He is primarily looking at CSUVs like the Creta and Grand Vitara, but is open to sedans if it provides a higher value.

BHPian bansal.sushant recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hi,

My uncle currently owns a 2009 3rd Honda City AT. That car has covered 1.6L kms and still runs like a gem. Unfortunately, due to the NGT rules, he is forced to let it go.

He is in the market for a new car with a budget of 15L.

He is primarily looking at CSUVs like the Creta and Grand Vitara, but is open to sedans if it provides a higher value.

He does not want a lot of gadgets, just wants a decent car, which is nice to drive, looks good, and has a great back seat. He has a driver so he is not keen on spending 2L extra on AT, though I am pushing for it.

Must have:

• ABS, Airbags, etc.
• Great backseat.
• Reliable.
• Fuel efficient.
• Basic gizmos like Bluetooth, navigation, steering mounted controls, etc.

Good to have:

• Alloy wheels.
• Reverse camera.

Don't want:

• Sunroof.
• ADAS, other connected car tech.

Cruise control.

• I have suggested him the following cars:
• Creta EX: Has all the basic features, and is VFM, but does not have any AT option. ~13.6L
• Grand Vitara Delta: Has everything right, but does only has 2 airbags, as opposed to 6 in the Creta EX. ~13.7L
• Grand Vitara Zeta AT: This is the perfect car, considering it is AT too, but don't know if it is worth the 4L premium over the previous 2 options. ~17.7L
• Grand Vitara Hybrid: With the current usage of ~20k/year, it will break even in 3 years or so.

He is in no rush, but needs the car delivered within the next 9 months (that's when the current car will expire). We have not taken any test drives yet, and planning to do so in the coming 2 weeks.

What does the forum recommend? Should we consider some other options? Is it worth waiting for Honda's CSUV?

Also, he is also open to a 1-2 year old used vehicle, but all the ones I saw are priced steeply with barely any depreciation.

Thanks in advance!

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

If you are open to sedans, then the VAG twins, The Virtus and the Slavia are good options. They are VFM, with all basics covered, good engine, good fuel economy, good driving as well as rear seat comfort, and they will be much better suited for city/highway driving. On top of that, they have good ground clearance, so the infamous speed breaker damage is also less probable.

Best part is, the sedans, are better priced than their CSUV siblings, offering a much bigger bang for the buck. Final icing on the cake is, you should be able to get them without much waiting!

Alternatively you can go for the shortly launching Verna. Almost similar advantages, though ground clearance might be lesser than its CSUV cousin the Creta.

Here's what BHPian jai_asnani98 had to say on the matter:

Welcome to the infamous Honda City upgrade dilemma! What the City has been offering at it's price point is truly exceptional as compared to cars today.

Now, coming to your question:

So you mention 'great backseat' - I wouldn't recommend Creta/Seltos/GV aka Hyryder for this demand at all!

I too own a the 4th Gen BS6 City and am used to driving it myself. It just so happened that on a road trip, I let someone take over the wheel and sat in the rear seat for the first time and boy, I was overwhelmed at the amount of leg room. The City simply sniggers at it's European counterparts in that aspect.

So I think Creta shouldn't be considered if you want to stretch your legs after "a hard day's night".

I would strongly recommend the VAG twins. If the service and reliability aspects scares you, tell him to buy a manual strictly. It's anyway chauffeur driven, yeah?

I'd insist that you urge him to check out the XL6! It's not as powerful as the City, but is easily the best bang for your buck that you can get. Captain seats with ample legroom will make you never want to get out of the car. So XL 6 over the Korean brothers and Japanese twins.

Looking at the mileage of his existing City, I suppose he frequents the highways? So DPF issues shouldn't happen and you can increase your budget a little and eye the XUV700 5 seater, AX3 variant.

All the best and keep us updated. Excited to see which car is a 'worthy' upgrade to the City as I anticipate myself to be in those boots soon.

Cheers!

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

In both C1 & C2 segments, SUVs have had a much larger market share than sedans.

