[iamitp]

Hello BHPians,

I need to replace my ageing and troublesome 2008 Honda City CVT, which I use as a beater car for the 5 KM commute from home to office. My office is one of the Govt. of India buildings in Central Secretariat - full of monkeys and short on parking. Cars are parked in neutral and pushed around to fit. That's why I don't get my Creta 2020 to work.

My requirements are as follows:

1. Small dimensions - so it is easier to fit in my workplace's cramped parking space

2. Should comfortably seat me in the driving seat - I am 185 CM and 120 KGs, with a lower back issue. Backseat space and boot space is not a concern.

3. Automatic - preferably not AMT.

4. 2nd hand, DL registered.

5. Low & cheap to maintain - I want to get from home to office to home in a fuss-free and reliable manner.

6. Would be nice to have Android Auto & Auto folding mirrors.


We'll be selling off the 2008 Honda City, and I don't mind putting some more money for the right car. However, I'd like it to be as cheap as possible, while meeting the above criteria.

Looking forward to your suggestions

[AkMar]

Brio, Ignis, pre NIOS Grand i10 are the options off the top of my head.

Ignis is an AMT.

Brio AT may be difficult to find due to poor sales.

Grand i10 AT is a torque convertor AT, had sold in good numbers so should be easier to find. It has decent amount of space, good engine, good quality interiors - overall a competant package. Since your office commute is 5 km, the lower FE should not be of much concern. As far as I remember, 2018 facelift had introduced Android auto as well.

Not considering Baleno due to size, Polo GT TSI due to reliability issues. If you can find any 2nd hand Polo 1.0 AT which has torque convertor, you can consider it.

[Shreyans_Jain]

You will have to make do with an AMT. A proper automatic will not lock unless it is in Park. And if the car is in P, it can’t be pushed around.

You can either make do with any manual, or get a basic AMT if you intend to leave your car in neutral for the parking people to push. Hard choice.

My suggestion will be to sell off the ageing Honda and stretch to a Tigor EV. Between the City’s resale and the benefits available to private buyers, especially government employees, it should be workable. Tata EVs don’t have a proper Park mode. They switch off in neutral and can be pushed around a bit if needed.

[Ferruccio]

Am 179 Cms, 98 Kgs, use a Nano XTA as my beater car. Its an AMT, the 2 cyl engine is jerky in power delivery and the vacuum servo is so small that it runs out of breath in frequent braking and the AMT is infuriatingly slow when you are reversing. Other than that it is a dream car for the purpose you stated.

Frugal to a fault, gives 14 kmpl even when I try to outrun Lambos and Porsches (one can on bumpy Mumbai roads, the driver's expressions are priceless), almost a 2 wheeler cost to maintain and the cops will take "I am sorry, I am a new driver" for an answer for most traffic infractions. The AC even at fan speed 1 leaves my nose frozen most of the time.

Bought it for the Missus and 2 daughters to learn to drive, but I'm in love with Jerry (lovingly named by my younger daughter after Jerry the mouse in Tom & Jerry). Kids smile and wave, people on 2 wheelers still turn around and stare, fuel pump attendants invariably tell their Newbie colleague to refuel my car and security people never ask me to open the boot, even though my Nano has an openable boot!

If you don't mind the image of a struggler that comes with owning a Nano, buy a second hand Nano AMT just for a lark. Methinks you shall end up keeping her.

[Sarath_]

As a 2009 Honda City owner I ridiculed all other cars especially hatchbacks and then I once had the opportunity to try out the Jazz.
I couldn't wrap my head around the sense of space and adequate power at tap in this so call hatch.
But a new one is prohibitively expensive and I would suggest going for a used one as I did.

It will be one of the best decisions. I'm 187cm myself and a lot of cars hate me and refuse to seat me comfortable, more so when there are people to accommodate. So I understand your predicament.

Also I would suggest you get a lumbar support that you can place in the car or office chair as per your convenience and not depend on the seat to be inherently good for the lumbar pain.

