[RSM_TorqueZoner]

I'm in a major dilemma. I live in the US, and our community is my only source to make an informed decision.

Need to get a new car for my mother, who currently drives a 2007 Swift. This was my first car and was fully restored in 2018. I'm among the most emotional folks around, and I find it hard to let go of my cars, ever. It serves as a memoir of my past, my favorite people who crossed over to the other side, and my journey to what I'm today. The restoration story is long due and I hope to put it up someday. Back home, I also have a 2013 Renault Fluence, that mostly serves chauffer-driven long drive duties. That car is an underrated gem which was a marketing disaster. All the details and the ownership experience for another time.


The Need:

• An Automatic
• Compact enough for my mother to handle
• Perfect city commuter (90%) with occasional long drives
• Safe and reliable - I don't want my mother to be dealing with repairs from time to time, and of course I want her to be safe.
• Gizmos - Not something I like, but it brings a smile to my mother's face

I'll cut to the chase with the list of cars that are ruled out, for various reasons -

• Swift & Ignis : Already have a Swift and the Ignis, though a decent product, doesn't excite me
• Honda Amaze: The CVT works in its favor, but not happy with overall product quality. And it is too long in the tooth
• Baleno/Glanza: I don't want another Maruti, and again, lacks the overall quality I'm looking for in a product.
• Citroen C3: Only if it had an Automatic transmission and more than just barebone features. I've waited long enough, it's time to move on
• Magnite/ Kiger: Screams build to cost, and bigger than what we need
• Venue/ Sonet: Outside of budget and again, bigger than what we are looking for
• Altroz: Kudos to TATA for having come a long way and how! But I cannot get to trust them for my mother, else Altroz would have been in contention.

I'd prefer a DCT or a CVT at the very least and have to keep reminding myself that this car is for my mother and not me. So, some compromises are in order.

After all permutations and combinations, the final list only has Hyundai!

• Grand i10 Nios : Ticks most boxes. Yes an AMT, but it isn't that I am spoilt for choice. Practical and the top end is within my budget.
• Exter: I've for now booked the SX(0) variant. Some bells and whistles on top of what the i10 offers, plus a different body style for my mother! I won't call it an SUV by any yardstick, but the Tallboy design is helpful. It's different
• i20 (iVT or DCT): This is the real dilemma. Sports iVT is within budget and the Sports DCT, though a little bit of a stretch, should still be okay. However, higher variants are insanely expensive and I doubt if it's worth its purpose. Plus I lose out on the gizmos my mom might fancy

I am so inclined towards the DCT, but I'll probably be driving this car once a year, max.

It would have been so much easier if I could visit the showroom and make a call, but this is now a dilemma I'll need our community to resolve! Looking forward to your insights, thanks a ton!

[shankar.balan]

Simple. Buy an Exter. It's a really well thought out, well executed package. Great pricing and great value for a good product with good features and essential gizmos. Decently responsive, spacious and comfortable, great view of the road, good size, will not be dismissed and bullied as another ‘hatch’. And yes, paddle shifters too. The khaki looks nice (that's just me and my militaristic penchant). The red looks lovely.

(I'm also considering this Exter for my 80 year old dad as a replacement for the Glanza. But he has to agree.)

I test drove it and put out my impressions on the Exter thread. And here are some pics.

[bijims]

Considering the fact that you are looking for a compact sub-4-meter car, the options which are safe, reliable, and come with enough gizmos definitely would come from Hyundai only, as they have trickled down most of the features from their larger cars, like Creta to their cheapest offerings as well. This makes them feel more upmarket than the competition as well.

So, with your requirements, I was sure Hyundai cars were the best fit for you, now it is not that other manufacturers are not worth the shot, but they have more desirable features lacking and Hyundai ticks most of the boxes.

Considering your needs, I find your budget is around 10 to 11 lakhs on-road, and are willing to stretch upto 12 lakhs (i20 DCT)

So with this budget in mind, and you are considering an upgrade to the Swift, the Grand i10 Nios would feel like a lateral upgrade, the Exter is basically a Grand i10 Nios made to look like a crossover/SUV, while the i20 would be an upgrade over the Swift,

Now the Grand i10 and Exter have a lot in common including the AMT gearbox, which I should say is the best implementation of the AMT in the segment, but it's still an AMT after all, and can't match the smoothness of a CVT or TC or DCT.