BHPian MADisMynAMe recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

The Fall of Sedans

C1 Segment Sales Analysis 2021

In 2021, the compact sedan segment (sub-4m segment) had a total combined sales of 2,13,905 units. The Dzire was the only car to cross the 10k monthly sales mark (barely) whereas the Amaze and Aura were close to 5k sales a month and the Tigor close to 2.5k. The Aspire, on the other hand, could not reach 500 units a month and left India along with Ford selling a minuscule 1502 units last year.

Compact SUVs on the other hand had a phenomenal 2021 in sales. The total combined year sales racked up almost to 6 lakh units, at 5,77,788 units (excluding the Thar because we are comparing only Pseudo SUVs). Cars like the Brezza, Nexon, Venue and Sonet were constantly between the 5k-10k mark, sometimes even crossing it. The Ecosport, Magnite, Kiger, XUV3OO and Urban Cruiser (why so long a name!) were always below 5k. The WR-V on the other hand struggled to reach the 2k mark in the first half, and could not cross the 500 mark in the second half!

All in all, the sedans segment took only 27% of the total sales of the C1 segment with the rest 73% with the SUVs.

C2 Segment Sales Analysis 2021

In 2021, the mid-size sedan segment had a total combined sales of 82,191 units. The City was the leader, with monthly sales below 7.5k, followed by the Verna. The Ciaz was struggling between the 750-3k unit mark and the Rapid could not cross the 1k mark. The Vento could not reach the 500 mark. The Yaris, on the other hand, was struggling to reach the 1k mark for each month in the first half, but then sales decreased to less than 10 units a month in the second half. Sales were so bad that the Yaris had to be discontinued.

SUVs on the other hand had a combined sales of 2,74,588 units (sub 4.5m SUVs, since cars like the Harrier were too huge and the 7-seaters were in another segment altogether). The Creta was mostly selling above 10k a month, followed by the Seltos, which ranged between 7.5k-10.5k units monthly. The S-Cross, Kushaq and Taigun would sell below 3k units monthly, whereas the Duster and Kicks would struggle to reach 500 units monthly.

Again, the market share of the sedans in the C2 segment was 23% whereas the SUVs took a share of 77%.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

We are looking for a car with only the essential features but the availability of an authorised service centre nearby is crucial.

BHPian khanmaj recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hello BHPians,

Trust you and your loved ones are doing well.

I am very confused right now. I need your opinion on this post. I am looking forward to getting a car for my brother by November first week. It must a CSUV. Our 10-year-old XUV500 has clocked more than 225K on the odometer and now we have decided to let it go because of the age of the vehicle & frequent issues. I also have a Tiago here in Delhi which is going to complete 3 years soon. I have never had any issues with this little beast and it has run around 16K so far. The after-sales service has been satisfactory from Tata.

The new car would be a replacement for the XUV500 and the need is to get a small car with high ground clearance hence the CSUV. The car will be used in my hometown which is a semi-rural area in UP and the big service centres of all the manufacturers are in Lucknow which is around 200 Km from my place.

My brother is a newbie driver. He learned his driving on the XUV and he will be the one driving the new one.

Considering the above scenario and the authorised service centre availability, we have decided to get only the essential features in the new car as less electrical is equal to fewer points of failure. Now the main point - budget. It should not exceed 9.5L OTR.

The car must be very reliable and durable with less maintenance. I have shortlisted the below based on the requirement and the budget.

• Nexon XE or XM (OTR 8.6 and 9.6L)
• Brezza Lxi (OTR 9.2L)
• Sonet 1.2 P HTK (OTR 9.2L)

The required features

• Power Windows
• Good headlights
• Loaded with active & passive safety features
• Steering mounted control
• Back camera
• Rear defogger would be great
• Child safety & speed sensor lock

I have driven both Nexon and Brezza and found the driving dynamics and the handling is more than adequate at both low and high speed. I have not driven the Sonet though as most of the dealers don’t have the 1.2 P available for the TD. Here are the pros and cons of the above vehicles. This is purely my POV.

