[krishnakumar]

Originally Posted by manas1224

The biggest confusion for me is to whether to shell out 75k more & get a bigger car from different segment

It was a question that I got from many of my friends and family. Quoting my own reasoning which I had posted earlier on this thread:

Originally Posted by krishnakumar

Creta/Seltos aren't considered due to a combination of factors. The mid-variants that would fit the budget are the HTK or E which (1) lack a few important safety kit like EBD, ESP, TC (2) a few convenience features like cruise control, reverse camera are missed out (3) we really aren't in need of a bigger vehicle. So everything put together it made sense to look at a lower segment but higher variant that has everything we would need. Hope it makes sense.

Getting a bigger car just for the image isn't really a prudent decision. Weigh all the factors that are important to you.

All the best for your research!

[furyrider]

I am currently in the same boat. I just took TD of the Nexon and Sonet (both diesel manual) this morning.

The TD was on a broken highway with moderate traffic. I took the TD of Sonet first and came out pretty impressed. I then took a TD of the Nexon and could immediately tell the difference in handling. The Nexon handled bad roads with ease while Sonet on the other hand was jarring (stiff suspension to blame I guess).

The refinement is on an other level TBH. I asked the Kia SA thrice if the TD Sonet was really a diesel (18k on the ODO). I could hear a faint whir while accelerating in second gear and that was it. The Nexon on the other hand felt good, but not as refined as the Kia. Light music will drown the engine noise a bit, but it is omnipresent (TD car was 25k km run and was in bad shape - the door sill was broken and interiors were dirty unlike Kia which was in top shape). In both the cars, there were no vibrations and squeaky noises.

Since the car will face potholed highways most of it's life, I am contemplating the Nexon, but then, my better half loved the ambience of the Kia - especially those ventilated seats. This is turning out to be a difficult decision.

We've had 3 Hyundai cars in the family up until this point and Kia felt right at home. I believe the service aspect would more or less be the same.

Nexon owners, can you please shed some light on the car in general? I've read about a lot of complaints on the clutch. Is this a one-off situation? ASS can be a hit or miss and I am prepared to take that gamble. Also, what is the service interval? 6-monthly (regular check-up) or yearly (fluid changes)? The sales guy says I can skip the 6-month service unless I have an issue with the car, but I do not believe him on this. Can someone please shed some light?

TBH, I never expected Tata to come this far this fast (the last Tata I drove was the Zest way back in 2016/17 and the interiors were bland).

[aniyo]

Originally Posted by furyrider

Nexon owners, can you please shed some light on the car in general? I've read about a lot of complaints on the clutch. Is this a one-off situation? ASS can be a hit or miss and I am prepared to take that gamble. Also, what is the service interval? 6-monthly (regular check-up) or yearly (fluid changes)? The sales guy says I can skip the 6-month service unless I have an issue with the car, but I do not believe him on this. Can someone please shed some light?

I have been driving the Nexon for more than 25k km and it has held up decently. There is one stubborn rattle and to be honest I have not spent time at the SC to resolve it.

It feels more purpose built to tackle bad roads than others. Ride quality is decent so is the space. I am quite happy with the purchase

For the service interval 6 monthly is minor and general check up . Annual is where they change all the fluids and other parts as need like filters etc

[furyrider]

Originally Posted by aniyo

I have been driving the Nexon for more than 25k km and it has held up decently. There is one stubborn rattle and to be honest I have not spent time at the SC to resolve it.

It feels more purpose built to tackle bad roads than others. Ride quality is decent so is the space. I am quite happy with the purchase

For the service interval 6 monthly is minor and general check up . Annual is where they change all the fluids and other parts as need like filters etc

Thank you for the response aniyo!

If my understanding is correct, the 6-monthly check-up should be done without fail unlike what the sales guy says (optional as per him). Is this correct? I will opt for extended warranty and if I take their word for it and skip the 6-month check-up, I am worried that I might be denied any warranty claims in the future.

