The number of petrol compact SUVs which have 4WD is abysmal and their lack of space is stifling. The bigger vehicles also seem to shy away from it (Scorpio N, XUV700 available only in diesel).

BHPian bik1906 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Ok, so this is the background. I've been perfectly peaceful with my 2018 Brezza diesel as most of my drives were on my own or max with a friend to indulge my passion for fishing. Suddenly the wife and kids decided they wanted to get in on the long drive bandwagon (much to my surprise!) and this has recently completely exposed the chinks in the Brezza and therefore led me to look out for a new car.

An SUV it needs to be because even the daily commutes for a family of 4 are now becoming a chore in terms of space (school bags, tuition bags, laptop bags, gym bags). The addition of a 4WD would make sense as I go fishing on stretches where frequently there are no roads and I have on occasion found myself sliding towards an alarmed farmer and his bullock cart in the mud after sudden rains.

Now I am pretty clear that after Delhi the whole diesel ban issue will come to the forefront in the next couple of years across the rest of the country. What I can't understand is why the market is not swapping to Petrol in terms of 4WD SUVs. The number of petrol Compact SUVs which have 4WD is abysmal and their lack of space is stifling (Gypsy, Vitara and its Toyota offspring) and the bigger vehicles also seem to shy away from it (Scorpio N only in Diesel, XUV also only in Diesel). The only petrol version seems to be the Tiguan which is any way out of my budget as it is above 35L on road.

Does anyone have any update on whether the Duster will be out in 4WD? Since it's been clear that the new Duster will not have a diesel version. Albeit it's a year away from launch. Also, any other suggestions which can fit into my specs?

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

Wait for the 4-door Thar. You might get just what you are looking for. I have a strong feeling Mahindra will offer the 4x4 with the Petrol Thar (unlike the Scorpio-N).

Why the lack of options? Simple = extremely low demand for AWD / 4x4. Manufacturers are in the business of giving customers what they want and AWD / 4x4 variants have minuscule orders.

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

Because features like soft touch interiors, panoramic roofs and 36 color ambient lighting are far more important than a stupid AWD system that can get you farther on a slippery road or save your life sometimes under wet conditions or cornering on hilly roads.

Customers will open up their wallets if they can see/touch/feel the features. Meanwhile, the AWD system is an "invisible" feature whose utility cannot be easily explained without going into boring physics behind car traction.

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

AWD, or any kind of four-wheel drive has been a taboo in general. Choice of fuel is inconsequential. Only a select minuscule few choose this option when an option is there. Right from OG Safari and Scorpio to the current Hyryder/Grand Vitara to the Fortuner and Gloster. The 4x4 market is very niche, it sells only when it is standard equipment like in Kodiaq or high-end cars. Casual buyers are not willing to pay extra for a non-visible feature that they will rarely use. Sales of the Thar RWD are testimony to this.

That being said, petrol 4x4 will see rising demand, as diesel goes out of favour. It is a miss on Mahindra’s part to not offer petrol AWD/4x4 on the XUV700 and Scorpio N. Would have garnered more demand from the crucial Delhi NCR market.

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

Unfortunately in India, we can't have space, a proper 4x4, petrol and reasonable price and serviceability all at once. If you compromise a bit on space, then Jimny or the petrol Thar are the candidates for you.

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

One reason could be mileage. 4WD tranny increases transmission losses. Petrol mileage drastically decreases as vehicle weight increases and a 4WD would make it unviable. That is the reason you will never see a petrol HCV even in countries where petrol is actually cheaper than diesel.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

Now, I did not consider Chevrolet, Mazda and Acura because Chevy is too expensive, Mazda and Acura were not worth the money.

BHPian LegalEagle recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

As the saying goes, all good things must come to an end one day. Unfortunately, for me, my association with my RedNBlack Truck was too short for my taste and feel.

As you are aware, I had to shift to the US suddenly, due to increased and frequent travel requirement(s) - quarterly basis - and also increased work pressure. The choice has not been easy, and because of the nature of the move, I am in the process of moving my family over, and winding up everything back home.

This meant that I had to sell my Truck to another person who I hope and pray takes care of it the same way I did. It was a good deal, and was handled by my wife, as I was already traveling to the US.

One of the things which my trips to the US have taught me is that you need a car - come what may - the minute you land here - unless of course you are in a city like New York, Washington, Chicago or a similar one. I have moved to Orlando, the Retiree's paradise in the US, and a very relaxed and laid back city as is. Fun Fact - There are a total of 11 theme parks in Orlando - 4 from Disney, 4 from Universal, and 3 from Epcot, in addition to 2 or 3 more being built.

Now, it is assumed that for a city of this size and with so many theme parks present, there would be good local transport. The answer to that is a big NO. There is only the SunRail - train - which is very limited and not popular. The buses are infrequent, and there is no Metro or equivalent present at all. This can be attributed to the fact that everyone who comes to Orlando, by default, comes with a car - own or rental.

Due to these factors, one of the first things, which we had decided as a family, was that when I move to Orlando, I will (a) move alone first and setup a place to stay, and (b) take a car on rent right at the airport. This was to ensure that I do not end up spending a fortune on Lyft(s) and Uber(s), while moving around.

The first step to this was applying for an IDP. Here comes the twist in the tale/tail - my current license in India is based out of Delhi. So I can't just walk up to the RTO and apply for an IDP in Hyderabad. I had to get the license shifted to Hyderabad.