Nexon

Pros:

• Superb handling and powerful 1.2 L turbo petrol engine across variants
• Best safety features provided from the base variant
• Ground clearance and amazing front fascia
• Projector headlamps

Cons:

• Less refined 3-cylinder engine. NVH level is more than others in the segment
• Service centre is still a gamble at least in the non-metro cities
• Fit and finish is not as good as others in the segment

Both XE and XM variants are within the budget and the XE variant is more value for money considering the features we need and it has all the safety features available. I can get the audio system (Andriod Auto & Apple CarPlay) and camera installed from the aftermarket. The XM does not provide either of them anyway. The only thing which creates doubt in the mind is the unexpected niggles and issues that crop up in Tata cars every now and then.

Brezza

Pros:

• Gem of a car with a 1.5 L NA petrol engine
• Reliability and easy to maintain
• Handling and drivability is more than ok
• Maruti is known for good service centre support

Cons:

• Very bland and basic interior in the Lxi variant
• The ugly black cladding reminds me of the Kwid
• Maruti cars are known for rattling issues after a couple of years of ownership

The Brezza Lxi should have been our default pick but the all-around unnecessary plastic cladding looks ugly (no offence to any owner). This is the only car from Maruti which I can consider buying, the rest I would not even take a look at. The interior looks cheap and they have not given a headrest on the back seat. This is unbelievable a car costing north of 9 L does not even have a fixed headrest This makes me literally furious. They can put the cladding but not the headrest. Seems they are consuming some Columbian stuff.

Sonet

Pros:

• Loaded with all the necessary features and has 4 airbags
• The 1.2 L Petrol NA engine is refined
• Good looking car and both interior and exterior feels premium

Cons:

• Not sure if the 1.2 L is sufficient for such a big car
• It has the weakest engine among the shortlisted cars
• Halogens headlamps
• Kia cars are new to us, not sure how they will age
• No first-hand experience with their service centre

Sonnet made the entry in the list after I saw the Brezza facelift which misses on some very basic features. This is a downgrade from the older generation Brezza. Both Nexon and Brezza are in the market for a very long time but the same cannot be said about Sonet.

Now, I have tried my best to provide you with the scenario, affordability, and requirement. Please help me here to make an informed decision. I would have taken any car from this list had I been using it but here the main deciding factor is the service centre availability and distance from my place. My brother would not be able to make frequent visits to the service center in case of minor niggles hence looking for something which requires only the annual visits for the service. Also, a special request from the Sonet 1.2 L owners to share their experience with the car in terms of reliability and the engine powertrain.

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

Also, take a look at the XUV300 W4, might just make it price wise but see if the essential features are present.

Check if any existing stock of the older Brezza is available for a discount.

The Nexon has been around for quite a few years now and nothing major has occurred so you shouldn't worry much about the niggles but the service experience could be hit/miss.

No idea about the Sonet.

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

Is there any reason you are not looking at Renault Kiger and Nissan Magnite? Renault should have a service centre in all major locations. I just checked the S-Cross base variant. It should also come at ~ 10 l OTR so maybe you can check that out as well if it has all the features you’re looking for.

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

The 1.2 litre turbo petrol on the Nexon (118 bhp of power and 170 Nm of torque) and 1.5 litre NA petrol on the Brezza (102 bhp of power and 137 Nm of torque) are much better performers than the 1.2 litre NA petrol of the Sonet and Venue which churns out just 82 bhp of power and 115 Nm of torque.

As regards refinement, the 4-cylinder Brezza and Sonet are more refined than the 3-cylinder Nexon.

The Mahindra XUV300 is a good choice but the W4 Petrol will cost 9.55 lakhs on road and is a bare-bones variant of the car, although the engine is great.

My recommendation would be that you buy the Tata Nexon XE Variant for 8.61 lakhs on road and spend the amount you save on the rear camera, touchscreen and accessories required.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

I have a four year old special needs child, so having a reliable car is essential for me for emergency reasons.

