We had never before tinkered with our cars w.r.t. performance, but, this time around the situation was different.

BHPian GautamJ recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Sprucing my White Hippo aka Ford EcoSport S:

I will be dividing the write-up in three parts for ease of reference and acting as a shortcut to tastier content:

• Part A: Prelude on buying EcoSport.
• Part B: Fancy modifications (not aiding in performance).
• Part C: Performance modification.

White Hippo

Part A: Prelude on buying an Ecosport:

This car was a replacement for my never-ending niggle Tata Tiago and will be sharing the garage with a Skoda Rapid. The requirement was very straightforward:

• No TATA: We had enough experience from last two ownerships to conclude that a garage without the TATA badge will be peace of mind.
• No compromise on safety.
• Apple Carplay, not necessary but good to have.

• IIRC back in 2019, we had only 4 options in the crossover segment:
• MS Vitara Brezza: I did not like it after driving my uncle's Brezza, so ruled out.
• Tata Nexon: Badge was enough to strike off the name in our list.
• Ford EcoSport: Age old structure, but still drooling over the looks, shortlisted .
• M&M XUV3OO: Amazing car, really loved the overall package, but, being recently launched hence avoided.

Ford Ecosport too isn't flawless;

Cons:

• Horrible fit and finish.
• Gearbox isn't the best, it is notchy.
• No brand to take care of it anymore.
• Speakers are horrendous even for an average owner preference.
• Poor choice of tyre size (205/50 R17), though corrected later.

Pros:

• Reliable 1.5L TDCi.
• High speed stability is good.
• Cornering too is reasonably acceptable for a hatchback on stilts.
• Features, features and features, it's a long list.

Back in 2019, TATA was picking up pace even in the used market, the sole reason why SC Ford gave an unexpected deal which made us stick with our buying decision. The car was booked, there was no waiting, hence managed to get the car in a week's time. Dealer experience was B-A-D, but all in all we managed to get the best BS-4 diesel car in that specific price range. After two and a half years, we are still happy with the decision sans any regrets.

Part B: Fancy modifications:

ICE upgrade:

As I mentioned before, audio quality is horrible. Where competitors are giving JBL branded speakers, which may not be great, but I am sure it'll be way better than these Ford speakers. But, it isn't all that bad as the staging is good, my car has 5 speakers (4 on the doors and 1 centre speaker) and 2 tweeters.

I had few products from my earlier car, so the only additions to this Hippo was Sony 4-Channel Amplifier and a SoundStream 350W Sub.

Outcome? It's wonderful to my ears. Here's a small peek.

3000K LED bulbs:

This again was picked from another car, I thought it to be dead after an accident, but voila it worked. Honestly, this upgrade isn't much required as the OEM 19W Halogen bulbs are powerful enough. I had sourced it long time back from AliExpress as 3000K colour temperation was hard to source here in India.

FORScan coding:

For enthusiasts willing VCDS level of customisation, you'll be disappointed. Quite little I was able to do:

• Cornering fog lamps: Sadly, I did not want it to work with side indicators as they are in the same housing, but the same is not available as an option.
• Splash screen: Ditched the usual Ford splash screen for the ST Performance one.

ST Performance splash screen:

All the coding work was done at The Mechanix Automotive.

Roots Windtone horn:

Believe me when I say, this mod was unplanned. Ford ASC was acting up and driving without horn can be dangerous. A quick commerce mind calculation helped me to conclude on the cheapest aftermarket horn fitment. I am happy with the sound, but the connections are done by splicing wires which I am not happy with. Lately, after installing, I realized that the connectors can be bought from Amazon (link to purchase). I will be correcting this install soon in a correct plug and play way.

Tiny bits:

Added OEM TPMS for the fifth tyre, as my Hippo was a victim of Ford's cost cutting and TPMS was given a miss. Quite helpful during 5 tyre rotation.

Had also got DDPai Mini DashCam hardwired, tapped Fuse 6 (Parking sensor fuse).

Part 3: Performance Modifications:

Probably the tastiest content.

Brief:

We had never before tinkered with our cars w.r.t. performance, but, this time around the situation was different. My hippo's biological parent had left it alone in this country, and my experience serves me right, Ford has been stingy for warranty claims. A reliable engine and getting in-house funding, wanted to give my investors the best result. We decided to get the car Stage 2, as that's the max any tuner has done on the 8V SOHC engine. Stage 3 might be possible, but then investing cash and time on R&D wasn't my cup of tea.

Hard EGR delete:

Before starting off, let me apologize to the environment, EGR delete is said to increase emissions. Keeping the bitter con aside, it aids in performance, improves engine health and also the 'kitna deti hai' aspect. As per Mates and Mods, no CEL light came up after fitting plate for Hard EGR delete.

Full exhaust system:

Ideally for Stage 2, just getting a decat downpipe is more than sufficient, and the same was in my case. Also getting the sole downpipe is cheaper, and also prevents cops eyeballs. Going with full exhaust helps only with noise or sound, as one may describe, and top end maybe at max for diesel cars. For me, I prefer this sound and my sister shared the same taste, hence, it was a no brainer and we got a full exhaust set-up with dual exhaust tip. It is scary to say, but most likely Hippo won't be able to pass PUC Tests as the muffler and catback is missing.

Quad exhausts (dual tip each side) are what I would have gone with albeit having surplus Vitamin M, act of cost cutting prevailed and feared of being called an over-kill we chose dual tip on one side (right side) itself. Now comes the question of which exhaust tip to choose, our first choice was a spitfire exhaust tip, but, the same wasn’t available, hence settled for a basic dual tip.

We drove the car for a day or two with stock map, and happy to report there was no CEL Light. Honestly, it is quite normal for the CEL light to show up, it will disappear after remap has been flashed onto ECU.

Check these videos out:

Cold engine start on stock map.

Cold engine start after Stage 2 remap.

Some fun while passing through a tunnel (Note: I was within the speed limit).