Let us put it this way - due to the paucity of time, and the number of items which needed to be addressed before I move to the US, I decided to take the help of an agent to do everything. That helped because I was able to get my new license from Telangana in under 36 hours from the time I started the process, which normally would have taken me 10-15 days. I had to provide a copy of my VAHAAN report on the license and a local address proof - which was my Aadhaar. Once that was done, the next step was to apply for the IDP, which I again went through the same agent. It was in my hand(s) within an hour. Fun Fact - Telangana issues QR based Card printed IDP's which is the same as your India license. For normal people, it is the same as your India license.

Now, a question would have arisen in the minds of all - why go for an IDP when you can use your India license to drive in US. The simple reason being - it reduces the hassle of keeping your passport with you at all times. It also acts as a proof of ID if needed - which can be backed up with your passport if needed.

Also, let me clarify that only holding the IDP is not sufficient. The IDP - card type or otherwise - is linked to your valid India license. Therefore, at all time(s) carry your India license and IDP if you are using your IDP outside. The rental companies, and the police ask for both, and not presenting the India license is treated as driving without a valid license. For those thinking how do I know that - almost learnt of this the hard way.

With the IDP in hand, the next question which vehicle to rent till I buy a car? A number of people suggested, just walk over to the Rental Desk and take it on rent there. Not sure of the availability, I had a colleague, who was traveling to MCO incidentally to check the prices for a rental for 28 days or so. Surprise 1 - rentals at MCO are not possible for long periods. They will give it to you for a couple of weeks, but then you may have to return it and take a different vehicle due to availability. So this was out of the question.

Another suggestion given was to have someone in the US book it for you. It is assumed that it would be cheaper. Surprise 2 - Insurance is not offered by default if you book from within the US. This would mean that you have take insurance as an add on - which makes it very expensive.

Now, while I was mentally prepared for a high cost, I just decided, to hell with it, let us try to book from India itself. I did the search and was able to see the prices and all. Surprise 3 (Combo offer) - I could pay in INR, and the insurance was by default, covered and offered as is in the same price. PARTY TIME.

Now, for those interested in numbers, if I had booked from the US, it would have cost me $1900 or so - exchange equivalent - INR 1.5 lakhs. The price I paid was INR 91,000 only. A sweet saving of around INR 70,000. How did this happen - by default, Avis - the one I selected - bundled insurance with the rental car the minute I showed my location as India.

The vehicle I selected was a Hyundai Elantra or equivalent - unlimited miles usage, requirement to return with a full tank of gas, and payment of any penalties and tolls incurred with surcharge.

Now, I had a small doubt in my mind - will Avis honor this deal or not? It was actually better, the Avis Rental Desk at MCO were themselves surprised at the price, and mentioned that this is one of the best deals they have ever seen in their lives. They did take a $250 hold on my credit card, which will be removed after 3 weeks or so of return.

So here I am, in the US, with two suitcases and one carry on bag - in the parking lot of the MCO airport, searching for my rental car. Surprise 4 - it is Red - Nostalgia kicking in - and the Tag has the first 3 letters of my initials - Moist eyes time. Load the luggage, and as always - walk to the driver's side like India. Walk over to the "actual" drivers side, make the mandatory adjustment(s) to the seat and start the car. Surprise 5 - the car has only 800 miles on it. I was like - nice - Time to run in the car.

Pull out of the parking lot, tensed and worried - trying to understand the road symbols, while setting up GPS on my phone - trying to avoid tolls. Did I struggle, for the first 15 minutes Yes!. Started saying this to myself - you are driving on the wrong side, and continue doing so. Free rights everywhere, and STOP at the Stop line.

Make it to my hotel and relax. Freshen up and get a hang of the car. Feedback on the US Spec Elantra - It is a good and comfortable vehicle, but the engine for sure is designed for efficiency, and not for speed. The strain on the engine was visible when I was driving on the freeway(s) and it was clear that I cannot keep up with the other vehicles, and had to be content with driving the speed limit, and not above it, like others.

Continue reading on BHPian LegalEagle's Chrysler Pacifica for BHPian comments, insights and more information.

Overall, Blue is giving us trouble here and there, but we haven’t been left stranded on the road and it still drives fabulous.

BHPian Sangwan recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Updates:

My phone's storage was full, so I don’t have all the pics anymore. Let’s look at each Santa Fe.

Blue:

Blue has been a headache overall but like I said earlier, its cleaner inside out and there is no creaking sound when it drives. In the last post, I mentioned about the horns and the headlights issue.

Horn:

There are two horns on each side, they are located at a very weird position, below the headlights and either you must move the headlights from their place or remove the front bumper. I removed the bumper to check them out, overall, an easy process but what I found out was the bumper holding brackets on right side are broken. So, there was this ugly gap when I fixed it back.

As you already know, I want to fix cars myself but sometimes I don’t have the confidence when it comes to wiring and electricals. I checked the wiring; it seemed fine and then decided to just check prices/shapes of horn available for Santa Fe. I found out that Canadian Tire (it’s a retail store chain) has a different set, so the whole setup would need to change, and the OEM horn would be coming from US, and I would be paying for shipping too. In order to avoid all this, I went to a shop, but this time went to a different one, on recommendation of a colleague of mine and turns out it wasn’t the best decision. I was on the phone attending a call and when I came back, instead of a simple plug and plaything, this shop’s worker had chopped off the wiring and is making his own connection. I wasn’t happy but the damage was done and at least the horn was working. Damage to pocket $100.

