[manojseb]

Hello,

I was planning to replace my second car, a 12 years old Liva. My primary car is a time tested Crysta. Being a Toyota loyalist, I had booked a Hyryder at the time of the launch and kept the booking on hold.

However, now I am having second thoughts and considering a spacious and fun-to-drive sedan which is tall enough for easy ingress/egress for senior citizens. Monthly miles will be maximum 800 kms. It will be mostly driven by my wife and occasionally by me.

Being a fan of TSI+DSG, Virtus and Slavia came to my mind. However, I am a bit concerned about the VW after-sales support.

Looking for BHPians' wisdom

Thanks,
Manoj

[Turbohead]

You're the ideal candidate to have fun with a VW simply because you have a reliable back up - the Crysta!

VW/ Skoda experience will purely be a hit or miss. If it's the DSG, you can now get 8 years or 7 years of warranty for Skoda and VW respectively. But the final experience will completely depend on the service centre and it's management as time goes by.

All said and done, I'd suggest you to get a test drive vehicle home and check whether the senior members will be comfortable with the car in the first place. Also check whether the overall quality of plastics etc is satisfactory for you.

But if reliability is anywhere close to your concerns, continue with your Hyryder booking - expect a few niggles and issues as part of the VAG experience.

[Asoon]

Go for Virtus | Slavia
Hyryder no match on interiors, engine options, build quality

Hyryder will disappoint a true Toyota loyalist because there is no Toyota in Hyryder apart from Hybrid tech. Basically it is a Maruti Suzuki under the badge of Toyota

You already have Crysta for difficult roads | for larger group | for additional luggage - a complete utility package, so now it's time to delight yourself with fun to drive car.

One the other note, Toyota & VAG group are two very different but the best car ownership experiences. VWs are well put together, driver's car. Go for 1.5 DSG variant. There will be no issues post sales in the first 5 years [Generally I do not recommend to go for preowned (6+ years old) VW / SKODA]

[PrideRed]

The Hyryder is a good car, however since you already have a Crysta, good to take a test drive of Slavia/Virtus. Not everyone is comfortable with Sedan after getting used to UV or high seating. Virtus/Slavia will be more fun to drive, Hyryder will be economical and easier to drive.

[bijims]

The Hyryder would be a good mile muncher considering the hybrid system and high ARAI-certified mileage figures, but the Slavia/Virtus would be a fun sedan to complement your Innova. Do take a test drive of both and decide whether you want to go for fun or frugal.

[Knightrider]

Originally Posted by manojseb

However, now I am having second thoughts and considering a spacious and fun-to-drive sedan which is tall enough for easy ingress/egress for senior citizens.

As other members have suggested, take a test-drive of Virtus/Slavia along with the senior members in the family. My parents were not much comfortable getting in and out of the Slavia.

[manojseb]

Thanks everyone for the quick response. Let me do a test drive with all stakeholders

BTW, which is the better VW dealer in Bangalore? Any suggestions?

[CArspeed]

Hi manojseb
Why aren’t you looking at Taigun/Kushaq. This car has a smaller footprint and would hence complement your big Innova. In terms of ride and handling it is surprisingly more capable than the Sedan counterparts.

[Shreyans_Jain]

If you have two cars, and one of them is significantly more fuel efficient than the other, it WILL end up becoming your primary car. That’s human nature.

This is what I see happening with a Crysta + Hyryder garage. Not that there is anything wrong with it.

If it is fun you are looking for, you will be well served by the Skoda VW cars, be it the sedans or the crossovers. Another option can be the Mahindra XUV700, petrol or diesel. Definitely the most powerful engines to be had for the price, and a good driving experience by every definition.

[TSI_Exhaust]

Hey manojseb!

Reasons to consider the Hyryder :

1. Reliability (coming from the brand it is associated with).
2. Peace of mind ownership experience.
3. Cost effective and pocket friendly in terms of long term maintenance.
4. Sufficiently spacious.

But I feel you kind of already have the above qualities in the Crysta with even better driving dynamics and ride quality.

Reasons to consider the Virtus/Slavia (GT/1.5 variants in particular) over the Hyryder :

1. A different vehicle from the Crysta and Hyryder (MUV vs Sedan)
2. Fun to drive (TSI+DSG combo)
3. A different car altogether in terms of ride quality, handling and driving dynamics.
4. Attractive warranty packages as 'peace of mind ownership' could be a concern.
5. Built like a tank, built to last.

Needless to say, take your time, test drive the cars, notice the interior quality, prioritise your buying criteria and then take a call.