Engine remap:

There are many tuners to choose from, and being totally a newbie in this, I chose the simple yet safest option, i.e. go with expert (a.k.a. BHPian Dr. Naren). I used to follow his thread on ECU remaps. Saw Doc recommending Wolf Moto for the 1.5L TDCi hence, it was clear. Although Code6 quotes higher gains, I was not only looking for gains, but also on driveability. After driving the car in the city, on the highways and twisty roads, I can vouch that the car is a hoot to drive. Some more details:

• Be it any gear, after 1600 rpm, the car pulls like a locomotive, simply insane.
• Turbo lag though present, is minimized and has usable power (doesn’t feel dead).
• During ghat section driving, I was able to drive in 2nd gear as against 1st in a complete stock car. By mistake, I took one section in third gear, it struggled a bit (but obvious) but managed to cross 75% of the steep uphill.
• FE dips when the mood is for fun (expected), but cruise with a balanced right foot and it rewards. Filled XtraGreen diesel, and FE for the Lonavala trip was 21 kmpl as against 16.4 kmpl I got earlier on the same route.
• After a week, the  sound has changed and it’s throaty and loud (not irritating by any way). The engine is still supremely refined, way more than stock map.
• Even without the intercooler upgrade, I saw engine temperature not exceeding the half mark (same as stock).

As per the Wolf Moto team, Hippo is pumping out 125-128 BHP and 260-270 NM. I will be writing a separate post on the dyno.

Bosch ECU had to be removed for flashing the tuned map:

Performance air filter:

Many tuners suggest to get a performance air ilter even with Stage 1. There are 3 brands I am aware of dealing with performance air filters, they are K&N, BMC and HPi. We were suggested K&N by Mates and Mods, hence decided on the same. Do note, that there is a slight difference in dimensions of Ecosport's air filter, so do a test fit before buying if possible, this was the reason why it was the last mod to complete Sthe tage 2 saga. After the K&N air filter, I did notice low end to improve slightly and exhaust note to be throaty.

K&N performance air filter:

Dyno: The result paper:

After being utterly disappointed with KS Motorsport, I directly drove to N1 Racing Autowerks. They were supremely quick even after giving them short notice before dropping in. Check out the dyno run video here.

Dyno Figures:

Power: 132 HP.

Torque: 301 Nm.

Reading dyno charts aren't my forte and hence dropping the charts below for ready reference. Hope BHPian Dr. Naren helps me with these charts.

Dyno chart after SAE correction and figures at crank:

 Figures measured at the wheel (difference is due to drivetrain loss):

Note: After a dyno run,  there can be the ABS malfunction light showing up on the IC, this should go away after a short run.

Contact details and helping enthusiasts:

Contact details:

As GTO says "A PM just help a few, but post helps many", with this view dropping in the contact details from where I have got my mods done and highly recommend. Do note, that I am nowhere connected to them commercially, but sharing as a satisfied customer:

• ICE upgrades - Reliable Radio Service.

Contact person - Amol Sali.

Contact number - +918369484281/+919821684884.

• Full exhaust system, Hard EGR Delete and K&N Performance air filter - Mates and Mods.

Contact person - Pawan Vig.

Contact number - +919833891051.

• Stage 2 ECU remap - Wolf Moto.

Contact person - Shreekanth.

Contact number - +918848751374.

Helping Enthusiasts:

BHPian Dr. Naren: His posts and tremendous efforts in collecting details helped us in preparing our Hippo.

Gino SirI pinged him late at night, yet he took out time to suggest me the way and connect me with Pawan (from Mates and Mods).

Conclusion:

By far, we are extremely satisfied with this project, and hope that we will be satisfied for few more years. As far as the cost involved is concerned, we just stopped calculating once the project started exceeding our estimated budget.

Will I recommend getting car Stage 2?

Confused, as these mods are illegal, and for most it may sound like we are paying for illegal stuff, which isn't entirely wrong, but then as an enthusiast, it is always a dream to prepare at least one project car. So, as an enthusiast, I will definitely say, if the dream can achieved then why wait, go ahead.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

One of the main reasons in buying this vehicle was to travel on all kinds of roads, something which I did quite a bit.

BHPian DuckDoc recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Update: 20000 km with a March '21 XUV300 W8 (O) Diesel MT:

It's a little over 10 months since I bought a BS6 XUV300 W8 (O) and I see the thread has gone quiet, so I am posting my experience of 10000-20000 kms with it.

Having sorted out my issue with the 3 point rear middle seat belt earlier, I thought I would be at peace, but there were 2 issues which kept bugging me till it was resolved almost at 20000 kms.

The first one was the stock MRF Ecotred tyres. Not only were they noisy, there was hardly any grip. Unfortunately, in a tier 2 city there were no takers in the tyre market early on as they was R17 rims. Besides, as I had to make multiple trips to Chennai on roads which were a disgrace to be called highways, I thought I would put up with it, as I presumed MRF would have less wear, until there was an excuse. Fortunately, lo and behold, after a 2000 km trip during the last week of '21, I found a nail embedded in the juxta side wall and changed 2 tyres to Conti, put them in front and got wheel balancing and alignment done. My plan is to change the other two also to Conti after another 5000 kms. The difference in noise and grip is phenomenal.

The other bug bear was the sound system, as highlighted by multiple users. It produced tinny, flat sound with no bass. I tried convincing myself that it was sufficient but honestly, it was pathetic. The last straw was when I was sitting as a passenger in my daughter's 3rd gen City bought in 2010 after a long time and listening to music, it sounded so much better and I could no longer live with this noise maker. I did read the following threads many times before deciding what to do:

• The downside of high end audio installs.
• Mahindra XUV300 ICE upgrade: Need help from the gurus.

I did come to a sort of compromise, not resort to a very high end install but nevertheless have a reasonably good one. After a lot of research, as the install had to be professional, I got it done at Museek in Trichy. These guys are passionate about their music and a pleasure to be with and so got it done last week, with Alpine R series speakers and DrArtex damping of the 4 doors. I never realized damping could make such a difference. To test their install, the first two tracks I played was 'Honky Tonk Women' and 'Stairway to Heaven' by the Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin respectively, and I was blown away as it was the difference between night and day. They told me to try this for 6 months and then decide about a further upgrade with a DSP Amp and sub-woofer, if required.

As most of my trips late last year, especially to Chennai was in rainy weather and slush, the rear windshield was being spattered with mud and I made this mud flap extender inspired by this thread.

And I must thank @gmhossain for this which made a lot of difference.

I also got some mats for the boot and to protect the fabric on the back of the rear seat and a nice touch from Mahindra, 11 piece dash mats:

One of the main reasons in buying this vehicle was to travel on all kinds of roads, something which I did quite a bit. My first ghat road trip was to Kothagiri in October with 5 adults and luggage and it pulled uphill without any effort or need to downshift more than if I was the only occupant which was very impressive.

