[Toni]

As you keep your cars over 15 years (Baleno Lxi 2005 = 18 years) with minimal running (55000 kms / 18 = 3055 kms per year) go for the Elevate. The 1.5 litres 4 cylinder butter smooth engine with CVT along with Honda service and reliability will cost you very less than TATA reliabilty and service headaches.

Every car is different from the other and one cannot have all features available in the other. There are some hits and misses in all.

Take long test drives. The final decision is yours only as you will be the owner so go with you heart so that you don't regret afterwards.

[Sebring]

I think this aspect is the Indica era you're talking about. Altroz, and later, the Nexon changed this perception. My Nexon is 2017 model and is aging well. No issues at all

Originally Posted by bijims

Tata's in general have not been known for their long-term reliability, unlike the Japanese cars which will last you long without any issues. So, the Altroz ain't the best choice in that regard.

[raptor_diwan]

As many have mentioned, the Honda Elevate would be a great fit for your requirements. I would not suggest Tata, as we can see that the after-sales service may not be as pleasing, and with the Elevate, you'll experience the smoothest transmission and a great vehicle presence, which would be a value-for-money choice.

All your priority criteria will align well with the Elevate.

[locusjag]

How does the wet-clutch DCA in the Tata cars fare in traffic and reliability-wise? I'd think that conservative buyers wouldn't touch a dual clutch AT with a barge-pole - not to say that the OP is conservative or not. It's just that any DCT-equipped car (with a dry clutch, i.e.) seems to be a ticking time bomb to me. Most forum members buy one by purchasing extended warranty and look to pass it on to the used car market once the extended warranty gets over. Are we feeling comfortable with the Tata wet-clutch DCA?

This is just my perception and I'm purely asking out of curiosity.

[Kosfactor]

@Locusjag - Keep in mind this is not a DCT in the traditional sense. Primary objective is cost reduction while offering something better than an AMT, CVT would hamper FE as we know which is another affordable gearbox.

So a planetary gear set with its own clutch connected to what looks like a manual gearbox that has its own clutch.

One may wonder what happened to the Torque Converter , well.

https://youtu.be/uG6QCPMQNmM?si=jFyP_iCuBtpOsO-L

[Phantom 510]

Elevate CVT hands down! However, you could consider the Brezza 6AT which is more frugal, affordable (Vxi 6AT) and extremely refined at the same time.

[bijims]

Originally Posted by Sebring

I think this aspect is the Indica era you're talking about. Altroz, and later, the Nexon changed this perception. My Nexon is 2017 model and is aging well. No issues at all

Sorry, but in my friends and a few of my relatives are regretting buying Tata cars, they have pathetic after-sales (at least in our city), senor issues, paint quality issues, poor fit and finish, rattles, QC defects, rusting, jerky AMT transmission (in last gen Nexon, should be fixed now with DCA), and poor NVH levels have all been reported. I know this may not be a situation in most cars, but with the overwhelmingly poor response I received from Nexon, Altroz, and Harrier owners in my place, I definitely feel Tata has still a lot to improve with QC and fit and finish. Moreover, dealership attitudes and behavior in some places have to be improved as well. It all forms part of the ownership experience.

Tata has been doing a good job in improving these, but there is still a whole lot more to improve, the improvement definitely shows in the sales chart and if they were to sort out these defects as well, there is nothing stopping them!

[GoBabyGo]

Originally Posted by Devansh88

Hi,


Priorities:
1. High on safety - 4 star or higher, but 5 preferable
2. Auto Transmission - to make city use more bearable
3. High on reliability - I certainly don't want to be visiting the service centers except for scheduled maintenance. Longer service intervals preferable, but not a dealbreaker
4. Decent power - Not expecting 1.6L type outputs, but shouldn't be a complete laggard either.

Happy to hear your thoughts!

Hi, if you are comfortable with sedan then do consider Honda City V CVT (currently it is available for about 75k discount in NCR, may be in your location also). I fiind City offers better value than most you are considering. I have never been to Bengaluru, but going by my readings, you may have to be little careful in Bengaluru speed breakers with Honda City.

