Buying my first used car: Confused between the XL6, WR-V & S-cross

My experience with cars is limited to driving my father's Wagon-R AMT and a few manual hatchbacks that belong to my friends.

BHPian petrolsuvhead recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hi all!

Respected members of the Team-BHP community, I am new here and new to cars in general as well. Please forgive my ignorance as I'm seeking your valuable opinion here.

After working for a little over a year, I felt that it was time to get my first car. I am looking at used (read pre-worshipped) cars and am definitely into SUVs/MPVs for the GC and aggressive looks more than anything else. My experience with cars is limited to driving my father's Wagon-R AMT and a few manual hatchbacks that belong to my friends.

My criteria are as follows:

• SUV type GC with minimal body roll, hence leaning towards MPVs/Crossovers.

• Plush suspension and comfort, esp in front row

• Peppy engine for overtakes, petrol only though.

• Effortless cruising at 100-120.

• Usage: mostly city, weekend highway tours.

• Good FE when light-pedalled.

• Good storage and boot space.

After lots of searching, I narrowed down to two options:

1. 2020 MS XL6 Smart Hybrid Alpha Petrol Manual

• 9.6L quoted price
• 29k kms done, registered in the name of the company that operates the MS TrueValue Showroom (where this car is listed).
• My father checked out the car and was really impressed.

2. 2018 Honda WR-V VX i-VTEC Petrol Manual

• 6.8L quoted price, Spinny
• 61k kms done
• Has some very minor scratches as listed by Spinny with pics

3. (BONUS) 2020 S Cross Zeta 1.5 Petrol Manual

• 8.2L quoted price, Spinny
• 24k kms done
• Has some very minor scratches as listed by Spinny with pics

My perspective:

• Mostly I will be driving solo, incl highway trips.

• I am aware that the XL 6 engine might be a bit of a let down.

• I have to stretch my budget (7L) to get the XL6 at 9.6L.

• The XL6 has captain seats in the second row, which will be way comfier for my parents. The catch, however, is that they'll rarely get to use it.

• XL6 being hybrid will give better FE.

• Honda engine seems underpowered on paper.

• The WR-V has a sunroof, which definitely adds a lot (for me) to the feel and overall experience.

• The third row on the XL6 will never see use; will remain folded down to accommodate luggage.

• Looks-wise, the XL 6 wins, even though the rear is a dead giveaway that it is no SUV.

• Looked a lot for decent Ecosports and Dusters (even Creta-Seltos twins) but it didn't work out. Hence these two.

• In so far as the S-Cross is concerned, I feel that it's only disadvantage is the rear-seat comfort compared to the XL6. Even though it'll be under-utilised, a car being a one-time purchase, I want to ensure I get the best possible.

• Will the smaller S-Cross provide so much better manoeuvreability in traffic so as to make a big difference?

• Myself being out of town for work, my father is going to get the vehicles inspected and deal with the process. So no way for me to test drive the cars personally. (I know it'll sound unbelievable to most of you to buy a car without even seeing it first-hand.)

Need expert opinions on how to go about this. Which car will be better? What is the fair price for the same? Your valuable opinions matter a lot as I'm just starting out in the universe of motoring.

Regards.

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

No point getting the XL6 as the 2nd row will be rarely used by you, and the 3rd row will never. I would go for the 2020 S-Cross Zeta 1.5 Petrol Manual as it's an almost-new car, has the lowest running, will offer the best build quality & suspension of the options listed here and I prefer Maruti's 1.5L over Honda's 1.2L. The S-Cross feels more European than Japanese in terms of build & highway manners.

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

Here's something you missed out- the S-Cross is built MUCH better than the XL6 or WR-V. It is more durable than both those other cars and having driven one myself, I was blown away by how easy to drive it is. The glass area around you is perfectly situated to provide good visibility and makes driving this car a breeze no matter what its footprint might suggest (larger than a WR-V same as XL6 whatever it is, it feels easier to drive for sure). Also has the best chassis setup for mile munching on the highway. So overall I'd recommend this out of the bunch for its tougher build, better ride and handling dynamics and easy-to-drive nature

Here's what BHPian UD17 had to say on the matter:

I would personally go with S-Cross for:

• MSIL's reliability
• S-Cross build quality and complaint suspension
• Proven engine

WRV is too boring now, Infotainment system is crap, 1.2L Engine is average on that big car.

XL6 is too old to own now. Do not provide any snob value.

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

S Cross without doubt. You mentioned XL6 has advantage of being hybrid, but 2020 S Cross also has the SHVS system.

Do not even consider the WR-V petrol. That engine is boring to say the least. Cabin design & quality is also nothing to write home about.

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

S-Cross eyes closed but do keep them peeled open when buying used

Since you're paying 8.2 lakhs for a used vehicle I would suggest to give a call to dealers in a 50-100km area to check if they have any remaining stocks and if available decide between the two.

Read BHPian comments for more insights and information.