Replacement for a Vento 1.6 TDI: Which compact SUV to buy?

My main options are the Nexon, Brezza, Sonet. Also test drove the Kia Carens but found it to be underpowered.

BHPian Aj346 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Good Day All,

Would sincerely appreciate advice as per below. The confusion just gets worse each time I research more and into more options. At times I prefer the old automobile scene where there was no choice.

Been looking to buy a new car as my sedan is too low for most roads in Goa, where I have recently relocated to. My main options are the Nexon, Brezza, Sonet. Also test drove the Kia Carens but found it too underpowered, 2nd gear was not up to the task of going uphill at slow speeds, had to even down shift to 1st when going over a speed-breaker slowly. The sales person admitted to this aspect. Thus ruled out.

• The XL6 though a lot more spacious than the Brezza, was marginally underpowered for highway driving but is still in the mix but not a favourite.

• The Nexon drove the best, overtaking was good and could climb slopes satisfactorily. Only negative was the poor legroom in the back seat. Drove the XZ+ variant.

• The Brezza though not best in any segment, mileage was the best overall, roomy feeling cause of head clearance as compared to the Nexon and WR-V.

I'm stuck on the engine power/torque cause I drive a 1.6 L Vento which is superb fun to drive and hugs the road when cornering uphill at even 60/70 kmph. However, I need to move to smaller car with more ground clearance.

Kindly advice between the Nexon XZ+ and the Brezza ZXi or wait for the Hyryder lower variants. Do not wish to spend more than 13L for now as I eventually want to shift to an EV in 4/5 years.

Here's what BHPian Racer911 had to say on the matter:

If you're moving from the Vento especially the 1.6, I'd strongly advise the Tata Nexon as it has the best driving dynamics among the lot and the most mature suspension setup to go over rough roads and ditches. This is not based on reading 500 reviews online, but my personal observation when test driving cars for my sisters purchase. The Tata Nexon was the first Tata Car I ever drove and was actually quite impressed. This is the first time I found the suspension setup of a Non European car very satisfactory especially for its price segment. Its definitely better than the Hyundais and Kias, and if not better definitely at par with the current gen VW's, though the suspension setups of the 2nd and 3rd gen VW's are nothing to boast about. You'd know what I mean if you've been driving the 1.6 and ever drove the current 1.5 version.

PS: Can't say strongly but why not at least consider the Kushaq and Taigun. I haven't driven them or even seen the Taigun in the flesh but I feel they're definitely worth a look.

Please, please don't get the Brezza dude!

Here's what BHPian itsmeparvathy9 had to say on the matter:

Considering the fact that you are planning on selling your car and moving on to an EV in the next 5 years, I would like to propose the following:

1. Maruti Suzuki S-Cross

You get the Zeta manual under 12 lakhs on-road in Goa and as iterated earlier has excellent ride quality, wide dealership network, decent ground clearance and is a reliable car on the whole. Although looks are subjective, it does have a crossover stance. Moreover, it is going to be replaced by the Grand Vitara in the Suzuki lineup. However, if you don't mind these you can for it.

2. Mahindra XUV300

You have options of both petrol and diesel with the Mahindra XUV300 just like with the Tata Nexon and the Kia Sonet. Both engines are powerful and have enough torque on tap. Boot space is the major concern here at just 257 litres, but the car is spacious and has the longest wheelbase among sub 4 metre SUVs.

3. Kia Sonet

The Kia Sonet gives you many engine and gearbox options to choose from, the car although has limited rear space excels in everything else and is an all-round performer. Be it class leading boot, High Ground clearance, fit and finish of the cabin and 4 airbags as standard. The HTX 1.0 IMT, the HTX 1.5 Diesel and even the HTX 1.0 DCT can all be considered and are priced in the ballpark of around 13 lakhs.

4. Hyundai Venue

Similar to the Kia Sonet in terms of engine and gearbox combinations, if the styling appeals to you, you may consider the Venue over the Sonet.

5. Tata Nexon

The Tata Nexon is one of the favourites in the segment and has both petrol and diesel engine options. It has all necessary features, 5-star safety, enough space in the cabin, excellent Ground clearance, what more could you ask for.

If you want a bigger car for less money, the S-Cross would be my pick, if you want an automatic, the Sonet is the winner here. If you want space and comfort, 5-star safety the Nexon would be the better choice followed by the XUV300. The Hyryder/Grand Vitara's pricing is yet to be revealed. so, can't comment but considering its heavier than the Brezza with the same engine, power to weight ratio would be less.

Here's what BHPian ajayc123 had to say on the matter:

Hybrids and EVs are the future. If you are not in an emergency situation, I would say you should wait for one or two years for the Hybrid scene to open up a bit more.

Here's what BHPian Abhinav667 had to say on the matter:

I believe everyone else has mentioned a lot of great options, but since you’re looking for something fun to drive and are coming from the Vento, I feel some of the sub-4m options may not necessarily feel like an upgrade. I would suggest you should also checkout the Nissan Kicks 1.3 Turbo. You will really enjoy the engine in that car, and it also has pretty sorted driving dynamics with great ride quality. It’s obviously not a great seller and so even though it’s a much more expensive car, it should fall in your budget of 13 lakh rupees after discounts. That 1.3 turbo motor might be a solid pick to have in your final fossil fuel powered car if you enjoy driving.

Another option - since you like the Nexon and see yourself moving to an EV after 4-5 years, why not stretch your budget and just get the Nexon EV Max as a long term buy? I haven’t done the math, but it might make economic sense as you won’t have to take the depreciation hit after just 4-5 years on whatever internal combustion engined car you chose to buy now. Cars are only getting more expensive with inflation, and with the possibility of electric adoption becoming more mainstream, you might end up taking a harder depreciation hit when you sell a fossil fuel powered car 5-or-so years down the line. On the contrary, if EV battery prices continue to go down, this might not be a feasible choice. But we will have to see how EV battery prices do against overall inflation and rising car prices. Lastly, the extended range on the Max should hopefully be enough to not give you range anxiety, unless you do a lot of 400km+ road trips.

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