[nutcracker]

I'm a Diesel head from Delhi - NCR region who bought 3 gem diesel cars in 2014, the Polo and Vento 1.5, and Pajero Sports.

I got screwed over by the NGT laws which came in around 2017-18.

This was my mileage over 9 years:
Polo. 1,90,000 kms
Vento: 1,95,000 kms
Pajero Sports: 95,000 kms

Sold the Polo and Vento recently. The Pajero Sports we will be transferring to family located in Madhya Pradesh.

Now I looking for 2 vehicles, one for me and one for dad. We need these vehicles asap. As you can see my mileage figures, our running is high, so diesel always made sense. Plus me and my dad both have heavy right foots if you know what I mean. We also don't want our new cars to be step back in terms of power and quality.

A third car I will purchase later for my wife. Right now, it is 2 cars we need, and we need them soon.

Ideally, I am looking at one electric and one diesel (does it even make sense to buy a diesel car right now?). The electric can be used to daily city runs (around 70-80kms daily) and the ICE can be used to touring.

Our cumulative budget for both the cars is around 40-45 lakhs maximum.

We prefer solid cars which are built to last. A good music system is important for atleast one car. Automatic is a must (I prefer manual but...dad and wife lol). Sunroof is NOT important to me.

We even booked the Kia Seltos Diesel top model, paid the advance and all, but I feel the Kia isn't safe enough for the highway and I will always be stressed when my dad takes it touring (he is almost 65 years old). Although I liked Seltos, I felt the asking price (22L) is high for its size.

Other cars I have test driven:
Grand Vitara Hybrid: makes practical sense, but is too flimsy, boring to drive. I was shocked to see how empty the engine bay was. And almost all the body parts and panel had some amount of flex in them.

Tata Harrier: Really premium interiors, the diesel auto feels great to drive. Loved the dashboard, display, really everything about the car. But dishing out 27 big ones on Tata brand, especially after all the horror stories regarding maintenance keep me away from the brand, despite me being a strong proponent of Indian brands. Maybe some owners can Change my mind?

Jeep Compass 4x2 Diesel Automatic Longitude: SOLID car. But again, horror stories regarding reliability. Somehow I also felt the Automatic Diesel gearbox isn't tuned that well too. Lots of sporadic upshifts and downshifts. Also, asking price is high considering the features that are being offered.

Hyundai NEW Creta: Will TD soon.

Honda Elevate: Will TD soon.

Tata Punch EV New: Will TD soon.

MG ZS EV: really like it. The base model seems the way to go at 23L. But somehow with EVs I would prefer a pure EV than a ICE converted to EV.

BYD Atto 3: Loved the car. Entire family loves it. It fulfils every need. Built really well. good range. Safety features. Good audio. But....the price. 37L OTR is steep. Oh how I am losing my mind

Tata Nexon EV: liked the car, but not keeping it an option due to the same reasons as the Harrier.

XUV700: Havent test ridden but strictly a no-no. I did a road trip across Karnataka on an XUV 500 and honestly after the Pajero Sport that car felt like a downgrade by 3 or 4 levels in each and every aspect, including grip, body roll, handling. I'm not even going to the level of finishing and interiors. Plus I have sat in a friends XUV 700 and he is just sick of his car. He says it spends more time in the workshop due to niggling issues. Even the audio system of the AXL top variant feels so underwhelming and really cheap.

Scorpio N: Has a lot going for it due to body-on-frame and diesel. But the diesel dilemma stays. Might test drive. Change my mind about Mahindra?

[self_driven]

I'm not sure why diesel Toyotas are not on your list. You should definitely consider used examples of Fortuner and Innova Crysta 2.8. That diesel engine is a lot of fun, while the cars themselves are built to last. You can pick a 3-4 year old Fortuner/Innova Crysta and run it into the ground till the 10-year deadline. If it still has life left after that, you can retire the Pajero and move this car to your hometown.

