[OpenRoads]

Without a budget in mind its becomes more chaotic. Given he is one year into the job I would ask him go with smaller budget car initially. Spending 20+ lakhs might create a dent due to bigger EMIs.

Since he enjoys manual, he should be able to extract fun component from most of the cars with a decent engine.

Ask him to start with Maruti Swift. However if that is not enough then Citroen C3 turbo or Skoda Kylaq or Fronx Turbo are good options as well.

Virtus 1.5 would be an overkill. It's a keeper car and it would be a shame if it's let go in few years. I see it as a loss.

[Utopian]

I think Kylaq Signature would also work for him. I had a similar problem with digital dials and researched heavily on variant differences for the Kylaq. Signature offers all the necessary bells and whistles. He would still need to add a better solution for music and a rear-view camera. 1.5s, IMO would be an overkill basis his requirements.

[nsd9]

Out of the given options, I would suggest below ones as a first car:
VW Skoda twins & Kylaq - 1.0 MT
Fronx turbo
VW Taigun GT 1.5

Why?

1) As someone who owned Skoda Slavia and Maruti Brezza, VAG car’s driving dynamics is far better than Maruti’s. The steering/handling is something I loved and enjoyed so much on Slavia compared to Brezza.
2) But the Maruti’s service/maintenance costs gives you the peace of mind for a beginner which is an advantage over VAG cars. The spare parts cost of Maruti is very reasonable and something to be considered as a first buyer.
3) If he feels VW 1.5 TSI is too powerful as a first car, I can remember of this quote “with great power comes great responsibility”. Young age wants so much of adrenaline rush. If he can be responsible and drive safe, 1.5 TSI is an awesome option to start with.

Other options I would think of:
Sonet/Venue 1.0 Turbo -> If he is looking for turbo engine + good features + ADAS in the segment.

[IshaanIan]

Test driving all options is ideal. The key thing to note especially as a manual gearbox enthusiast, is to try and find something with shorter gear ratios. These days most manuals are geared very tall and that saps away a lot of fun from the driving experience. Try finding something that is geared short and whatever that is, it WILL be more fun to drive. For example the previous generation 1.2 K series Swift is a super potent car with a chassis that is extremely eager to rotate however it is geared in such a way that you end up driving the car like a cab driver this made my old F10D WagonR feel so much more fun to drive to me atleast manufacturers do this to get better ARAI mileage scores. A car with taller gear ratios, even if the engine has enough poke across the rev band, will feel more laborious to drive in the long run. Engineering a manual with shorter gear ratios is a skill that few of us get to experience anymore and must be appreciated if struck upon. If such a gearbox doesn’t exist, simply go for a 1.0 tsi AT with flappy paddles because it will contain more appropriate gear ratios guaranteed to make the experience of driving more fun.

[SARP912]

I personally suggest the Citroën C3 Turbo. I have been using my car for about five months now, and it's been fantastic. Recently, they upgraded the fuel tank from 30 liters to 45 liters, which is a significant improvement—especially since I tend to get anxious on highway trips.

The C3 is small and fun to drive. I think he would enjoy it even more if he swapped the 15-inch wheels for 16-inch ones. It has a great driving position, and the overall driving experience is fantastic.

I’ve driven over 9,000 kilometers in it, and it’s been an absolute pleasure to own this one-of-a-kind vehicle. While it does need more improvements in terms of features and build quality, overall, I would definitely recommend this car.

The Kylaq is also a fantastic vehicle, but I personally love the PureTech 110 engine in the C3.

[ZDrive522]

Hey,

If your son is open to buying used cars, I'd suggest the S Cross 1.6 DDIS 320. This thing is a torque monster, superb power and dynamics. I was thrilled when I drove one and am also looking to purchase a well maintained car.

Turbo petrol cars can be bought few years later but fast diesel cars will be rare in the future and I feel this is the last chance to get hands on fast turbo diesel cars before they disappear.

[SRS]

Originally Posted by mgastor2022grey

So, what are your views? What car do you think he needs to pick? Please do provide your insights on this matter, all help is greatly appreciated.

From my expereince with VAG cars, nothing beats them in terms of sheer driving pleasure in their price bracket, be it Polo, Vento/Rapid, Virtus/Slavia, Taigun/Kushaq or the newly launched Kylaq. Considering this is his first car, a cheaper car would be preferred, and the 1.0L Kylaq MT would be perfect. However, if he wants a low-slung sportier car, the Slavia 1.5MT or the Virtus 1.5MT would be good buys too.

Do take a thorough test drive before finalising. I wish your friend all the best and hope he finds the perfect match for himself.

[mgastor2022grey]

Hey guys, thank you all for your suggestions. Some major changes have happened, here are them in a gist.

Cars dropped from consideration:
1) Skoda Kylaq: He did not like this car very much, and he felt he would be better off with a Kushaq / Slavia instead.

2) Suzuki Swift: He did not want that anemic petrol engine, so this is out of the consideration,

3) Citroen: This, as a brand itself, is not seen into, as the interior is not that good.

Cars moved to the next level:
1) VAG 1.5s / 1.0s: These are cars that he really connects with.

2) Suzuki Fronx: He loved this zippy little pocket rocket too. Even though the interior quality is below average, he is okay with that.

3) Pre-owned cars: He is open to pre-owned as well. Some good car recommendations from you guys would be really helpful. He has shortlisted a Taigun 1.5, below is the link: https://www.carwale.com/used/mumbai/...igun/8g881u8z/

[SRS]

Originally Posted by mgastor2022grey

Cars moved to the next level:
1) VAG 1.5s / 1.0s: These are cars that he really connects with.

2) Suzuki Fronx: He loved this zippy little pocket rocket too. Even though the interior quality is below average, he is okay with that.

3) Pre-owned cars: He is open to pre-owned as well. Some good car recommendations from you guys would be really helpful. He has shortlisted a Taigun 1.5, below is the link: https://www.carwale.com/used/mumbai/...igun/8g881u8z/

Considering that he really likes the VAG 1.0/1.5s, he should go for the same and the ad posted seems to be a good example of one at a good price, do check it out and if everything goes well, it seems to be a solid deal.

[IshaanIan]

Originally Posted by mgastor2022grey

Cars moved to the next level:
1) VAG 1.5s / 1.0s: These are cars that he really connects with

A used Rapid from just before it was discontinued, would be a wise choice. The platform was in use for over a decade and VAG had really perfected it to the point where there was no further room for improvement. The car has everything we demand from a car these days (apple CarPlay android auto, high ground clearance etc.) and build quality that we unfortunately no longer have access to when it comes to locally produced offerings. Also a late model Rapid would have depreciated a fair bit nearly as much as it can while still feeling fresh, which would work in your friend’s favour when fishing amongst used cars