[busydrive]

What Car?
I used to think I am an car expert. Having successfully advised family and friends in selecting the right car for them. Multiple success stories there, but boy when I landed on this scenario even I am struggling to find out the right car. Hence thought of starting this thread to take your inputs.

Context:

We have two cars which are going to hit 15 years soon. We thought replacing one of them and get a new car.

Car 1: 12 Year old Dzire. Petrol. Mileage around 70K. Does crazy power but bad mileage. Took out the remapping still mileage hasn't come back to decent levels. I get max of 10 Kms per litre. Issue with this car - No airbags. Feel scared with the increasing number of rash drivers on the road these days. Also has some sound coming in from differential - will need repairs of 50K in another 10K kilometers, plus new tyres in another 2 years.

Car 2: 11 Year old Wagon R. Very less used. Needs body work. No airbags. No technical issue but then it’s a very light car and lack of airbags makes me feel unsafe taking this out. New Tyres. Mostly does city duties but again we have to hit national highway multiple times given the location of our home

So coming back to the ask, we are planning to get a small car (Budget max 10 Lakhs) that will replace either Dzire or WagonR and can fulfill the following requirements:

1. Easy to drive and park in City
2. Dual airbags (it's there almost on all cars now a days)
3. A car which has bonnet visible. Yes this is a ask from Wife and my father who aren't comfortable with cars where you have to drive purely on judgement like I10, Baleno, Altroz. No offence to any owners here this is just how they feel comfortable
4. Good mileage needed as it's a city car and will do atleast 1500 to 2000 kms in city per month. Should I consider CNG?
5. Manual and Auto - both are fine but if manual, clutch has to be short throw and light
6. A car with slightly high seating is preferred as it will also be used to take my mom for doc's visits. She prefers the Wagon R than the Dzire for these runs.
7. Not considering used cars at this stage.


Cars Considered:
1. Nexon electric - meets our requirements but rejected due to budget. Didn’t consider Tiago or Tigor electric as it doesn't meet our criteria #3
2. Bolero (wild card entry) meets #3 but rejected due to size. Dad has a liking for this car.
3. New Wagon R - Rejected. Though fits into budget, too expensive. At 8.6 Lakhs on road for top end this is insane pricing.
4. Celerio ZXI Plus - Similar case like new Wagon R. Almost 8 Lakhs for on road. Has height adjust in ZXI Plus. Considered.
5. Magnite. Too much cost cutting evident. Wheel well cladding visible directly through the engineer bay, no insulation for firewall area, minimal door rubber insulation. Any small rains might make the engine bay very dirty - need to check with existing owner reports. Clutch - medium throw but hard. Still considering (XV executive - 8.4 on road Bangalore)
6. S Presso - Meets most of the criteria. But looks are not being favored in the family. Have to add accessories worth 70-80K to make it presentable. On verge of getting rejected but I felt this car fits most of our requirements.
7. Eeco - Surprise entry. Almost everyone liked it due to ease of driving. Plus CNG option available.
8. Kiger - Same like Magnite. Family preferred Magnite.
9. Honda Amaze - 10Lakhs onroad for S AT and less for other models. Has seat height adjust. Not sure of mileage. Top contender now. Manual has a light clutch but slightly long throw. Rear headroom is in short supply but that's ok for us.


Additional Questions:
1. Should I got for CNG? Given petrol prices are going up and up. Amaze and Magnite aren't available in CNG but Eeco and Celerio are.
2. Keep both and add aftermarket CNG to the Dzire and use it for few more years till we get an affordable EV. Safety worries will remain
3. With Ethanol blended Petrol coming up does it make sense to buy a current gen BS6 Petrol car now?


Requesting this community to share your thoughts here. Thanking you in advance.

[Dhillon]

Originally Posted by busydrive

What Car?
Keep both and add aftermarket CNG to the Dzire and use it for few more years till we get an affordable EV. Safety worries will remain

Why haven't you considered the Ignis? I drive one and its a pretty good car.

1. Easy to drive and park in City

Check

2. Dual airbags (it's there almost on all cars now a days)

Check

3. A car which has bonnet visible. Yes this is a ask from Wife and my father who aren't comfortable with cars where you have to drive purely on judgement like I10, Baleno, Altroz. No offence to any owners here this is just how they feel comfortable.

If going for Alpha model, with height adjust, you can see bonnet. I am 5'11" and can see half the bonnet. And mine is a Delta variant without the height adjust

4. Good mileage needed as it's a city car and will do atleast 1500 to 2000 kms in city per month. Should I consider CNG?

I get around 14-15 in the city without AC and 12-13 with AC on. Considering your running, I would highly recommend going for CNG option

5. Manual and Auto - both are fine but if manual, clutch has to be short throw and light.

With CNG, Manual will be a better option

6. A car with slightly high seating is preferred as it will also be used to take my mom for doc's visits. She prefers the Wagon R than the Dzire for these runs.

Check

9. Honda Amaze - 10Lakhs onroad for S AT and less for other models. Has seat height adjust. Not sure of mileage. Top contender now. Manual has a light clutch but slightly long throw. Rear headroom is in short supply but that's ok for us.

