[Chhanda Das]

Originally Posted by Aaditto

Hello,
This is a humble appeal for help – to all you highly-informed experts at Team-BHP.

I am definitely not an expert but I will try my best to help. Being based in Kolkata with regular trips to nondescript places of West Bengal and other places including highly treacherous roads primarily in North East India, I was in a very similar situation as yours till I bought my car in 2017. You can read about my car buying experience in the following link and I hope that you can find some good pointers there :-

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/india...ml#post5164129 (The Indian Car Buyer | Struggling with problems in brand new cars)

Why don't you consider a used 1st generation petrol 1.6 Creta (not the current one) ? I bought it specifically for long-term (read decades) usage scenarios. It has a naturally aspirated petrol engine and is rated at 5 stars by NCAP. It is a great highway cruiser (especially for 5 people) with a good ground clearance of 190 mm and this is coming from a person of the HM Ambassador generation. You can get a good one within INR6-7 lakhs. The annual regular maintenance cost (which we do mostly by ourselves) is approximately around INR 1500-1800. However, you will definitely not get 15 kmpl from a petrol naturally aspirated car in local driving situations unless the car is a small hatchback. But if the car is a hatchback, 5 people won't be comfortable in it especially during long trips.

I would completely agree with your mechanic friend and would not recommend any Tata cars since their service quality in this part of India is inconsistent to say the least and this is from personal experience with the Tata trucks and cars in my family. I would not recommend any M&M vehicles since I have lost family members in them. I cannot recommend a Honda car because those do not and did not sell in large numbers which means that finding spares in the future may be an issue. Ford does not exist in India practically anymore and hence its cars should be out of your consideration especially if you do not have a steady source of spare parts since you want to keep the car for a long time. Regarding other brands like Nissan, MG, Skoda, Renault and Kia, those do not exist except in big cities with very limited presence in larger towns especially in Eastern India.

I hope that you make a wise decision. Wishing you the best

[sedanlover2021]

May I suggest the Maruti Ertiga or its XL6 Avatar? Their reliability is already proven by our taxi mafia brethren. The only issue I see is your concerns on city drivability but in this age of SUV's these should also fly unless you plan to visit Bada Bazaar every time you are in Kolkata These cars have the relevant ground clearance and creature comforts as well.

[sunilch]

Originally Posted by Aaditto

Hello,
NEED HELP IN DECIDING THE BEST OPTION FOR A NEW – PETROL, MT – CROSSOVER/ CSUV / HATCHBACK CAR – WITHIN 10 LAKHS (On-Road price, Kolkata, West Bengal) – which can be stretched up a little, if justified.

Purely from requirements perspective and given your location, any one of below cars will be a good buy:

Nexon Petrol - Mid variant is within budget. It is a very sorted car. Service and long life reliability will not be an issue. It has been in the market for over 6 years now and there haven't been any major issues reported for it.

Brezza - Mid or Top variant is within budget. Highest selling CSUV and a Maruti. Nothing else to be said

XUV 300 - Only lower variant is within budget so last preference. Exclusivity factor among the three.

Take a TD of all three and decide based on your driving experience. I don't think you need to go anywhere else beyond these three.

[Lobogris]

I wonder why you have already decided that it would be your last car. Never say never!
Only advice I would provide is that it should be a safe vehicle. 4 or 5 star rating, 6 airbags and stability control should be non negotiable. I would recommend buying the XUV300. It has good safety, it is well built and can handle bad roads.

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by Aaditto

NEED HELP IN DECIDING THE BEST OPTION FOR A NEW – PETROL, MT – CROSSOVER/ CSUV / HATCHBACK CAR – WITHIN 10 LAKHS (On-Road price, Kolkata, West Bengal) – which can be stretched up a little, if justified.

It will be used by my family of two adults and a 7-year old (with an occasional addition of 2 more family members).

• It will not have heavy commute on a daily basis, either in it’s usual rural surroundings, or during the occasional trip into Kolkata (one of the most congested cities – where I generally prefer public transport)

So you need a reasonably comfortable small 5-seater petrol M/T vehicle with good ground clearance, very frugal on fuel and maintenance, that should last many years without spending a lot of time in a workshop. And you have a budget of Rs. 10 lakhs, stretchable by a bit.