Given the 2.8's fuel efficiency, especially with your heavy right foot, the second car will have to be fuel efficient for daily driving. In Delhi, it's not advisable to have an all-diesel garage. So you should prioritize petrol hybrids and EVs for the second car. Even petrol cars nowadays offer liveable fuel economy of 12 km/l or so in city driving conditions, if you drive carefully. Ideally, 14-15 lakhs will get you a decent petrol automatic with all the bells and whistles. With EVs in this budget, you'll have to settle for the likes of Tiago and Punch which will be too much of a downgrade. If your daily commute is limited to city confines, the strong hybrid variants of Grand Vitara can also be considered for a slightly higher price.

[ashivas89]

Highway car: Innova Hycross Hybrid VX (30 L OTR Delhi) or VX(O) (32L). You recover the premium by driving it for an additional 5 years over a diesel with the benefit of diesel like economy. Pretty potent too, when you step on it.

City car: Nexon EV (Entry level @ 15L) or wait for the Punch EV (Top end at 15L?).

OR

City car: Honda city hybrid (ZX top end at 23L)- The City's hybrid powertrain is better than the one in the Hyryder/Grand Vitara.

Highway car: XUV 700 AX5 (Good feature haul stopping just short of gimmicky stuff) Diesel AT- They have really moved the game along significantly. The 700 is quite different from the 500. You will be sold on it if you give it a TD. You can also look at the equivalent Scorpio.

Please note that I have included one Japanese car to balance out any potential downtime with the Indian car.

[Shreyans_Jain]

I empathise, I know what it is like to build a sweet garage and have it all ruined by the NGT. The way things stand, heavy users like me and you are essentially screwed. We need the economy of diesel, but that makes zero financial sense nowadays. You know firsthand what pennies we get for our lovingly maintained diesel cars. And you never know what further restriction comes in, in future.

My take on your options is:

Harrier: only reason to avoid is the fact that it is a diesel. And that’s a big issue. Otherwise it’s a mighty fine car. Upkeep is never going to be an issue in for a Delhi NCR based person, there are plenty of dealers and many good FNGs around.

Compass: best avoided for your kind of usage. Maintenance is eye wateringly expensive. I have a diesel manual. Regular service costs around 30k. Things like clutch set will run into a lakh rupees. Ditto for injector issues. The car demands Mercedes money for upkeep.

Grand Vitara: boring to drive, yes, but makes a lot of sense otherwise.

XUV700: another fine car, but again, diesel!! The petrol will be too expensive to run for such heavy usage.

ScorpioN: same as above.

Creta facelift: you can always TD the Seltos to get a fair idea, both cars are more or less identical to drive nowadays. But which powertrain option? Diesel is a no go, and the petrols will have heavy drinking costs.

Elevate: I’ve just sold my Gen4 City, on which the Elevate is based. I assure you, the car does not age well. These modern day Hondas are very good for daily urban commute, light usage. Your kind of driving demands better built and sturdier vehicles.

Nexon EV: it’s a very good car. I have bought it to replace the City. No reason to reject it just for the Tata brand. Pls understand that Tata is the best in the market today when it comes to EVs, sub 20L.

Atto3: if you are willing to spend so much, well, there really isn’t quite anything like it. But it will screw up your budget for the second car. If you go down this road, you will have to settle for something like Baleno or Exter as your second car. The only catch here is the resale, which is basically an unknown - The car is expensive, a slow seller, rare on roads and the manufacturer is Chinese. You very well know that when you want to sell, the market is purely sentiment driven.

My suggestion to you will be to approach this practically, and make things future proof. Look for an EV and a hybrid combination. If I were you, my combination for 45L in order of preference would be

1. Hyryder/GV hybrid + ZS EV.
ZS over Nexon solely because of the slightly bigger battery and support for 50kw DC charging, which makes long distance trips very convenient. If the EV will be city based, get the Nexon eyes closed.

2. Innova HyCross VX + Punch EV

Either way, the EV will more than make up for the fun quotient that the hybrid will be lacking.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by nutcracker

Our cumulative budget for both the cars is around 40-45 lakhs maximum.