As regards engine and transmission, all f them excluding the i20 DCT come with a 1.2 litre engine producing 82 bhp of power and 114 nm of torque in the Grand i10 and Exter whereas the i20 IVT produces 87 bhp of power and 115 nm of torque.

As regards space and practicality, the i20 is definitely the bigger car with better length (3995 mm vs 3815 mm), better width (1775 mm vs 1710 mm (Exter) or 1680 mm (Grand i10 Nios), and better wheelbase too (2580 mm vs 2450 mm) which translates to better room inside, the Exter, however, is the taller of the trio, has the better ground clearance and a bigger boot as well.

with the Grand i10 Nios and Exter coming in their fully loaded trims, they get 15-inch alloy wheels over the 16-inch steel wheels in the i20, 6 airbags vs 2 in the i20, ESP, Hill Hold Control and Traction Control systems, Rear wipers, a sunroof (only in the Exter) etc.

So, if you want a fully-loaded vehicle in the hatchback form, the Grand i10 Nios would suffice, else the Exter can be an alternative for the SUV-like stance, squarish exteriors and with a few more gizmos to play around with,

However, if you want a more spacious car with an adequate feature set and a CVT gearbox, the i20 IVT would be your best bet, the i20 DCT is for those who seek much more performance.

Since all of them are available under one roof, I would recommend your mother take a test drive of each one after another and then finalize based on her priorities.

Hope this helps!

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by RSM_TorqueZoner

[*]Perfect city commuter (90%) with occasional long drives

Those long drives will be how long?

Why not consider an EV such as the Tiago EV or Citroen eC3?

[RSM_TorqueZoner]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

Simple. Buy an Exter. It's a really well-thought-out, well-executed package. Great pricing and great value for a good product with good features and essential gizmos. Decently Responsive, spacious, and comfortable, great view of the road, good size, will not be dismissed and bullied as another ‘hatch’. And yes, paddle shifters too.
some pics.

Thank you for the comprehensive insights. Clearly, I'm leaning towards the Exter and keeping my booking. I was looking at points for the i10 over the Exter, but the fact that the latter is within my budget makes it a better buy.

Originally Posted by bijims

Now the Grand i10 and Exter have a lot in common including the AMT gearbox, which I should say is the best implementation of the AMT in the segment, but it's still an AMT after all, and can't match the smoothness of a CVT or TC or DCT.

As regards engine and transmission, all f them excluding the i20 DCT come with a 1.2 litre engine producing 82 bhp of power and 114 nm of torque in the Grand i10 and Exter whereas the i20 IVT produces 87 bhp of power and 115 nm of torque.

However, if you want a more spacious car with an adequate feature set and a CVT gearbox, the i20 IVT would be your best bet, the i20 DCT is for those who seek much more performance.

On paper, the performance variance between the i20 iVT and Exter AMT is marginal. I'm not sure how this translates in a real-world scenario, is the IVT i20 significantly better than the Exter, in terms of performance? I know someone with the previous gen i20 and the CVT gearbox who was super disappointed with its performance and fuel economy. They upgraded from a CVT Micra and were never happy with their decision.

And for the DCT, I've heard the performance isn't worthwhile if the usage is primarily within the city. The DCT, supposedly, is great for highway runs but not within city limits. Any truth in the hypothesis?

If the iVT isn't much of an upgrade over the AMT, and if the DCT isn't much of a differentiator for city runs, I'd rather stick with the Exter. But should it be otherwise, I may seriously consider either of the i20 variants.

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

Those long drives will be how long?
Why not consider an EV such as the Tiago EV or Citroen eC3?

EVs are trending, no doubt! The tide, globally, is surely shifting towards the EV wagon. I once rented a Tesla and it was, surprisingly, so much fun to drive with addictive torque. This is coming from someone who took an oath to never buy an EV until ICE options are phased out. I downright hated its interior though.