Well, expect around 13-14 in the City. Considering the price, I think this is VFM but again, your running is too high for a petrol only car.

I would strike out the EECO considering the point that your replacement needs to be a Safer car than your current one.

[jigar1791@gmail]

Originally Posted by busydrive

What Car?
Good mileage needed as it's a city car and will do atleast 1500 to 2000 kms in city per month. Should I consider CNG?
Manual and Auto - both are fine but if manual, clutch has to be short throw and light
A car with slightly high seating is preferred as it will also be used to take my mom for doc's visits. She prefers the Wagon R than the Dzire for these runs.
Not considering used cars at this stage.

Your requirement directly takes you to a desirable city commute - which at this point can be anyone from WagonR to Altroz to the Baleno (assuming budget is not a constraint since you've not mentioned it here).

New Wagon R - Rejected. Though fits into budget, too expensive. At 8.6 Lakhs on road for top end this is insane pricing.

I doubt WagonR to be too highly priced. That brings it dangerously close to the Swift and Baleno territory.
Carwale shows OTR for 1.0 CNG topping up at INR 692,000/- in Mumbai.
If you can wait out until the rumored launch of Tiago CNG automatic, it should be worthy of your selection process - India's first CNG automatic.

S Presso - Meets most of the criteria. But looks are not being favored in the family. Have to add accessories worth 70-80K to make it presentable. On verge of getting rejected but I felt this car fits most of our requirements.

Go for it, if the weird looks are not of a concern to you. It's basically a 85% WagonR at about 80% of it's price

Should I got for CNG?

Your monthly running of about 1500-2000 kms screams of a CNG commuter. Per kg CNG cost is at around INR 3/-, where as petrol will be at about INR 10/-. Monthly running of 1500 kms translates to a straightaway saving of INR 10,000/-!

In a nutshell, you can think of WagonR for now, with a serious thought to be given to S-Presso as well.
If you are ready to wait out a bit, the rumored Tiago CNG automatic can also be considered once it is launched, and initial feedbacks are floating in the market to help you to decide.

Happy hunting

[kosjam]

Originally Posted by busydrive

What Car?
3. New Wagon R - Rejected. Though fits into budget, too expensive. At 8.6 Lakhs on road for top end this is insane pricing.
4. Celerio ZXI Plus - Similar case like new Wagon R. Almost 8 Lakhs for on road. Has height adjust in ZXI Plus. Considered.
Requesting this community to share your thoughts here. Thanking you in advance.

I hate to be this blunt, but these are Maruti cars, the cheapest cars on road today. The prices will only go up and not down.

It would be better to sell both cars right now, much before the 15 year mark and go in for a safe car as per your preference. Wagon R also has factory fitted CNG kit.

Waiting for a cheaper EV is also pointless because cheaper wont mean in the range of 5-8 lakh. The most conservative estimates will put the number in the 8-10 lakh range OTR.

[condor]

If you have even considered the S-Presso, then many other cars can be looked at. Pretty much most of the new hatch backs are far better than the S-Presso. If I were to only look at your list in your post, the Bolero Neo can be checked out again. It is not really big, may be the same size or a little smaller than the DZire you have.

You could keep the DZire, while letting go of the WagonR.

CNG in Bangalore is now starting, with at least GAIL coming up with bunks in the city. But beyond the city, you may find the fuel not easily available at this time.

[hellmet]

I will second the recommendation for Ignis. Although they're yet to update the K12B engine to K12C, it's still a great car with more premium features than what you'd find on the WagonR or other 'Arena' cars. For example: it offers a more planted drive vs WagonR. It has adjustable head rests for all 4 pax. It has pull-type door handles vs the flaps. But, the top variant will hit 8.5+L on-road, so whether that is worth the price is your call, but do checkout the car!

That aside, if your highway runs are minimal, and the speeds you drive at are <= 75kmph, I would highly recommend the S-Presso. I know, this is contrary to popular opinion about this car. We own this in silver.

It is an incredibly easy to drive car, easy to park due to its narrow width that is only beaten by the Alto. The AMT is not bad at all. FE is brilliant (15.5kmpl in the city) and the K10 engine is fun even in the AMT - I can only imagine the pep on the manual variant. Plus, at 5 ft 6 in, I don't miss driver height adjustment at all. The driver has a commanding position of the road. And, the price is great!

Do not let the looks deter you. I hated it in pictures but it looks far better in person, especially in the gray colour. We added about 5-7K worth accessories such as side body moulds, wheel skirts, and mud flaps to help with the looks. The mud flaps help its looks from behind. What accessories did you have in mind that cost 70K ?

There is a lot of space on offer, but it has a few downsides: Rear windows have a manual lever even in the top variant. Also, the rear suspension is hard, so if you have passengers in the rear regularly AND the roads you drive on are bad, I'd avoid this car. But it's totally acceptable in the city. Also the body roll is evident due to the height.