Also, gave a temporary fix to bumper, by applying this plastic paste on the inside. It holds it well.

Lights:

While the horn was worked on, I asked them to have a look at the light issue too. The high beam headlight on left side was not working, they looked but said more diagnosis was needed and I was running short of time. So, paid the bill and went out my way. Not coming back here.

I went to my original mechanic on a weekend and showed him the issue, after trying few things, he said the projector lamp bulb holder (don’t know if it’s the right word or not) needs to be changed as he and I didn’t believe it was a wiring issue, as there were no cuts or any other issue. But the problem was they didn’t have it with them, and I need to buy it from Hyundai. I wasn’t sure about the overall assessment and decided if I am going to Hyundai, might as well get it fixed from them.

I fixed an appointment, and the dealership was charging me $160/180 (not exactly sure which one was it) as “diagnosis” fee and I will be charged later for the actual issue. Turns out, it was the wiring which was short circuiting and blowing up fuses. Damage to pocket was $570. Ouch!

Battery:

This was unexpected. My wife goes to office at 7 in the morning and I start at 1 PM, so one car is always free if incase the other has an issue. Blue would not start, and my wife just called me. It was a cold December morning and I asked her to take the Black Santa Fe and I will deal with this one. I called my friend, he and I took the battery out and got it tested, as that probably was the reason according to me. Turns out, I was right. The battery was done, and a new battery was needed. I found out that my car was having wrong size battery in it, so I got the correct one this time. Also, while getting the battery out, the positive terminal holding bracket got damaged, it was already rusted and when I was getting out, it developed a crack.

I fixed the new battery in place, but this bracket was not holding the position, it became loose and as a result car would not start. Somehow, wife and I managed for the rest of the week and on weekend I got it fixed. Total Damage to pocket was $217+20.

The broken terminal (Sorry for the filthy engine bay):

You might think we’re done for now, but unfortunately, we are not, there is more.

Brakes:

So, when I bought Blue, I got the rotor and brake pads replaced. Note that it has been 30,000 Kms and besides few incidents I or my wife were not hard on brakes, and I casually asked the guy who was changing the oil as it was due, and he said that the rear ones are okay, but the front ones need replacement. He said that if I don’t do it now then it might affect the rotors and so I said yes because it costed me $800 when I had to change all 4 rotors and brake pads. I will attach pic for you guys, please let me know if it was really done or I was taken for a ride. I did check the new pads, they surely looked far-far better than the ones I had on my car now. Damage to pocket: $160.

Overall, Blue is giving us trouble here and there, but we haven’t been left stranded on the road and it still drives fabulous. There is a minor leakage somewhere, its not draining out the oil or anything but it has to fixed too, but the mechanic said that I can carry on using the car, and don’t really need to worry. I am keeping a close eye on the level of oil every now and then and will get it fixed somewhere in the future.

The old brake pads:

The current reading is 198,XXX KMs. We are getting close to 200K milestone.

Black:

There is really no real update besides the unfortunate incident which happened on last Saturday. The current odometer reading is 213,XXX KMs. I got the oil changed at 210K and during this whole time from the last to current oil change, there were no issues.

Wipers:

The wipers were not changed since I bought this car from the previous owner, and it has been more than a year now. They were making this awful noise and I understood that it was time. I replaced all three of them, front and back. When I was replacing the wiper blade on right side of the car, my son was helping me (he is just 4 years old) and so I was not being conscious and didn’t take the wiper all the way to the lock position, it was somewhere in the middle, and it went down on windshield. I checked right away, and everything felt fine but in the next 2 hours, I had this awful crack in the windshield, and it has stopped finally but it’s there and somewhere in the future I will either get it fixed or it will make me loose some more bucks when its time to sell.

New Ride?

In the last post I mentioned that I might start writing an ownership review of a new ride, but I didn’t go for it. In the last post you can see I spend so much on Black, so I was not happy and thought well we already have one car for my wife, so maybe I should buy something else, and get myself a Manual car. I really want a manual car, I hate automatics! No matter how convenient they are, they are boring and once I get the housing situation sorted, I will go after a manual for sure.

Well, this was the update till now. I really don’t hope to update this thread with more expenses but with only good things to say. Sometimes, I have this strong feeling to go for a nice car but then when these two Santa Fes run without an issue, then they make me so happy as I am not paying EMIs which would also affect our borrowing capacity when we go for a housing loan. Some pics for you guys:

On a snowy evening:

At Tsawwassen mills (its a mall) parking lot:

Snow pics:

Blue at a bank's parking lot:

Blue getting the oil change and brake pads fixed:

This is how the windshield is for my wife on most of the winter mornings:

Come to the daark side:

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

Once on the sand, i presume I need to activate AWD lock.

BHPian abhi182 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Probably a very basic question but I need to take my old XUV500 on the beach tomorrow on the Konkan coast.

Now I understand the basics of driving on sand and have done it many times earlier with old school 4wd vehicles. However with the newer electronics, i had a basic question regarding this vehicle.

Once on the sand, i presume I need to activate AWD lock. Once this is done, does the ESP automatically get disabled?

If not, I presume I need to switch it off by pressing and holding the ESP button next to the AWD lock.

Are these assumptions correct or do i need to factor in something else as well?