Views from Kodanad view point near Kotagiri.

These 10000 kms were mostly on roads which were bad, to put it politely. There was a trip to Chikmagalur dt. last month where the road had disappeared in some parts. I had to drive from Belhonnur back to a homestay near Mudigere late at night where guided by Google maps, was for sometime on mud tracks and for a large part being the only vehicle on the road. One of the problems of being in this forum is reading about instances of being stranded in the middle of nowhere. As this section was largely deserted and as there was no signal and in pitch darkness, the above thought was there at the back of my mind but fortunately there was no incident.

Coffee, coffee everywhere and kayaking at a homestay near Mudigere.

I had never visited the Koonthankullam bird sanctuary, so with a few relatives who are birding enthusiasts went there last month on a trip down south. Unfortunately, as there was not much water till the last year, there were few birds but we actually saw them closer on the fields nearby which entailed bad roads guided by Google maps but this is where the XUV came into its own as if looking forward to this.

Roads near Koonthankullam.

Black headed ibis.

Little cormorant.

Lesser black backed gull.

Grey heron.

Knob billed  duck.

Spot billed pelican.

Beach at Uvari near Koonthankullam.

Somewhere in south Tamil Nadu

The good thing is that closer to 20000 kms is when the XUV really gives you joy, the earlier addiction to the power and acceleration becoming stronger, the engine seems to have settled well, the FE has become better, the gear shifts smoother and the ride quality and suspension better than earlier. At least so far, the infamous Mahindra niggles which many had warned me about did not happen, touch wood.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

While the convenience and security features of iRA are good, it doesn't aid anything for the most used feature of navigation.

BHPian TurboOnTarmac recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

SMS spamming by Tata Motors for iRA renewal:

I own a Tata Nexon XZA(O), which came with the iRA subscription. Initially at that time of buying, no one was clear on how long this subscription is valid and what would be the recurring cost for continuing the same. Whatever the answers I got from the Tata dealership pointed to low estimates (<100 rupees per month) after may be 3 years of free service. Nothing is documented so I cant really prove these words. Note that I had paid 30k rupees more for this feature.

But after an year, I got the message that my free subscription expired and IRA facility is discontinued. Renewal options are expensive, as shown below:

While the convenience and security features of iRA are good, it doesn't aid anything for the most used feature of navigation. For that, I need to connect my phone or use phone separately. On one of my trips early in Jan 2021, my phone got damaged and the dealer said sometimes the constant charging even after full is not good. So after purchasing a new phone, I ended up having a separate phone stuck on the windshield to act as a navigation and music streaming device. Also converted the cigarette lighter to dual usb charger, so now I have the option to disconnect charging when phone is fully charged. Another thing about using primary phone is calls gets displayed on the  info screen in the car and gets connected to the car mic, which is a good feature. But sometimes we may not want this when people are around, but want to have navigation and music. Unfortunately, iRA doesn't come to help here.

Coming to the point. With the navigation gone, the only notable feature in iRA that I felt relevant is car location tracking and remote engine disabling in theft. I know its important, but considering the amount of the travel I am doing, the fact of spending 300 rupees per month for this feature, didn't really appeal to me. So I have not renewed it so far.

But Tata Motors persisted with sending SMS regularly, which I have ignored so far. But a couple of weeks ago they went on overdrive and bombarded me with over 100 messages in 24 hours. I thought it must be a mistake on their IT system and assumed they will correct it. As expected, the messages reduced to 2 to 4 a day from next day, which is bit tolerable. Again, since yesterday after 4:30 pm, they again went into overdrive and bombarded me with more than 120 messages in the last 20 hours and are still continuing to do so. I had put the notification sound to mute to avoid disturbance.

The messages come from 3 numbers/channels - VK-TACONN, VM-TACONN, QP-TACONN.

Does any one else also facing this issue?

Whom should I complain to?

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

As per regulations, these messages are about a "specific contract" between you and the service provider and therefore not spam. You can report them via the 1909 NDNC violation reporting framework but I suspect such reports will be ignored. Your best bet is to install SMS Organiser as your default SMS app and set it up to block TACONN sender ID.

Here's what BHPian abhishek46 had to say on the matter:

If you are not interested in receiving these messages any longer, why don't you simply 'block' the sender in the SMS/Messages App?

Of course, you can unblock them later too, if you suddenly feel the need for iRA again.

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

SMS spamming is really pathetic which wouldn’t be required if they priced it right.

But if you think of it, at least iRA has a useful geofencing feature. Most of the older navigation systems had outdated maps that needed to be downloaded every time there was an update which was only once or twice in the initial year or two that you got the service for free.

The packs are based on GB and duration, but I doubt they ever push large OTA updates that would consume so much data.

The other way to think of this INR 300 per month is:

INR 100 is the minimum recharge required to keep a SIM active. This car has 2. So INR 200 there, and then INR 100 for all the functionality this tech offers.

That being said, Tata should allow some flexible pay packages like:

• Geofencing pack.
• Remote vehicle function operation pack.
• Trip logger pack.
• Navigation pack.

and price them differently so that the customer has the choice of paying for what he likes rather than ending up generating no revenue by pricing them so steeply.

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

I had been spammed by Tata Motors until about a year back. After I sold my Hexa (about 3 years back), the local dealer from whom I bought the vehicle kept calling me for its service/service camps/updates and what not inspite of me telling them /writing to them on multiple occasions that the car is sold. Not only that, my phone number was illegally shared with multiple online aggregators who wanted to sell insurance renewals and other such things. I got this to stop only after I wrote to Tata Motors senior management that I would complain to the relevant authorities and publish on social media regarding their unethical tactics.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

One question I had was around FE. I get 17-18kmpl on 70% highway, 30% city/hill runs, and I am pretty ok with that.

BHPian zenx recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

So I picked up a 12k kms used diesel XZA+ in good condition a year ago, and have added about 6000 kms since. It drives like a beauty, and the AMT is better than my expectations were from watching a bunch of videos online - no head jerks at all at least that I can perceive.

One question I had was around FE. I get 17-18kmpl on 70% highway, 30% city/hill runs, and I am pretty ok with that. But when I see all the videos and online claims of 22-(hold your breath)26kmpl (!) - I am left wondering if I'm doing something wrong, or if the car needs a good service or filter change. My highway speeds are usually 90-110 with bursts of 120 (I have to slow down even on empty roads because of that irritating continuous beep), and I stay in City mode most of the time, with a switch to the Sports mode here and there for a little fun.

