Automatic cars under 13L with spacious cabin for overweight passengers

The base versions of the XUV700 and Innova Hycross could be good upgrades over the current BR-V.

BHPian Proud BRV Owner recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hello all,

This would be my first post on this forum, so let me grab this opportunity to thank the moderators and the community for accepting my joining request!

As the name suggests, I am the proud owner of a Honda BR-V 1.5L iDTEC S MT since 2017, which I have driven for more than 1.2 lac km over a span of 6 years and 3 months. I love the car and take care of it regularly. It has served me and my family with love and diligence without giving me any trouble (on the contrary, I did put her in trouble in the past, but that story is for another post.)

It is my daily driver. I own no other vehicle - neither a second car nor a two-wheeler! So, even if it's a short commute to the paan shop, I take the car. And yet, it is returning a handsome fuel economy of 20+ km/l.

Many might find such a long description of ownership needless, but I took this liberty only because I know that this community would appreciate my emotional connection with my car - while I am on the verge of parting with it!

The reason for this is that I am now getting over to the higher side of the 40s and increasingly getting lazy with my leg screaming, "I am tired of clutching". So, I am going for an automatic.

Here are the criteria to consider:

• Budget - strict sealing of Rs. 13 lacs + exchange value of BR-V (5/6 lacs???)
• Transmission - Automatic, no more manual shifting.
• Wide comfortable seats - all of us in the family including myself are FAT. Way too obese than even normal obese (hence the love and respect for BR-V)
• Easy ingress - apart from being obese, my father has arthritis and even after knee replacement, has a lot of trouble in movement.
• 90% of the time, the car would be driven without any passengers. It will be used for daily commutes. But I like to travel with family in the car at least 3 - 4 times a year. So rear seat comfort and legroom and width are also equally important - again
• keeping in mind obesity. I am also ok with a 5 seater - but a "proper" 5 seater - means that the rear floor hump can not be very prominent.
• Monthly drive - would be less than 1,200 km.
• Reliable daily horse. I cannot afford to keep the car at service stations for more than a day.
• Good boot space - to accommodate travel luggage.

I am deliberately refraining from putting up my shortlist. I want your honest opinions.

Here's what GTO had to say on the matter:

The XL6. Also, consider the Kia Carens & MG Hector. They are both comfort-oriented and very spacious.

As an aside, I am a Gujju too and my native place is very close to where you are. We sure live to eat. But you should lose weight before there are more serious long-term consequences. The Team-BHP threads on weight loss & intermittent fasting helped me lose 22 kilos. Please do invest the time in reading them, the advice there could change your life.

Happy shopping!

Here's what BHPian shankar.balan had to say on the matter:

I’ll give you a short and sweet answer.

Maruti XL 6 Top Spec.

No need to look any further.

Here's what BHPian Bibendum90949 had to say on the matter:

If extra space than normal is a very big requirement, I guess XL 6 won't fit the bill too. You'll have to check that out at a showroom and do a test drive too with your family members seated at the back.

If you're open to the pre-owned route, then an AT Innova can be an option worthy of a look. You may have to up your budget too as Toyotas are very pricey, old and new. It ticks most of the boxes you've listed except that it may be initially cumbersome for you as a daily driver. Even then, it's a matter of getting used to the car. With AT and a tall seating position, I personally have not found it difficult to drive them in traffic, even at peak hours.

Here's what BHPian Shreyans_Jain had to say on the matter:

Cars like Carens and XL6 are just not wide enough to accommodate 3 large adults comfortably at the back. They are not any more spacious than your BRV. You need cars like Hector, XUV700 and Innova HyCross to meet your space requirements. That, along with the necessary automatic transmission means you will have to increase your budget a bit.

My pick for you will be the XUV700 AX3 model, which costs around 21 lakhs. WIDE rear bench, lots of space, easy ingress and egress and a sorted suspension. It will be a proper upgrade over the BRV. You can also get the base Hycross G for this price, but it is positively naked in comparison, even with your existing Honda. If you are willing to forego the automatic transmission part, pick the XUV700 base MX trim with your eyes closed, which is well within your budget.

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