Considering a Jeep Compass, VW T-Roc or a Hyundai Tucson

I started the hunt for an SUV as an upgrade from my 6-year old Jazz Diesel and all-new City.

BHPian sabkaraja recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I started the hunt for an SUV as an upgrade from my 6-year old Jazz Diesel and all-new City.

I had these criteria:

• Budget 25-28L
• Longterm reliability & durability
• Petrol priority over diesel
• Fit & Finish. Style. Brand value
• Comfortable seating for 5
• AWD or 4WD (good to have)

After a lot of considerations, I shortlisted:

• Compass AT - 4x4 Limited Diesel or 4x2 AT Petrol. The TD was good. Apart from budget, petrol doesn't have a 4x4 in AT. Single-digit mileage is also a concern. Somewhere it's going to be choosing one over the other.
• T-Roc - It was punchy and fun. 3rd person sitting on the second row is an issue. Also about parts and repair availability being a CBU.
• Tucson - Looks like a good package. haven't done TD yet.
• Used X1 (5-year old from dealer) - Being old & TCO on the back of my mind.

There are some others which crossed my mind:

• Seltos (Reliability)
• XUV (Considered after reading the 4x4 forum. Have ridden earlier models. Fit & finish concern)
• Kushaq (Space and Skoda reliability after going through threads)
• Taigun - Yet to be seen

I went through most of the threads but I am split between the options. Any feedback from long term owners are appreciated.

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

Petrol and FE won't go together in the era of turbo petrols. The Petrol Compass is sluggish and the diesel although powerful, is let down by a bad AT. Having said that, despite the sharp increase in price with the facelift, it is now feature-laden and still packs in a good package.

The T-Roc, space-wise, feels like a segment lower and is best fit for 2 people at the back.

That leaves you with sparsely used X1/Tiguan (you should be able to get 2-3 year old low-run models easily for your budget; these things depreciate heavily) or a brand new Tuscon. TD a Tuscon, and you will come back impressed. It has the best space on offer, decent engine options and kit. Should you choose a preowned German, you should be prepared for the higher maintenance cost and make sure to get the extended warranty.

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

I recommend Tucson among these options. T-Roc is a small car and does not feel value for money. I don't see value in going for a manual car anymore. So not considering the manual diesel Compass. That leaves you with only Tucson and Compass petrol ATs. I trust Hyundai more than Jeep in case of the ownership experience.

Wild card entry: Top-end petrol automatic Innova, the 2.7 ZX AT. Costs about 29L on road. It has got better ground clearance and is a better UV than all the front-wheel-drive options mentioned above. The fuel efficiency of an Innova will not be all that different from Compass and Tucson petrol. I am sure the ownership experience will also be better than the cars in your consideration set. You should check out this review.

Here's what BHPian Axe77 had to say on the matter:

If you can wait a little, please do consider waiting for the next-gen all new Tucson expected early next year. I suspect that would be the best bet from your list.

Alternately, I think a used Tiguan (less than 2 years maybe) should also be on your list. It’s a lovely car and will feel much more comparable to the Tucson / Compass than the T Roc.

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

I feel you should wait for the upcoming VW Tiguan 2.0 TSI. The classy, understated yet sporty styling makes the Tiguan quite a looker. Add to that it is quite well proportioned with classy interiors too. The overall quality levels are also pretty good.

The 2.0 TSI motor mated with the DQ381 transmission is already being offered on some flagship Skoda and VW cars. The Tiguan will also have an AWD tech and should be able to seat 5 adults in comfort. I think this ticks most of your boxes.

The only two grey areas are -

1. Pricing - might be priced at a tempting under 30 L ex-showroom

2. Availability - the launch was supposed to happen in June 2021, however, it was pushed due to the covid situation in India

You may watch this space for more details - VW India.

CHeck out BHPian comments for more insights and information.