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

Congrats on your Nexon, just get the air filter cleaned or changed, it's just 340, from mahale/purolator. It's quite a healthy average for a diesel.

Here's what BHPian 400notout had to say on the matter:

My Bs6 diesel gives me 18-19kmpl in the city (Mumbai) where I'm covering 40kms in an hour. This is in sparse traffic conditions. I've not driven much out of city post purchase, but once on a Pune round trip, I got 27 kmpl while returning. It was night time and I was driving at 80kmph and a lot of the route is downhill.

From my experience your average fuel efficiency could be better. Avoid frequent gear shifts, I know its an AMT but regular acceleration and braking yields low efficiency. Try not to idle much. And as @Vinod said, get your filter checked. Hope this helps.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

I was comfortable with the backdated interior/infotainment system and lack of adequate boot-space.

BHPian surya.roy2010 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I would like to begin by owing all senior BHPians my sincere gratitude. I extensively researched on this platform and studied the feedback by my fellow BHPians before heading out to buy my first car, an Mahindra XUV300 W8 petrol variant.

Here's what I experienced after driving/learning it for 6 months across various conditions.

• On road price: 12.87 lakhs.
• Odometer reading: 4900+ kms.
• Highest range driven: 400+ kms.
• Highest speed: 140 kmph.

Straight from the horse's mouth:

Had done my first long trip and there was no looking back. Realized that the ABS, cruise control and other engine features were top notch. The gear selection is great. Most importantly, the cabin is sound proof. Additionally, my car's sweet spot turned out to be revs between 1500 - 2000 rpm and 60-80 kmph. Besides, I drove her continuously for nearly 6 hours in mixed road conditions covering 400+ kms, AFE observed was 22 kmpl which beats the ARAI of 17 kmp. City driving conditions are little inefficient, not because of the car, but myself, as I am really slow and a careful driver. AFE observed in city driving is between 12-15 kmpl. This vehicle reinforces confidence for amateurs like me.

Background:

Even though I obtained my driving license as early as 2014, I rarely drove. I had a phobia of not driving anybody else's car thinking that I would bump it somewhere on the road. To be honest, I live in Howrah, a densely packed and highly congested area where GT road is shared amongst toto's, rickshaws, cycles, motorbikes, trucks, buses and pretty much every vehicle that can get on the road. Moreover, this is a notorious area, alongside Kolkata where its effortless to get into an incident. This kept me demotivated. All the while when I was in Kerala, working for an IT MNC for 4 years, I did some driving there thanks to the empty roads and highways. I had some experience in driving a Swift and a WagonR but that was it, a long gap of 7 years.

The build up before purchase:

After getting a Job at Amazon sometime in June 2021, I decided to buy a Royal Enfield initially that's when my elder brother convinced me to get a 4 wheeler instead, and prepare for greater requirements as I am already 31.

This is when all the research began. I initially shortlisted the Thar, Brezza, Creta, Sonet, Nexon, Altroz and Venue but only followed up with the Sonet. After some discussions with the dealer, a lack of enthusiasm gripped me.

That's when I discovered the XUV300 and started investigating. After a week's research and some skepticism, all the aforementioned options just disappeared. I came out to value the safety ratings, driving experience, engine configuration and comfort over all the flashy, modern, feature-full alternatives being provided by the competitors. I was comfortable with the backdated interior/infotainment system and lack of adequate boot-space. The ground clearance was still an issue but I convinced myself not to abuse the car and drive as sincerely as I can. Nonetheless, the superficial things lacking didn't demotivate me and I valued the car's capability over everything else. Despite somewhat making up my mind, there was a voice within me saying : "Dude, get the Thar, Life's short, go for it don't think so much." . I discussed my inner thoughts but one dialogue from my elder brother shook me off my day-dreaming.

Test drive:

M&M folks were located nearby. I gave them a call and went for a test drive; this confirmed all that I expected. I sat in the driver's seat and realized how comfortable it is and the glaring rage of red was blinding everything else on the road. Pretty satisfied, I came back and got the quotation from the dealer. He was charging me nearly 50k for the insurance, this is where I could have saved some 20-30k had I purchased a plan outside the dealership. It was a lesson learnt, I made mistakes and acknowledged it. I decided to opt for 100% loan considering the need for retaining cash for my immediate future needs. The calculation for 7 years loan tenure put a price tag of approx. 16.5L, I realized that I was paying nearly 3.5L as interest for 7 years, but I was ok as I needed more take home from salary and kept the option of foreclosure on the table.

Plot twist:

Having made up my mind, I was coming out of the showroom that's when a convertible red Thar caught my attention which was displayed on the way. I jumped inside and asked the sales agent to take her out for a test drive.

I experienced body roll and the power of the vehicle, the glancing of fellow motorists and all that aura surrounding this beast. Back at the dealership, I called up my onsultant and asked her to know if they had a Thar in stock. That's when the waiting period of 7-8 months, maintenance, and operational costs gave me a reality check. Pretty disappointed, I decided to pursue the XUV and said to myself "Let's have a family car, the Thar can wait for some other time." Nonetheless, this disappointment was short-lived and I was convinced that the XUV was the best decision that I could take considering my practical needs.

Delivery & initial ownership:

As promised, the SC delivered my car within 14 days. All new, no defects. I did the PDI and finished all the paperwork to take possession.

On day 1, I reluctantly took her out at dawn, had a driver hired for assistance as I was driving after a long gap and my confidence levels were record low. My mom and I were thinking of keeping a driver for sometime till I was set, but the hourly rates and first day experience motivated me to drive my beast all by myself.

On Day 4, I realized that the car was too big for me to control and I had some issues in sensing the gap that needs to be maintained on the left. Confidence was sinking as I started experiencing the nitty-gritty of maneuverability in pathetic road conditions first hand. Nonetheless, I carried on driving her slowly and carefully.

Things settled down after 10-12 days when I gathered confidence of taking the national highways. My 6 months weren't completely incident free, my beast received scratches and dents mostly due to carelessness of fellow motorists while I got myself a scratch due to gentle rubbing while parking. Such incidents I think pushes one towards defensive driving, and I think that's good as it can really reduce one's chances of accidents.

For those who are planning to go for the XUV300, go for it. It's a top class car and best in the segment ,unless you're not a fan of superficial things like interiors, boots pace, infotainment system and all.

