[sgautam31]

Hi Fellow Members,

I am a new member of TeamBHP and am super excited to be part of the community. Firstly let me quickly introduce myself, I am based in Hyderabad from originally from Himachal, avid road traveler and enjoy long drives, have covered half of the country and the most recent trip was a 7000 km long round trip.

Now, I am in search of my new car and need some help from the community to make the right decision.

Brief History with cars -

My first car was Volkswagen Polo TDI which I owned from Nov 2014 to Nov 2016, this was a manual transmission and after moving to Bangalore from Hyderabad I realized that I desperately need an auto transmission and bought Honda City VX CVT in Nov 2016 and is very happy with the driving experience. I have driven across the country with family (wife & small dog).

My requirements-
1) A good reliable automatic gearbox with an overall good performance with no lag.
2) Should be loaded with safety features.
3) Apt for cruising on highways to cover 700+ km/day at times (Adaptive cruise control is good to have, but not the only deciding factor).
4) Spacious and comfortable ride quality.
5) Good suspension as at times we travel to the unfamiliar territory (potholes, broken roads, dirt roads) being a wildlife enthusiast, this will be around 2-3% of overall road travel.
6) Should handle ghat roads (hill roads) well, as we are originally from Himachal and keep on traveling home from Hyderabad.


Vehicles I am considering -

BMW 330i - Took a test drive of 330 Ld and really enjoyed the drive, with the focus on the driver, had an overall good experience with ride quality as well. Unfortunately, they did not have 330i available for the test drive and the test drive was in a long-wheel diesel variant, but the salesperson mentioned that ride quality and comfort won’t be much different however 330i will be high performing vehicle. My only apprehension was that the boot space is very shallow and it missed out on some features at this price range (like - Keyless entry, Adaptive cruise control, Auto Braking, etc.)

Volvo S60 - I have looked at the car and am taking the test drive tomorrow, but the looks and features are mindboggling, really liked the built quality and the tech features, especially the safety features and adaptive cruise control. Super excited about the test drive to compare it with the BMW. My apprehension for Volvo is its brand appeal and post-sales support as the dealership is very thin in comparison to german brands. Also, not too sure how will this car handle rough roads and unfamiliar territories.

GLA 220d - Initially when I started my search I was trying to limit myself only to SUVs or Crossovers but decided to expand my search to sedans since there are limited options available considering Q3 is yet to be launched and X1 did not leave us with a great impression.

I really liked the test drive, the engine was responsive and the cabin is very comfortable and gives a rich feeling. Also, like some tech features though it misses out on adaptive cruise control. But overall left me with a good impression. My apprehensions with Mercedes is that after reading a lot of discussions I understood that maintenance could be high and the parts are very expensive in comparison to competitors.

I would appreciate the suggestions and any other vehicle that I can consider apart from the ones I have shortlisted.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

[androdev]

If you like Volvo test drives, it will be worth considering. XC40 can also be considered. I would rate Volvo cars above the CKD Germans when it comes to interior cabin feel (materials, NVH, etc.) They also look great from outside - probably the best LED light designs. The only downside is that they are not exciting when it comes to driving. Support/service is also limited but should not be a problem in Hyderabad which sells a lot of Volvo cars (never understood why)

Mercedes and BMW will cost about the same to own if you can get warranty and zero depreciation insurance. Even otherwise also I don't think one should avoid Mercedes due to ownership costs compared to BMW. The real world difference would be within 5-10% max which doesn't make a case for dropping a Mercedes car that you may have otherwise liked.

I am surprised you liked Honda city after owning Polo - this is where I am confused about what might be your preferences. If you enjoyed Honda City, you should certainly look at Camry Hybrid. Test drive it even if it's just for window shopping.

BMW is the be-all end-all choice for anyone who loves a spirited drive at these price points.

Sedan vs SUV is a personal decision. Personally I believe one need not get an SUV just for those 1-2% situations with bad patches of roads. Too much needless premium to pay for an SUV and it's inferior 90%+ of the time. Just my opinion.

[sgautam31]

I am surprised you liked Honda city after owning Polo - this is where I am confused about what might be your preferences. If you enjoyed Honda City, you should certainly look at Camry Hybrid. Test drive it even if it's just for window shopping.

Thanks for your reply, I really enjoyed Polo and it was much fun to drive but I started having bad cramps while driving long distances, and at times city traffic (as Bangalore traffic is notoriously known for). Hence, wanted to move to auto transmission, VW dealers never showed much interest and I was left with a feeling that they were not even interested to sell so bad dealership experience led me to look elsewhere, but Honda City met the criteria at that point in time, but even now I have no complaints driving it, but the engine doesn't deliver when needed.

[akash_v12]

Originally Posted by sgautam31

Hi Fellow Members,

I am a new member of TeamBHP and am super excited to be part of the community. Firstly let me quickly introduce myself, I am based in Hyderabad from originally from Himachal, avid road traveller and enjoy long drives, have covered half of the country and the most recent trip was a 7000 km long round trip.