[VWAllstar]

Originally Posted by Devansh88

Car runs are limited to couple of times a month, and half a dozen airport runs a year, when parents or friends visit, maybe totaling 1000-1200kms a year. However we do acknowledge that like our car, we are also aging.Happy to hear your thoughts!

I shall go against the tide and all the good posts following your OP. Do not spend on a car. 1200 KMs a year can be easily done in an Uber or Ola. Cars are depreciating assets and not worth if you aren't going to drive it minimum 500 KMs a month. You can splurge the handsome budget on premium Uber for your airport runs and still save a lot of money

Infact, if you are a smart investor and can get 10% returns YoY then you can fund your 1200-1500 KMs drive/ month from the profits earned. (1.6 Lakhs profit a year on an investment of 16 Lakhs) I guess even the traditional and safe FD returns of 5% (80K) should be enough for your limited requirements from a car.

[ellip5i5]

You could consider the Fronx 1.0 AT if a Suzuki were to be in consideration

[Neversaygbye]

Tough choice really. Since you keep your cars for long, you should go with either of Maruti, Tata, Mahindra or Hyundai as they have the least chance of going out of business or leaving India in the next fifteen years.

The Nexon is as sorted a vehicle as it gets and gets almost everything right but I would be hesitant about buying a new engine-gearbox combination from Tata until it's been in the market for two years. Initial buyers are Tata's beta testers and it takes time for Tata to fix the initial issues/niggles.

From that perspective the Honda has a tried and tested engine-gearbox combo and is bigger than the Nexon too, so it is the car to buy if you can take a gamble on Honda's continued presence in the Indian market in the long run. However, you also mentioned safety, and as far as I know, the Elevate has not been tested so far.

So by elimination, I suppose the Nexon DCA is your best bet since the Altroz DCA has been around for a while now and there have been hardly any complaints. Also, do not pay heed to the naysayers when it comes to Tata. Having owned two Tata cars including my current ride, I can tell you that the cars have excellent fundamentals, are extremely well-built, durable and reliable provided you pick up a variant that has been around for at least two years. You don't have to take my word for it - just look at the sheer number of fifteen to twenty year old Tata Sumos and Indica/Indigo cars that are running as taxis. I see a lot of Zests too.

Every OEM has issues - just look at the thread on braking issues with the Jimny at high altitudes or the one on sudden brake failures in Hyundais. Most people who bash Tata have either never owned a Tata car or owned one from the initial batches. The Nexon edges the Elevate based on the criteria you provided and is the car to go for.

[shaheenazk]

Originally Posted by Neversaygbye

Most people who bash Tata have either never owned a Tata car or owned one from the initial batches. .

Your statement is so true. I own a petrol Indica since 2001 and till date it has never stranded me on the road except once or twice because of cooling fan blown fuse and subsequently, rise in engine temperature more than optimal. I wound a copper wire around the fuse and managed to get it to my trusted mechanic. He repaired the cooling fan motor which was not running as freely as it should have. A few days later I got a new fan motor.

Even today when I overtake cars running on puny 1.0 or 1.2 litre engines with ease, it brings a big smile to my face.

I would recommend this gentleman to go for Honda Elevate with MT. Even CVTs are prone to fail unless it was a eCVT. Manual transmission is much more reliable and match beautifully with the legendary 1.5 N.A. engine. I also suggest to see the following video on CVT before deciding on any car:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alzWij_-hpU

[jomyboy]

Originally Posted by shaheenazk

I would recommend this gentleman to go for Honda Elevate with MT. Even CVTs are prone to fail unless it was a eCVT. Manual transmission is much more reliable and match beautifully with the legendary 1.5 N.A. engine. I also suggest to see the following video on CVT before deciding on any car:

https://www.Youtube.com/watch?v=alzWij_-hpU

In my view, a CVT transmission is much more reliable today than when they were first introduced and this is true for every system in a car.

[Devansh88]

Originally Posted by Toni

The 1.5 litres 4 cylinder butter smooth engine with CVT along with Honda service and reliability will cost you very less than TATA reliabilty and service headaches.

Originally Posted by raptor_diwan

All your priority criteria will align well with the Elevate.