That said, I strongly feel, at least today, that the EV industry is still in its infancy and evolving, and has a long way to go before it matures mainstream. In all likelihood, I will wait for another 4-5 years, before considering an EV.

And for my mother, as straightforward as it may seem, I'm not ready to risk it with an EV yet. Plus the Tiago is too cramped, and Citroen eC3 has more working against it than for it. Minor changes and Citroen had the potential to be a game changer. I don't understand how French manufacturers use their brains.

[abaliga]

Grand i10 and Exter are the default options based on your criteria, it has high quality interiors and will be reliable, AMT on the Grand i10 is smooth but for the head nod when shifting from 1st to 2nd, Exter may be similar

I20 is a good option too, both IVT and DCT should be easy to drive, however IVT with its 4 cylinder NA engine will be more refined and will be easier to drive without the turbo punch, only flipside here is that it's a relatively low car and ingress and egress may not be as easy as i10 or Exter

Two other options you could consider are Honda Amaze CVT and Hyundai Venue DCT, among these Venue may be slightly over budget, but has the perfect height for good ingress and egress and has a nice DCT option.

Good luck with the hunt!

[mgastor2022grey]

Originally Posted by RSM_TorqueZoner

I'd prefer a DCT or a CVT at the very least and have to keep reminding myself that this car is for my mother and not me. So, some compromises are in order.

After all permutations and combinations, the final list only has Hyundai!

• Grand i10 Nios : Ticks most boxes. Yes an AMT, but it isn't that I am spoilt for choice. Practical and the top end is within my budget.
• Exter: I've for now booked the SX(O) variant. Some bells and whistles on top of what the i10 offers, plus a different body style for my mother! I won't call it an SUV by any yardstick, but the Tallboy design is helpful. It's different
• i20 (iVT or DCT): This is the real dilemma. Sports iVT is within budget and the Sports DCT, though a little bit of a stretch, should still be okay. However, higher variants are insanely expensive and I doubt if it's worth its purpose. Plus I lose out on the gizmos my mom might fancy

I am so inclined towards the DCT, but I'll probably be driving this car once a year, max.

Hey man! Seems like you are a true hardcore enthusiast.. I would actually suggest you that you let go of the DCT and settle in for an AMT or a CVT. Since you are getting it for your mother, I guess you have added family friendly options. But hey, everything from the Hyundai stable? Have you decided to compromise on the safety factor?

I also wanted to state that when you are comparing I10, I20 and Exter, go for either the Exter or I20 over I20 for 4 reasons:

1) Better space utilization
2) Better ride quality and suspension
3) More in-car height which means easy to get in and out
4) Bigger car so elder-friendly

When the use-case scenario is where your mom uses it, give the role to the Exter. Gem car which is definitely large and huge. Humongous road presence means nothing else but a large cabin and comfort. Acres of headroom due to tallboy design means it is made for families! Don't go for I10 and I20, your mother might find it difficult to get in and out and the low seating position may give her frequent back aches

[bansal.sushant]

I see you have not even considered Maruti Fronx. I think it satisfies your needs to the T.

From what I have read on the community, while the platform is the same, the built quality feels more superior than that of Baleno.

It is not too large, has gizmos, is nimble in the city, and is cheaper than Sonet/Venue.

Also, why do you say Sonet/Venue and bigger than what you need? i20, Baleno, and Altros are practically the same dimensions as these.

[Bhodrolok]

Originally Posted by RSM_TorqueZoner

[*]An Automatic [*]Compact enough for my mother to handle[*]Perfect city commuter (90%) with occasional long drives[*]Safe and reliable - I don't want my mother to be dealing with repairs from time to time, and of course I want her to be safe. [*]Gizmos - Not something I like, but it brings a smile to my mother's face

Sorry but if you are serious about safety, you should not consider a Hyundai, Kia or Suzuki but they all have really crappy AMTs in their lower end models.

My suggestion would be to look at the tata Punch or Altroz. If you can stretch it to the XUV300 that would be an option too.

Finally there's always the option of a used Polo or Vento.