BHPian RedMaw recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I have a four year old special needs child, so having a reliable car is essential for me for emergency reasons. My trusted first-gen i20 broke down 3 times within 6 months due to ECM issues. It has been at the mechanic for the past 3 months and a new ECM board cost whooping 70K and has a delay of 1 month due to chip shortage. We have a very low yearly mileage of around 6K km and 90% of that drive will be on highways only. My special needs child can neither sit nor stand without support. Earlier, our i20 back seat was big enough for my kid to lie down during travel, and later we switched to a child seat but she is outgrowing the child seat quickly. So, we need a reliable car which can support my child’s needs as well.

We began our search with the below criteria:

• Back seat comfort and ride comfort paramount.
• SUVish car (it will be easier to walk in) and easy to modify if the need arises
• Max width 1800 mm (due to 2000mm parking constraint).
• Auto box (After driving CVT for the first time, I couldn’t let go of the comfort of the auto box).
• 6 airbags (My better half insists it’s mandatory).
• Budget 15 - 20 lakhs (50% will be in loan and we are already at our max).
• Must serve us for 10 years due to high cost (Thanks to GTO for the excellent thread).

Before coming to Team BHP, we have visited almost all showrooms in the November/December timeframe and TD’ed a few cars. Below is our showroom and TD experience:

Honda:

To be honest, we went to the Honda showroom first, so that Honda can be rejected first. Honda does not have any CSUV and I did not pay much attention to the 5th gen Honda city. My uncle has the 4th gen City so I am not very enthusiastic about getting the same car. When we went to the showroom one fine evening. it was deserted, dull, and dark. The lone receptionist welcomed us, we explored a parked Honda City without much interest. I was not very impressed with the interiors which looked more like 2014 but was still classic looking. I did not like the dashboard either with lots of hard plastics. Exchanged some numbers and went straight to the Skoda showroom.

Honda City TD experience:

Even though the XUV700 was our first TD, the Honda sales executive followed promptly and proactively asked us to do a TD. We asked him to bring the City for the parking test which it passed with flying colors. Sales executive had brought a Zx CVT and I conveyed to him that I have never driven an auto box before. He taught me how to change gears and let me drive. I was initially a bit hesitant due to lack of auto box experience but agreed after his teaching. CVT was very easy to drive with minimal input. It was very smooth and linear. The lane assist camera worked well while parking but the ORVM on the door will need some time to get used to. The audio quality and the media unit were very average. Reverse camera was pathetic and the interior was underwhelming for an 18 lakh car. Still, everything looked classy and non-offending. My wife liked the back seat comfort and said she never felt any jerk or potholes. I thought it felt a little bouncy at lower speeds over potholes. Overall TD was good.

Skoda:

The Skoda Showroom was bright and was filled with Kushaq, Kushaq, and more Kushaq in all variants. Naturally, we explored the Kushaq. Though I did not own any Skoda cars before, I have ridden in the Skoda Rapid and Fabia. So with that in mind, I felt Kthe ushaq was not of the usual Skoda quality. I liked the media center and dashboard look but that’s it. There was no Skoda thud and build quality seemed lacking. In the rear seat, there is no under-thigh support and can accommodate only two people. Once we told the initial budget of 15 lakhs, the sales executive lost his interest and stood there for the sake of being present. There was no physical brochure or price list. The sales executive promised to send it via WhatsApp but till now I haven't received it. One funny thing is, the Skoda sales executive called me after a few days and asked when are we booking the Kushaq. I mean, he did not offer a TD or send brochures but went straight to booking. I told him we were looking at Honda City as well and he got angry/upset and asked us why we are booking the City when we looked at Kushaq. He continued that “Skoda is coming with a superior product Slavia which will eat and throw out the Honda City”. I asked him to send that brochure and he promptly sent it and forgot about us.