A quick check on the Volvo website shows that their network isn't as sparse as it was a couple of years ago. A lot of dealers/service centres have come up throughout the country and it shouldn't be much of a bother anymore.

- Since the previous cars you've owned have served you well throughout your road trips, I don't think GC should be a big deciding factor. Sedans are the way to go forward for long road trips - nothing matches the driving dynamics and comfort of them. As Androdev mentioned, there is absolutely no justification to spend the additional money for an SUV for those rare situations (especially in your case where a City has taken everything that you've thrown at it).

- The S60 is a great car. Rather spacious and one that can spoil you with the goodies. However, like most other Volvos it's not the most exciting to drive. It's set-up slightly softer than the Bimmers but not as much as the Mercedes'. In terms of rear legroom, for anyone more than 5'7" the underthing support will be lacking and you might be sat in a knees-up position, which makes it slightly uncomfortable. The 3 Series also makes sense in your case, but do note that the legroom in the back isn't a lot in SWB Form. If you're looking at LWB, then you should be good on that front. The 330i is a hoot to drive though and is probably one of the most dynamically sorted cars in the segment.

Two more options I'd like to add in are the Audi A4 & the Skoda Superb. The former may not be the best on any front, but it's surely a combination of both. Much better to drive than the S60 (in my brother's opinion) and a tad bit comfier than it too. Also, IIRC there were mouthwatering discounts on the A4. The Superb is something you cannot ignore at this price point. It may be down on the feature list to the Germans but if you're not badge-conscious, it might as well be one of the best options to go for.

[GTO]

The S60 is a very, very impressive car. You should read our Official Review (Volvo S60 : Official Review) - the Volvo really left an impression on me. It is easily a match to the 3-Series, and much superior to the A4 & ageing C-Class in my opinion.

Drop the GLA. It isn't even close to the S60 or 330i.

Go for the BMW if you want strong reliability, a proven package & absolute driving pleasure (RWD, sweet turbo-petrol, the best AT gearbox). On the other hand, if you are open to trying a different flavour, pick the S60. My only two apprehensions would be on the Volvo's long-term reliability and after-sales support. Have heard good & well as bad stories; it really varies from dealer to dealer and city to city, unlike BMW & Mercedes which offer a more consistent ownership experience.

You should search within the forum and see what Hyderabad Volvo owners are saying about the dealer support.

[lamborghini]

One thing to note is that these Germans will require you to be a bit more careful than you may have been with the Honda city : space savers, lower profile tyres, etc. which are a little bit of a pain when driving on our highways with the odd bump, though they are brilliant mile munchers - recently did a non stop 8 hour / 450km drive on our C without much tiredness.

If possible try and see the discounts available on bigger segment vehicles like the A6 which may just fall within budget (I read a post on new car thread where there are discounts of Rs. 14 - 16L on the A6 in Mumbai) and also test drive options such as the Kodiaq, Superb. The longer wheelbase on these make the car that much more pliant and stable on the highways which goes a long way in mile munching.

[Carspook]

I would like to suggest the Citroen C5. Comfortable ride, has adaptive cruise control. Makes it comfortable for long drives.

[RishavRBhardwaj]

The S60 is a gorgeous machine Sir.

Being a Volvo Owner myself, Although it has only been about 3 months, 8000 kms with it, aftersales is much better than what I had expected. Also, I've had a small chance to test how much they really cared about my car. For context, The Volvo dealership is 400+ kms away.

I had a motorcyclist rear end me a month back and it broke a bracket that held the exhaust pipe trim. On one single call, they sent the part through courier so that I could get it fixed from a local mechanic. I would have been driving around with a broken exhaust trim for months, had I got something from the German trio, as getting your vehicle touched by an outsider is counted as a sin in their holy books. I recall that dialogue from Kabir Singh- "Kisne Touch Kiya.."

[Axe77]

If you also occupy the rear seat, I’d say the 330i is hands down the most comfortable in that list.

The Volvo front seat might well be more comfortable than the 330i but not with that much difference as in the rear.

From your choices listed my pick would be the 330i anyday. It’s likely the only car in that list that will bring a grin to your face. The Volvo will not be as compelling on the performance front and while it uses top quality leather for its seats, the rear of the S60 is VERY cramped. I would not pick it just for that reason alone.

[senna]

Originally Posted by lamborghini

If possible try and see the discounts available on bigger segment vehicles like the A6 which may just fall within budget (I read a post on new car thread where there are discounts of Rs. 14 - 16L on the A6 in Mumbai) and also test drive options such as the Kodiaq, Superb. The longer wheelbase on these make the car that much more pliant and stable on the highways which goes a long way in mile munching.

I second this. I bought an A6 in June last year and have done close to 7K kms so far. Pleasantly surprised by the car. Though it is FWD and not as fun to drive as the BMW but so is S60. It is no slouch though. Moreover, A6 has a humongous boot which definitely comes in handy on those long roadtrips.
The price of A6 was not significantly higher than that of the 3 LWB.

Can also take a look at the skoda Superb.

