high stance crossover for so long.

[helterskelter]

My suggestion would be as follows :-

1) BMW 330i Sport model - having driven the car for the past 6 months, I can safely it’ll be like a toy in your hands when it comes to overtaking and zipping through heavy traffic. The sport variant now has all the bells and whistles and should fit into your budget.

2) Audi Q2 - not many people recommend this but at the the price at which it available now which is below 35 lakhs on road, it makes great sense to consider this. It’s Quattro system will enable it to go anywhere on any road and I think you should enjoy a German now otherwise you will be longing for one.

If the above two don’t match your requirements take the test drive of the diesel compass. The automatic petrol left me completely bewildered to be honest. The diesel is apparently very good and compass interiors are top notch.

[sandygordon]

Originally Posted by fhdowntheline

Honestly speaking, GNCAP front impact rating should be just one of the parameters of a car's safety.

Its DCT related woes are no longer there as per your own assessment. Besides your variant (GTX Plus) does have 6 airbags and ESP, and all-disc brakes with decent stopping capability.

It is by no means a "dangerous" car by any yardstick. What exactly are your expectations?
.

DCT woes have been in the back of my mind, not anymore !!
Kia service is one of the best I ve experienced so far, heck it is even better than Maruti. Ever since the DCT Fiasco, the guys at KIA service have been so welcoming and my SA is a gem. I must congratulate the KIA Edapally team for keeping me happy. Currently I have a crying HUD display and a dead AVN screen, adding insult to injury, both of which is due for replacement this week. My wife had a blast with the Seltos during our recent COK-BLR trip and she had the ride of her life. She might not let the car go.

I am totally satisfied with Kia DCT performance. I can smoke the jeep compasses, VTECs, most GT TSIs and heck even Fortuners / Endevours at traffic signals. Brakes are reassuring. Did not want to remap the car as the performance is on par which the chasis can handle. Infact Seltos GTX plus just increased my expectation yardstick. I feel it is a fun as an Octavia (may be not) or GT TSI and made me cringe when I test drove the X1 Petrol "Tech edition" and the Compass 1.4/2.0 DCT/AT.

Just as many say, Make hay when the sun shines, the current window is favourable for selling off the Seltos. If I can get a better car so be it.

[Kosfactor]

Originally Posted by sandygordon

Infact Seltos GTX plus just increased my expectation yardstick. I feel it is a fun as an Octavia (may be not) or GT TSI and made me cringe when I test drove the X1 Petrol "Tech edition" and the Compass 1.4/2.0 DCT/AT.

So I`m not the only one who was wondering why someone would pay so much for an X1, especially after driving it. Your previous car buying is very much based on utility, if the utility remains the same, you may as well keep the Seltos and buy a BMW for some fun on the highways.

A BMW if used like a mass market crossover will give you big bills and the inconvenience of calling a flatbed truck at times.

[fhdowntheline]

Originally Posted by sandygordon

. Infact Seltos GTX plus just increased my expectation yardstick. I feel it is a fun as an Octavia (may be not) or GT TSI and made me cringe when I test drove the X1 Petrol "Tech edition" and the Compass 1.4/2.0 DCT/AT.
.

I have test driven the Seltos DCT extensively last year and owned the GT TSI. The GT TSI (DSG) is still the best amongst its hatchback-fraternity, but the Seltos has much more performance . Its stiff suspension is actually reassuring in that respect. The Octavia 1.8/2.0 is ahead of both, and I daresay the Compass 1.4 DCT is a mixed bag. But the point is, you often run out of long, clear stretches to enjoy the performance of 1500 cc plus cars in India these days.

[neil.jericho]

Originally Posted by sandygordon

I have compromised so much till now. I want a car that can impress me with driving dynamics and I don’t want an SUV. I chose the Accent GLS over Ford 1.6 ROCAM (for my dad) in 2004, I chose the Wagon R over Swift ZXI in 2006, I chose the Dzire VDI over the Swift ZDI in 2009, I chose the S Cross 1.3 alpha over the 1.6 in 2015. And in 2019, I chose the Seltos DCT over Octavia 1.8 TSI. This could not happen again. The same thing has been happening in my life again and again. Not anymore. I would request respected BHPians to chip in with their suggestions and save my day.

How about the 5 door Mini Cooper S Countryman? I see a lot of Mini Coopers around where I stay, and while the 3 doors appear to be thoroughly impractical, the Countryman seems perfect for your use case.

[Lowflyer23]

Finally a Seltos owner who is very rational (no offense to anyone) and doesn't try to reassure/convince himself and others about the car's poor safety . Now coming to your requirements, as most of your running would be on Kerala single laned state roads, I'd recommend you to test drive the Tiguan Allspace.

A safe and fast enough german SUV would suit your needs better. I can tell from my personal experience of driving on Kerala roads that there are a lot of instances when you have to get one side of the vehicle down the tarmac to let incoming traffic pass. Doing this at decent speeds would destroy the underbody of a BMW sedan. Hence, an SUV would be a better bet. Happy shopping!

[sunikkat]

Originally Posted by sandygordon

I am totally satisfied with Kia DCT performance. I can smoke the jeep compasses, VTECs, most GT TSIs and heck even Fortuners / Endevours at traffic signals. Brakes are reassuring. Did not want to remap the car as the performance is on par which the chasis can handle. Infact Seltos GTX plus just increased my expectation yardstick. I feel it is a fun as an Octavia (may be not) or GT TSI and made me cringe when I test drove the X1 Petrol "Tech edition" and the Compass 1.4/2.0 DCT/AT.

Having driven Seltos 1.4 DCT and Manual (extensively), it is no match to Octavia (1.8P or 2.0D) in terms of performance - be it outright performance or handling and stability. The difference is more felt once you reach triple digit speeds.

I might be a part of minority here, but I feel Kerala highways definitely demand a faster car with better gear box and great handling. You always need to have that additional power on tap to just overtake and close the gap while staying on line. And since the traffic in city is lesser than Bangalore or similar cities, your risk of burning gearbox is lesser.

From your choice, I would definitely suggest 330i or Octavia for those quick over takings. Compass performance is good for a SUV but cannot be compared with these 2. But then why choose Octavia when you have a budget for 330i, unless its VRS.