Rs 50 lakh budget for 2 cars: Need a 4x4 tourer & a plush city commuter

I want to upgrade my current vehicles (Duster & Thar CRDe) in the next 6 months to 2 years. So I can do well with waiting times.

BHPian ralto recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Objective

Looking to revamp my 2-car garage with a strong requirement of 4x4s.

Current cars

• 2015 Duster: Diesel Manual, will be retained in the family
• 2012 Thar CRDE: (Bought used), already on its way out due to low usage

Target preferences

• One 4x4 tourer
• Plush city commuter

Budget

Around 50 lakhs. Little flexible as won't be buying both cars together.

Purchase timeline

Between the next 6 months and can go up to 2 years. Some nice cars have a waiting period attached, plus I don’t have an urgent need so I can do well with waiting times.

Disclaimer

The requirements are very similar to this thread on TBHP, however, the devil is in the details.

The details

Car 1: A 4x4 Tourer

This car needs to be a proper 4x4. Will be used for travel to remote places frequently and oftentimes for excursions and off-road remote trips. I don’t do hardcore off-roading or weekend off-road trails etc, which would be more suited to something like current-gen Thar. Plus I need to seat more people.

Cars considered

• Scorpio N
• Thar-5 door if launches soon enough, although would want to avoid the first batch
• Used Fortuner 4x4 AT

Car 2: A city commuter

This car needs to be on the little nicer side of things compared to butch/brute Car no.1. One of the cars will also be regularly driven by the wife, so probably this will be that. She does drive Thar CRDE but doesn’t enjoy it and is very comfortable with Duster. I am still inclined towards getting an AT only.

Cars considered

• Kia Sonet: I find this costly considering it is a size smaller than Duster yet AT (not DCT) will cost around 15 lakhs, but keeping price aside, it is quite a nice car in terms of interiors when compared to the Duster and size is quite compact.
• Used BMW X1: Just the perfect size and has a badge.
• Used Merc GLA: New gen (4matic maybe?). Same as above. Quite like the current gen's looks but could be a costly affair compared to X1.
• Used Discovery Sport (what’s better than 1 4x4? 2 4x4s). Have always loved this car and the budget-wise can be adjusted, assuming a cost of around 35-40 lakhs.
• XUV700: Like the car, wifey loves it. Has an AWD option too. Having this, ScorpioN would make two cars quite similar to each other but swap ScorpioN with a Thar-5 door, it could evenly balance the equation.

Cars ruled out

• Upcoming Jimmy: Quite small by the looks of it whereas I will need a full-sized tourer.
• Grant Vitara: Love the fact it has an AWD option, but since this is manual so doesn't make the cut.
• VAG siblings: Some nice cars like Tiguan, and Kodiaq (love this) but I am looking for relatively fuss-free ownership and don't like spending time in garages unless it is truly a car that I enjoy, for example, Thar CRDE from my current garage. And based on the reviews and horror stories on the forum I wouldn't go for them, even though wifey has a soft spot for the Kushaq.

Some other points

• Inclined to wait for the Thar-5 door as I plan to keep the tourer long term and Thar will have will be more mod-friendly. On the contrary, opposites options are also quite good as ScorpioN will be plusher and more comfortable for passengers. The only drawback is that it may not be mod-friendly at the same levels as Thar.
• In the current scenario Sonet+ScorpioN can be almost immediately bought plus budget-wise would be quite good on the pocket.
• We do not have a beater car or a 2-wheeler for errands, as usually don't find a need for a standalone beater car, and current duties are carried out by the primary car i.e. Duster.
• My daily commute is about 20km as my office is close to my home, but soon that will change to about 50km.
• Also seeking suggestions on which car to buy first considering waiting periods and launch dates.

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

Car 1, either the butch & macho Scorpio-N 4x4 or the more luxurious XUV700 AWD are best for you. XUV700 will be more comfortable and since you don't intend to do hardcore offroading, the AWD will suit your touring needs in remote areas.

Drive both. Go with your heart. Both appeal to the head.

I expect the Thar 5-door to come next year, as spy pics of testing are already on the forum. No need to avoid the initial batch there as the mechanicals & electronics are the same as existing Mahindra UVs.