[M.Dua]

Heye, Fellow MY 2015 S60 D4 owner here, congratulations on picking the two most amazing cars in the segment, the 330i & S60, i remember GTO's article on review of S60 where he rated these two cars as best in the segment. SO bang on with your resarch.

MB i beleive has to roll put new products very soon as the current gen are dated to the ones that have launched abroad. With S60 you get a brand new product and with 330i you get the most sought after product. Do not shy away from checking out the A6 as well, until recently there were huge discounts and have seen people getting A6 for 55-57 lakhs OTR, one of my relatives got the top end A4 at 43.75 OTR Delhi. I ahvent been to showrooms but i am being told the cabin finish in A4 & A6 is superior to the counterparts.

Coming to Volvo, it has been a delight to own it, have taken it to hills and have had extensive runs with it, never has it failed me or had any issues, there have been no instances of any part not being available at the service centre ever, just that the service centre experience is not parallel to MB or BMW, having said it is a minimum of 30-50% cheaper to maintain, a 10k service costs me 20k to 30k, timing belt with aux belts change costed me 40k in total. Needless to say it feels like a tank to sit in, these guys are gold standard in saftey and also the brand carries a shock value with too many other brand cars on road, so becomes a head turner every now and then.

Only thing Volvo service centre is not good with is Goodwill claims, they will usually get a recall on common issues faced, but if you are first ones on some issues faced, you shall not qualify for any goodwill claims, the brand senior management is deaf to any such issues. My EGR failed in say Nov 2020, it had a brand recall to be replaced if issue was diagnosed before May 2020, i had to pay a full 66k to get it replaced and there was no goodwill claim there.

[kovilkalai]

Of the list provided, I think the 330i is unique and stands out (power, driving dynamics etc.). However, if you are not particular about those features, then why not consider a Skoda Superb or Octavia? While reliability may be similar to the cars in your consideration set, they do have good warranties and maintenance packages now.

Of course, you won't have the brand cache, but I think you will get a lot more for your buck.

[sgautam31]

Hi All,

Thank you so much for your advice.

I took the test drive of S60 yesterday and I was left with a very good impression, the transmission was not that good at comfort/eco mode as I could feel gears changing, but as soon as I put it in Dynamic mode the car had a very different character to it, very responsive transmission without any lag and smooth power delivery.

I took the car on various terrains, broken road as it was dug for work without any tar, the car was comfortable to drive and suspension tuned the right way and was able to handle it well. Later I took it to Outer Ring Road (ORR) and it was very stable at high speed and adaptive cruise control is very impressive, the only caveat is that the car suddenly deaccelerates and accelerates if the vehicle in front is slow or moves away, so one has to be a bit more conscious about surroundings. At last, I took the car uphill which was very steep and it managed well.

Seating comfort -

Front seats are very comfortable with multiple adjustments, to meet an individual's liking. Could not get any details on the rear seats as my wife did not want to accompany me for the test drive considering the rise in COVID cases. But, in our case rarely someone sits on the rear seats apart from my dog (Shihtzu).

Dilemma -

Now, the decision is between 330i and S60, obviously, S60 can’t match the performance of 330i and S60 appears to be really good for highway cruising. So it may come down to the deal I can get on either of the vehicles. I have one question though and seek your opinion on how practical are the difference between 330i Sports and 330i M Sports and if I will ever feel missing on something in case I go ahead with the Sports variant and save that extra money that I would spend on the top variant

Thanks in advance.

[nbot]

Hi Gautam,

I had a similar dilemma for a while and ended up with chosing SUV and a GLC 220d

I loved 320Ld, however ground clearance turned out to be a problem, given i drive to rural areas frequently.

Considering the fund to drive exp and possibly good resale 330 might turn out to be a good choice.

One advantage in S60 might be the Automatic Emergency Braking, if it exists like in XC60.

Regards

[hrk997]

Hi, you've shortlisted the right cars for your requirements. While I'd personally prefer an SUV for stress free driving, especially in mountainous regions like Himachal, if the city has worked out for you so far, maybe a sedan might work out well.

First off, I'd strongly recommend against the S60. I too considered the car against the 3 series and got information from very good authority that the car is very, very slow compared to other luxury cars in the segment. While it's very good on features, it's incredibly slow. I suspect the car has been heavily detuned. Check out 0-100 videos of the Indian variant and you'll find it much slower than claimed times and other international variants.

The 330i is the best in the segment. If your budget stretches a little further, you can opt for the 330 Li. The GLA is pretty good too but none of the cars match the dynamics of the 3 series. Audi might still have great discounts going on so check with them too.

I would suggest waiting for the new Q3 which will probably be launched this year. All reviews of it are pretty great. My personal pick would be a full size SUV for such cross country tips. It's very stress free knowing your car can handle bad roads if the need arises. I don't know how the roads are in Himachal but I read about landslides and heavy rains in the region. Based on that, I would consider Fortuner, AWD variants of GLA and Q3, Kodiaq, used X5s. While 330i would be fun to drive in Hyderabad, for cross country tips sedans aren't my choice.