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

To be precise:

Yes, lock it yourself (press that tiny button!). The AWD manual locking when you know that you need it, is a appropriate choice to save valuable 1-2 seconds before your wheels start digging in sand!

ESP will not switch off automatically - you need to manually switch them off. (Another tiny button to press!)

Yes, when you are in trickier situations, ESP cutting off will ensure that individual wheels are not braked basis what computer thinks is right - thereby letting you decide whatever you want to do! ESP has it’s own brain also coupled with various other situations not just suited for AWD but for general roll-over mitigations etc, when you are on slow crawl mode on sand, just switch it off.

Also note that, there is a threshold above which you are not going to be able to switch off ESP and cannot switch on AWD. ESP above 80 kmph is by default ON (Read user manual - this may be 60kmph). AWD will turn off automatically beyond 60 or 80 kmph something - read user manual if there is a definite number there.

For your use case of sand driving, ESP OFF, AWD ON, sticking to speeds of 20kmph or lower is good idea. And I am sure you will be careful about looking at the sand if it’s too soft where the behemoth 2 ton vehicle regardless of these aids may get stuck anyway.

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

Yes, its a good idea to lock the AWD before entering the sandy patch. Activating the AWD lock will not turn off the ESP/Engine traction control, to turn of these you will have to press the ESP button once. There is no brake traction control in this car.

Do remember the Borg Warner AWD will self disengage beyond 40kph. Avoid doing stressful stuff like Donuts in Sand, its an dry clutch pack based system that doesn't last very long and its not serviceable.

PS: I have owned XUV500 AWD for few years and have done a lot of offroad driving.

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

Yes, locking the rear prop saves you a second or two.Not sure if the ESP gets disabled automatically.

Switch of the ESP manually. This will allow for more capability in sand, without Engine Torque Control of ESP.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

Although the thought was tempting, I was quite skeptical about getting a Mitsubishi, that too Outlander, for it being sold in small numbers.

BHPian martiannomad recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

6 years back, I found myself getting introduced to the first car in my family that my sister bought in my absence, without much discussion with me, because I was doing all nighters studying and partying at B-School. This was a pre-owned 2009 Honda Jazz MT 1.2 P iVtec 2009 model.

I learnt to drive automatic cars when I was working abroad. So Jazz was the car that helped me get comfortable with stick drive and Indian road conditions. Although I had a plethora of motorcycle riding and touring experience, driving a car, that too with your parents in the back seat, was a series of new experiences.

Jazz did what it could do the best: revv to the glory! I did numerous Navi Mumbai - Pune drives, and a few runs to Goa, Dapoli and they were fun - the most memorable being a visit to Matheran, due to its steep inclines with loose gravel underneath - quite a challenge for a new driver. But all along, despite all the goodness of Jazz, it was not my pick, but my sister’s. So, I was itching to get a car with more power + comfort + features + looks i.e. more SWAG. I was not keen on diesel cars because (a) my driving was restricted to occasional highway drives, hence low, and (b) ~30% price premium on diesel cars over petrol.

A visit to a pre-owned auto dealer in Pune in 2018 for checking out a VW Vento AT, got me intrigued about a 2010 Outlander P AT AWD 2.4 MiVec - a shining dark grey, silently waiting in the stable for its next jockey.

Although the thought was tempting, I was quite skeptical about getting a Mitsubishi, that too Outlander, for it being sold in small numbers, and ASS almost non-existent! Also Outlander being a 2.4 NA P engine + CVT, it was definitely not going to be frugal with respect to fuel bills. I was also not a fan of the look of the side profile of this car.

But, I told myself, hey, double the engine cc, half the mileage - fair deal! Also the auto dealer was quite passionate and knowledgeable about Outlanders and Cedias. He had a couple of more Outlanders on sale in his showroom. His daily driver was also an Outlander. So extensive conversation with him and my friend supplied me with sufficient confidence to take the plunge. I exchanged my Jazz and paid more in cash. My dear friend lent me some on the spot, as I didn't want to get a loan or wait for my next salary to complete the purchase - I guess he too was excited about the Outlander. And there I was: suddenly an owner of this white elephant - or not so white? I was about to find out!

Moving from Jazz to Outlander was a big step up in every aspect. For a 2010 car, the feature list was impressive. What significantly stood out were:

• Suburb comfort with Keyless entry, suspensions, AT, cabin quality and NVH
• Driving pleasure with more horses (~170) ), paddle shifters and hydraulic steering
• Superb xenon headlights making night drives safe and comfortable
• Supremely specious overall with gigantic boot space with split tailgate
• Rockford Fosgate music system with subwoofer
• Peace of AWD having my back in conditions get tough

In 2024, many of these are given for a 12+ lakh car. But in 2018, it was still a lucrative deal, considering the price it went for.

Fast forward to 2024:

I’ve driven it for good ~32K and made memories for life. It never disappointed me with no breakdowns whatsoever. Some of the road trips did with Outlander:

• 800 KM trip to Hampi from Hyderabad with my wife and bicycle in Dec’23 (Yes, it comfortably fits a full size bicycle )
• 3000 KM Rajasthan trip with wife and parents in Dec’22: Navi Mumbai > Udaipur > Jodhpur > Jaisalmer > Mount Abu > Navi Mumbai
• Multiple trips to Goa, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Mahabaleshwar, Pondicherry and more

Hopefully I’ll write about these trips someday soon.