BYD Atto 3: Loved the car. Entire family loves it. It fulfils every need. Built really well. good range. Safety features. Good audio. But....the price. 37L OTR is steep.

Your running is very high. You most definitely need an EV & either a diesel or a fuel-efficient petrol. Wouldn't recommend big petrol SUVs like the XUV700 since they are guzzlers (plus, you didn't like it either).

IMHO:

- BYD Atto 3: Since you & your family loved it, go for it. BYD is the king of EVs worldwide and they recently surpassed Tesla globally too. With a realistic range of ~400 km, you can get away with some highway road-trips too. Use it in the city for laughably low fuel costs. Use it on the highway & plan your charging carefully (road-trips possible, but with a little planning & appetite for inconveniences).

Second choice = Innova Hycross. It's simply a fantastic MPV. Quick, practical, efficient, comfortable.

Never forget the golden rule, buy the better car & keep it for longer (How a more expensive car can work out cheaper (if you hold onto it for longer)). I reckon you can easily get 15 years of service from either of the above cars.

- That leaves us with about 10-15 lakh for your other car. Either a used Sonet Diesel AT (if you get the Atto 3) or a new Sonet Diesel AT (if you get the Innova Hycross).

Summary:

- BYD Atto 3 + used Sonet Diesel AT (also be on the lookout for good examples of a Creta or Seltos Diesel AT).

OR

- Innova Hycross + new Sonet Diesel AT

[Geo_Ipe]

Originally Posted by GTO

I reckon you can easily get 15 years of service from either of the above cars.

How long can one expect the battery pack on the BYD to last? Also, what would be the cost of replacement of the same?

[Shreyans_Jain]

Originally Posted by Geo_Ipe

How long can one expect the battery pack on the BYD to last? Also, what would be the cost of replacement of the same?

This is irrelevant. Do you ask the cost of replacing a petrol for diesel engine on an ICE car?

Batteries last longer. Much longer. You don’t replace the battery pack, you replace the car when the time comes.

[SixPistons]

Primary Vehicle:
Innova HyCross Hybrid/GV Hybrid

If you drive with a heavy foot and this is your mileage, you need a hybrid like Innova Hycross. You could consider the GV Hybrid but it has much lower power but also comes in at a lower price tag, freeing up the pocket for your other vehicle. It is also bit flimsy being a Suzuki. So Innova Hycross just makes more sense if you want a stable sensible Hybrid MPV to replace the Pajero.

Secondary Vehicle:
Diesel Sonet/Brezza Hybrid(only comes with the Auto I think)/Fronx.
Diesel Sonet is a reliable fun vehicle.
Brezza Hybrid because it will have decent power and good mileage.
Fronx because it is sweet to move around in one and has decent SUV Character. I expect even the Turbo to have good real world mileage while giving you the agility of a sub-4m car.

[abaliga]

Listing a new combination worth considering

Honda City Hybrid:
- Possibly safer than the current Hyundai/Kia offerings
- Decent equipment
- Enthusiastic powertrain
- Amazing fuel efficiency
- Reliable
- Not as well built as the competition

VW Taigun/Skoda Kushaq:
- Fun motors whichever option you chose
- 5 star safety, well built
- Spacious for 4 Adults
- Practical with higher Ground Clearance
- Average interior quality

Good luck with your search!

[sgmuser]

My suggestion is to go for one good Japanese and one Korean brand. Don't go for either Indian or Chinese brands like BYD etc. There's no future for BYD in India. No one buys them. They might withdraw anytime they want. This applies to MG also. For Korean I would bet on Hyundai rather than Kia. Kia Seltos which I tried had horrible suspension which was spongy and soft. A combination of Verna DCT (or i20 N) and a Hycross Hybrid is a good where one is a economical highway cruiser and another is a great low slung/compact city drive. There is no reliable or I should say niggle free ev under 20 lakhs. The only issue is the budget. This might go beyond the 45 lakhs.