Hyundai:

We visited the Hyundai showroom on a Saturday and the place was crowded. There were at least two customers at each car except the Alcazar. An unenthusiastic sales executive attended us, his attitude was he is doing us a favor and we are disturbing him. We checked out the Venue first and it was too cramped, I could not comfortably get in or out. We tried the Creta and the sales executive outright told us, Creta will not fit in our parking (Creta width is 1790mm and our parking width is 2000mm). So we checked out the Verna and the backseat is again cramped. iThe 20 offered enough space but I was not interested to buy an i20 again for 13+ lakhs. We left only with the price list. The sales executive promised to send the brochure via WhatsApp but never sent it (He later sent Creta brochure after taking TD).

Hyundai Creta TD experience:

After visiting Honda and TATA showroom, their sales executives was in constant touch with us to do a TD. But with Hyundai it was the other way around. We had to check with the sales executive to do a TD. When we asked for a TD, the sales executive, repeated the same thing, it won’t fit in our parking but agreed to bring the diesel SX(O) MT for testing. The Creta was a good fit in our parking and had enough space to spare. Even though it was diesel, the clutch was lighter than the Nexon petrol clutch. The car touched 120 in 5th gear and upshifting to 6th gives a relaxed ride. The driver seat had a commanding position and there were lots of tech/party tricks in the car. As an existing Hyundai owner, I know, I won’t use most of this tech and it will mostly fail over the year. The panoramic sunroof was good, but I was afraid of reliability and what happens during a crash. The back seat comfort was good, but does not provide Honda City level comfort. The back seat could have been better since there was acres of space in the back. The ride was comfortable and there was no swaying. My wife still felt nauseous (Don't know whether it’s due to diesel smell or motion sickness).

Mahindra:

Compared to the Hyundai showroom, the Mahindra showroom was less crowded but there were a couple of families checking out the XUV700. We were welcomed and a sales executive immediately attended us. He wanted to show us all models but we politely refused and asked for only the XUV300. Saw a TD vehicle in a nearby yard and was underwhelmed by interiors and boot space. The XUV300 looked big from the outside but the interior was a compromise. We were still OK but the boot space (or lack thereof) removed the XUV300 from our list.

Mahindra XUV700 ride experience:

We were ready to leave but the Sales executive insisted we look at the XUV700. We told him about our budget and parking constraints but still, he insisted that the MX model will be within our budget. We agreed for a TD. I told the driver I have never driven an auto box, so he declined to let me drive. We took a drive for few km only, but the driver was showing off every feature of the car including ADAS, Sony speakers, sunroof etc. I liked the slab-type entertainment and speedometer digital combination. My wife also liked the back seat very much. The only nitpick was we had to climb inside instead of walking inside the car. We were floored by the ride and quality of interiors, in spite of our parking issues, we were ready to book (I thought parking be dammed. we will park outside). But, the long waiting period was the sticking point. Without knowing which year I will get my vehicle, I was not ready to book. The sales executive sent us the price list, brochure, accessories list, etc via WhatsApp.

PS: My better half was ogling the new Thar. Its a pity I could not afford two cars.

Volkswagen:

The next day was a Sunday and we went to the VW showroom. The sales executive had gone for lunch and the showroom was closed. But still, the sales executive sent us price list, brochure, and some pictures on WhatsApp. On Monday, we visited the showroom again and saw the Taigun. We liked the Mustard Yellow color but as with the Kushaq, the interior was not VW quality, VW has even changed the famous Polo horn. The backseat was inadequate with low under-thigh support and space for two adults only. Build and paint quality were the best of all vehicles we saw.

VW Taigun TD experience:

We TD'ed the Topline 1.0 AT model. Outright, we felt a lot of jerks as if the tyre was over pressured. So felt lots of motion sickness. But, the driving pleasure in Taigun was unmatched. The steering was a pleasure to hold and the 1.0 TSI packs a punch and begs to be pushed. During the TD, a two-wheeler guy suddenly came in our path, with just a flick of my wrist, I was able to avoid him. The Taigun kept its composure and I avoided him with ease. There was no drama, no squeaking, no fear in a tense situation. During the return to the showroom, I sat at the back and immediately felt the lack of under-thigh support and the ride was not cushy or comfortable (17” rims with over pressured tyres and stiff chassis might be the culprit). We rejected Tthe aigun with a heavy heart. My wife still likes Taigun's yellow mustard color very much and I liked Taigun's drive.