Living with a(n) Outlander:

• Highly reliable and comfortable tourer with a full load of 5 folks and their (unrestricted) luggage.
• Per MID, it drinks fuel in the city at 5-6 kmpl. Highway mileage is not too bad at ~8-10 kmpl. One can extract up to 12 kmpl too.
• With rear seats folded down, it’s an Anaconda that swallows everything thrown at it. I could even fit a 55” TV during covid when I had no other choice
• No niggles - mostly needs just annual service at FNG.
• Parts are expensive and take a few days to get them - so need to plan repairs. I have a friend with contacts to help here. Thai alternatives are more cost effective as compared to the Japanese OG parts.
• One major expense was when I got suspension parts, engine mounts and brake discs replaced.
• Wish it had rear AC vents.
• I’m not an experienced offroader, so take it or leave it. IMO, CVT fails AWD as it cannot provide low end grunt when stuck deep in sand/mud. I experienced this when I tried a bit of dune bashing at Jaisalmer. I had to stop before getting started. AWD is definitely helpful as a safety net when on inclines and gravels/ slippery surfaces, but it’s not going to satiate off-roading fantasies.
• Wish it had a low case! I drove a 2016 Outlander with low case in Australia - and it felt so much more capable off roader than my Outlander.
• I don’t feel confident to take it to highly remote parts like Ladakh or Sikkim, as it will not be serviceable there, if things go wrong.

Turns out, definitely not a white elephant, but a reliable workhorse! It continues to serve my purpose well and makes me continuously contemplate my next road trip. I hope to add many more tons!

Attempt to find a mean and rugged look.

Munching miles. Facade filled with insect debris.

Got it wrapped (only speed lines) at 3M Kharadi Pune.

Sunrise somewhere in Jaisalmer.

Fits a full size bicycle.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

I also own an Innova Crysta, and due to the absence of ADAS on it, I find myself feeling that a significant feature is lacking.

BHPian vijayper recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I booked my vehicle (Variant - AX7 L AWD ) on the inaugural day of its release and received it 11 months later in September 2022. It has been 15 months since, with 23,000 km on the odometer. To be specific with ADAS, it has proven very valuable in various situations in my experience.

Especially the Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) part of XUV 700's ADAS, which has undoubtedly been a lifesaver. During my recent experience on the Chennai, Oragadam - Vandalur road just the day before yesterday, I was driving at 90 km/h on what appeared to be a four-lane road, following an Altroz moving about the same speed with a considerable distance between us. Suddenly, the Altroz in front came to a complete stop to avoid a large pothole. My car, approximately 150 meters behind, promptly detected the Altroz's sudden stop and signaled with AEB beeps, accompanied by vibrating brakes, urging me to take action.

The response was swift, and even before I could react, the system had already alerted me with such a long margin of distance. I was able to steer left, decelerate, and continue without incident. While it's true that one might argue that without ADAS, the situation could have been managed too, but ADAS provided me with the confidence that it functions effectively and alerts me promptly.

To be honest, I don't frequently use the Lane Keeping Assist (LKA) because its sharp adjustments come into play only after allowing the vehicle to approach the lane marking edge and I am not sure why it was designed that way. I usually keep it disabled. However, during highway cruising, the Smart Pilot Assist proves beneficial too, smoothly handling slight turns and allowing me to relax. This feature is especially helpful when I want to snack or have a drink of water while driving.

I also own an Innova Crysta, and due to the absence of ADAS on it, I find myself feeling that a significant feature is lacking when compared to the XUV700, especially during highway trips these days. Once you become accustomed to these advanced features, it becomes challenging to do without them. But, I also agree, that these electronic systems, while offering numerous benefits, can sometimes inject a sense of concern always with us about potential malfunctions. I am also sure ADAS will become a standard feature in the next 5 years or so.

Ultimately, I believe that this vehicle's ADAS not only enhances the driving experience but also encourages responsible driving behavior. The AEB feature serves as a reminder to maintain a safe distance from vehicles while overtaking. It is surely good and necessary to have.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

I'll miss the macho looks of my Endeavour, but the Tucson doesn't look too bad.

BHPian debuda recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I found it quite difficult to select a worthy successor to my Endeavour without breaking the bank. I saw dozens of YouTube videos, read many Team-BHP reviews and test drove several cars such as Jeep Meridian, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Land Rover Discovery, Volvo XC60, Audi Q5 and Hyundai Tucson. After a lot of mental (and emotional) flip flops I finally zeroed in on the Tucson 2.0 diesel AT 4x4 Signature primarily because no other similar car (even cars in a higher segment) gave me a bouquet of features and ticked most of my check boxes at a really attractive price of slightly over ₹4 million on-road. Hyundai’s wide service network was another important factor because I keep driving to all corners of India including some very remote places.

One thing is for sure - Tucson will NOT give me the exact driving feel I get in a heavy, tall and butch ladder-frame SUV like Endeavour. Only the Grand Cherokee came close to it but it's ₹85 lakhs, somewhat underpowered and spares and service costs are high. I don't like Fortuner's ride quality and it offers minimal modern features (I love latest tech like ADAS, 360° camera, ventilated seats, large digital displays, sunroof, built-in navigation, connected technology, etc.) though in terms of reliability and maintenance costs Toyotas are great. Cars like Volvo XC90, Mercedes GLE / GLS, Audi Q7, etc, would certainly delight me but shelling out ₹1.2 crore or more is somewhat daunting. Added issues with these super premium cars are high maintenance costs and very rapid and steep depreciation.

