[Maxton07]

Hello all, the time has come to replace our decade-old workhorse Tata Manza. The new car bug started a year back, but now is the time to get it done.

Budget:
Flexible upto 20L

Why no SUVs?
The biggest reason for deciding against SUVs is our driveway. Our driveway allows parking of vehicles upto 1760mm in width. Though it is flexible upto 2700mm, we need a certain space parallel to the car to get in/out the two-wheelers. So it puts a full stop to our SUVs dreams. We can modify our driveway, but it would cost us some investments, which won’t be practical.

The reasons behind selecting the Altroz and Verna

1.Why is a Hatch replacing a Sedan?(TATA ALTROZ)

We solely need a diesel motor as our running is around 15-20k km per year. Glad that Tata decided not to give up on the diesel for this hatch. Our family consists of four members(Me, Elder bro, Mom & Dad). Last year some major changes happened in our circle. My elder bro decided to do his higher studies abroad, whereas my dad got his job transferred to Pune. The only people who would be using the car are me & my mom. So I decided to standby the Altroz as it proves to be a financially sensible option. It was chosen not only due to the financial sensibilities but also had a soft corner for this one to be possessed as our second car if the demand arises in our circle. It has its own pros and cons too, but it justifies our usage. But if I were to buy the Altroz now, I’d for sure wait for those new features which debuted at the Auto Expo’23. May I know when will these features get their launch in the Altroz? Hoping by April’23 as the features seemed to be production ready at the auto expo.

Pros:
Diesel option
Frugal
Feature-loaded
High-speed manners
Solid build & safety

Cons:
Limited boot space as opposed to our Manza, but enough for two.
Frequent service intervals
No upgrade interms of power (Our quadrajet has the same power & torque figures)

2.Why petrol replacing diesel?(HYUNDAI VERNA)

To be honest, I don’t have any justification to prove my point about opting for the petrol-only Verna. I had booked this car blindly after seeing those design sketches released by Hyundai. As soon as I showed him the car sketches, it got him excited. But this decision was purely made by heart. I too, read some polarizing comments about the design, but I kept my personal opinion aside till I see the car in flesh. I sewed my eye on the new lustrous 1.5TGDi motor and hope it would be priced below 20L OTR. The only question which bothers me is the safety quotient. Though it is not right to judge even before its launch, I keep thinking about it, given the history of Hyundai cars. Why no Slavia or Virtus on my list? Though it ticks the safety quotient, these models still has to be sorted in terms of AC issues, power windows, rattling noises etc., No offense to the current owners, but it's my personal view on these models. I know no car is perfect, but I prefer a car that is atleast near to being perfect. The lack of proper audio systems and cost-cutting by these brands are a big no for me. Investing around 18L on a three-pot engine doesn’t justify my heart.

Pros:
Cabin space ( judging by its wheelbase of 2670mm)
1.5TGDi motor
Feature loaded
Boot space
Good ASS

Cons:
Low fuel efficiency
Safety is still in ?
Being a beta tester

Suggestions are welcomed. Thank you in advance

[CretaKumar]

I will keep it short and crisp since I have owned a hatchback and I am currently in market looking for a preowned car.
Sedans these days have lost their spark, there was a time when young people used to wish they own an Accord or a civic. TImes have flipped and SUV has completely replaced the Sedans.
However in this ultimate endgame between SUV vs Sedan, Hatchback has not been impacted.
With my experience, Hatchback has a lot of practical sense.
1. THey need less parking space
2. They can be driven in city easily
3. They have better resale value then most sedans

I might have gone a little off topic. But you have the idea. Sedans are not worth it now.

[Maxton07]

Originally Posted by CretaKumar

I will keep it short and crisp since I have owned a hatchback and I am currently in market looking for a preowned car.
Sedans these days have lost their spark, there was a time when young people used to wish they own an Accord or a civic. TImes have flipped and SUV has completely replaced the Sedans.
However in this ultimate endgame between SUV vs Sedan, Hatchback has not been impacted.
With my experience, Hatchback has a lot of practical sense.
1. THey need less parking space
2. They can be driven in city easily
3. They have better resale value then most sedans

I might have gone a little off topic. But you have the idea. Sedans are not worth it now.

Completely agree with your view.

The only thing which stops me from picking the Altroz is the lack of features. If I buy one now, I have chosen the car with the same features that debuted 3 years ago. A solid timeline from Tata Motors for its new feature updates would help prospective buyers like me & many more.

[Livnletcarsliv]

Strictly between your choice of upcoming Verna and Altroz, just my few cents as follows.

1. Hyundai's ASS experience and reliability are miles better than the Tata's. Even though you come from Manza (I own a 2009 Vista and just sold a lemon Harrier after 3 years), the experience now is still the same (bad), let alone worse than before. This is one good and enough reason for me go with Hyundai.

2. Mileage - For you kind of usage of 15K to 20K kms per year, it is either a Diesel or EV only. It is a Diesel if you spend good enough highway times (say >35%). Otherwise an EV is more than enough for your City drive. A petrol does not make sense at all unless it is an underpowered Maruti. In fact, as the 1.5 turbo petrol looks promising, if it comes out as expected, then it is not for those whose priority is fuel efficiency.

3. Tata will keep updating the car every 3-6 months with their philosophy "Newer Forever" no matter when you buy. Hyundai (and in fact all the other brands) on the other hand is consistent in their product strategy and update timelines.