The XUV300 is a good choice, but it isn't frugal with its petrol motor. All the Marutis with SHVS systems (Brezza, S-Cross) will not be easy on the pocket after 5-7 years, with over Rs.50k required to replace the Li-ion battery. The Bolero diesel will outlast most other cars for your kind of use case, but you don't like its looks. And you love the basic functionality of your M800, which you'd have continued with, if you had that option (and the ground clearance).

Why don't you save some of those 10L for the future, and buy yourself a Maruti S-Presso (maybe even the top end model, with Android Auto)? It's a basic car, without expensive parts, has an engine that should last pretty long and is as frugal as you want, no fancy electronics, good ground clearance, and a very decent ride if sedately driven, as you describe you do. A lot of folks don't like how it looks, but in my experience of having driven it over village roads around Dehradun, I am impressed. It's not a long distance (1000-1500-km/day) highway cruiser, but will do just fine for the 200-km/day Shantiniketan-Kolkata trips or the annual 500-km North Bengal trips you propose to make. It climbs mountains as well as the M800 and Alto do, and your mechanic friend would very likely approve of it. The only negative I see is, you are not wanting a "light car", but the S-Presso is reasonably stable, has good traction (though you could choose to get wider, grippier tyres), and a hoot to drive with excellent visibility all round.

[fawad0222]

My two cents on the query.
As per your needs and wants and preferences, Hyundais are out as they have higher maintenance cost. Maruti for your taste has two contenders, S Cross and Ignis. Mahindra has XUV 300 but we can't comment on how it is going to perform over next 15 years as it's not a bolero. Tatas, out again on the point of long term reliability though I have heard Zests in taxis performing exceedingly well munching more than 100000 kms and still going strong. So Tatas have improved. Toyota's have nothing for you at the moment except for rebadged Marutis. So if you don't want to take any risk, go for Scross or Ignis or if you become little adventurous, Tata Cars suiting your budget and Mahindra XUV300 may turn out equally fine too. Let your heart pick the options and then employ your mind to zoom in and make a choice.. All the best!
On second thoughts, why not try the about to be unveiled Baleno too. Heard it is heavier now.

[Phantom 510]

The Vitara Brezza/ Toyota urban cruiser might suit your bill really. The 1.5L petrol is a gem considering it's torquey and responsive nature especially where it matters the most. It's got good space for 5 adults with sorted dynamics and solid reliability. It is quite efficient too when driven well. It might lack gimmicky features (in the current iteration) like others but it will deliver peace of mind like no other. However, If you're not in a hurry then i personally think that it'll be worth waiting for the new one as it will be better in all aspects when compared to the already accomplished current model.

[shashi792]

Originally Posted by nik0502

Hello Sir,

Your requirements scream a Bolero. It’s robust, built like a tank and will last as long as you want it to. It might not be as comfortable and refined as other cars you have listed but trust me it will be the right car for you. Yes it will be diesel but the maintenance is very low and the parts are inexpensive and easily available everywhere. Buy from Mahindra if you have money buy from local shops if you have less money otherwise buy from scrapyard if you are short of money. This is the first time I have advised someone a Bolero on the forum but I have my reasons. All modern cars that you have listed will not be very good on broken village roads over a period of 8-10 years. Plus the repairs are very expensive. A suspension job easily costs 40-50 K in modern cars which you will have to undertake in next 5-6 years and if you ignore these repairs car will start eating tyres which will also be expensive. Give it a try. Otherwise you should also consider Bolero Neo (TUV).

I second this opinion. All through I was reading your requirements, Bolero Neo was one vehicle which popped up my head.

[for_cars1]

After going through all the criteria that you detailed, you can definitely add the Wagon R to your shortlist.

Although it may not have a high crash worthiness rating, from all other perspectives, it is a good contender be it space, easy maintenance and low service costs, good and accessible service, fuel efficiency for a petrol car, reliability and durability and versatility.

It perfectly fits your criteria and a good ownership experience can be expected out of it.

