[manish84]

Greetings BHPians!

I moved recently from Mumbai to Bangalore in the beginning of 2023. I am in the market to buy a second car as soon as possible and would really appreciate some advice.

Current car

Currently I own a BMW 330i Sports variant which I bought in Dec 2021 in Mumbai. The car is serving me very well and I have completed about 17000 km in 2 years. Just completed the second service and the car is in top shape. Currently I stay in Sadashivanagar and my office is ~6 km far on MG road. Folks from Bangalore would appreciate that these areas are the most well kept and hence I enjoy driving to and from office everyday in my BMW.
My previous car was a Polo GT with 1.2L turbo and DSG. I very much regret selling it when it was 6 years old and in top shape (though it would have been 8 years old now and may not be as reliable)

What is changing?

I am changing my job and the new office is in Marathahalli. Moving job from an established firm to a seed funded startup
The new commute would be 20-22 km one way in Bangalore city traffic which would take 1-1.5 hours (Sadashivanagar>Hebbal>Nagvara>ORR>KR Puram>Marathahalli). The route would have 3-4 major bottlenecks and roads have a lot of barricades due to metro construction. I am not comfortable taking a long and expensive car on this route everyday and hence looking to buy a second car. However, I intend to shift my rental house closer to the office in May-July 2024 and then it will be again under 30 mins drive. I cannot shift house immediately as we are expecting our second child early next year.

Requirements

1. Reliability is paramount as I expect my startup work to be very consuming in addition to attending to a newborn at home.
2. Has to be an automatic. Prefer TC or CVT over AMT. Dual clutch is the last choice.
3. For the immediate 6 months, I intend to self-drive 45 km, 5 days a week and spend 3 hours in traffic. Public transport/cab/auto is not an option and hence I need a reliable and comfortable car.
4. From mid-2024 onwards, I need a car which will be driven by a chauffeur and do daily duties of drop/pick-up of my kid to school and then drop/pick-up of either me/wife to office. The third person would use the second car for self-drive.
5. The car should have good NHV, strong AC and comfortable seats.
6. City mileage should be respectable, at least 10 kmpl
7. Sedan is least preferred as I already have a large sedan. Preferred is SUV and then hatchback.
8. Should have ISOFIX for baby car seat
9. Budget in general is not a constraint but I am keeping my budget up to 25 lakhs due to drastic reduction in near term cash flows from my job. Lesser the better.
10. I need the car delivered to me by the end of 2023. Sooner the better.

Options

1. Buy a premium hatchback and whenever we keep a driver, give him the BMW (emotionally very difficult to give my beamer to a driver for daily city runs)
2. Buy a premium hatchback and whenever we keep a driver, give him the premium hatchback
3. Buy a 4+mtr SUV and whenever we keep a driver, give him the SUV
4. Spend 10-11 lakhs and sell the car in 2025 to take a fresh decision then

Car choices rejected

1. All Tata cars due to niggles concern. I really like the new Tata Nexon EV but I do not want to take up the tension of charging.
2. All Mahindra cars due to long wait time
3. Skoda cars - Only Kushaq fits the bill, but I would rather buy Taigun. I had a great ownership experience of Polo GT.
4. No Renault/Nissan/Jeep/Citroen due to lack of visibility on how long the brands would sell in India
5. No Honda Elevate/Honda/Amaze due to extremely poor NVH. In fact, I had booked and cancelled a City in 2021 post which I bought the BMW.
6. Second hand cars - difficult to find and also the amount saved on a 20 lakhs car is not significant to justify the effort. Totally support buying pre-owned cars in luxury cars though.

Car choices shortlisted

1. Among premium hatchback we have liked only i20 Sportz (Asta is 2.5 lakhs more on a 11 lakh base and doesn’t feel VFM). Baleno/Fronx is out due to AMT and lack of premiumness inside the cabin.
2. Among SUV we really like Creta SXO but there are 2 blockers to buy Creta - safety concerns and upcoming facelift launch.

Current status
We have test driven most cars except Tata & Mahidra. Even paid 11k booking amount for i20 Sportz variant. However, for some reason I am not feeling convinced with my decision and hence haven’t done the full payment. My joining date of new job is 1 Dec and I need to act fast.

Look forward to inputs and guidance from my fellow members.
Thanks in advance.

[saisree]

Get yourselves a well-maintained Honda CITY Automatic. If you can get the 2022-23 models, nothing like that. Should cost half of the budget. You will see it ticking all the boxes.

[Turbojc]

Originally Posted by manish84

Greetings BHPians!

I moved recently from Mumbai to Bangalore in the beginning of 2023. I am in the market to buy a second car as soon as possible and would really appreciate some advice...

