Rs 35 lakh budget: Premium SUV to replace a Maruti Alto

The SUV should return decent fuel efficiency, as they will cover around 20,000 km per year.

BHPian DCharger recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

A close friend of mine is currently looking to upgrade from his Alto (a BIG upgrade at it, I would say). They are a Doctor-couple, both good drivers. They also own a Celerio (AMT).

Their prime requirements.

• Should be a new car, they are not open to pre-owned.
• Budget ~35 lakhs, can stretch a bit if it ticks maximum boxes.
• Should be an Automatic.
• 5-seater is more than enough, as it is mostly 3 passengers (including a 5yr old). This means backseat space is not a deal-breaker.
• They enjoy their frequent highway drives. Should be a good handler and have nice highway dynamics.
• Security is the utmost priority, 6 Airbags at least.
• Decent amount of gadgetry.
• Memory seats(Both drivers interchange frequently).
• He is 5.9" and she is 5.2", if this adds to the space/seat criteria.
• Daily drive would be around 60km in Hyderabad traffic, so a small turning radius and easy manoeuvrability will add to the experience.
• They clock more than 20k every year, so decent fuel economy would not hurt.
• Boot space is not an issue as they travel light and for 3-4day short trips. They can use half of their backseat for luggage, just in case.
• Panoramic sunroof is a MUST, from home-department.
• 4X4, if it falls within budget.
• If satisfied, they will keep the car for the next 5 years minimum.

Options considered:

• They waited for Kushaq but backed out due to quality issues.
• Taigun felt too small for them.
• They are way too many Seltos's on-road and of course that safety rating.
• Hyundai Creta ticked most of the boxes, but they wanted a premium unique ride. This still might be considered if they don't find any other better option and further upgrade in a couple of years.

Options inline:

• Their favourite amongst all is Jeep Compass Diesel, which was the reason to stretch the budget beyond 20 lakhs. They are currently checking the features and variants. I personally feel if their heart rules, this is their next ride.
• Tata Harrier Dark edition is second on the list right now.
• XUV700 might be a contender too. Test drive awaited.

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

If they can wait for a month or two Volkswagen is planning to reintroduce the 5 seat Tiguan, it will be locally assembled and will be priced lower than the current Allspace version. I don't know if they'll introduce the 4motion AWD variant for our market or not, if your friend is specific about the 4X4 feature then they should look for the Jeep Compass.

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

I think they're already on the right path and all of their prime requirements point directly towards the Jeep Compass Model S automatic.

The requirement for decent fuel economy and the preference for a compact 5-seater rules out turbo petrol like the Tiguan Allspace and the upcoming Kodiaq (worthy alternatives but above budget as well).

Compact size and easy manoeuvrability tips the scales towards the Jeep and away from bulkier alternatives like the Harrier(4wd is absent as well) and the XUV700.

Here's what BHPian karan0009 had to say on the matter:

I would add the below options to the list:

1. Citroen C5 - All-rounder car which ticks all the boxes. Superior plush ride, Airbags, Pano Sunroof, Diesel Automatic, Acceptable fuel efficiency.
2. Hyundai Tucson - Bit dated interiors, but has good safety kit, an option of automatic petrol & diesel, AWD, decent ride quality.

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

There's another dark horse - Audi Q2.

Some dealers are offering the Q2 at Rs 35-36 lakh on-road with deals on service packages too. Example.

Decent fuel efficiency, panoramic sunroof, not big on dimensions, Quattro system, fun to drive, I think it ticks most boxes for the use case except one - it is only available in petrol. Daily commute of 60 km may pinch the pocket.

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