[steadfast]

On a lighter note:

I am just concerned that you may deviate from your plan of 800 km per month on a Virtus/Slavia after owning it. Worst case, you just stop loving your Crysta after driving a 1.5 DSG.

But on a serious note, you should drive both and take a call. Virtus/Slavia will be the exciting part of your life for atleast next 10 years if you own. Built like a tank, drive like a rocket and 7/8 years peace of mind is more than enough to keep you invested in buying either of them

[dust-n-bones]

I see you live in the pothole + speed breaker (sometimes indistinguishable between each other) capital of the land. Increasingly, the kayaking capital as well. Be careful before giving your heart away to a sedan.

It may be the second vehicle in the garage, but is still the primary vehicle for your wife.

[ranjitnair77]

Originally Posted by manojseb

Hello,

I had booked a Hyryder at the time of the launch and kept the booking on hold.

I evaluated both the Hyrider and the Kushaq. I extensively drove the Hyryder Strong Hybrid (V) which a friend has, both on the highway and in the city. I ended up buying the Kushaq Style 1.5 DSG. A lot of my evaluation criteria carries over to the Slavia as it is pretty much the same car.

• The Hyryder looks more SUV like. Definitely more imposing than the subtle looking Skoda.
• The Toyota has better interiors with softer touch materials. The Kushaq has too many hard plastics and it is creaky. Silicone sprays help.
• The Hyryder has a bigger panoramic sunroof which is lovely
• The Hyryder's low speed city ride feels peppier because of the electric motor. The 1.5 DSG on the Skoda seems a little confused at lower speeds
• The fuel economy of the Toyota is significantly better. Especially in the city. There is no comparison here.
• The Toyota will be cheaper to maintain and more reliable in the long run. The Kushaq has well documented issues like EPC, noisy and unreliable window motors and poor AC performance
• The Kushaq is the safest car around. The Hyryder has not yet been tested.
• The Kushaq completely blows the Toyota away on driving feel. The 1.5 DSG is sensational with its quick shifting gear box and plenty of power. The Hyryder is efficient but boring. I just did not like how the motor sounded or felt when revved.
• The Skoda is more dynamic and it is a better handler. I also felt that it had a slightly better suspension.
• Skoda threw in a 4 year service package for free and very decent discounts that sweetened the deal.

Buy the VAG twins if driving dynamics and safety is the biggest factor. On most other parameters, the Hyryder is the better car. I suspect that it will be the better choice for most folks as an all-rounder. I got the Kushaq because I had a reliable but boring car in the garage (Verna) and I really wanted a fun to drive car.

[nidhinpr]

Hello Manoj,

I can share my experience owning Virtus 1.5 DSG for the last 7 months. Made around 10270+ KM, which includes a 100 KM daily drive if used & a long trip from Mumbai to Kerala which was approx around 3460 KM. A family of 4 with enough luggage for 16 Days, still with was spacious for rear passengers. Considering we were tall and heavy people, myself 6ft & others 6"3, 5"10... The route we took was from Mumbai-Pune- Kolapur-Mysore- Trissur-Kollam while going and via Banglore coming back. Have been around all kinds of bad roads and great highways, and there was no trouble at all. Easy to overtake in any given conditions even when the boot space is packed. Uphill is way easy to climb and the hill stop assist was very helpful in many situations. In most conditions, ground clearance won't be an issue 179mm is a lot I feel, but still in some situations if the car is packed completely with heavy people along with absurdly huge speed breakers then it might hit the bottom. The best part is that it's so easy to drive and does not feel fatiguing any time, I could easily do 5-7hrs drive in a single stretch. As we have owned VW POLO 1.2 for the past 11 years with 150000+ KM on it, I could say for at least 10 years or 150000 KM there won't be any major repair cost if serviced on a regular interval. Just get it to a good ASC, it would definitely cost more than most other brands, still would be getting a amazing powerful, and reliable machine if taken care of well. I'm a manual; fanboy but love this DSG for real, manual 1.5 wasn't available in Virtus unfortunately, but it's available on Slavia which is weird. If it's 1Liter then I guess the manual would be better than the torque convertor they got, have heard and seen a lot of issues from 1L automatics.

I would say do a test drive before buying, it would be much better to experience it in person before any conclusion.

[audioholic]

Since I have a Crysta at home I can tell you how badly I needed the Slavia 1.5 DSG. While the Crysta is meant to be driven pretty sedately, the Slavia is on the other hand of the spectrum and begs to be driven hard. So now depending on my mood I choose between either cars and I enjoy both in different ways. The hyryder will not please you in any way except mileage and that's where the Slavia can let you down