Originally Posted by Phantom 510

Elevate CVT hands down! However, you could consider the Brezza 6AT which is more frugal, affordable (Vxi 6AT) and extremely refined at the same time.

Lots of votes for the Honda, and I agree - Japanese cars have definitely proven their longevity time and again, no arguments there. Wish there were people saying these about Indian brands as well!

Originally Posted by Kosfactor

So a planetary gear set with its own clutch connected to what looks like a manual gearbox that has its own clutch.

Thanks, I was meaning to do research on this gearbox, the link really helped. Also I checked online and found only one instance of a TATA DCA gearbox failure, and frankly it looked like a potential defect that wasn't addressed in time that led to it. No updates on it, so hard to know what happened.

Wish there was more data around long term maintenance costs of it. Maybe the service schedule of Nexon can throw some light on how frequently the DCA needs transmission oil replacement, frequency of other scheduled maintenance etc. as well as their costs.

Originally Posted by GoBabyGo

Hi, if you are comfortable with sedan then do consider Honda City V CVT

Its 1L more expensive than the Elevate, and not to mention my dad already has it, so doesn't make sense to buy the same one (though all my attempts of having him move with me have failed, despite my parents being retired)

Originally Posted by ellip5i5

You could consider the Fronx 1.0 AT if a Suzuki were to be in consideration

I did not, and I am adding it to my list of TDs right now! Looks good for the package, including the 190mm GC. Just that its not any cheaper than the Nexon, so I expect stellar build quality

Originally Posted by VWAllstar

Cars are depreciating assets and not worth if you aren't going to drive it minimum 500 KMs a month.

Sound advice, and frankly I've done the math. What it boils down to is that I'm paying for my time - for the convenience of not waiting and knowing I have a car parked and I can take off any second. Getting cabs in Bangalore at peak office hours and when it rains is difficult (even if we disregard the expensive part). I'd be paying to not have to wait and be at the mercy of drivers who cancel if I don't pay cash. This is certainly a heart over head decision.

Originally Posted by Sebring

I think this aspect is the Indica era you're talking about. Altroz, and later, the Nexon changed this perception. My Nexon is 2017 model and is aging well. No issues at all

Originally Posted by Neversaygbye

So by elimination, I suppose the Nexon DCA is your best bet since the Altroz DCA has been around for a while now and there have been hardly any complaints. Also, do not pay heed to the naysayers when it comes to Tata. Having owned two Tata cars including my current ride, I can tell you that the cars have excellent fundamentals, are extremely well-built, durable and reliable provided you pick up a variant that has been around for at least two years.

Originally Posted by shaheenazk

I own a petrol Indica since 2001 and till date it has never stranded me on the road

Glad to hear good things about TATA - I have decent amount of faith in the product. My biggest hesitation is the "chalta hai" attitude of service centers. Panel gaps? Happens. Rattles? What's the big deal. Infotainment system lags? Happens in all cars.

And the issue is the TATA escalation matrix is broken. If you raise a problem with the dealer with the brand, they send it back to the dealer to resolve, which is outright stupid. How has your experience been overall, especially with smaller issues?

[bnkmp]

Hi All,

I have joined the forum recently as I was looking for advice on my first car purchase and cant explain how much I am in the same dilemma. Also apologies for the long post.

Background:- I am just shy of 30, residing in Bangalore, got married last year and no kids. I can be considered as a beginner driver (approx 1000kms driving experience) and my wife also has just started learning to drive (license pending). My dad owns a 2013 Honda Amaze with just 25k kms till date and also a company provided Swift Dzire on which i learnt and practise driving when at home. We both have limited work from office days, live closer to NICE road, hence usage would be 60% city and 40% highway (highway kms could be higher due to long drives) expecting around 500kms monthly usage.

Requirements :- same as op.

Originally Posted by Devansh88

Hi,

Priorities:
1. High on safety - 4 star or higher, but 5 preferable
2. Auto Transmission - to make city use more bearable
3. High on reliability - I certainly don't want to be visiting the service centers except for scheduled maintenance. Longer service intervals preferable, but not a dealbreaker
4. Decent power - Not expecting 1.6L type outputs, but shouldn't be a complete laggard either.