Coming back to the Tucson, I found in it a driving pleasure of a different kind - very peppy, a lighter feel, greater maneuverability, good ride & handling and the assurance of better road-holding in difficult terrain through always-on AWD. I'm sure it will grow on me with time. Hyundai does not have high badge value and I know I won't have much bragging rights after my Endeavour ownership! But the bottom line for me is my personal driving pleasure and delight with features, regardless of what others say. I very well know that Tucson may not even give me good resale value as it has not really caught on in India. But I went ahead and booked the topmost variant of Tucson AWD anyway. Let me share some of the features of this 4th generation Tucson:

• Super silent and refined 2.0 litre diesel engine producing more power and torque than my Endeavour 2.2 AT - 184 BHP and 416 Nm to be precise! Being about 600 kg lighter than my Endeavour, its power-to-weight ratio is way higher. Mated with a great 8-speed automatic transmission it will put a smile on my face every time I step on the gas.
• Always-on intelligent AWD with Hyundai’s proven HTRAC system should get me past all obstacles and terrains I normally encounter during my frequent expeditions to the mountains and remote areas. I never did hard core off-roading and I'm not about to start such activities at age 72.
• Large 235/60 R18 tyres and decent ground clearance should provide the ability to glide over bad roads and craters.
• I'll miss the macho looks of my Endeavour, but the Tucson doesn't look too bad. I liked its front grille, LED DRLs, fancy rear lights, sexy diamond cut alloys and angular body contours. White is my favourite car colour.
• Interiors are very premium and modern looking. 2nd row has huge leg space. Boot space is very good.
• Hyundai is offering 3 yrs warranty + 2 more yrs extended warranty at a nominal cost. They are also throwing in 3 yrs free service!
• Some features I liked : 4 drive modes (normal, sport, eco, smart), 3 AWD modes (mud, sand, snow), electronic stability control, traction control, hill start assist, downhill brake control, both front seat-belt pretensioners, 6 airbags including side and curtain, both front seats power adjustable (with memory) with ventilation & heating, fully digital 10.25" instrument and information cluster in front of the driver which can be customised in multiple ways, another 10.25" HD digital touchscreen (for built-in navigation, Apple CarPlay and various controls), Bose audio system, Hyundai Bluelink connected car technology (one can get info on various car parameters and driving data on smartphone, the car can even be started / locked / unlocked / ventilated remotely with smartphone), over the air updates, different user profiles, panoramic sunroof, autonomous level 2 ADAS with every conceivable feature (such as adaptive cruise control, hands-free lane following, automatic braking to avoid collisions, etc.), 360° camera, blind-spot monitoring, front & rear parking sensors, TPMS which shows all 4 tyre pressures, wireless phone charger, auto dimming IRVM, electric parking brake, auto hold, hands free tailgate, voice commands, etc, etc, etc - the list is endless!

To summarize, I am sacrificing some attributes of a heavy ladder-frame SUV but gaining one hell of a lot more in terms of features and driving pleasure. I never employ a driver and my cars are always self-driven, so the cockpit is the most important place for me. Life is all about change and adjustments and one need not get fixated on any one thing. I like to change my cars every 5 years and obviously look for something better when I buy a new car. I think the overall delight factor of my new Tucson AWD would be more than the Endeavour.

My Tucson is already in transit and should reach the dealership in Kolkata soon. I am eagerly waiting to lay my hands on it.

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The Auto emergency brake system has been the most useful of the lot, albeit it does tend to get intruding at times.

BHPian actuallyankur recently shared this with other enthusiasts

Whoooosssshhh!

Where to start!

So, we had a pretty eventful year with the XUV700, saw lots of happy moments, lots fights, lots of highs and lows. The car has become such an integral part of our lives, that more than the pros & cons, repairs and reliability, we think of the moments, but I know you are more interested in the former. So here we go:

First, lets address the elephant in room: infotainment system and the niggles.

Yes, there still are niggles in the infotainment system, albeit much less frequent, and much less impactful, after 2 or 3 software updates at the service station. We have learnt to live with them, rather, learnt to ignore them, i.e., till the time it is not affecting the drivetrain and handling, which rarely has ever happened, maybe once or twice when it kept showing traction loss symbol and it felt like engine power was cut off, that too went away after like 30 seconds.

Between wireless Android auto and Apple car play, the former has been more consistent and lag free. By now even Apple car play works very consistently and there are very rare occasions when it does get hung, although by now we have gotten so used to Android Auto as our primary connection, that we use Apple car play like once or twice in a month, so can't comment much about that. Android Auto works perfectly fine, with maybe a lag or screen freeze like twice in a month, which i think is a pretty common thing for both wireless Android Auto and Apple car play in most other cars also (even luxury segments cars included). I think the major huss that has been made about XUV was due to the fact that for most of us it was the first (and in some cases the only) car where we used Android Auto or Apple car play wirelessly.

The most hyped feature ADAS: useful or useless? A hero, a villian or just a character in the background?