[model-t]

Please try the Jazz CVT. It is tall, comfortable and the pre 2015 models will not burn a hole in your pocket. After 2016 , the model had a facelift and the going rate is around 4-5 lacs. Plenty of examples on OLX/FB ads.

I have a similar frame and have found it to be comfortable to drive. If you are able to get the VX CVT, you will have all the requirements covered.

[AjinkyaP]

Originally Posted by AkMar

Grand i10 AT is a torque convertor AT, had sold in good numbers so should be easier to find. It has decent amount of space, good engine, good quality interiors - overall a competant package. Since your office commute is 5 km, the lower FE should not be of much concern. As far as I remember, 2018 facelift had introduced Android auto as well.
.

Best choice IMO.
A-Star would be another option for 'small car with proper AT' but it comes with its own demerits w.r.t spare part availability and lack of airbags.

[AJ56]

Brio/Amaze automatics, they’re under 4m in length and very reliable, come with 2 airbags and ABS in the top models. Super cheap to maintain as well. You do miss out on ESP and side airbags. Look at ‘13-‘14 models.

[greenhorn]

I've been told by a 6-foot friend that a KUV100 AMT is a large man accommodating "small on the outside" hatchback. If you're a wide man on the other hand, no idea.

[Jaguar]

Originally Posted by Sarath_

I'm 187cm myself and a lot of cars hate me and refuse to seat me comfortable, more so when there are people to accommodate. So I understand your predicament.

Also I would suggest you get a lumbar support that you can place in the car or office chair as per your convenience and not depend on the seat to be inherently good for the lumbar pain.

How do you manage to sit with the extra lumbar support in place? I am 5'10" and just couldn't even manage to squeeze myself in when I tried lumbar support in my Verna. Additionally, I feel it eats up into the already premium under-thigh support.

[Sarath_]

Originally Posted by Jaguar

How do you manage to sit with the extra lumbar support in place? I am 5'10" and just couldn't even manage to squeeze myself in when I tried lumbar support in my Verna. Additionally, I feel it eats up into the already premium under-thigh support.

With the lumbar support I always have to push the seat completely behind, making the back seat pretty cramped.

As for the drivers seat, it's only after you mentioned that I realized maybe I never adjusted the seats to my optimum comfort or rather I do not have the luxury of that. I'm always knees up, having to push the steering to the top most setting in ones which have telescopic adjustment. I cannot say at what height does the under thigh support stop being useful but for my height 6'1 I have never been caressed by the under thing cushioning.

[shancz]

Leaving you with the task of finding if the car fits you well enough, some suggestions, not in order :
- Jazz CVT : fits all boxes except the size
- i20 Elite : hopefully a proper AT is available used and the size
- Nios : could get 2-3 year old but AMT
- Ignis : easier ingress/egress but AMT
- wagonR : the newer version, easier ingress/egress but seat comfort and AMT to be checked
- Swift : AMT but the Ignis is better suited

[ike]

Originally Posted by model-t

Please try the Jazz CVT. It is tall, comfortable and the pre 2015 models will not burn a hole in your pocket.

Originally Posted by shancz

Leaving you with the task of finding if the car fits you well enough, some suggestions, not in order :
- Jazz CVT : fits all boxes except the size

Jazz cannot be parked in Neutral. The Jazz we have is a 2021 model, you cannot take the key out unless the car is in P. And it cannot be pushed around when in P.

[Tgo]

Originally Posted by iamitp

Looking forward to your suggestions

Try these:

- Santro/i10 NIOS Automatic (ignore the fact that its an AMT gearbox, you can’t beat the size advantage)
- Seltos/Venue Petrol/Diesel Automatics (DCT/conventional AT to choose from)

Can’t think of anything else as the dimensions are the limiting factor or in other cars the poorly implemented AMT gearboxes.

[Shiftlock]

I believe the OP mentioned that the car is sometimes pushed around in N in the parking space so if this is a requirement then any of the suggestions which have a TC, CVT, or DCT are ruled out because they cannot be locked unless in P mode, which means it would not be possible to move the car once locked.

I would suggest taking a TD of the i10 nios amt, it is a nice compact city car. I know you do not prefer amt’s but a TD might give more clarity.