[aniketi]

Try Ignis before finalizing anything. I purchased one for my wife last month, Ignis Zeta Automatic. I am really happy with my purchase. I got very good deal as well. It's compact from outside yet spacious from inside, has enough features you need and best 1.2 L engine available. Build quality also very good compared to other Maruti cars. Being Maruti, peace of mind is guaranteed for long term. All the best.

[Bala02]

Have you considered Maruti Brezza? I know you said no to Maruti, but Brezza comes with good safety rating and it's NA refined engine is a pleasure to drive in the city. The reliability of Maruti in terms of servicing is unparalleled. Hence I thought of suggesting this option despite the fact that you said you are not considering Maruti.

[freewheelie]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

Simple. Buy an Exter. Its a really well thought out, well executed package. Great pricing and great value for a good product with good features and essential gizmos. Decently Responsive, spacious and comfortable, great view of the road, good size, will Not be dismissed and bullied as another ‘hatch’. And yes, paddle shifters too. The Khaki looks nice (thats just me and my militaristic penchant). The red looks lovely.

(Im also considering this Exter for my 80 yesr old Dad as a replacement for the Glanza. But he has to agree.)

I test drove it and put out my impressions on the Exter thread. And here are some pics.

I have a similar requirement. However, when I test-drove the Exter, I found it challenging to accelerate quickly in traffic, especially when overtaking or recovering speed after speed breakers. I often had to manually use the paddle shifter to switch gears. I noticed that the car frequently tried to shift to higher gears (like 4th or 5th) even at low speeds, which led to sluggish acceleration from a standstill or at low speeds. Apart from this issue, the car is commendable. Due to these responsiveness concerns, I'm now considering the Altroz or the Amaze, even though I genuinely prefer a hatchback for my sister. Any feedback on my experience ?

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by freewheelie

I though I genuinely prefer a hatchback for my sister. Any feedback on my experience ?

Thats odd. My experience was not the same. There IS a bit of a flat spot but it quickly gathers up its skirts and runs. I also drove it on a weekday in Bangalore.
To down shift either use the paddles or the M mode. But yes, while the ‘kickdown’ isn’t like my Thar, (and cannot be expected to be), it is still reasonably responsive.

[farhadtarapore]

I'm in the same quandary. Selling off my XUV500 (2015) to make way for a smaller car for my Dad (80yrs) to putter about in the city. He insists on the car being a manual transmission.

Tata Punch would have been ideal had it not been for the very mixed service center experience and overall fit and finish of the cars.

Currently going for the latest Maruti Swift. Open to other suggestions though. No EVs since we don't have permissions to install chargers in our compound.

[Clown Prince]

Originally Posted by RSM_TorqueZoner

I'm in a major dilemma. I live in the US, and our community is my only source to make an informed decision…….

After all permutations and combinations, the final list only has Hyundai!

• Grand i10 Nios : Ticks most boxes. Yes an AMT, but it isn't that I am spoilt for choice. Practical and the top end is within my budget.
• Exter: I've for now booked the SX(0) variant. Some bells and whistles on top of what the i10 offers, plus a different body style for my mother! I won't call it an SUV by any yardstick, but the Tallboy design is helpful. It's different
• i20 (iVT or DCT): This is the real dilemma. Sports iVT is within budget and the Sports DCT, though a little bit of a stretch, should still be okay. However, higher variants are insanely expensive and I doubt if it's worth its purpose. Plus I lose out on the gizmos my mom might fancy

I am so inclined towards the DCT, but I'll probably be driving this car once a year, max.

It would have been so much easier if I could visit the showroom and make a call, but this is now a dilemma I'll need our community to resolve! Looking forward to your insights, thanks a ton!

Dump i10. Go for Exter or i20. Exter is a well thought product. i20 got its facelift on the cards and is available with decent discounts of more than 1L. I also bought one myself delivery due this week. Try push your dealer, you might be able to get i20 at ex showroom if not lower. It’ll be a good upgrade from swift. Otherwise you have Exter for you another good product.
These days I strongly feel other manufacturers must take lessons from Koreans about how to launch a successful product especially Citroen.
Same suggestion for you Farhad. Try negotiating for i20.