[anumod]

I would have suggested Polo and Rapid, but both of them are very aged one. What about Kushaq .. I have experienced one time , the ineffective steering from Hyundai, so I will not recommend Hyundai. I luckily escaped from an accident, and I don't want anyone to go through similar trauma. (This is inline with the steering issues that got reported in the Hyundai quality issues thread)

[Livnletcarsliv]

I voted for "other"

If you want the best handling performance car below 15L, then it has to be from the VAG stable only - Polo, Rapid, Vento. PERIOD.

Out of the three, I would choose the sedan cousins for obvious reasons of space and practicality that I don't get in the Polo in addition to handling and performance.

[ashking101]

I have voted for i20 NLine 1.0 Turbo. However, I would suggest you to wait till the prices of MG Astor variants revealed - it is a worthy contender and a variant may be within your budget as well.

[buzzy_boy]

Originally Posted by Sheel

I am not suggesting yet, but, why are some BHPIANS suggesting a CSUV / SUV genre?

Completely agree. CSUVs and SUVs can't handle nearly as well as a well sorted hatchback or a sedan. Those are not what I'm looking for.

[Altocumulus]

Voted Other

Test drive the Rapid 1.0 Tsi AT. I am using an Onyx AT for the last 11 months and its fantastic to say the least. I have my first service next month and as far I have seen others who have done their service, it was just 4.5k including oil change. Skoda service costs have reduced drastically and the feedback about service quality have vastly improved.

[flywheels]

Whilst the choice of cars seem apt, pls do test drive the following as well
Polo TSI
Vento TSI
Rapid TSI

Believe in the feel and finaiise

Cheers!

[suhaas307]

If you are disappointed with the handling of your Ford Aspire, then I am afraid you are going to be disappointed with pretty much every other car in the market today.

Nothing handles like a Ford, especially an older one. The old gen Figos and Fiestas were absolutely fantastic, and nothing really comes close to them this side of ummm, a BMW maybe?

The Aspire is not bad, and I would say better than most cars out there in terms of handling. You could say the Punto comes close but that car has its fair share of (ergonomic) problems that may sap some of the fun out of driving it.

I've owned a Polo, and had done everything I could to make it a fun handling car and a fun car generally. While it had the poke, it was a bit of a dud in the handling department. Nothing helped improve the steering feel, not the fresh sachs dampers, not the sport springs and not even the Whiteline rear Swaybar and stiffer front top mounts. The Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres did help to an extent. Honestly, my wife's 2010 (completely stock and in fact rattly) Figo petrol feels more engaging to drive than my Polo with all the kit on it.

And if you are considering Polos, Rapids and Ventos, expect them to all feel a bit numb and lifeless. They may have the straight line stability and will hold corners well, but they are not engaging handlers at all.

The new i20 N-Line wasn't bad but again, the weighted steering and stiffer suspension feels artificially dialed-in.

At the end of the day, whatever car you choose, you must get Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres straight away. It makes all the difference.

[sunikkat]

Originally Posted by suhaas307

Nothing handles like an older Ford. The old gen Figos and Fiestas were absolutely fantastic, and nothing really comes close to them this side of ummm, a BMW maybe?

Cant agree more. While I have not driven new gen Ford (Aspire, new Figo etc.) used to own a 1.6s for 6 years. That car just used to communicate every damn thing on the road and feel like its just part of your body. And that was stock.
My current ride Octavia even with suspension and alloys / tyre upgrades doesnt handle or feel involving like 1.6s.
So is Aspire so much different from old Fords? If not, neither Polo / Rapid nor i20 N Line is going to meet the requirements.
But as said earlier currently Polo / Vento / Rapid is the best bet from a fun to drive factor.

[karanddd]

Wait until Alfa Romeo starts selling in India. The 4C does not have power steering at all, just like an old Maruti 800. Best steering feel possible.

[buzzy_boy]

Sitrep:

I took the nline for a short Initial test drive. It was in city - under heavy traffic. My objective was to determine whether it is worth taking a longer TD of the vehicle. Here are my observations:

1. The visual differences from the normal version are subtle; I didn't realise that the vehicle next to me was the nline - I had thought that it was the normal I20.
2. That said, I really like the look of the vehicle - modern and agressive
3. The paint job is bang average
4. The doors feel heftier than my Aspire
5. The seating position is good
6. Visibility is average for the class - does not suffer from A pillar blind spots like the Aspire
7. The cabin is wide and spacious - front and back
8. Plastics look decent, but are actually very average to touch
9. The screens are bright - could be distracting in the long run.
10. The gear shift is easy to use.
11. Leather quality is better than average after market ones
12. The boot is weel shaped and has decent size
13. I found the suspension to be well sorted at low speeds - dismissed the bad roads better than my Crysta. Damping stiffness is obvious - and the ride could get jiggly at speeds on bad roads.
14. I couldn't test the handling at speeds as it was a short drive in traffic.
15. I found the DCT to be smooth at town speeds. Curiously, it is tuned to shift up so early that the engine often finds itself below the sweet spot. This leads to unnecessary number of gear shifts.
16. The manual mode is responsive at part throttles. Stepping off the gas leads to smoother shifts
17. Another curious behaviour of the gear shift is that it does holds the second gear at speeds as low as 5 kmph. Certainly, at those speeds it must slip the clutch.
18. That said, I shifted to first, using the paddles, at less than 10 kmph. I found the shift from 2 to 1 to be smooth.
19. The paddle shifters are easy to use and convenient
20. Didn't test the AC as I had rolled down the windows as a COVID precaution.
21. Headlights had enough power.