For Car 2 = Sonet is awesome if you want something compact and within your budget. If open to sedans, consider the Slavia / Virtus 1.5L turbo-petrols for a permanent smile on your face, or the City 1.5L CVT. Since you can stretch the budget a bit, how about a Scorpio-N / XUV700, along with an Octavia? Octavia Style variant is 32-lakhs OTR before discounts. Two cars - each costing approximately 30 lakhs - will stretch your initial budget a bit, but you will have a fantastic garage. If you want to stay within 50 lakhs, then pick the Sonet or Slavia to accompany the Scorpio-N / XUV700.

Here's what BHPian shankar.balan had to say about the matter:

• Yours is a very clear and well-considered requirement from the looks of it.
• Definitely the Scorpio N 4WD and XUV700 AWD should be there in your consideration set. Personally, I would gravitate more towards the Scorpio because it is just tougher and therefore more suited to your remote area touring needs. The XUV with its heavy reliance on Electronics won't be nearly as tough as the Scorpio will.
• Most certainly it is worth waiting and seeing the Thar 5 door. From all accounts, it uses the same rear suspension (Watts link plus Frequency Dependent Dampers) as the Scorpio N does and this will make it much more comfortable than the 3-door. Plus the 5 door, let's face it, is way more practical. You will not need to wait for any niggles to be ironed out because essentially the 5-door Thar is the same as the 3-door Thar in terms of most of its electronics and mechanicals and the people who were the early adopters of the 3-door Thar, have helped M&M in identifying and killing off most of those niggles. The Thar will be a little more off-road and bad-road-oriented than the Scorpio N. (I use my 3-door Thar Petrol Automatic as my Grand Tourer.)

Ref your need for a city-oriented daily driver vehicle which brings a little luxury and prestige with it. You seem to be in Chandigarh. There are some superb deals to be had there in terms of the Luxury car segment.

(The Chandigarh Golf Club car park actually looks like a multi-brand luxury car dealer’s yard - maybe if one lands up there in an old Gypsy for example, probably no caddy will even come close!)

I am very much with you in your consideration of a used BMW X1. It looks good. Has decent clearance. Excellent handling and a very car-like feel.

I also like your thought on the used Merc GLA for the same reasons as above. However, in this case, I’d stay with the less expensive 2WD version. Yes, I also like the new one’s looks more than the old one. No harm in checking, I'm sure there will be some well-heeled bloke wanting to switch, so you might very well find one in the new shape.

I wouldn't buy a Scorpio N and an XUV700. Why would I want both my cars to be from the same maker?

I would also consider (if vast acres of space and size and bulk per se aren’t big priorities), a nice little used Mini Cooper S. Chandigarh has roads where such a car can be enjoyed. And incidentally, the newer F56 Twin Scroll Turbo Mini Cooper S is a longer and wider car than the older R56. It can actually fit two golf bags laterally in the back with the seats folded down and two golf trolleys as well. So basically, it is a wonderful little car for a single person or for a couple. Can be used happily in the city and is a safe and planted option even for quick highway trips. (I use my ten-year-old Mini in much this way. It's a great car to loaf about in. And the engine sound and exhaust growl are addictive.)

Personally, I don't like the Kia and Hyundai offerings like Creta and Seltos and Sonet and Venue and all because they have made compromises on the cars they sell here in the Indian market.

I would consider either the Toyota Hyryder Urban Cruiser AT or the Maruti Grand Vitara Intelligent Hybrid AT in preference to the Korean offerings in the same segment. This is because hybrid technology is more exciting.

So that's my 7 bits towards helping you make up your mind!

All the best!

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

I find the Scorpio N 4x4 to be a fairly overpriced vehicle that comes with a lot of compromises in terms of practicality and utility.

If I were you, I’d go big on the primary car - the 4x4 SUV, and go for a relatively basic yet accomplished automatic for local use.

Car 1: Nothing like the Skoda Kodiaq. Get the base Sportline trim, it has everything you can possibly need and is a far more premium, refined and simply more accomplished vehicle than the Mahindra duo. In fact, it is not even a comparison.

Car2: My pick for you will be the upcoming Citroen C3 automatic. The manual C3 turbo has received excellent reviews for its mechanicals - powertrain, chassis, ride and handling etc. The basics are very much in place. The addition of a 6-speed torque converter and all the missing equipment will make it the most complete and no-compromise car in the 10L ex-showroom price range. It will be an ideal urban commuter.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.