Today, I did DIY painting and touched up the areas. The results are good, but please don't try this at home. Color matching is a painful activity and has it's consequences.

Yours sincerely,

Surya.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The acceleration will put a big smile on your face, specifically for those who are coming from a 1 or 1.2 litre NA engine.

BHPian RakeshMX3 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I have been reading the Team BHP forum for the past 4 years and never thought of writing down a post until now. My relationship with four wheels started in the year 2013 when I bought a Maruti Suzuki Zen Estilo. I have recently taken delivery of a XUV300 and thought of sharing my experience on this forum.

Adding an index for the ease of readers:

• Background.
• Hunting:

First Attempt (the Year 2019).

Second Attempt (the Year 2021).

• Initial ownership.
• Modifications.

Background:

I currently own a Maruti Zen Estilo, bought in Jan 2013. I love this vehicle, it’s easy to maintain, never broke in the past 9 years and has been very fuel-efficient. The engine (K10) is reasonably quiet and has a decent mid-range. However, the vibrations do enter in the cabin specifically on the gear lever and doors when idling. It’s a very trusted horse but now more than 9 years old. Hence, I decided to buy a new car which would offer better safety, performance, and interior space. I didn’t want to sell the Estilo and decided to give it to my brother, who now uses it to travel in and around my hometown.

Hunting:

Thanks to Covid, my hunting spanned across two phases: The year 2019 and the year 2021.

First attempt (the year 2019):

My hunt began around August 2019. I set a budget of 8.5 lakhs and wanted a good-looking petrol sub-compact SUV/Crossover. With this budget in 2019, I considered the Venue (S-MT 1.2 petrol), EcoSport (Ambiente 1.5 petrol), Honda WR-V (S 1.2 petrol) and Tata Nexon (XM 1.2 petrol). I had gone through all the available reviews and videos available back then, and started taking test drives. Here are my drive impression based on the test drives:

Honda WR-V:

• Big on space, would put some of its competitors to shame on sheer rear seat space.
• Fuss free ownership, reliable petrol engine.
• Good in-showroom experience.
• Looks small like a hatchback.

Tata Nexon:

• Went to a showroom in Hadapsar, Pune (now closed). When I stepped in, I could read the showroom staff’s facial expression. Everyone looked pissed off with the sheer idea of explaining a product to a customer for a big 10 minutes.
• Sat there for 10 mins, everyone was on their mobile phone pretending busy. Went to the receptionist again asked her if someone can attend to me.
• A sales rep, with an extremely casual dress code then attended me (I am cool with any attire, just mentioning as every other showroom ensured their staff is decently dressed). I asked for a test drive. The sales rep wasn’t very aware of the product.
• I took the car out of the showroom, the sales rep told me to take left after merely 500 mtrs, then one more left and then one more left and voila we are back in showroom parking. I asked for a long test drive to which the sales rep said they are expecting one more customer for a test drive, they will arrange a long test drive for a later day. I never received a callback.
• The car felt very solidly put together, the interior felt better than the WR-V. Drivability was much better as well.
• I didn’t like the exterior styling though.

Ford EcoSport:

• Went to a Ford showroom on the same day.
• Totally different experience compared to the  Tata showroom. It was very packed, still, I was immediately attended to.
• Took a long test drive. Loved the drive. Felt well put together, steering setup was something I never experienced before (my Estilo has very vague steering).
• Driveability was better than Nexon – maybe because it was the naturally aspirated engine. Space was very limited compared to the Nexon though.
• I loved this vehicle but didn’t finalize it then because around Sept 2019, I read 2-3 articles about Ford planning to wrap up their India business (which eventually turned true). My Estilo was also a discontinued product (Maruti pulled the plug in late 2013) hence I don’t want to buy one more product that may be discontinued.

Hyundai Venue:

• Was just launched then. Loved the design, looked handsome.
• The Turbo was beyond my budget and hence considered the S 1.2 variant.
• Somehow felt the space better than in the Ecosport (width).
• 1.2 was not available for a test drive.

In Sept 2019, almost decided to finalize Venue S1.2. Spoke with the Hyundai sales rep, they had no offers/discounts on the Venue being a new launch. However, they offered to match the policy bazaar insurance quote (10 thousand less).

In the last week of Sept, I had to travel for business to Spain for 2 weeks. There I got a hint that I may have to travel again for a longer period this time. This made me cancel the booking. After 2 months, Spain saw a huge wave of Covid infections putting a question mark on international travel. Later, Covid became a pandemic putting an end to my travel and car buying.

Second attempt (Dec 2021):

After 2 Covid waves, in late 2021, it became evident that this pandemic may continue for the next one/two years. Around Aug, major IT companies started announcing ‘back-to-office’ and that was enough trigger for me to start my new car hunt again. From Sept 2019 to Aug 2021, I became a very frequent Team BHP reader. This forum helped me broaden my understanding of automobiles.

This time around, my priorities were safety (> 4 Star), driveability and automatic transmission. My budget was 12 lakhs on road and I evaluated the Mahindra XUV300, Tata Nexon and Vitara Brezza, as these were the three offerings in the subcompact SUVs with 4-star crash ratings.

XUV300 AMT:

Pros:

• 5-star safety rating.
• Turbo petrol engine packs a great punch. Acceleration is superb irrespective any gear.
• Spacious interior, can sit 3 adults.
• Feels premium and has great road presence.

Cons:

• Since its an AMT, the gear shift can be felt though its quicker than the Nexon. The AMT pause is there till 3 gear, post that the gear shifts are smooth.
• Steering isn’t very direct.
• Suspension is good, but not as great as Nexon.
• Boot space and lesser ground clearance (compared to Nexon and Brezza).

Nexon AMT:

Pros:

• 5-star safety rating.
• Great steering set up. Although XUV300 has sports steering mode, it feels very artificial and still it’s no match to Nexon.
• Suspension is great.
• Ground clearance and reasonable boot space.
• Extremely comfortable seats.

Cons:

• Engine is good, but isn’t as punchy as XUV300.
• The gear shift pause is more pronounced than the XUV300.
• I still don't like the rear looks.
• Average showroom experience. Even this time, the test drive was less than 2 kms. Never received a call back from the showroom after the test drive.