Tata:

We visited the Tata showroom on a Sunday and unlike many other showrooms, many sales executives were present on Sunday as well. Saw the Nexon, even though it was tall, the interior space was strictly average or comparable to our i20. Saw the Harrier and was impressed by the interior space and quality. Sadly it was too big for our parking. Tata does not have any cars in the C2 segment which is a sad tale. We would have bought a bigger Nexon or smaller Harrier.

Tata Nexon TD experience:

After lots of pestering by the Tata sales executive, we agreed for the TD of the Nexon. The Nexon was just barely able to accommodate our parking (width 1811mm). We did a TD of the petrol manual. I did not like the manual after Honda City's CVT experience. Driving the Nexon felt like driving my i20 with a higher seating position but the ride was good. The petrol struggled (lots of noise) to cross 100 on the highway. The Nexon eats potholes for breakfast but the rear seat was not comfortable compared to the City.

MG:

We kept postponing the Astor because I did not want a Chinese car. After TD'ing the above cars and not being impressed by anything, we visited the new MG showroom and it was sparsely crowded. Couple of ZS EVs were parked for charging. Outright, I and my wife liked the Astor look and were for the first time WOW'ed by the interiors. The interior quality and build quality were at the least a segment above this price point. The maroon color leather interior was very well put together but we noticed lots of scratch marks on the leather (I doubt it will last more than 5 years). This was not a cheap Chinese car but a proper British one.

MG Astor TD experience:

As much as we were wowed by the interiors, the 1.5 petrol CVT was strict meh only. The car took forever to accelerate. It was the slowest in all our TD's. Could not even cross 90 before the 2 km highway stretch ended. Lack of paddle shifters will be troublesome during overtaking, which might need good planning. One can not easily downshift to overtake like manual or CVT with paddle shifters. The driver's seat had a commanding position and the ride was good (not great like the Honda cCty). Back seat comfort was very average. The back seat was sloped downwards and we kept slipping during the TD, also under-thigh support was nonexistent.  Front seat runners were sticking out like a sore thumb in an otherwise beautiful car. The seat and cushion were good but we kept slipping for every braking or acceleration due to the sloped bench seat. Lack of under-thigh support caused pain in my legs very soon and my foot kept hitting the front seat runners for every movement.

Maruti Suzuki:

Visited the Maruti showroom and it was crowded. Unfortunately, we had a pathetic experience in the showroom. No one attended us and everyone was busy, we waited for a few minutes and started ourselves with display Ciaz. The Ciaz interior was pathetic and had lots of rough edges. Build quality was not good and no 6 airbags on any trim. Next, we saw the XL6. The Interior was again not good for a 13L car and again no 6 airbags on any trim. The middle row was offered only as captain seats and we wanted a bench seat. We wanted to look at the S-cross but the car’s door was blocked by other cars. While we are walking out, a sales executive asked us what we are looking for. We told him our requirements and he suggested the Ertiga. We thanked him and walked out.

Kia:

Visited Kia on Sunday and the showroom was deserted except for one sales executive and one family. The sales executive asked us to wait for 5 mins and kept attending to another family. We explored the Sonet and Seltos ourselves. We liked the Seltos and the interior space was similar to Creta. The Sonet did not look like a sub 4m car and was built big. However interior space was average only. We waited close to 45 minutes before the sales executive excused from other family and came to us. We got the price list and saw the variant X. He said 1.4 GTX Plus DCT was available immediately (on-road 21.5L). It was way out of our budget and conveyed him the same and left. TD was not offered and our contact details were not taken.

Nissan was skipped due to the viability of the company and except for the Duster, Renault did not have any car above 10 Lakh. One thing to note, for all these showrooms we went on our two wheeler only and I don’t think any sales executive took it as a negative.