My apologies for multiple queries, getting concrete information from Tata dealers is turning out to be difficult.

[aniyo]

Originally Posted by furyrider

Thank you for the response aniyo!

If my understanding is correct, the 6-monthly check-up should be done without fail unlike what the sales guy says (optional as per him). Is this correct? I will opt for extended warranty and if I take their word for it and skip the 6-month check-up, I am worried that I might be denied any warranty claims in the future.

My apologies for multiple queries, getting concrete information from Tata dealers is turning out to be difficult.

Absolutely no probs. They gave this gyan to me but I go for 6 monthly check up just to build a rapport with them. I have not checked with Tata directly on the warranty part but assume they will insist on 6 monthly as this is part of the schedule

Honestly this feels more like allowing dealers to make some money that's it. But I guess it should be safe to miss once in a while

[ghodlur]

Originally Posted by krishnakumar

We have finalized the Mahindra XUV3OO W8 (O) Diesel MT as our companion on road.

Heartiest congrats on the mini rocket. I happened to see a friend's XUV 300 recently and could feel everything ticking right except for that miniscule boot (My wife exclaimed seeing that boot - This cant even hold Dmart groceries). But the car is totally fun to drive I am told. Many happy mile crunching in the coming days.

I happened to visit this thread and the discussions had me glued since I am still in the same dilema as you were couple of weeks back. Just sold my car and on lookout for an ideal replacement.

Originally Posted by nibedk

8th year into my ownership of Punto and there isn't even a single squeak in the car yet. Mechanically its still the same sorted vehicle that most Fiats are often famous for. Still on original clutch, discs and suspensions after close to 1.12 L kms on all sort of roads through out southern India.

I had a 8 yr old Punto which I sold recently, age was catching up fast with the car. The FASS experiences were really painful which were sufficiently compensated by the driving pleasure but had to let it go as family was reluctantly sitting in the car. I will live in regret if I dont get a equivalent car for the Punto.

[nibedk]

Originally Posted by ghodlur

Heartiest congrats on the mini rocket. I happened to see a friend's XUV 300 recently and could feel everything ticking right except for that miniscule boot (My wife exclaimed seeing that boot - This cant even hold Dmart groceries). But the car is totally fun to drive I am told. Many happy mile crunching in the coming days.

I happened to visit this thread and the discussions had me glued since I am still in the same dilema as you were couple of weeks back. Just sold my car and on lookout for an ideal replacement.



I had a 8 yr old Punto which I sold recently, age was catching up fast with the car. The FASS experiences were really painful which were sufficiently compensated by the driving pleasure but had to let it go as family was reluctantly sitting in the car. I will live in regret if I dont get a equivalent car for the Punto.

Driving pleasure is relative when you compare cars. I have driven my friend's XUV and its a fine car except for the minuscule boot Even Punto's boot seems bigger in comparison. As driver's car I didn't like it though - it has a better engine and gearbox but still didn't connect with me. Fiat's steering has spoiled me enough.

In the 8 years since I bought a Punto very few cars have got me interested. Ford cars especially the Global Fiesta which I may have bought . Its a combination of Punto and Swift - brilliant to drive(Punto) and agile as well (Swift). Why I decided against it ? Cramped rear and it felt a completely different car when seated in the back, felt less solid compared to Fiats and sold even lesser than the Fiats.

Tata Hexa - I dropped the idea of next car when Hexa production was stopped and the Covid pandemic has delayed it further.

Jeep Compass - With all the positives of Fiat, very modern and unlike Koreans has just the right balance of electronics while being a mechanically sorted car. I still didn't warm up to it. Extremely costly per unit of space and overall cost of car prohibits me to even think about it. A fully loaded one will cost 35+ L on road. It's in a range where its competitors start making more sense. Endeavor, Karoq, Superb, Camry etc.

