[theAutomaniac]

Greetings fellow BHPians, today I need your advice to help me find a used car for 3-5 lakh rupees which can handle highway duties and has decent number of features.

Currently, I use a Bajaj V15 for my college commutes and highway duties and my father currently owns a 2015 Dzire VXI. We had initially planned to get a Mid-size SUV for 15 lakhs (the Dzire would have been mine in that case) but that won't be possible until mid-2022 due to lack of reliable, VFM and trustworthy SUVs in the mid-size category (Koreans and Hector aren't much trustworthy and the German duo and MG Astor are too new to be the Dzire's trustworthy garage mate).

Now, here are the qualities I desire my new car should have-

1. Should be a petrol because diesels are not preferred by my family members and also because my running is just 500-1000km every month.

2. Should have basic features atleast- By basic features, I mean Power windows, ORVMs with electric adjust, bluetooth connectivity, Dual airbags, ABS and EBD.

3. Should have good driving manners and should be practical enough.

4. The car should be reliable enough as I plan to keep it for 3-4 years before I buy my first new car.

5. Shouldn't be the Swift as we already have the Dzire at home.


I had considered the 2012-13 Honda City and facelifted Maruti SX4 but I just wanted to confirm if there are any other cars that fit the requirement better?
Please also give a little brief about the pros and cons of the cars you suggest.

Looking forward to your valuable comments.

[akshay4587]

In your budget, I would recommend what you have already thought of, a Honda City. It's reliable, Safe, is fuel efficient and an Able performer.
Another option could be a Vento/Rapid 1.6Mpi, if you aren't averse to Europeans.

Btw, it's good to see another Bhpian from Ambala, don't know of many from my hometown.

[androdev]

Honda City all the way. Mileage can be any amount, just look for a car that is well cared for and in great nick. That generation Honda City was very well built and has clean lines. It's a very enjoyable car to drive. Very spacious with a huge boot. It has poor NVH, low ground clearance and very light build compared to Vento, etc. but that is a reasonable compromise given the overall package.

[2000rpm]

Originally Posted by theAutomaniac

Greetings fellow BHPians, today I need your advice to help me find a used car for 3-5 lakh rupees which can handle highway duties and has decent number of features.

5 lakhs in Ambala can fetch you a Polo TSI!

I understand you are in your college, so no better time to own a Polo TSI in red than now. (not really a practical family car, but for young bachelor will be a hoot!)

[akshay4587]

Originally Posted by 2000rpm

5 lakhs in Ambala can fetch you a Polo TSI!

I understand you are in your college, so no better time to own a Polo TSI in red than now. (not really a practical family car, but for young bachelor will be a hoot!)

It's a Hard find here in and around Ambala.
And Considering he is looking for a reliable daily, I won't push him towards a pit with DQ200

[RavSam]

As others have suggested, Honda City 3rd Gen would be a great choice.

I would also like to suggest the Toyota Etios Petrol 1.5. As per TBhp reviews, it was a hoot to drive and the maintenance is also very low i.e. if one is ok with the looks and the interior. The space optimization in Etios is also good and worth having a look at.

[theAutomaniac]

Originally Posted by akshay4587

Another option could be a Vento/Rapid 1.6Mpi, if you aren't averse to Europeans.

Ahh yes! These two seem like a good alternative. Anything specific I should be careful of while buying one?

Btw, it's good to see another Bhpian from Ambala, don't know of many from my hometown.

Haha yes! Neither have I met many people from our hometown here!

Originally Posted by androdev

Honda City all the way. Mileage can be any amount, just look for a car that is well cared for and in great nick.

Yes, I see a lot of them in my City so i am hopeful finding a used good condition City won't be difficult.

Originally Posted by 2000rpm

5 lakhs in Ambala can fetch you a Polo TSI!

Though I completely agree that a 1.2 TSI would be a great car, but I have to take care of the car's maintenance myself, so I would prefer to stay away from that DSG gearbox!

Originally Posted by akshay4587

It's a Hard find here in and around Ambala.
And Considering he is looking for a reliable daily, I won't push him towards a pit with DQ200

True that! A friend has already had a bad experience with a Polo DSG, so I would rather stay away.

Originally Posted by RavSam

I would also like to suggest the Toyota Etios Petrol 1.5. As per TBhp reviews, it was a hoot to drive and the maintenance is also very low i.e. if one is ok with the looks and the interior. The space optimization in Etios is also good and worth having a look at.

Driven the Etios and it is fairly good, but then, it's design and interiors are a little too boring for me. I find my Dzire to be much cooler than that!

[Phantom 510]

Originally Posted by theAutomaniac

I had considered the 2012-13 Honda City and facelifted Maruti SX4 but I just wanted to confirm if there are any other cars that fit the requirement better?
Please also give a little brief about the pros and cons of the cars you suggest.

Hyundai i20/grand i10 petrol.
1. Easy to drive and refined.
2. High levels of fit finish and quality.
3. Comfort oriented on road dynamics.
4. Hyundai has a track record of strong after sales service support.

Maruti Baleno.
1. Peppy 1.2 petrol engine.
2. Acres of space for 5 adults.
3. Big car feel from the steering wheel.
4. Has decent ride and handling balance.
5. Good resale means lesser depreciation.

[Akshay6988]

My choice would be Swift / Baleno. I wouldn't pick used Hyundai petrol as there's no way to know how previous owner has (ab)used it. Besides, Hyundai petrols are nowhere as efficient as Maruti Suzuki petrols.