So, it has been an year using the ADAS on XUV 700, and I must say this is something that grows on you, and you tend to miss it when you drive another car without ADAS. The Auto emergency brake system has been the most useful of the lot, albeit it does tend to get intruding at times when you are overtaking on undivided roads, with oncoming traffic. A couple of times, it got very risky too, trying to over take, and suddenly ADAS braking kicks in cutting power, now you can't overtake, and there was just enough margin to get back in my lane. So all in all you have to plan your overtakes with the Auto emergency braking in mind. There is an option to choose between braking response time from three given levels: early, normal and late. We have let it be on late, and by now I am used to the timing and distance where AEB will kick-in, so it's more about learning to adapt to it. I do make sure to turn off AEB if someone who isn't used to the system is driving.

AEB has proven to be a hundred times more useful than the rare occasions when it gets annoying, that I never considered switching it off. I mean I live in Uttar Pradesh and travel to all kind of roads from expressways to 15 feet wide village roads without a single streetlight for kilometers at a stretch. Despite the vastly improved conditions of roads in Uttar Pradesh, some poorly identifiable perils remain- cows/buffaloes, motorcycles & e-rickshaws without headlights and tail-lights, trucks & tractors parked on the road without any illumination strips, and the list is endless. There have been hundreds of occasions where AEB has kicked in, helping us avoid a last minute panic breaking situation.

Now, features like Adaptive cruise control (ACC) coupled with lane-keep assist (LKA) and lane departure warning, is very useful on expressways, specially for moments when you would like to take a quick bite, or have a sip of water, even though you might have one had on the steering wheel, there is some reduction in focus on the road, ever so slight that may be. This has never failed us, except for this one horrendous occasion when I engaged Adaptive cruise control to adjust the seatbelt, which had got twisted. I unplugged the seatbelt and BAMM! ACC and LKA got disengaged, without any warning, instantly, on an expressway!

I was doing 100 kmph, and nearly missed colliding into the right side barrier on the expressway. Imagine the frustration and horror of people driving behind me to see a car doing 100, going straight, suddenly diving right for no apparent reason. I somehow managed to control the car, without any fatalities or damages. I was so shocked and frustrated at myself for even thinking of relying on the ADAS at that times, but then it was my stupidity to disengage the seatbelt, even if for a second. I cannot understand why would Mahindra do this? I feel, there should at least be a warning sign and a countdown of say 4-5 seconds, before the system disengages, if it so does. Or at least the sales rep should explain this to the customers very clearly that the system would disengage if you unfasten the seatbelt. At least it could pop up on the MID at the time of engaging ACC & LKA that it will disengage if you unfasten the seatbelt. How else would an unsuspecting customer know about this?

What's done is done! Lesson learnt!

Apart from the above, we have had zero complaints. Lane-keep assist works wonderfully even at 100-120 on curving roads on the expressways, never tried them over 120kmph. It hardens the steering if you try to change lanes without giving a lane change indicator, with the indicator it functions normally. So not much to complain, and can only wonder what would a future with much more and much capable vehicles with ADAS be like.

So this was about the infotainment and ADAS! Interiors, exteriors, service & maintenance, and other generals to follow up in the next post!

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All the locals rushed to see what had happened and they tried pushing the car immediately.

BHPian aadi.xiii recently shard this with other enthusiasts.

Hello members!

Just wanted to share an old incident involving the giant in our garage, the Fortuner. So ours in a Gen-3 pre-facelift model equipped with a manual transmission and 4x4 in black (which happens to be a pretty rare combination) and while going to Pune from Aurangabad, I managed to put the rear left side wheel in a marshy ditch (if that makes sense). Usually, I'm a good driver, but this resulted while reversing on the side of a busy highway (not on the tarmac) wherein the ditch appeared like a normal patch of dust - the top layer had been covered in dust hiding the marshy ditch. What happened next was that the rear wheel got submerged and to describe the actual experience of what I felt in that moment, it was like this moment, I'm looking at the tarmac, and a second later, I'm able to see the sky directly above my bonnet.

All the locals rushed to see what had happened and they tried pushing the car immediately. Mind you, I was also dealing with a traumatised family simultaneously and that’s when I asked everyone to get out of the car, gave myself a moment to analyse the situation and then engaged 4X4. The car tried its best but couldn’t come out. The next thing I did was engage the low ratio after which, the car came out instantly - as smooth as butter.

Now, I’m no professional off-road enthusiast, but the knowledge of the capabilities of my car saved me. I bet, if our car was a 4X2 variant , another vehicle to pull it out would’ve been our only option. Also, in my opinion, or at least these are my preferences, I prefer keeping the 4WD engaged if my car is packed or if I'm driving around hills, especially during monsoon. This one particular feature inspires a lot of confidence. In my opinion, if you’re either way spending so much money to buy this car, might as well go for the 4WD variant. It doesn’t make sense until it does!

Thank you.

I’m uploading a picture of the wheel for your reference. It gives you an idea how deep the ditch actually was.

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

It may be a bit of a stretch to call my 2018 Thar a Suv. But I lie a lot, generally, so at least nobody is surprised when I exaggerate. And, you see the reason they call me "DirtyDan". Just 2km north of my house the front range soars to the heavens. I "bad road" all over the place up there. So, of course, I negotiate the mud, swollen streams, snow, washouts and slides on a regular basis.

The purchase of a 4X4 has wildly altered my life. I used to be a nerdy computer systems programmer. Women looked at me and threw up on my shoes. Paraplegics pushed me out of line at airport counters. Waiters ignored me at restaurants.