Does it justify the cost? For me yes it does and may be a couple of lacs lesser will make it more desirable but for me its still a very well engineered car. But as family car it fails majorly. Neither high on space, boot smaller in comparison, some key features like cruise control missing on manual variants etc. just doesn't appeal to head. Will wait till 2023 to see the smaller Jeep drive in which will justify the cost better or look for a used Compass Model-S. If not will buy the best possible 4*4 within my budget

S-Cross - Though I had decided not to look at Maruti again after 2+ decades of ownership this is one car which has interested me. The recently launched one looks better and if its launched with all bells and whistles in India including 4*4 then it will be on my shopping list.

Duster - Has been a all time favorite especially and have always admired it. When I bought my Punto my need was for a small hatch with which we can tour anywhere we want. I didn't even consider Linea and still repent it to date. I was a little skeptical how would my wife drive and hence thought the smaller the better. Wife turned out to be one fine driver and that makes me repent more as to why didn't I consider bigger car. Else Duster 4*4 would have been on the list. Waiting for the next gen Duster to be launched.

Had high hopes from Harrier and Safari but both turned out to be half baked products. XUV700 is loaded with electronics. I am pretty old school be it automobiles or life. For me its always a mechanically sorted car. The lesser the points of failure better it is for me. I don't like all this connected technology. I am paranoid about the day when someone can control your car remotely as well.

Lets see how it pans out. I will wait till mid 2023 and decide on what's going to be my next car. Cruise control, 4*4 , engine guard , TPMS, big dead pedal and moon roof are non negotiable. Has be dynamically sorted.

My Punto stays with me till its allowed to be on road.

[krishnakumar]

Originally Posted by ghodlur

Heartiest congrats on the mini rocket. I happened to see a friend's XUV 300 recently and could feel everything ticking right except for that miniscule boot (My wife exclaimed seeing that boot - This cant even hold Dmart groceries). But the car is totally fun to drive I am told. Many happy mile crunching in the coming days.

Thanks ghodlur!

Yes, the tiny boot is a problem for many and rightfully so. For us, it didn't become a deal-breaker considering our usage. It is definitely one major compromise but when we stacked things up, the XUV300 was the best option for us.

In this post, I have shared a realistic example of the boot fully packed. This carries everything my wife and I will need for a 2 weeks road-trip. And when our parents/siblings visit, we don't foresee any trip beyond 3-4 days and hence the same boot space should hold up as well.

And of course, the car is just a pleasure to drive. However, I would agree with @nibedk quoted below. I don't feel 100% connected to the road - the steering setup isn't the best and you will see this called out in my ownership review. The engine/gearbox deserves a better steering, it's a shame. Even during the test drive, I felt the same. But as they say, the perfect car is what you compromise on. Now I exactly know what I'll need in my next upgrade

The likes of Linea, Punto etc. are hard to beat. Those are I guess gems which were made, probably by mistake, because manufacturers don't seem to make them like that anymore. Linea/Punto vehicles on the road earn a special respect from me because I know those folks made the right choice!

Originally Posted by nibedk

As driver's car I didn't like it though - it has a better engine and gearbox but still didn't connect with me. Fiat's steering has spoiled me enough.

[manas1224]

Getting a bigger car just for the image isn't really a prudent decision. Weigh all the factors that are important to you.

All the best for your research![/quote]

I mean it’s not about image or ego. The only downside I find in Sonet is the feeling of cramped & in your face interior. Astor definitely gives a feel of being more spacious. Other than that Sonet out scores Astor especially if we talk about engine gearbox combo.
Anyways, I’ve booked both Astor super CVT(17th nov) & Sonet HTX D-AT(25th oct). I guess it’ll come down to who delivers the car early as both says they’ll deliver in late Feb or early March.

[isotope729]

Hi everyone,
I'm searching for a new car with a budget of ~15 lakhs OTR price. I currently have a Tata Manza petrol manual, and would like to upgrade to a manual petrol car. My use-case for a car is mostly city driving with the outstation trips for pleasure about once a month. With WFH continuing in my office, the car would be driven about once a week for now, with the outstation trips continuing.