Our shortlist as of now is three cars:

Honda City:

Positives:

• Rear seat comfort and ride quality was excellent (My SO kept Honda city as a benchmark for comparison).
• 6 airbags in mid variant (cost 17L for CVT and 15.5L for manual).
• CVT was very easy to drive.
• Boot space.
• On going discounts and easy availability (within a month).

Negatives that can be improved with additional cost (~60K):

• Neutral speakers.
• Road noise (needs insulation).
• Average tyres.

Negatives that cannot be improved:

• Not a big car or Pseudo SUV. So I don’t know how easily it can be modified for special needs.
• Need to crawl in.
• Infotainment system.
• VGA camera with no dynamic guidelines.
• Hard plastic dashboard.
• No split seat.
• Honda long term presence in India.

Hyundai Creta:

Positives:

• Big car with lots of party trick features.
• Okish Rear Seat comfort and sorted ride quality.
• 5 years wonder warranty.
• Lots of rear space.
• Split seat.

Negatives that can be improved with additional cost (~60 k):

• Rear seats (needs small padding or cover).
• Average tyres.

Negatives that cannot be improved:

• No safety rating.
• 6 Airbags in Higher variant only and it cost 20.5L on road for CVT.
• Hyundai occasional costly niggles.
• Waiting period (~ 3-6 months as per sales executive).New refresh might come soon with an additional price increase.

MG Astor:

Positives:

• Looks and wow quality interiors.
• Biggish car.
• Ride quality (when we are not slipping from the back seat).
• Tyres (continental UC6 tyres).

Negatives that can be improved with additional cost (~60K):

• Rear seat (need major work to make it non-slippery with under-thigh support).

Negatives that cannot be improved:

• CVT box is sluggish and gas guzzler as per the sales executive (only 7-8 KMPL in city and 12-14 in the highway).
• Front seat runner sticking out like a sore thumb in the back.
• Sunroof is covered by thin cloth? Worried about it.
• Long term warranty.
• Ease of service and spare parts availability.
• Waiting period.

Pre-owned cars:

I am a proponent of pre-owned cars. Even though they have their own set of negatives, finding one with 6 airbags is very difficult. And even if we find a good car, the asking price for every pre-owned car is through the roof.

The elephant in the room, Toyota Innova:

With our needs, the Toyota Innova ticks most of the boxes. But due to our parking constraints, we did not take a TD. The older model Innova might just fit in our parking, but the asking price for a used Innova is unreal. A 2015, 1 lakh+ kms run Innova, which needs new tyres and battery was quoted 14 Lakhs. I tried to negotiate for 11 Lakhs but the owner sold it for 12.5 Lakhs within a week.

The City was the benchmark for us but it’s not a CSUV car. The Creta ticks most boxes but it’s costly and might cost us more in long run. The Astor needs some compromise and I am worried about long-term reliability and service. I am still ok to go with pre-owned cars if they are good.

An Indian male life expectancy is 70 years. At 35+, I am a middle-aged Indian with a special needs child. I used to enjoy lone, late-night drives with melody songs and if I was alone like that, I would have purchased the  Taigun. But, I have to balance my needs and my child’s needs. I might have around another 30-35 years or 2-3 more new cars to enjoy. With this in mind, I request the members to guide me in selecting a good car.

PS: If anyone has special needs child, can you please share your experience here or via message?

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

Hey,

That's a very difficult list of conditions to meet. However, your prayers might have been answered today. The Kia Carens is brilliantly priced and will fit in your budget and parking space. It comes with some good engines and gearboxes and 6 airbags are standard. It also has a bench seat for the middle row if you choose the 7-seater. The only negative I see is there is no safety rating available. Even so, I recommend you have a look at the car.

One thing you should keep in mind is that an SUV / MUV is not likely to ride as well as a sedan. The Honda City is an excellent car if you are not into spirited driving. The running gear does not keep up with the engine at high speeds. Leave that, there is not much wrong with the car. No wonder it's the best selling car in the segment for so many years.