Based on these observations, I have requested a longer TD next week. Will revert with updates.

[sjain2054]

Originally Posted by buzzy_boy

Sitrep:

I took the nline for a short Initial test drive. It was in city - under heavy traffic. My objective was to determine whether it is worth taking a longer TD of the vehicle.

Hey, so what did you end up buying? I saw the experts recommend the N line to you and the others recommend cars from the VW stable. The Honda City was also a great reco. So what are you driving these days and whats the verdict on that car?

Originally Posted by GTO

Hyundais have good suspensions now.

Don't know if you are open to pre-owned, but a Compass 2.0 Diesel, Octavia, S-Cross 1.6L & Seltos Turbo-Petrol will keep you mighty happy .

Agreed with the Polo GTI, that's a solid recommendation.

Originally Posted by sunikkat

used to own a 1.6s for 6 years. That car just used to communicate every damn thing on the road and feel like its just part of your body. And that was stock.

Hello fellow car enthusiasts,

After a tough day at work, I was just sitting back with my eyes closed and trying to unwind by recalling my early 20s and the beautiful drives I had with my 1.6 Ikon and the 1.6 Baleno. I want that again. I need that in my life once more. I logged into TeamBHP and started searching for similar options in today's car market. The obvious names came up - i20 Nline, VW twins, Skoda twins and the Honda City manual.

My question - Which used or new car will give me the same feel of "communicating with every damn thing on the road" or "cornering like its on rails"? I drove the i20 regular petrol during my trip to Meghalaya and even though it has low center of gravity, it doesn't really make one feel connected.

My budget is low. I do not want to spend more than Rs 15 lakhs. But if I did increase my budget, then what would be my options?

I could go and drive every car myself and decide but just to save time and know what you all think, I am dropping this Q here.

[sunikkat]

Unfortunately no current new car will give you that raw feel and being connected. If you need that you have to go for that old Fiesta’s, Linea or old BMWs which in my opinion is not wise considering the age of cars.
But new cars does make it up and more with the engine options. If in your place, I would have increased my budget and gone for a new Virtus GT or an used Octavia.

[buzzy_boy]

Originally Posted by sjain2054

Hey, so what did you end up buying? I saw the experts recommend the N line to you and the others recommend cars from the VW stable. The Honda City was also a great reco. So what are you driving these days and whats the verdict on that car?

I bought an XUV 700, and have written a detailed ownership thread here (My Mahindra XUV700 AX-5 D | Ownership Review).

I was sceptical about Hyundai's safety record, so didn't go for the NLine. As for VW, I have doubts regarding the longevity of small-capacity turbos. I loved the City, but it didn't have enough ground clearance for my use case. Hence, I ended up with the 700.

I have clocked > 70K KMs on it. It's not nimble and chuckable, but there are other ways I like driving it. Net result = happy with the vehicle. I also have my eyes on the new Swift as my second car.

[suhaas307]

Originally Posted by sjain2054

My question - Which used or new car will give me the same feel of "communicating with every damn thing on the road" or "cornering like its on rails"? I drove the i20 regular petrol during my trip to Meghalaya and even though it has low center of gravity, it doesn't really make one feel connected.

My budget is low. I do not want to spend more than Rs 15 lakhs. But if I did increase my budget, then what would be my options?

I could go and drive every car myself and decide but just to save time and know what you all think, I am dropping this Q here.

Absolutely nothing in the new-car market will satisfy your requirements. Used options are the only ones worth considering.

At the bottom end of the spectrum, a used Fiesta 1.6S should give you that “connected to the road” feeling. Perhaps a Fiat Punto Abarth or Linea 1.4 T-Jet could also deliver.

At the upper end of the 15-20 lakh spectrum, the only car that could deliver that feeling would be a BMW 3 Series, the E90 even more so than the F30. While the E90’s straight 6 engines (325i and 330i) are smooth, they do not have the punch you may crave and will also guzzle petrol at an alarming rate. The ride quality will also leave a lot to be desired as it’s far too harsh for broken city roads. But it handles like a dream and could provide an almost sports-car-esque feel to the driving experience.

The F30 generation is more modern and boasts of a better balanced ride-handling setup, and also came equipped with stronger 4-pot petrol engines (328i and 330i). The 328i can be had in the 15 lakh budget but the B48 in the 330i is the more refined and efficient motor between the two. Good examples of the 330i can be had for 25-30 lakh.

You could also consider a F56 Mini Cooper S. Good examples can be had for 20-30 lakh and they are immensely fun to drive.

[buzzy_boy]

Originally Posted by sjain2054

My question - Which used or new car will give me the same feel of "communicating with every damn thing on the road" or "cornering like it's on rails"?

I'd recommend waiting for the Altroz racer. The N-line - in its manual guise - is a good car, but not every enthusiast will like the steering.

The Altroz has always had a fantastic chassis. It was just let down by less-than-average drive-trains. With a better engine and transmission, things should get even better. What's more, the steering feel should also be enhanced due to the added weight on the front wheels.

Also, despite the mediocre engine, the new Swift is worth a look. Suzuki has increased the Chassis stiffness. That would have allowed them to fit softer springs and larger tyres. All these should translate to better handling. Sad that they didn't launch it with the booster jet engine though.

While you're at it, why don't you check out the Fronx booster jet manual? GTO recently had fun driving (Vroom-vroom downshift to rev-match | How many of you use it?) one.