After scouring through multiple reviews and price lists, I narrowed my search down to the below 3 cars:

1. Tata Nexon: I loved the spacious interiors, the driving pleasure and affordable maintenance. This has everything I want -- roomy, good driving dynamics, 5 star safety rating, and very competitive pricing. I have shortlisted the XZ+ P variant as it fits all my needs. After owning a Tata for 9 years, I wanted to explore other options. However, if there are no other options, I am okay with the Nexon.
2. Kia Sonet: Liked the feature rich interiors and affordable maintenance. I am unsure how the iMT experience will be as I have never driven automatic or clutchless cars before. I'm old-school in the sense that I get some portion of my driving pleasure while selecting gears. I shortlisted the 1.0T iMT GTX plus variant as it fits my needs. A little pricey over the Nexon, but not over my budget.
3. Lastly, I test drove the Skoda Slavia on a whim and I fell in love with it. The acres of room inside, the premium feel and finish and drive happy engine all made me smile. The missus loves it too and prefers this one over the others. We never have had a 'premium' car (the Slavia falls into this category for us) and is available with some stretch of our budget. This is the biggest factor for us. I shortlisted the 1.0TSI Style.

The Nexon and Sonet provide for a lot of features over the Slavia, but I had the greatest driving pleasure in the Slavia. After some thinking, this is my ranking:

1. Skoda Slavia
2. Tata Nexon
3. Kia Sonet

My heart says the Slavia and mind says the Nexon, hence the confusion. I'm aware of the AC issues in the Slavia, but didn't notice them when I test drove it. I had put the AC on manual, maybe that's why?

Other cars considered:

I considered the City but my uncle and best friend both have it, so wanted a different car. I checked with Kushaq but the Slavia blows it out of the water in the test drive. I'm planning to test drive the VW Virtus this week to see how it stacks up against the Slavia. The pictures alone make the Slavia more head-turning than the Virtus.

I also checked the XUV300 but the boot space is too small. It would be wonderful for city use only, but not for trips.

Is there another car I may have overlooked? I'm not a fan of Suzuki cars so Ciaz is not on my list. I didn't like the looks of the MG Astor but I have not ruled it out completely.

What do you guys suggest?

[adigup]

I'd suggest to go for the Slavia or the Virtus! I am sure the AC issue will be rectified soon and it's noticeable in crawling traffic speeds in the first and second gear. Personally, I like the Virtus more - I think Virtus Highline looks very tempting.

If you can, please wait for another month and check out the Toyota Hyryder if it fits your budget. Being a Japanese engineered car by Toyota and Suzuki, you shouldn't miss it.

[neil008]

Hey! I think you have ranked it well and should go with Slavia, because the premium feel of it is unmatched with that of Nexon! And yes, do checkout the Virtus too,it has got amazing looks ( one may argue that this is one of many cars where the looks are not polarizing).Also, all of these would come with their share of waiting periods ( annoyingly long these days!) so do consider that factor too, hope you be able to make the choice, Cheers!

[androdev]

TSI + MT is explosive, would make a great choice if you are a keen driver. You will have to do some math and workout the cost of ownership - including warranty and good insurance policy (including zero depreciation and engine+GB cover). You will not incur much service costs given your limited usage. VW/Skoda generally ends up with a higher TCO - if you do some research you can arrive at a reasonably precise numbers to help you take a call.

[JoshMachine]

Looks like you already made up your mind (rather, heart) to go for the Slavia

And since you pointed out driving pleasure, a sedan will do lot better in this department as compared to the CSUVs. Maybe not so much in the city but surely in your outstation strips.

As an extended thought, if you want the car primarily for city driving in Pune (per current location), have you checked out the Slavia Style AT variant?
It will stretch your budget but will protect your left ankle in the crazy Pune city traffic.

[NarediAni7518]

Go ahead with the Slavia, and give the Virtus a visit too. Virtue looks smashing in real-life and has an amazing street presence too. Go ahead with any of these two I would say.