Vitara Brezza AT:

I wanted to test drive the Brezza only after I am done with XUV and Nexon test drives. as both are AMT and then I would be in a better position to differentiate between the AT and AMT experience. But later, I saw some auto news about a facelift Brezza around the corner. My Estilo was discontinued by Maruti soon after I bought it and hence, I didn’t want to buy another car whose facelift will be available within 4-5 months after purchasing it. That's why I dropped the Brezza.

Initial ownership:

I took a test drive from Silver Jubilee, Pune but they didn’t have W6 AMT variant available with them. Later I enquired with Unnati Motors and they had one petrol W6 AMT in white colour. The vehicle was freshly baked – manufactured on 27th Nov. I made the booking instantly, and initiated the loan procedure with HDFC. The registration happened around Dec 14th and I got a call from the showroom that I can take delivery on Dec 16th.

The showroom arranged a small pooja and celebration. I went there alone considering the Covid situation in Pune. The car was clean and was ready to hit the road. I completed the pooja and other formalities and started driving back home. That’s where the ‘Distance to empty’ starts to show 4 km. Drove down straight to the petrol pump and got the tank full.

Till now completed 1000 km which includes 70% highway driving from Pune to my hometown. My initial impressions are:

• On the highway, the AMT works brilliantly, except for the gear shift from 1st to 2nd, you would hardly experience the AMT delay.
• At parking speed, the performance feels spikey, making you nervous about maneuvering the car in tight parking spots.
• Must be extra careful in applying throttle at low speeds. Sometimes the car moves quickly.
• Cornering up to 70 kmph on a moderate bend feels confident.
• As per the MID, the overall fuel efficiency is 16.3 kmpl for the first 1000 kms which includes 70% highway drive. Wasn’t expecting this good an FE, very happy.
• Gear changes happen at 2000 rpm. For me, 100 kmph in 6th year came at around 2100 rpm.
• The acceleration will put a big smile on your face, specifically for those who are coming from a 1 or 1.2 litre NA engine.

Modifications:

I have done the following modifications:

• Added fog lamps from the dealership - INR 5900.
• Added seat covers (Napa) - INR 6000.
• 3D mats - INR 1800.
• Rain visor – INR 700.
• Steering cover – INR 350.
• Petrol sticker – INR 300.

Planned modifications:

• DRLs – not sure if it will void the warranty.
• Arm rest.

Sharing some pictures:

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SUVs are now the No 1 segment of cars sold in India today. They are now at 40% compared to hatchbacks at 36%.

BHPian niranjanprabhu recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

The Year 2021 saw many upheavals in the form of both a deadly 2nd wave of Covid which virtually shut down the month of May as well as the serious shortage of computer chips that plays such a ubiquitous role in our lives in general and in the Team BHP context, cars in particular!

Despite these two serious hurdles, the industry did very well for itself and many of the trends that we have been seeing in the past continued their march into this year as well. The industry is at the cusp of a complete makeover thanks to the EV revolution that has made such a brilliant comeback from over a century ago where their slow speeds and heavyweight gave way to the then far more efficient ICE engines mass-produced so well by Henry Ford.

Maruti continues to be the top seller but headwinds in the form of the great SUV revolution that cares for none, least of all the mighty, and the shift in demand to the more expensive price bands in general, have caused a serious fall of over 6% in market share for the giant. Though the aficionados and well-wishers speak of the slew of models Maruti is slated to launch in this year of 2022, and how this would bring back lost market share, we all have to wait eagerly to see how it works out and what the competition has up its sleeve.

Let us start with the top 10 models that sold in 2021. 8 go to Maruti, 1 to Hyundai, and 1 to Tata:

 Despite the stellar showing in the top 10 models list, Maruti’s market share has fallen by almost 6%, thanks to an increase in Tata’s share by almost 4%. In December thanks to the better management of chips by the Tatas as compared to Hyundai, they were number 2:

Currently market share wise, the Tatas are around 5-6% short of Hyundai and if their current growth in numbers continues, it will be a matter of another 3-5 years when they make that a permanent storyline for some time to come.

Honorable mention - Tata Motors.

Tatas almost doubled sales in the past year. Commendable growth:

Price band Analysis:

The percentage of cars sold under 10 lakhs is approximately 53% today and is slated to go below the 50% mark this year in 2022. They were over 80% in 2011:

The number at the top for each segment in a year is the market share of the segment and the second number is the cumulative annual growth rate or CAGR over 5 years.

Body type analysis:

SUVs are now the No 1 segment of cars sold in India today. They are now at 40% compared to hatchbacks at 36%.

Almost half of all SUVs sold are in the 4-meter segment comprising the likes of the Vitara Brezza, Venue, Sonet, and Nexon. 1 in 5 cars sold is a 4-meter SUV across all groups!

The number at the top for each segment in a year is the market share of the segment and the second number is the cumulative annual growth rate or CAGR over 5 years.

SUV rankings:

• Hyundai beats Maruti to the top spot.
• Tata moves to No 3 from No 5.
• Maruti and Kia both drop by 1 rank.
• Tata moves up 2 places.
• Nissan moves up by 3 ranks from 12 to 9, thanks to the brilliant Magnite.
• Mahindra moves down continuously and is at No 5. We hope to see dramatic improvements this year with their awesome launches.

SUV sales over the decade:

The below is a chart of just the SUV sales across segments. The growth this year has been an amazing 56% despite all the bugbears the industry is facing due to the chip shortage:

 Overall PV Sales are back above the 3 million mark after 2018 growing by 27% over the previous year:

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While I knew that the scanner itself doesn't damage any hardware, it clearly can screw up the sensors to an extent that they stop working.

BHPian krishnakumar recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hi BHPians,

I recently purchased an OBDII scanner with plans to do some interesting analysis with my XUV300.

I had bought this just in time for a 2 weeks long 1600km road-trip. However, the very first time I connected the scanner itself, the car's MID started throwing multiple errors - particularly ESC and TPMS warnings. I disconnected the scanner and things went back to normal. Slightly dejected, we set out on our trip as I had no other option.

The real big mistake!

In between our trip, while in Gokarna, I had this "genius" idea to try and reconnect the scanner again and check. So I did and this time, even more errors came up on the system including parking sensor failures (engaging reverse gear will show nothing on the screen).

Scared, I disconnected the OBDII scanner but to my surprise the errors did not go away this time. I restarted the car multiple times and nope, the errors still continued. Even more scared, I thought I'll lock the car and leave it untouched for a while but to my shock, the request sensors also apparently failed. Which meant my key (remote) stopped working. I'd have to manually lock the car. Also, I couldn't open the boot (since there is only the request sensor to open it).