[Shreyfiesta]

I recommend you to get a well-maintained ninth-generation Toyota Corolla. From my point of view, this is the best used car that one can buy with a tight budget of ₹ 2-3lakhs. It is a sedate looking car from outside, you may feel bored of its exterior design for sure. Inside, the overall layout is typical Toyota. Everything feels good to touch and everything is clearly laid-out. The beige+grey dashboard, soft-touch materials, wooden-finished center console and door trims, illuminated key ring, etc feels premium even in 2021. It is not much spacious as the latest generations of City and Verna, but still the amount of legroom offered by the Corolla is adequate. Middle floor hump is a bit tall, so the middle passenger has to place his feet on either side of the hump to sit comfortably. Boot space also is fairly decent for an executive sedan from 2000s.

The free revving motor develops 125 bhp if I am not wrong. Power comes at higher rpm like a typical Japanese engine, but remember, it was the highest in the C and C+ segments back then. Power delivery is smooth and the engine makes it known that there's lots of juice to play with. Take it to some highways, it will move breezily, touching high speeds without any fuss. Put it in fifth, and the engine ticks along merrily, enough pulling power is there to make it driveable. Speaking of which, in spite of the higher revs, the car's quite manageable in a city's stop-and-go environment. It is quite similar to the Gen 1 City VTEC that way, where keeping the revs high becomes something you get used to eventually. The manual gearbox is sure-slotting, some may find the gear lever placed a little too high for comfort. Also, the hydraulic power steering unit provides great feedback at corners.

Now, let me list down its pros and cons :
Pros :
• Bulletproof reliability and trouble-free ownership
• Premium-looking airy interiors
• Easy ingress and egress for aged people
• Decent ground clearance
• XL-sized boot
• Superb free-revving petrol engine
• Mature ride quality
• All-wheel disc brakes
• Super VFM buy as a used car

Cons :
• Sober-looking exterior
• Misses out auto-dimming IRVM, rear air-con vents, USB ports, reach-adjustable steering, etc.
• Spares are not much cheap as that of Qualis and Innova

If you're interested in Corolla, get a post-2005 H5. These facelifted models have LED taillamps, steering wheel audio controls, printed antenna, auto headlamps and improved suspension. Also, additional insulation pads were added for better NVH levels in the facelift.

[IshaanIan]

Originally Posted by theAutomaniac

We had initially planned to get a Mid-size SUV for 15 lakhs (the Dzire would have been mine in that case) but that won't be possible until mid-2022 due to lack of reliable, VFM and trustworthy SUVs in the mid-size category (Koreans and Hector aren't much trustworthy and the German duo and MG Astor are too new to be the Dzire's trustworthy garage mate).

The S-Cross 1.5 is as perfect as it gets in that segment I feel. It is quite satisfactorily priced as well and I'd say just go for it

If you still want to buy a second-hand car, why not look into something that did not sell as well? You would be able to find better examples for the same money than popular selling models. The new but discontinued Fiesta is one such solid option. Extremely reliable as long as you do not buy the automatic and since manufacturing was setup in India, parts will remain cheap and easily available for quite some time to come. The Ritz or the Jazz are other great VFM buys in the used car space. One can even have a look at some Grand Vitaras as well.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by theAutomaniac

Greetings fellow BHPians, today I need your advice to help me find a used car for 3-5 lakh rupees which can handle highway duties and has decent number of features.

For highway usage, safety & sorted road manners are important. I would consider a Corolla Altis (sample listing), Honda City, Etios, EcoSport, S-Cross etc. The Altis is particularly tempting as it runs forever. I have yet to meet an unhappy Corolla owner, and that includes those running 15-year old cars like Mod Aditya (Buying a 9-year old value-for-money sedan : My 2006 Toyota Corolla). Can't go wrong with a Honda City either.

The Corolla & City would be my top 2 choices. I would shortlist Civics as well; will be more fun than a Corolla, but nowhere as practical (poor low end torque, low seating, GC, okay boot).

With a limited budget of 3 - 5 lakhs, the condition of the car is more important than the model. E.g. if I find an immaculate City and an above-average Corolla, I'd go for the Honda. Shop wisely. And if you find a good car, close it fast. It's a seller's market out there.

[matizcrazy]

The Corolla Altis, the Etios, the Linea, the older Fiesta, the City etc are good choices.
If you like the Germans, you have Jettas, Passats, Vento, Lauras, Rapids etc.
3-5 lakhs as an initial outlay can fetch you any of these cars but if you want to spend less on maintenance ( as you should), the Germans should be avoided.

[Raghu M]

Originally Posted by akshay4587

In your budget, I would recommend what you have already thought of, a Honda City. It's reliable, Safe, is fuel efficient and an Able performer.
Another option could be a Vento/Rapid 1.6Mpi, if you aren't averse to Europeans.

Btw, it's good to see another Bhpian from Ambala, don't know of many from my hometown.

With the budget of 3 to 5 lakhs, don't you think the deals on the City and the Europeans would be very shoddy? I would stay away from such vehicles if the budget is low. I am not sure if I will get any of these vehicles that haven't clocked a minimum of 100K and are due for major overhauls. Your thoughts please. Thank you.

[akshay4587]

Originally Posted by Raghu M

With the budget of 3 to 5 lakhs, don't you think the deals on the City and the Europeans would be very shoddy? I would stay away from such vehicles if the budget is low. I am not sure if I will get any of these vehicles that haven't clocked a minimum of 100K and are due for major overhauls. Your thoughts please. Thank you.

One can get a decent sedan in about 5L up north.
And Honda City Petrol's do not rack up kms on their odo's as quickly as it's diesel counterpart.

5L can get him a nice 2014 Honda City with 50-60K on odo.
And a looked after car, doesn't need a overhaul at 100K kms.