[LegalEagle]

Originally Posted by Aaditto

But, the point I am trying to make is, that whatever terrain/ travel the new car will be subjected to is EXACTLY what I have been making our 29-year old Maruti 800 do - pretty decently - over the past 6-7 years!

I am NOT looking for a 'jeep' - I am looking for a sturdy CAR.

Also, my association with the Bolero - directly related to the 'tourist vehicles' provided by local vendors, and the trappings of 'tourism' in general - is rather sad!

And I HATE it's look, to be very honest - I haven't seen the Neo upfront though... (and here comes the smiley!)

Hi Aaditto,

I am a current user of the older version of Bolero Neo (TUV 300). Below is my view(s) on the Bolero Neo:
1. It is basically a repackaged Bolero - more comfort, and more features.
2. Suspension is very good - Practical experience.
3. Highly comfortable to cover long distances at ease - have done an 1800 kms round trip in two days, with 6 hours of night sleep only.
4. Current generation Bolero Neo comes with the commonly known MLD - reduces rear wheel spin in tricky situations. Very helpful, as many 1st Gen TUV 300 owners in the forum have reported it in the forum itself. Personally, never faced the issue myself.
5. Maintenance costs - Extremely reasonable, as the product is ideally in its 3rd Gen - No changes to the engine or body structure.

In my view, Bolero would be a bit too utilitarian for your use. Yes, it does fit your requirements perfectly - except the Petrol engined aspect. However, keeping your age in mind, I personally believe it is too utilitarian.

The XUV300 is a good option, but in my view, it is more for city use than your requirement.

[NarediAni7518]

In my opinion, you have quite a lot of requirements from a 10-lakh Rupee car, and I believe the Brezza is the best suited option for you right now. Do give it another chance, you won’t be disappointed. It’s a car that will last you I’m sure. Else, get the WR-V, save for the weaker engine, it’s a great car still !

[Centodieci]

Hello,

We bought SCross Zeta last year and have covered around 6000 kms till date. This was after searching for 6 months , taking TD of all models upto Harrier and also cancelling two bookings.
I think SCross is a good buy still today and no other car could match the VFM factor. Also, if I need the pull in midrange (60-80), I downshift and revv the K15B engine which gives ample power to overtake in any scenario.
One downside is that I got the quote for third service from Nexa workshop and it is a bit on higher side.

[Gorkey]

Just a different opinion but how about a preowned Toyota fortuner 2012-2014. They come for around 12 lakhs and I think the 4X2 will be more than enough for you. Plus you cannot forget its a Toyota. So reliability wont be an issue.

[SLK]

From all the brands we've owned so far, VW/ Skoda has been most reliable (there are other reasons for that!). But Maruti's have been the easiest to maintain and repair.

In your situation, I won't dare to experiment with anything other than a Maruti. If you really want practicality, Brezza and Scross maybe the best options. But otherwise if you also want to save of some of that fortune, try the Ignis.

While I understand you have a lot of driving experience, I would discount most test drives and the feels you may have got from them (even if you drove it for a few hours). If you like driving in general, once you buy a car, you will fall in love with it. Test drives are overrated and only a means of identifying something terribly off that is a straight non-starter for you.

[sharkashwa]

Hi Aaditto, I looked at your initial requirements as well as your clarified requirements a bit further down. After poring through all the responses, I think the forum members have indeed come up with a wide variety of choices for you (which is always good!). Let me not add to the list much, I also second your opinion that the present S-Cross looks a bit more charismatic than the upcoming version. I would also add that there will be no dearth of support for Maruti Suzuki cars even if long out of production (body panels included, case in point being my 2005 Baleno). If your heart is set on it, you should go for it. You may even score good discounts if you talk to the right dealers! After noticing that you were open to both CSUVs and Hatchbacks, I was reminded of the Tata Altroz and the Nissan Magnite. Wonder if you had given these any thought? Both scored 4 stars for adult occupant safety in the GNCAP tests. If you have a dealership close by, I think you should be pretty well served.

Anyways, good luck with the search and do keep us posted!

Cheers
Sharath