Punch AMT or Amaze CVT to replace our ageing pre-owned Swift

My first love is the Nexon but I'm concerned about the after-sales service of Tata Motors.

BHPian hanzt recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Yes, I know, I know, it's an apples-oranges comparison, one is a micro-SUV, the other a compact sedan, but allow me to explain how I ended up here.

Context

I have a 16yr old 2nd hand Swift ZXI that I bought 7 yrs ago to learn driving & it has been our first car in the family. The car is still running fine (goes 100+km/hr at <3000 RPM, no issues), but there is something or the other part that keeps breaking down & I can't get myself to drive a manual through the city (Mumbai) traffic any more.

What I am looking for

• An automatic transmission car
• Low maintenance, hassle-free car, as my running is going to be very low (10K km in 7 years of owning the Swift)
• Good fuel efficiency
• Prefer a C-SUV, but I am open to others
• Definitely NOT a hatchback anymore

Options considered

Nexon XMA

• This one was love at first sight.
• However, the issues - it's an AMT, very low FE, concerns of Tata service, maintenance of the turbo-engine (given that my running is very low), the small rear-seat mirrors could cause motion-sickness to my wife & daughter who suffer from it, the XMA variant has limited features but still has an on-road price of 10.85Lac.

Brezza VXI AT

• Love the look and feel of the car.
• However, they have priced it ridiculously. The new Brezzza VXI AT is coming 13+Lac on-road. I would have bought it in a heartbeat if it was ~11Lac on-road.

Mangite CVT

• Looks very similar to the Swift to me, like a Swift with a big grill. Plus the fate of Nissan & the feedback on its service, it is ruled out.

Kiger CVT

• Not interested in AMT option as I would rather prefer Nexon for AMT. The CVT is going ~11.5Lac, so too expensive, and has fewer safety features than Nexon.

Sonet / Venue

• Smaller space than Nexon, a lot more expensive and questionable safety ratings.
• The iMT tech is untested for reliability and DCT variants are too expensive & have reliability issues in Indian weather.

Punch Adventure + Rhythm Pack

• Looks very similar to Nexon/Harrier, has handsome sturdy looks.
• The adventure + Rhythm pack has most of the features I would care about.
• Price on road is 9Lac, which seems like a very good value for money.
• However the issues - it's an AMT, concerns of Tata service, does not have safety features - HH, TC, ESP, BA that Nexon has! (wonder why they compromised on it, and yet it is 5-star rated), narrow rear seat for 5 adults to sit comfortably.

Amaze CVT Petrol S or VX Variants

• Although it's a sedan, it still has a muscular look to it (I dare say like a Ford Mustang GT).
• Very refined CVT engine. VX variant comes with paddle-shifters, good FE numbers.
• Price on road is 9.8Lac for S variant and ~11lac for the VX variant which has all the features.
• Larger boot space & Honda's longer warranties.

Now one might say that if sedans are an option, then why not other sedans - Dzire (Swift with a boot, so no), Aura/Aspire (didn't like the looks + AMT), City (beyond budget).

New Honda Compact SUV

• Honda is coming up with a new compact SUV (news article here) but I am not sure if I should even wait for it.
• I am guessing it will be priced like the new Brezza - > 11Lac, making it too pricey for my low usage

Thus after going through 100+ threads/posts on Team-BHP and other online reviews/videos, I have ended up with a two-way fight between Amaze & Punch, with Nexon still being the first love.

So far, I have scheduled a test drive for the Amaze and waiting on the Tata dealer to call me back for a test drive of the Punch/Nexon.

Any thoughts or suggestions from fellow BHPians on the above, and how I should go about this further given my low usage?

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

While the CVT is one of the smoothest AT gearboxes on sale, the AMT is the jerkiest. Having driven both, I can tell you to go for the Amaze CVT. The Punch AMT was painful to drive in traffic, like going to the dentist.

Here's what BHPian SoumenD had to say about the matter:

For such low running (1200-1300kms a year), do you really need a new car? Even if you do I would still suggest looking for a used car rather than plonking 10 big ones for any new car.

But still, if you are adamant about new, Amaze would be my pick among the two. CVT over AMT any day.

Here's what BHPian Eddy had to say about the matter:

Jeez, I wish the questions in my exams were this easy!

Between the two, go for the Amaze with eyes closed. My BIL bought one "recently" (it has done 7k kms in 3 years) and he couldn't be happier. Unless you want to wait, cross all twenty fingers and hope against hope that the mild hybrid of Grand Vitara is priced well, it is a no-brainer.

Here's what BHPian Dieseltuned had to say about the matter:

Amaze any day. Proven engine + decent rear bench + boot space for that occasional family trips. Fits perfectly.

Here's what BHPian condor had to say about the matter:

I don't see much to pick from your assessment there. End of the day, peace of mind is important. I will happily go in for a Tata if I like a model. But when you have that doubt at the back of your mind, I wouldn't suggest it to you.

Hence, looking at the points above, I would say get a used Jazz CVT. The model is what you liked, and a used one will be in line for the quantity of usage. Even if you use it regularly, I still don't see a running more than 600 km a month in the city. Once you get more comfortable and your running increases, you can go for a new one. By then we should see more cars that are proper automatics and not just AMT.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.