Civic, Altis or Innova?

ameya · 16th December 2009, 10:45

Hi Guys,

I would like to have your opinion on which of the three would suit us best. -family of four
-majority of the commute is on Mumbai's roads in stop-start conditions
-overall ride comfort is a priority over driving dynamics/ feel
-overall reliability, peace of mind and low cost of ownership rank high on our wish list
When it comes to choosing between the Altis and the Innova diesel, which do you think would offer a smoother ride & better control when going over potholes at speed (20 -30 kph).

Would it be prudent to assume that the Innova is better suited to Mumbai's roads owing to its ladder on frame chassis.

From an ownership perspective, would the Innova diesel work out more economical to run and maintain than the petrol Corolla?

To give you a flavor of our usage, we currently have a 1.3L petrol New Honda City (2004) which has done 120000 kms in a span of 5 yrs shuttling from Andheri to Nariman Point. We've had to replace the clutch due to constant de-clutching in stop-start traffic conditions.

A general question: are Automatic transmissions better (more durable) at dealing with stop start traffic conditions?

Also, we excluded the Octavia since its outdated and the Laura too expensive......The Chevrolet Cruz is also out since its American......any comments?

Your opinions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for your time.

laluks · 16th December 2009, 11:10

Civic is too expensive and lost its charm these days.
Altis looks aged, and again petrol

Innova is great VFM.

Sahil · 16th December 2009, 11:15

Get the Innova if you have a chauffeur .
Get the Altis Automatic if you are self driving. Andheri to Nariman Point everyday in traffic is lethal, gift yourself an automatic! It is a must in your driving conditions.
I have the Altis A/T and am very pleased with it, the reason I got it over the Civic is because it ranks higher in practicality- Better seating height,higher GC,features and a suppppper smooth steering

Quote:

Originally Posted by laluks

Civic is too expensive and lost its charm these days.
Altis looks aged, and again petrol

Innova is great VFM.

Altis looks more aged than the Innova? :

StarVegabond · 16th December 2009, 11:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by laluks

Civic is too expensive and lost its charm these days. Altis looks aged, and again petrol

Innova is great VFM.

+1 to this, Get an Innova Diesel - V version with twin A/Cs and keep a driver.

dhrishikesh · 16th December 2009, 11:48

If your daily running is more than 50Kms, go for Innova Diesel_ & if you are buying a car for city driving, go for Civic.

aaggoswami · 16th December 2009, 12:02

1) What is your monthly running and where, city or highway ?

2) Are you considering Automatic transmission car seriously.

Innova can handle city and highway driving with ease. The suspension is very good and I wonder how they could tune it so good. This does not mean that Civic and Altis do not have good ride quality, but Innova can handle bad roads better.

Out of all the three, I will say Innova as its very comfortable car to travel in, be it city or highway. On top of that you get a car that has less chances of scrapping on bumps and that higher mounted body helps in rains, also it gives better overall visibility.

If you are looking for diesel automatic only for city driving, then go for Verna.

If automatic is not a requirement, go for Innova.

deepanonline · 16th December 2009, 12:11

Depends on person to person..

if you like style, handling, self driving & comfort..go for civic

if you like rear seat comfort & rarely self driven.. go for Altis

if you like to always go around with 5+ members.. go for innova

Akshay1234 · 16th December 2009, 13:01

if your not driving then it has to be the innova. it will be much more comfortable than the other 2 from andheri to nariman point since it has so much more space. also in stop and go traffic you dont need to use the accelerator, just release the clutch slowly the torque does the rest.

if your driving then look no further than the altis auto.

ameya · 16th December 2009, 13:47

Hello All,

Thanks for your feedback.

I'm not a transmission expert, but the main motivator for me in considering an automatic gearbox is my assumption that automatic transmissions will inherrently handle stop-start traffic conditions better that the even the best driver who is constantly half-clutching his way forward. Is this a wrong assumption?

The main aim is to avoid replacing the cluch/ gearbox a few years down the line.

Looks like the Innova diesel is the logical choice. I hope the cabin is well insulated to avoid the 'diesel clatter' from filtering through....

Please keep your opinions coming.

csentil · 16th December 2009, 14:01

By the looks of it, you seem to prefer an AT. Fully agree, that in peak traffic driving an automatic makes much more sense. Take your foot of the brake and the car moves ahead as simple as that.