Hi @manish84 - going by your requirements, the Maruti Suzuki Brezza ZXi Plus AT seems like the best option. It comes with an adequately powerful 1.5L petrol motor mated to a smooth 6-speed TC gearbox, is sufficiently loaded with all necessary creature comforts, and falls well within your budget. Above all that, the new one looks quite premium as well. Here are the list of pros taken from Team-BHPs official review of the car - link (2022 Maruti Brezza Review).

Maruti Brezza Pros

• Good-looking Compact SUV with improved road presence & mass appeal
• Well-rounded product. Takes a successful formula and improves upon it
• A competent BS6 petrol with Smart Hybrid tech and excellent fuel efficiency
• Smooth 6-speed torque-converter AT comes with paddle shifters
• Well-mannered suspension setup riding on 16-inch wheels and 215/60 section tyres
• Decent cabin space for a sub-4 meter car. Lots of storage & a powerful air-con too
• Now gets a sunroof, 360-degree camera, head-up display, rear A/C vents, wireless charging, ambient lighting, tilt & telescopic steering adjustment, connected car features etc
• Long feature list includes dual projector LED auto headlamps, LED DRLs & foglamps, auto-dimming IRVM, cruise control and a 9-inch touchscreen HU paired with an Arkamys sound system
• Safety kit includes 6 airbags, ESP, hill-hold assist and ISOFIX. Built on the same platform as the outgoing car, which had received a 4-star GNCAP safety rating
• Maruti’s excellent after-sales service, wide dealer network & fuss-free ownership experiences

Here's how much it costs in Bengaluru, according to Carwale:



Do take a test drive to see if it fits the bill. Cheers!

[Sreesh1009]

If I were you, I would get the Honda City/Elevate and spend some money getting fresh rubber and sound dampening done to help with the NVH. Though I would assume that the petrol motor should be barely audible except when giving it the beans.

Since you already have experience with VW, then go for the Taigun eyes shut. Get the 1.0L AT since the primary purpose is city driving.

[SideView]

Originally Posted by manish84

Greetings BHPians!

I moved recently from Mumbai to Bangalore in the beginning of 2023. I am in the market to buy a second car as soon as possible and would really appreciate some advice.

To be honest while driving in bangalore sometimes I feel i dont need a car but a TANK and bulldoze through the traffic.

I would go with Breeza AT (or Fronx AT or Sonet AT in that order) as you already have sedan and you mentioned preference for SuV styling.

[androdev]

If you are ready to think outside the box, I would suggest you buy a used Camry Hybrid from Toyota U Trust outlets.

Here is why:

1. Ease of buying: Buying experience from U Trust is as simple as buying a new car. Very smooth, transparent and with access to complete info on the car's history. I bought two Camry cars from them and I wouldn't hesitate to buy a Toyota car from any U Trust dealership.

2. Value for money: Camry Hybrid is the only Toyota that offers good depreciation in the used car market as sedans are out of favour. Camry will run forever and costs very little to own (fuel and service costs).

3. Perfect car for the city: You have to drive it to believe it. It's a very relaxing car to drive and to be driven in in our chaotic traffic. Plenty of space for a family. EV sedans would be better (I'm a strictly sedan person) but I doubt I will find one under 20L that's better than Camry.

Some negatives:
1. Sedans are not for everyone. These days the combination of bad roads and impatience of the drivers warrant high GC cars. If you are a careful/patient driver and appreciate the advantages of a sedan, this would make a good choice.

2. Large size. Can't use it like a small hatchback to zip through small markets streets and park it any little gap. Home to office commute is best done by a comfortable sedan so you can remain insulated from the chaos outside.

3. Dated and boring: It's a very simple car, not much is exciting about it. However it scores a perfect 10/10 when it comes to taking you from home to office in superb comfort.

4. Age of the car: This Camry was sold upto 2018, so you will be getting a car of such vintage. Remember this is the legendary Camry Hybrid backed by Toyota - age is just a number.

Here is a good example, I highly recommend you at least give them a call and check it in person before ruling it out. Camry will surprise you - don't try to drive it like a sporty car but evaluate it in rush hour traffic.

https://www.olx.in/item/toyota-camry...iid-1751680746

I wrote more about my Camry experience here:

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/long-...ml#post5488229 (Oh Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz - W221 S350 initial ownership review)

[thanixravindran]

Given your budget and requirements, your best bet is 4m+ SUV from Toyota and Hyundai. Given the waiting times, Toyota may not be possible to get. Check out Hyundai Alcazar with a test drive. It ticks most of the boxes and may be available easily.

[manish84]

Originally Posted by saisree

Get yourselves a well-maintained Honda CITY Automatic.

Originally Posted by thanixravindran

Check out Hyundai Alcazar with a test drive. It ticks most of the boxes and may be available easily.

Honda city (4583 mm) or Alcazar (4500 mm) are very long cars and doesn't serve the purpose of easy to drive car. i20 (3999) or Creta (4300) seems still manageable.