4. Safety, Build Quality & Fun to drive - These are still unknown territories of Verna. So we will have to wait and watch since this is a new generation Verna. Yes Altroz diesel is definitely fun to drive, but it cannot and should not be compared to a Verna. Sedan vs Hatch it is not an apple to apple comparison.

5. Finally, 1.5 Turbo Verna will be at least 70% more expensive than the Altroz. However, it will definitely not be 70% better car than the Altroz.

[lamborghini]

The biggest doubt around the Verna would be the safety on offer, though it seems to be a very promising package otherwise.
Long term ownership reports : majority of users are a happy lot with Hyundais though a few have faced niggles with regards to paints, etc.

If safety and ease of ownership is a concern, I would also look at the Honda City.
It is no scorcher like the Verna claims to be, but it is a well balanced all rounded family sedan that will keep you happy for years to come.

[CretaKumar]

Originally Posted by Maxton07

Completely agree with your view.

The only thing which stops me from picking the Altroz is the lack of features. If I buy one now, I have chosen the car with the same features that debuted 3 years ago. A solid timeline from Tata Motors for its new feature updates would help prospective buyers like me & many more.

If you ask me, I personally would like to go back to 3 year old cars we had. Best would be to take me back to 10 year old cars. I really like to have a simple car.
More features means more hassle as the car gets old. With all these sensors, todays shit is literally undriveable.

[Maxton07]

Originally Posted by CretaKumar

If you ask me, I personally would like to go back to 3 year old cars we had. Best would be to take me back to 10 year old cars. I really like to have a simple car.
More features means more hassle as the car gets old. With all these sensors, todays shit is literally undriveable.

Ofcourse, our Manza fared well without any tech or gizmos, still serving for its made for. But there is no escape from today's advancements in technology, right? With tech improving, all manufacturers must do proper R&D and testing, which will reflect on their products. I'm not very keen on gizmos, but would love to have certain convenience features according to the trend.

Coming to why I thought the new features are significant:

1. Six airbags would be a great addition to an already safer vehicle.
2. The 7-inch infotainment unit in the current Altroz looked buggy & laggy. So the new 10-inch unit would be a great add-on.
3. Ventilated seats would be a great boon to the heat waves in southern India.

Though we avoided the top spec variant(Manza), I sorely missed having convenient features like auto folding ORVM, airbags, and climate control during the ownership. This car will be with us for the next 10 years atleast. So thought it would age well for the time being and won't regret about it later.

[AbhishekNigam]

Originally Posted by Livnletcarsliv

3. Tata will keep updating the car every 3-6 months with their philosophy "Newer Forever" no matter when you buy. Hyundai (and in fact all the other brands) on the other hand is consistent in their product strategy and update timelines.

I agree on all other points apart from the one quoted specially for Altroz. The only update Altroz got since it’s launch is removal of physical buttons for Infotainment. It’s been more than 3 years since Altroz was launched and it needs a facelift desperately with new 10” infotainment and 6 airbags alteast.

[MotorDev]

Originally Posted by Maxton07

Hello all, the time has come to replace our decade-old workhorse Tata Manza. The new car bug started a year back, but now is the time to get it done.

Budget:
Flexible upto 20L

If you are ok with a bit old school but premium interior, go with the Honda city 1.5 manual. Though CVT is smooth, there is just no fun in that gearbox combination. There is loads of space, reliable, good features, fun to drive and safe too. Has loads of boot space too. Resale value is exellent too. At the end of the day it is a city and a perfect car to make your neighbour jealous.

[Livnletcarsliv]

Originally Posted by AbhishekNigam

I agree on all other points apart from the one quoted specially for Altroz. The only update Altroz got since it’s launch is removal of physical buttons for Infotainment. It’s been more than 3 years since Altroz was launched and it needs a facelift desperately with new 10” infotainment and 6 airbags alteast.

Probably you may need to wait for the Altroz Racer launch, if at all Tata intends to.

[Aditya94]

I have already shared my 2 cents w.r.t the build quality of the Verna. I am posting the link for quick reference

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/india...ml#post5504343 (2023 Hyundai Verna launched at 10.9 lakhs!)

Coming from a 2019 1.6 VTVT Verna, I have to say that it has good high speed manners (I have upgraded the shoes to 205 - the current 1.5 T-GDI comes with 205s as standard)

The only downside you will have with the Verna is its low FE. There are no two ways about it. Spirited driving of a 1.5 T-GDI will NOT give you good FE immaterial of what is advertised. However, a big Turbo engine with 7 speed will cruise at a lower RPM thereby giving a reasonable FE when you have a light right foot.

The Altroz diesel produces 90 hp and 200Nm of torque whereas the 1.5 T-GDI Verna produces a cool 160 hp and 253 Nm of torque. You are bound to see a massive difference in performance. Verna is an established model in India and the 1.5 T-GDI is tried and tested in the global markets. With a claimed 0-100 of 8.1 seconds, you are bound to grin every time you stomp the A-Pedal.

I am not sure when the crash test results for the 6th Generation Verna would come. If you are willing to wait for it, you would have peace of mind. If you personally ask me, I would go for the Verna, unless you find the design to be gaudy.

The service cost of my MT 1.6 VTVT comes to around 7k (I use synthetic Engine Oil) and I suppose the 1.5 T-GDI with DCT would be around 10-11k.

Not-so-fun-fact: The 1.5 T-GDI Manual Transmission comes with Rear Drum brakes, whereas the DCT comes with discs. Something which you should consider.