I seriously suggest you take a test drive of the Altis AT and the Civic AT.

The Civic AT is pretty expensive. 15 lakhs probably in Mumbai. Is that in your budget? I own one myself and its a very comfortable car to drive in bumper to bumper traffic.

The only sad thing about the Altis is its a 4 speed box. But considering the traffic situation it shouldn't matter. No. of gizmos are high and the seating more practical.

Yes you don't have clutch problems, but you will have brake discs wear and tear in an AT. So take your pick

If you like to be chauffeured around the Innova Diesel is a great bet. You can put King size seats at the back, a DVD system and sit back and relax till you reach your destination. But they don't have an AT.

amoghchaphalkar · 16th December 2009, 14:03

Innova - VX (with captain seats) would be my recommendation.

Offers absolute comfort. Only problem I see in your case with the Innova is the lack of AT gearbox.

pramodpk · 16th December 2009, 14:10

Usage of 1.2 Lakh KMs in 5 year (2 K Km per month) ideally requires a diesel car. Hence if you have a chauffeur, go for the innova.

Otherwise, the altis would make more sense as the Ground Clearance of the civic would be an issue.

Since your usage is predominantly is start and stop traffic, cruze does not make sense as it has turbo lag and driving it in start and stop traffice would be tough. Read the cruze review elsewhere in the forum

vivek_gaur69 · 16th December 2009, 14:14

your usage is around 2000KMS a month( 120000 in 5 years) , a diesel innova will be a good option
or an automatic Altis also will be a good option

jkdas · 16th December 2009, 14:17

Among these three, the Altis if its a petrol and for comfort.

If you want the Innova, wait!

Coz one with more powerful and BS-IV might be launched by early next year.

ravibhat · 16th December 2009, 15:26

My suggestion choose between Innova and Altis AT. For city driving you can manage with Innova too which has similar dimensions and better view than Altis. If you need AT then Altis is your best choice.

If you can wait for 3 months there are chances of better powered with BS-4 Innova. Also I suspect they might launch Innova Diesel AT soon.

Ravi.

16th December 2009, 10:45	#1
ameya BHPian Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Mumbai Posts: 69 Thanked: 4 Times	Civic, Altis or Innova? Hi Guys, I would like to have your opinion on which of the three would suit us best. -family of four -majority of the commute is on Mumbai's roads in stop-start conditions -overall ride comfort is a priority over driving dynamics/ feel -overall reliability, peace of mind and low cost of ownership rank high on our wish list When it comes to choosing between the Altis and the Innova diesel, which do you think would offer a smoother ride & better control when going over potholes at speed (20 -30 kph). Would it be prudent to assume that the Innova is better suited to Mumbai's roads owing to its ladder on frame chassis. From an ownership perspective, would the Innova diesel work out more economical to run and maintain than the petrol Corolla? To give you a flavor of our usage, we currently have a 1.3L petrol New Honda City (2004) which has done 120000 kms in a span of 5 yrs shuttling from Andheri to Nariman Point. We've had to replace the clutch due to constant de-clutching in stop-start traffic conditions. A general question: are Automatic transmissions better (more durable) at dealing with stop start traffic conditions? Also, we excluded the Octavia since its outdated and the Laura too expensive......The Chevrolet Cruz is also out since its American......any comments? Your opinions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for your time.
	() Thanks

16th December 2009, 11:10	#2
laluks Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 6,552 Thanked: 16,404 Times	Civic is too expensive and lost its charm these days. Altis looks aged, and again petrol Innova is great VFM.
	() Thanks

16th December 2009, 11:48	#5
dhrishikesh BHPian Join Date: May 2009 Location: Mumbai / Pune B Posts: 806 Thanked: 214 Times	If your daily running is more than 50Kms, go for Innova Diesel_ & if you are buying a car for city driving, go for Civic.
	() Thanks

16th December 2009, 12:02	#6
aaggoswami Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2007 Location: Vadodara Posts: 4,982 Thanked: 2,931 Times	1) What is your monthly running and where, city or highway ? 2) Are you considering Automatic transmission car seriously. Innova can handle city and highway driving with ease. The suspension is very good and I wonder how they could tune it so good. This does not mean that Civic and Altis do not have good ride quality, but Innova can handle bad roads better. Out of all the three, I will say Innova as its very comfortable car to travel in, be it city or highway. On top of that you get a car that has less chances of scrapping on bumps and that higher mounted body helps in rains, also it gives better overall visibility. If you are looking for diesel automatic only for city driving, then go for Verna. If automatic is not a requirement, go for Innova.
	() Thanks