Originally Posted by Sreesh1009

Since you already have experience with VW, then go for the Taigun eyes shut. Get the 1.0L AT since the primary purpose is city driving.

Thanks, TDed Taigun today evening and the 3 cylinder 1.0 L had lof of vibrations. Of course the SA said its a TD vehicle, but it had only 2400 km on odo. Also, it just did not feel like a 20 lakh car from inside. Dropping it from my consideration set.

Originally Posted by SideView

I would go with Breeza AT (or Fronx AT or Sonet AT in that order) as you already have sedan and you mentioned preference for SuV styling.

Originally Posted by Turbojc

Hi @manish84 - going by your requirements, the Maruti Suzuki Brezza ZXi Plus AT seems like the best option.

Doesn't Brezza have a 2-4 months waiting period? I need the car by Dec.

Originally Posted by androdev

If you are ready to think outside the box, I would suggest you buy a used Camry Hybrid from Toyota U Trust outlets.

Thanks for the detailed suggestion androdev. But having 2 long sedans in the same garage doesn't seem like a right choice. Also, give the rapid change in features in tech, anything older than 2-3 years seems outdated. More so because I want to hold the car for long duration and would not want to go through "what car" every few years.


My reasoning is this - why should I spend 15+ lakhs on a 4 meter car when I can get a comfortable 4.3 m car for 20 lakhs. It should either be close to 10 lakhs or close to 20 lakhs.

Is Creta safety really a deal breaker if I limit the usage strictly to city? 90% of city drive would be at low speeds. Me and my wife really like SXO variant of Creta but safety concern is holding us back.

[nova.19_exe]

Hi Manish. It was brainracking to read this thread! Literally every car I thought of, you gave a valid reason for it to be dropped!

I know you have said sedans are last preference but hear me out, you have TDed the Taigun 1.0L but have you thought about the Virtus? The same 1.0L engine with a 6 speed TC gearbox does a rather beautiful on the Virtus when compared to the Taigun. (this is my opinion)

The Virtus looks killer stunning as well and it's amazing on the inside as well! Loaded with tons of boot space, Wireless Apple Carplay and Android Auto and stuff!

Do let me know your thoughts!

Cheers!

[manish84]

Originally Posted by nova.19_exe

Hi Manish. It was brainracking to read this thread! Literally every car I thought of, you gave a valid reason for it to be dropped!

Have you thought about the Virtus?

Sorry, I know I have dismissed almost every car and still looking for an answer
Maybe there is a reason why Tbhp now has a thread with a topic never seen before Link (The car purchase conundrum | It's not easy buying a car in 2023-24)

Saw the Virtus while I was in VW showroom today. Its a typical sedan with low seating. This just does not excite me at all to spend 20 big ones given I have a similar sedan in my garage.

[Sufficient_shop]

Originally Posted by manish84

Is Creta safety really a deal breaker if I limit the usage strictly to city? 90% of city drive would be at low speeds. Me and my wife really like SXO variant of Creta but safety concern is holding us back.

See, safety is one aspect which is hard to argue about. You already have a BMW for long drives and specifically mention you want a city car. I really don't think Creta (or the new Seltos) is a bad choice for your requirements. You can even consider Venue/Sonet which are smaller and hence easier to drive around. Sadly, no CVT/TC available in either Hyundai or Kia.

[Jaguar]

Have you looked at the Jimny? It is a good choice for Bangalore as the suspension is set to be very comfort-oriented and you need not worry about bad roads, water logging, or tight parking. You get to have some fun on the weekends as well.

[manish84]

Originally Posted by Sufficient_shop

Sadly, no CVT/TC available in either Hyundai or Kia.

Isn't Creta IVT a CVT gearbox?

Originally Posted by Jaguar

Have you looked at the Jimny?

Have checked Jimny and I did not find it as a practical car for daily commute or keeping a driver. Very less under thigh suport in back seat, no bottle holders etc.

[Sufficient_shop]

Originally Posted by manish84

Isn't Creta IVT a CVT gearbox?

My bad. I was assuming SX(O) doesn't come with IVT.

[PaddleShifter]

You have mentioned that the car needs to be very reliable, can be handed over to the driver, decent fuel efficiency and will share space with your current sedan.

Based on above parameters and more listed by you in the opening post, check out the Grand Vitara once. It will serve you well, can be used without much worries on any kind of roads, easiest to service due to sheer number of service centers at every few kilometers and will hold value too if you decide to sell it in 2024 as mentioned by you. Its built on the global C2 platform and I expect it to be a safe car (old brezza scored 4 stars and is also built on this platform).

Seltos is another good buy and I have experienced good service at kia (my friend owns one and usually takes me along for periodic service). The only issue is that its equally safe or unsafe as a Creta (depends upon how you see these cousins).