I bought a Thar. Now I regularly get asked out by Deepika and Priyanka. Modi and Biden ring me up for advice. The Dalai Lama drops in for my view of the meaning of life. Women swoon at my approach.

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

I have a 2014 Safari Storme 4*4 and while I have engaged the 4L and 4H at times to drive in slush / hilly terrain the 2 times that the 4L option really helped me come out of an unplanned situation was on a beach both the times. I guess the 1st time was at Kashid beach and the 2nd time was at Varsoli beach in Alibaug. Both the times I went a bit too ahead for comfort and got stuck in the sand and both the times the 4L and a bit of going reverse helped come out of the situations.

Infact the last couple of times I went to Varsoli beach at least 1 non 4WD / AWD car would get stuck in the sand. I have seen an Innova, an EECO and can't remember which sedan getting stuck there and ultimately brute manpower (lifting the vehicle up from the sand) helped them come out of the situation. At the same time an Maruti 800 of the locals was happily doing circles at the same place.

Here's what BHPian Somil07 had to say on the matter:

I have a Renault Duster AWD and 2-3 times it has happened that I've comfortably got out of situations without any hiccups where usual FWD cars either struggled or got stuck completely. Gives a lot of confidence when I suddenly encounter a swampy patch on a beaten road during monsoon.

Off-topic but I strongly believe that our market doesn't reward AWD cars enough which is unfortunate. Not just off-road, even the on-road behavior is very well balanced in an AWD car during spirited driving, there's almost no torque steer that usually happens in FWD cars.

This sweet combination of torquey diesel and AWD is the sole reason why I'm not changing my car despite yearning for an automatic for last 3 years.

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

Back in India, I think it was the summer of 2019 and one of my college friend was getting married. It was me on the wheels and another friend sitting with me in our 2015 Thar. We were in some village in Pilani, Rajasthan and had to go to another small village for the wedding. There were no roads and suddenly Thar was stuck. It was at that time for the first time I engaged the 4WD, I shifted to Low and it effortlessly moved out from the sand. I don’t have any pic unfortunately.

Here in Canada, last year in Dec 2022, it snowed a lot during the Christmas holidays, and we had to go buy groceries, here my Santa Fe has AWD and so I turned off the TC, locked the diffs to start moving and it was a smooth sailing after that.

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At present, the odometer stands at 205,xxx kms and seems like I will make it to next oil change without any more expense.

BHPian Sangwan recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Life has been busy with settling in a new country, and that is why I have not updated the thread regularly. This post will not have many pictures (I might add some at the end, depending on when I post this update). Since my last update, things have been on the expensive side. Let us have a look at each Santa Fe:

Black:

It finally crossed the 2,00,000 Kms mark, although I have not been part of it since the start, but it felt good to be part of something, which would turn to be an expensive milestone. So, crossing 200K was great but then I had a puncture and that led my attention to the front tires, I noticed that they were wearing out from the inner side and one of the tires developed a bump on the side wall, these were old tires, so I got them replaced with Goodyear All weather tires, these costed me $1330. Right after getting the tires fixed and the alignment done ($100 extra), I noticed that the steering wheel makes this weird small movement in right direction and comes back to its original position, this happened randomly and was a little bit frightening when I am doing close to a 100 on a highway. So, I went to the tire shop to let them have a look and then they did their thorough long drive and informed me that I am facing “torque steer” and needs to replace the mounts on my car and the control arms too, I did not believe them a bit and went for a second opinion, so this shop said the whole steering rack needs to be replaced and the control arms too, so at least the control arm is definitely an issue.

There are two great guys in my office, they are older than me and are very much into DIY when it comes to cars, so I told them my ordeal and how every shop seems to be trying to rip off the customer, then they suggested me a garage and I went there, they checked the car thoroughly and pointed out the following needs to change:

CV Axle on the right, I had already gotten the left changed few months ago.

Link rods at the rear.

Control arm on the right, but it is recommended to get both changed at the same time.

Alignment needs to be done again.

And the oil pan seal needs to be replaced as it was leaking.

Overall, it was going to be almost $1000 job, so I went to Rock Auto, it is this great auto part website, the layout is simple and the cost of parts is way cheaper than the prices in Canada, I saved almost $250 on the parts when I got everything from here and then went to my mechanic and got those things fixed including.

At present, the odometer stands at 205,xxx Kms and seems like I will make it to next oil change without any more expense.

Blue:

Blue is racking up miles (odo at 193,xxx Kms) quickly as it is used on the weekends too when we travel just for leisure, it's time for an oil change was also approaching. Also, it was more than 20,000 Kms and I thought I should get the tires rotated and alignment done too. Another issue was that on slow bumps whenever I used to make turns, it felt that something is not right but also it was not a very pressing issue, so I left it to be handled at the time of service, turns out, it too needed control arms and front link kits were needed as well. At that time, I was mad at myself, for not getting this car checked earlier, I would have saved on the shipping cost as again I went to Rock Auto to get the parts. I got the parts, got the service done and the tires were rotated and aligned.

Overall, it has been costly recently but at least everything is in control, and hopefully both cars will keep on chugging along trouble-free.

PS: Blue's horns went kaput and now it has new horns but the high beam light on the driver's side doesn't work. Fall has officially begun and in the coming weeks I will get that out sorted or if things work out may be an ownership review of a new ride. Fingers crossed!

Near home:

From office:

Near a kids park:

Cheers,

Sangwan.

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