Need suggestions for a fun to drive AT car in a 28 lakh budget

Currently, I have a 2016 Innova Crysta GX 8 seater and a 2016 Honda City VX MT. I may retain these cars / keep it within my larger family without selling them.

BHPian contentedbloke recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Dear all,

I am in the market for buying a new vehicle with an overall budget of 28 lakhs OTR. Currently, I have a 2016 Innova Crysta GX 8 seater and a 2016 Honda City VX MT. I may retain these cars / keep it within my larger family without selling them. The new vehicle may be driven by me or my wife.

Must haves:

• "Fun to drive" automatic which is very smooth and responsive to the driver.
• Comfortable seating for 5 people.
• Comfortable ingress and egress (not too low) since I am six feet tall.
• ICE with AA and AC and decent stock speakers
• Easy parking and maneuverability (Innova is difficult to drive within city, and Honda city is ok, though I am always envious of those Polos and Swifts which can be parked anywhere!).
• TPMS (though I understand that Treel and Sensairy are now good alternatives).
• Waiting time not more than 2 months.
• FE to be atleast 12 in city (both my City and Innova give me only 10-11 within the city).

The consideration set I have put together so far:

• Kushaq 1.0L and 1.5L
• Taigun 1.0L and 1.5L
• Slavia 1.0L and 1.5L
• Seltos GTX Plus DCT and AT
• Creta SX Opt Turbo and AT
• Hyundai Tucson (slightly out of my budget and also larger but great auto).
• New Honda City Hybrid (not sure if this fits the fun-to-drive criteria).

The above list covers both sedans and CSUVs - simple reason being that I am confused about what to buy after reading so many reviews and posts on Team BHP (for example, so many people voting for Slavia instead of the Kushaq).

I think the Virtus is also expected to be unveiled soon and so is the facelifted Tucson. I think the Creta and Seltos 2022 facelifted version will take another couple of months - not sure if its worth waiting for, since there will be a further waiting period.

Some critical points I wanted to ask this forum:

• Between the 1.0L and 1.5L versions of Skoda / VW, is there a difference in the gear box? Are both versions DSG and using the DQ200 gearbox?
• Is there any practical difference in the power between the 1.0L and 1.5L? For example, the Vento 1.2l TSI seemed to struggle a bit with passengers when compared to the Polo 1.2TSI.
• How good is the Creta / Seltos DCT? Is it "fun to drive"? And should I evaluate with the petrol DCT or Diesel AT?
• Tucson seems to be a great vehicle as per Team BHP review, thought little non-descript in its appearance as compared to the other CSUVs. I need to digest the larger size impact (which is against the original intent of a more compact car).

Hope you guys can give me some clarity on the way forward.

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

If you're willing to spend 28L, do have a look at the Octavia Style if you want a sedan - the more powerful 2.0TSi motor, with better interiors and build quality, etc. could be a great option and is a segment above all the other options.

In terms of SUV, you would want to look at the Tucson diesel which is a class above all the options you have listed.

However, with both these options - you have to be prepared to have dismal fuel efficiency. If fuel efficiency is crucial - your best bet is the City Hybrid or a diesel automatic Creta / Seltos / Verna but they will be a compromise on fun to drive and/or safety compared to the other options listed / in the market.

Here's what BHPian AB10 had to say on the matter:

The Taigun/Kushaq 1.0L and 1.5L have different gearboxes. The 1.0 is given a Torque converter while the 1.5 is mated to the DSG. The DSG is definitely the better choice. However, you will have to live with the fear of gearbox failure and Taigun/Kushaq are unfortunately not meant for 5 adults. 4 adults and a kid would be fine, but 5 adults would be stretching it.

Creta/Seltos DCT is a good option, however, the 1.5 DSG is definitely better combination. I cancelled my Taigun 1.5 DSG booking and booked a Creta DCT which is expected to get delivered in May end. The reason we cancelled Taigun was that VW skimped on features for the 1.5L and later deleted some more which me and my dad were not okay to live with after paying 20+ big bucks. Hence we shifted to the Creta, the next best option in our eyes.

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

Your requirements have Slavia 1.5 DSG written all over it. It will definitely be the most fun to drive car below 28 lakhs (not considering Virtus as its not yet launched). However if you are slightly flexible on your budget, should try for Octavia too. Now that will be at another level.

Here's what BHPian 84.monsoon had to say on the matter:

I would stretch and go for the Octavia. The build quality, refinement, power, looks are at a different level. The Style variant should cost around 31 lakhs in Chennai, so a bit of a stretch there from your budget, but well worth it. You get a tue blue Euro car with the same engine and gearbox as an Audi A4. Plus it is a new model and will age well, unlike the Tucson, which is at the end of its life cycle.

Here's what BHPian ashvek3141 had to say on the matter:

If you aren’t inclined on the Tucson (which is great in the iesel guise), then the Creta diesel AT should be your pick! It isn’t exactly FAST as the Turbo-DCT, but a close second I would say. Moreover, you don’t have to sweat over the Turbo+DCT woes in future. Not to forget the added advantage of FE with the diesels. Driving the Turbo DCT enthusiastically will possibly return 11-12 kmpl, whereas diesel AT will definitely return around 15-16 kmpl.

Maybe, you can check the Seltos D AT and take a call. Both are identical in terms of drivetrain. However, the Seltos is a wee bit sportier in terms of driving characteristics.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.