I was sweating profusely by now and was cursing myself to have tried these shenanigans in a remote location. I had the contact of a technical manager from Sireesh Marathahalli, whom I called, and he suggested to remove the battery terminals. I managed to access the tools from the rear seats and disconnected the battery. Waited for 5 mins and reconnected. Thankfully, things got reset and everything was back to working order.

While I knew that the scanner itself doesn't damage any hardware, it clearly can screw up the sensors to an extent that they stop working. This is certainly scary, especially not knowing to what extent they can affect.

I know that BHPian Vijin has done some excellent analysis with an OBDII scanner on his XUV300. So it is possible in an XUV300.

I'd love to do some analysis and I can't stop the itch of buying one again to connect and give it another try. However, the scare that happened earlier is keeping from trying to be bold again. I don't want to end up voiding warranty.

Can experienced BHPians, especially with OBDII scanners, throw some light into this? Is there a compatibility issue? Is it just a problem with the device I bought?

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

Incompatible scan tools can disrupt comms between different modules in the vehicle. If you had kept it plugged in, it would have eventually drained the battery as well.

Throw it away, spend money on fuel and explore the country. Whatever you need to know about the vehicle is provided in the IP & MID.

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

Oh no, this is very unfortunate. I have the exact same product from the exact same seller which I have been using without any issues since 2017 in my first-generation petrol 1.6 Creta AT.

From my limited knowledge/experience, I can think of only a few possibilities as to why the product didn't work as intended. Here they are with their possible solutions:

• There are multiple versions/iterations of the OBD2 standards like OBD2A, OBD2B, etc. Hence, it would be best to verify the standard in your car by consulting Mahindra personnel first and then check with the seller to verify if the product supports that standard in your car. You can find more information (unverified) about the different pins and the standards of the OBD2 port in the following link.
• The product itself may be defective. The obvious solution is to replace/return it. If I remember correctly, Amazon India usually has a 10 day return policy.
• There is a very slim chance that Mahindra could have used a non-standard/uncommon wiring setup since these OBD2 adapters are usually designed to be mostly universal in nature. The few exceptions that are not supported are usually mentioned on the seller/manufacturer's website. From what I had seen till 2017, most Mahindra cars and some Toyota cars had compatibility issues with these OBD2 adapters. The one that I have (same as yours) didn't even fit on my neighbour's old Innova despite the car having an OBD2 port. In case your car is not supported, sadly there is not much that you can do.

If you want to experiment with these things in your car then it is best to do so on your home turf and that too within the early portions of the warranty period so that you may have enough leeway for things to go bad (if they do so) and to claim warranty (if necessary) if you catch my drift.

I do not know what else to say. I hope this helps. Wishing you the best.

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

Hi! This seems to be a really unfortunate incident which happened with You. All diagnostic connectors make use of the same 16 pin OBD connector with a designated pinout but CAN protocols can differ from one car manufacturer to other. Different BCMs/ECMs work on different signalling protocols and that's why we have specific diagnostic circuitry and softwares which vary from company to company. There are many universal diagnostic tools available and they are capable of first identifying the protocol and then running the related program, for the same reason why they require the Manufacturer, Make and Model of the vehicle in the first place while equipment available in authorized service centres detect the vehicle automatically.

This is one of the reasons why we should refrain from plugging in any third party stuff into the OBD connector until and unless they are from a highly trustworthy brand. There are many fancy solutions provided with GPS geofencing, data logging and some even with the claims of acting like a dummy piggyback ECU but all end up fidgeting with the stock electrical connections of the vehicle gifting us a well lit up Christmas tree.

I've myself used this Robostore ELM on my test bench and discovered shocking results with the possibility of short-circuiting the convenience CAN High and Low at specific user based inputs.

This robostore version of the ELM 327 diagnostic connector is a cheap chinese knockout of the original IC from ELM electronics. There are plenty of variations of these diagnostic connectors available, some feature a 2 PCB layout, some feature a single PCB, different outer casings and varied functionalities. It is really very hard to identify the genuine product with an IC from ELM electronics. Anyway, as per some sources, this company plans to turn down its operations in mid 2022.

I use a VCDS cable for my Polo, will let You know if I come across a reliable solution for Mahindras!

Thanks.

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The Ford workshop is giving lame excuses that the car was not hit from the front.

BHPian Rahulbarik recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hello, my name is Rahul and I belong to Kolkata. I am new to this forum and this would be my first post here.

Unfortunately, I will not be able to start my journey with Team BHP on a happy note, as I have recently lost my 2016 Ford Ecosport 1.5 TDCI Titanium+ in an almost fatal crash. Yet luckily, I lived. And lived to tell the story.

I would just write down what happened as things unfolded as I am still in a state of shock even after 1 month.

We were 3 friends returning from a marriage and the car was driven by my friend, while I was on the passenger side and one more friend on the rear seat. We were traveling at around 80 kmph on a state by-pass road at around 3 am, when a Tata 407 came head on which made us serve left and off the road completely with all 4 wheels outside the road surface and almost into a roadside pond, which was at least 4 feet lower than the road itself. Our car tilted left with left wheels touching the water, while still at 80 kmph, when my friend swerved right to get back up on the road but couldn't as the wheels couldn't grip. He kept on accelerating with the wheels spinning, hoping to bring the car up the road and avoiding getting submerged in the pond. The car was still probably at 80 kmph when suddenly the tyres gripped somehow and made the car jump up from the pond and on the road resulting in the car toppling on the left side and rolling at least 8 times and hitting a light post and breaking a wall after hitting it and God knows what else. Finally the ordeal stopped, with the car plunging into another pond couple of hundred metres down the other side of the road, just giving enough time to get out before getting 80% submerged. Luckily it was 3-3:30 am in the morning and there was no traffic.

My car is a TDCI TITANIUM PLUS with 6 airbags and NOT A SINGLE AIRBAG DEPLOYED. NOT EVEN THE SIDE AND CURTAIN AIRBAGS. Yes, we were having our seat belts on.

The front windshield glass also shattered (on first impact with the road) like cheap glass which it is not supposed to. The glass is supposed to be laminated from both sides as far as my knowledge goes, to prevent it from shattering and falling off and becoming like armed splinters(which is actually what happened and injured us, specially me with glass pierced on my whole body).