16th December 2009, 12:11	#7
deepanonline BHPian Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: chennai Posts: 154 Thanked: 9 Times	Depends on person to person.. if you like style, handling, self driving & comfort..go for civic if you like rear seat comfort & rarely self driven.. go for Altis if you like to always go around with 5+ members.. go for innova
	() Thanks

16th December 2009, 13:01	#8
Akshay1234 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Mumbai Posts: 10,265 Thanked: 12,317 Times	if your not driving then it has to be the innova. it will be much more comfortable than the other 2 from andheri to nariman point since it has so much more space. also in stop and go traffic you dont need to use the accelerator, just release the clutch slowly the torque does the rest. if your driving then look no further than the altis auto.
	() Thanks

16th December 2009, 13:47	#9
ameya BHPian Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Mumbai Posts: 69 Thanked: 4 Times	Hello All, Thanks for your feedback. I'm not a transmission expert, but the main motivator for me in considering an automatic gearbox is my assumption that automatic transmissions will inherrently handle stop-start traffic conditions better that the even the best driver who is constantly half-clutching his way forward. Is this a wrong assumption? The main aim is to avoid replacing the cluch/ gearbox a few years down the line. Looks like the Innova diesel is the logical choice. I hope the cabin is well insulated to avoid the 'diesel clatter' from filtering through.... Please keep your opinions coming.
	() Thanks

16th December 2009, 14:01	#10
csentil Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,349 Thanked: 38 Times View My Garage	By the looks of it, you seem to prefer an AT. Fully agree, that in peak traffic driving an automatic makes much more sense. Take your foot of the brake and the car moves ahead as simple as that. I seriously suggest you take a test drive of the Altis AT and the Civic AT. The Civic AT is pretty expensive. 15 lakhs probably in Mumbai. Is that in your budget? I own one myself and its a very comfortable car to drive in bumper to bumper traffic. The only sad thing about the Altis is its a 4 speed box. But considering the traffic situation it shouldn't matter. No. of gizmos are high and the seating more practical. Yes you don't have clutch problems, but you will have brake discs wear and tear in an AT. So take your pick If you like to be chauffeured around the Innova Diesel is a great bet. You can put King size seats at the back, a DVD system and sit back and relax till you reach your destination. But they don't have an AT.
	() Thanks

16th December 2009, 14:03	#11
amoghchaphalkar BHPian Join Date: May 2009 Location: Pune Posts: 636 Thanked: 703 Times	Innova - VX (with captain seats) would be my recommendation. Offers absolute comfort. Only problem I see in your case with the Innova is the lack of AT gearbox.
	() Thanks

16th December 2009, 14:10	#12
pramodpk Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,089 Thanked: 580 Times View My Garage	Usage of 1.2 Lakh KMs in 5 year (2 K Km per month) ideally requires a diesel car. Hence if you have a chauffeur, go for the innova. Otherwise, the altis would make more sense as the Ground Clearance of the civic would be an issue. Since your usage is predominantly is start and stop traffic, cruze does not make sense as it has turbo lag and driving it in start and stop traffice would be tough. Read the cruze review elsewhere in the forum
	() Thanks

16th December 2009, 14:14	#13
vivek_gaur69 BHPian Join Date: May 2009 Location: chandigarh Posts: 44 Thanked: 14 Times	your usage is around 2000KMS a month( 120000 in 5 years) , a diesel innova will be a good option or an automatic Altis also will be a good option
	() Thanks

16th December 2009, 14:17	#14
jkdas Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Thiruvananthapu Posts: 9,687 Thanked: 1,492 Times View My Garage	Among these three, the Altis if its a petrol and for comfort. If you want the Innova, wait! Coz one with more powerful and BS-IV might be launched by early next year. Last edited by jkdas : 16th December 2009 at 14:19.
	() Thanks

16th December 2009, 15:26	#15
ravibhat Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 2,256 Thanked: 37 Times View My Garage	My suggestion choose between Innova and Altis AT. For city driving you can manage with Innova too which has similar dimensions and better view than Altis. If you need AT then Altis is your best choice. If you can wait for 3 months there are chances of better powered with BS-4 Innova. Also I suspect they might launch Innova Diesel AT soon. Ravi.
	() Thanks