[AlphaKiloPapa]

City car - Punch EV LR, will fall under 15 Lakhs OTR.
Touring car - Innova Hycross.

[sjain2054]

Originally Posted by AlphaKiloPapa

City car - Punch EV LR, will fall under 15 Lakhs OTR.
Touring car - Innova Hycross.

After seeing the Punch EV launch prices, I came to this thread directly to make the exact recommendation as you have just made.

Originally Posted by GTO

Your running is very high. You most definitely need an EV & either a diesel or a fuel-efficient petrol.

Originally Posted by nutcracker

I'm a Diesel head from Delhi - NCR region

You might be a diesel head now. But its time to step into the future. We are in 2024!

A great hybrid (for both, city and long drives) and a beautiful EV (primarily for city) is what you need. Go with the recommendations given by GTO and Alpha. Your father and you will not regret it. I would say the top of the line Innova Hycross (33lakhs) + Punch EV LR (17 lakhs) will keep you guys happy for a long time. You might spend about 4 lakhs more than what you planned for but these cars will give you the absolute latest creature comforts which your family would make good use of in Delhi traffic/heat etc.

[anshumandun]

I was in the exact same situation last year but in Bangalore.

I first bought the Tiago EV for daily commute. This is one of the best city cars right now in the market!

Then started looking at XUV700 and Safari for road trips but eventually ended up with Meridian. I got sold on the build quality, ride quality and the overall tank life feel of the car.

[Himanshu809]

The way I see it (and many others on the forum agree). Best combination for you would be one hybrid plus one EV. It would give the best combination of highway touring and efficient city riding. The tough part about your choice is that the kind of products you want/like considering your previous choice in vehicles are no longer made in India. You can either have reliable/efficient or solid/well built/good ride. Rarely you can have all together, unless you want to pay a lot more.


My choices for EVs are -

1. EV - Tata Punch.ev/Tata Nexon.ev/ MG ZS EV

Tata has their fair share of issues but if you’re based in Delhi-NCR you’ll be able to deal with most of them as there will always be options for service venues. You can choose b/w Nexon/Punch based on your size requirement/preference and budget you want to allocate to the EV. MG ZS EV on the other hand is a proven product with good specs, size and range. This too is a matter of dollars as at the end of the day you want to buy two cars almost together and one car’s budget shouldn’t affect the other car but since money doesn’t grow on trees, you’ll have to choose wisely keeping in mind your priorities.

My choices for your highway mile muncher -

2. Toyota Innova Hycross Hybrid/Honda City eHev

I’m not recommending GV/Hyryder hybrid because of it’s weak engine which won’t be fun at all on highway touring. Both cars are safe, both cars have really efficient and reliable hybrid systems (& service networks) and both cars will be easy to drive/ride in because of plenty of room (for their respective classes).



So now you have to choose your compromise, like I always say buying a car in India these days (despite plethora of options) is about choosing what compromise you can live with.

Would you prefer to get the perfect highway cruiser i.e. Toyota Innova Hycross Hybrid [which by the way will be comfortable in the city too thanks to the hybrid fuel efficiency (not that comfortable in city size wise)]

Or would you prefer to get the best EV money can buy for your daily driver and compromise on your highway cruising comfort.

If I were in your shoes, I’d get Honda City CVT/Skoda Kushaq 1.0L & Toyota Innova Hycross Hybrid. You just can’t go wrong with both. And both perform well in highway as well as about city driving. With reasonable service costs and a reliable/dependable platform/service centres. But that would shoot your budget to 50.00


Anyway that’s my two cents, hope it helps you to make a decision. Also you missed the golden year end period for discounts. If you want good offers at least buy one car around financial year end.

[kroniq]

My ideal two cars to look at would be the Hycross and the Hyryder.

Super low on maintenance and super high on Efficiency. Although both arent fun to drive.

Ideally if it was me, i would look at preowned options, would have looked at a 2-3 year old Camry and an Octavia.