Good to have:
1. Parking assist - front + back sensors or 360 degree cameras
2. Cruise Control - while not relevant for the city, a big help on the highways, for whatever road trips we might take

We had ruled out 2nd hand cars as prices on popular platforms such as Spinny, Cars24 felt too high and we do not have any trustworthy local contacts to help us evaluate as well. Hence, we started looking for a new car.

Budget :- We started with a budget of 8L OTR but progressively realised that none of the cars were satisfying our criteria (primarily being AMT's). We also found that my wife's company offers a car lease policy which would enable us to stretch our budget to ~15L OTR (based on observing the budgets of our friends who got new cars like Nexon & Venue).

The options:-

Renault Kiger :- Good showroom experience with the SA being very polite. Test drove the RXZ AMT which felt very underpowered. Also the car was 2 years old but just at 8k kms on odometer, looked very old and battered. We then tested the Turbo CVT (also 2 year old) version which was much smoother to drive but at low rpms & idling i could feel the vibrations and there were rattling sounds coming from the door, passenger seat etc. Can any long term users confirm if this is common across or just the TD car?

Mahindra XUV300 :- Good showroom, tested the W8 AMT version, realised that the engine and build quality were significantly better than Kiger. The car was 3 years old with ~30k kms but felt brand new and my wife really liked the leather seat interiors. However, I could feel the AMT headjerk during shifts and didn't feel justified spending 16.5L on that and the dated interiors.

TATA :- Showroom experience was poor with the SA ghosting us after asking for a testdrive and went again to find out that the original SA had left Tata motors. Tested Altroz DCA which again felt much better in build quality than Kiger, smooth gearshifts (over AMT) but still had the vibrations at low rpms and the engine felt very underpowered. Also the reverse camera and left side DRL's were not functional on the test car which the SA mentioned was due to an accident. Also tested the face-lifted Nexon fearless version, it had better interiors & features, but I felt the same vibrations creeping in at low rpms and the horn wasn't functional. Somehow all this didn't give us confidence on TATA especially after seeing multiple posts on Team BHP about their ASS.

Suzuki :- My wife has a very negative opinion on the brand's interiors and safety, but convinced her to take a look at the 4* rated Brezza ZXI+. The showroom experience was good and they gave an immediate test drive. We really liked the refined engine and the smooth AT but coming here after the Nexon clearly showed the difference in interiors and with the Brezza at 18L, we felt was very overpriced. We want 6 airbags and 360 camera hence ZXI is out. The 4 month waiting period was another negative.

Honda :- Having one at home, I had a soft spot for the brand. Tested the Amaze VX CVT which felt really refined engine and smooth CVT. But the driver seat was not comfortable (I am 6'1) with very less back and underthigh support (Amaze at home has different seats which are very comfy) and during the TD, I hit the underbody on a speed bump at a relatively low speed.
My eye then went on the Elevate ZX manual in the showroom and tested without any intention to buy it and we both fell in love with the interiors, smooth engine and the high GC. Went on the same route as the Amaze and could clearly see the difference and ease with which i could drive the car. We booked the car immediately but we feel the car is too large for city at 4.3m and very expensive at 21L for just the two of us. My wife loves leather interiors even if they are impractical for Indian conditions and only wants top end model of any car we take so the V CVT is ruled out. Ruling out the city as well as it is much longer at 4.5m and lower ground clearance.

We see the below options to buy :-
1. Honda Elevate ZX :- Keep the booking? How much difference does the 4m vs 4.3m within city? Expensive but will hold on to the car for long term (10 years) if possible but uncertain on that especially with the increasing popularity of EV transition.
2. Altroz DCA :- Buy, hope that it works well and replace it at the end of 3 to 4 years once we are confident drivers and save almost 8L now ?
3. Brezza ZXI+ :- Compromise on the interiors and save the ~2.5L?
4. Wait for BNCAP results on cars like Venue/Sonet ? A factor which came after seeing the Verna's 5* GNCAP rating but unsure how long that will take. We started the seach from August and still havent finalized any car.

I would really like some opinions, Thanks!