However, opting for the CNG might add that bit of load needed to soften the suspension. Maybe test drive? The top variant CNG is only 5.5L ex-showroom.

[shancz]

Considering your requirement #3 I can only come up with the following :
- Ignis : familiar K12B, good fit for your use case
- Punch : power and performance will be found lacking but should meet your other requirements along with the 5star GNCAP but is pricey. You might get the base/base+1 model.

Choice of transmission and model is your call based on price limitations and needs but the requirement #3 is unique and limits your options for an under 10 lakh car.

[busydrive]

Thank you all for the suggestions. Ignis seems like a option that I didn't consider mostly because of price. Alpha MT is 8.5 Lakhs On Road + Extended Warranty. But I agree with what Kosjam mentioned - prices are only going to go up. Ignis CNG is not available yet.
Looks apart I think I can seriously rethink of S-Presso ias an option. Need to check how comfortable wife is driving that. S-Presso CNG is also available, costs around 7 Lakhs at Bangalore + accessories like better tyres, side cladding, Front and rear cladding etc to make it look presentable.
Punch - great car. But for my unique requirement of driver to be able to see the bonnet I have to go for Accomplished which will be around 9.3 Lakhs with extended warranty etc at Bangalore. But for my kind of driving the fuel bills will be high with this Petrol only model.

On a side note just two years ago in BS4 days we had so many diesel options under 10Lakh. None exists now. While I can totally understand the environment related savings due to lesser diesel cars, it would have been good if some of the manufacturers had diesel options in smaller cars. Tata Altroz is the only one but it doesn't meet my requirement #3.

[MotoBlip]

Why don't you check out the Santro CNG. It in all probability is a better put together car than the S-Presso, and you get an extra cylinder too.

The only downside I see is the presence of a single airbag. I'd say it makes a compelling case for atleast a test drive.

[busydrive]

Originally Posted by MotoBlip

Why don't you check out the Santro CNG. It in all probability is a better put together car than the S-Presso, and you get an extra cylinder too.

Thanks I will try it out. But from looks I felt one won't be able to see the bonnet from drivers seat, specially someone who is 5 feet tall. That's one of the main criteria here.

[DicKy]

1. Spresso - Easy to drive, high seating, can see bonnet.

2. Ignis - Easy to drive, high seating, can see bonnet if seat is jacked up, more planted, can take it for the occasional highway trip unlike Spresso.

3. Eeco - Yes, easy to drive, high seating and able to judge the corners. But non-PS and the stuff ride will tire you out in the long term.

4. Bolero? Why not the Bolero Neo? Easy to drive, high seating, compact for city yet lots of interior size. Can judge the corners easily.

5. Not much of a high rider, but the bonnet is pretty visible. XUV300.

[Bipin]

Originally Posted by busydrive

Thanks I will try it out. But from looks I felt one won't be able to see the bonnet from drivers seat, specially someone who is 5 feet tall. That's one of the main criteria here.

Why not consider Nexon or XUV 300 base variant? I understand that they above the budget planned but definitely meets your requirements. With some exchange benefits, offers, discounts & insurance you might bring down the final price closer to your budget

[Piyush Kanthak]

If your criteria is a safe car, then why have you included S-Presso in the list?
According to me, the best car to fit your budget is IGNIS, get the Zeta variant, it is the most vfm of the lot, it is compact, easy to drive, 3 star average safety, good mileage, I think this is fulfills your requirements.
Why don't you check out Tiago? It's also a great option

[neutron]

May be, you can look upon tata punch as well, its a safe car, NA engine has relatively better mileage, and from driver seat you should be getting a view of the bonnet as well.

[busydrive]

Originally Posted by Bipin

Why not consider Nexon or XUV 300 base variant?

I did consider them. But then I have this requirement of bonnet to be visible which is not met in the base variants for short drivers. The height of the person being considered here is 5 ft. The base models do not have the seat height adjust.

Originally Posted by Piyush Kanthak

If your criteria is a safe car, then why have you included S-Presso in the list?
According to me, the best car to fit your budget is IGNIS, get the Zeta variant, it is the most vfm of the lot, it is compact, easy to drive, 3 star average safety, good mileage, I think this is fulfills your requirements.
Why don't you check out Tiago? It's also a great option

I dropped Tiago due to not meeting my requirement #3
Initially wasn't considering the Ignis but now I see a strong recommendation of this car and going to test drive this soon. I have to go for Alpha as only that has seat height adjust.

The main reason I was considering Spresso was CNG.

Originally Posted by neutron

May be, you can look upon tata punch as well, its a safe car, NA engine has relatively better mileage, and from driver seat you should be getting a view of the bonnet as well.

Thanks. Agree here. Punch Accomplished is the version I have look for.

In summary these are the top ones under consideration (Including On-road price at Bangalore)

1. Honda Amaze S AT - 10 Lakhs On road
2. Celerio ZXI Plus - MT - 8 Lakhs On Road
3. Punch Accomplished MT - Approx 9.3 Lakhs
4. Ignis Alpha MT - Approx 8.7 Lakhs