While the build quality of the car saved our lives with just bruises from the flying glass splinters, from the horrific accident, I'm still in awe as to how not a single airbag deployed.

The Ford workshop is giving lame excuses that the car was not hit from the front. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE SIDE SENSORS FORD? They said side sensors get activated after the front sensors are triggered which i found to be a lame answer. When I showed them a video on YouTube on Ecosport crash test from side with the side and curtains deployed, they didn't have an answer.

Before I take it up with Ford, I thought of getting valuable inputs from this forum and getting myself armed sufficiently so as to not look like a fool when Ford gives me another lame excuse. I would now let the pictures do the talking.

Special mention to Ford RSA.

These guys are amazing. They kept in touch with me right from the time of the incident and kept me updated. They kept on trying to pull out the car for 2 days with multiple failed attempts and survey of the location, after which they finally did it after they brought in 2 Hydra cranes.

And lastly kudos to HDFC Ergo!

They declared it a constructive total loss, handed over the legal documents for the same. No drama, no questions, they simply paid up. All from the comfort of my home. That's how easy it was. All within less than a month.

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

Instances like this will reinforce the evidences that all these claimed safety features are hit or miss and never reliable. There are more than 100 cases in our forum where airbags deployment discussion have happened with heated arguments.

Forget all logical reasons and justifications from the dealers, manufacturers or R&D groups. 95% of the accident occur with 3 generic patterns. Either head-on, topples or side collision. If airbags don't deploy during any of these collisions, then, it simply means, they are not designed to address needs of the accidents. Then, what is the use of those safety features?

Some one has said "We purchase things that we don't need with the money we don't have to please someone who we don't like." These safety features also falls under the same category. We purchase cars with safety features that we never intend to use by paying hefty money that we don't have, to please someone in the friend circle to boast another special feature (6 or 8 or 10 airbags )and it never works when required.

And we get brilliant explanation by dealers finally which states our driving itself was faulty and therefore airbags didn't deploy.

Below are the reasons dealers give for non deployment of airbags:

• No head-on collision

When an accident is about to happen in next 4-5 secs, Should I avoid head-on and try to escape major mishap or go and do head-on to get the airbags deployed?

• Vehicle was not running at the required speed.

So, are they expecting that I will increase the speed and acceleration when I am left with 4-5 secs for collision for airbags to deploy.

• Impact was not adequate enough for airbags to deploy.

Oh, ok. What do I do for an effective impact next time ?

Common man is very intelligent. What ever hype manufacturers, reviewers and dealership give to these safety features, he does take it with a pinch of salt.

Theoretically, is there any difference between this car and say, a Maruti 800 with respect to safety features?( let us not talk about metal thickness etc).

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

Really glad to know you guys are safe after such a horrendous accident.

As far as the curtain airbags are concerned, I've seen a couple of Ford Ecosports at a service center with only curtain airbags deployed due to hit from the side. One car had left side airbags deployed due to T-boning and another had right side due to a side swipe by a truck. So if they say that it can get triggered only after the front airbag is deployed is all BS.

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

Quite an ordeal, thankfully ends in a safe and happy note.

Side airbags are supposed to deploy on side impacts, that's the objective and definition. That's why there is a side impact test and a pole test in NCAP. Check your owner's manual for deployment of airbags no further proofs needed and take it up with Ford since your service center is useless.

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My son who is a car lover is turning 5 in Jan, and hence we wanted a new car around that time.

BHPian anirudhbb recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

On 28th Oct, after taking numerous test drives of the XUV300, Nexon and Sonet, all petrol non-manual variants, we finally booked the Sonet DCT. Yay!

Today, 3rd Dec, came to know that delivery is pushed to April. Nay.

Honestly don't want to wait that long. When we booked the Sonet, KIA has said delivery is mostly in Dec/Jan. My son who is a car lover is turning 5 in Jan, and hence we wanted a new car around that time.

But now it will be 6 months and even that seems uncertain.

So we are back to the search.

The XUV300 and Nexon, both are AT, though not as refined as the DCT in the Sonet, are seemingly good options other than the Sonet.

My budget is 15L on road in Bangalore.

Are there any other good options I am overlooking?

What I need (I am driving a Wagon-R for the past 7 years):

• Safety.
• Automatic/AT/CVT/DCT.
• Sunroof.
• Space.
• Good ground clearance.
• Driving pleasure: I love driving and we used to take 3-4 road trips a year pre-Covid.
• Reliable car, reliable brand (have had Maruti all my life).
• Low maintenance.

Thanks a ton!

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

Under Rs. 15 Lakh I feel the options you have shortlisted are the best of the lot. Also remember that even the Nexon and XUV300 have considerable waiting periods, unless some political/financial influence is used. Have you looked at the S Cross? I don't recommend it often due to its outdated and bland interiors, but it will satisfy most of the needs except the sunroof and the driving pleasure part. I don't think the new one will arrive at our shores anytime soon.

If I was given a choice, I would take a long-ish TD of the Nexon and finalise it if the AMT feels sufficient.

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

Since you are from Bangalore and have a budget of 15L, then why not look at the Nexon EV? If you don't intend to drive more than 300 KMs at one go, you should have a great package in the Nexon EV.

Apart from this, I don't see any true blue AT under 15L and especially being delivered by Jan 22. Most manufacturing would be shut post this week and will reopen only by 2nd week of January 22. Either you will have to chose from an existing inventory or let go off having delivery asap.

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

Get yourself a Honda City automatic, Gen 5 base model. It has all the essentials covered, including 4 airbags, and will just about fit your budget. If your kid is insistent on the sunroof, go for the mid trim. The car is available for immediate delivery.

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

Well think of it as a blessing in disguise since the Sonet and Venue both perform miserably in crash tests. I would say simply forgo the sunroof requirement and get yourself an S-Cross. Test drive the vehicle before dismissing it based on uninspiring journalist's reviews. It rides and handles with far more maturity than any other vehicle in its segment and the engine+gearbox combo feels robust and smooth. Interior quality is fairly decent and the visibility and roominess of the cabin is a boon. It is also probably the only car in its class that will last you a long time until your son matures and can appreciate it You will also get massive discounts upwards of 75k on it at the moment as well as immediate delivery.

If you are enamored by touchscreens, LEDs and other such insipid bits that seem to give car makers an excuse not to put some thorough engineering behind their cars, then perhaps the MG Astor ought to be in your list of vehicles to test out.

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