VW group cars like the Vento and Rapid were mechanically sound, but the new lot has seen too many failures for me to recommend right now. I love the XUV700, but there's not telling when you'll get your car.

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

If you’re open to preowned, a previous gen CRV is going to meet your needs. What you want is a big, safe, 5 seater with a wide seat and a big boot for your particular requirement. Regarding modifications, if a car has integrated seat airbags, then removing the rear seat may not be an option so please keep that in mind. Could you clarify in a little more detail what modifications is it that you need?

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

Hi Redmaw,

Two cars immediately come to mind: Kia Carens, as Aditya already mentioned and MG Hector. The Carens suits in terms of budget and size, and is said to have a soft ride. It has an immense wheelbase of 2780mm which exceeds all else in it's segment and more - more than the Innova and Fortuner. So should allow ample space to modify. It has an exact width of 1800mm. It being a new car might well mean more niggles, as can be seen with the XUV700 on it's thread.

The Hector has an excellent plush ride and is very spacious. 2nd row with more legroom than the XUV700. It is a refined vehicle. I test drove the Diesel Manual version and an extensive drive report with focus on space, ingress-egress and the drive experience can be found at this link (also has reports on a few others). I loved the space and ride quality. Also good ingress-egress. It is significantly narrower than the XUV700 and 35mm over the 1800 mark. The variant with 6 airbags might overshoot your budget a bit if OTR is what you had in mind. The good thing about the hector is that it has seen it's early days of niggles and now owners rarely report issues. Auto/CVT is only available in petrol, and the FE might be an issue, but you said you have low mileage.

I wish you all the best in finding a suitable vehicle.

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In models like the XM variant of the Tata Nexon, there is a rear spoiler, however, the car does not come with a rear wiper.

BHPian NovemberKing_91 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Problem Statement: Water accumulation on the rear windshield of CSUV like Tata Nexon during rain.

In the CSUV Tata Nexon and similar vehicles, in the absence of a rear windshield wiper, during rains, water accumulates on the rear windshield. While it is not critical to driving successfully, having a clear rear windshield is an advantage.

Explanation of the problem and possible solution

An example of a CSUV from Skoda, shows that the rear windshield has very little airflow to take away the water that may have accumulated there due to rain. The spoiler, while making the airflow smoother and providing downforce, also ensures a near-vacuum is created in the wake of the car.

Another image of a similar shaped car from Ford, shows the air velocity in different parts of the car. Our focus is on the blue area, immediately behind the car. Since there is minimum airflow over the car’s rear surface, water accumulation on the rear windshield is possible. For this reason, most of the hatchbacks come with a rear wiper.

In models such as the XM variant of Tata Nexon, the rear spoiler exists, but not the rear wiper. This ensures that there is neither airflow over the rear windshield, nor is there a means of effective removal of water accumulation during rains. This problem must be addressed.

The solution can be simple, to make the rear wiper standard across all models, or, to remove the spoiler, so that some air flows over the rear windshield. In the market, which is all but saturated with compact SUVs and visual appearance plays an important role in customer’s choice, removal of spoiler is not an option; while the addition of a rear wiper assembly, drives up the cost, which is not desirable too. So, a third option must be considered.

A spoiler, which is built in such a manner that, while maintaining the utility in terms of providing the necessary downforce, also allows for a stream of air to be pushed down the surface of the rear windshield. This should allow the water to be removed from the rear glass while ensuring that the cosmetics are maintained. An example may be as seen below in the case of the Porsche Cayenne.

In the absence of a wind tunnel or the skills to model the aerodynamic flow on my own, I request the learned designers to possibly give the idea a thought. The problem exists and the solution should be made available. Modification to the spoiler would not be a costly proposition but it will help the common man solve an inconvenience.

I hope the above article finds its way to the right people and this issue is solved. If someone explains to me why this cannot be done, guess that would satisfy the curiosity too, but then, there has to be a solution for sure.

Here's what BHPian VW2010 had to say about the matter:

Rear spoiler is not meant for deflecting wind back to the car and doing so can only cause poor efficiency and performance. Is it possible? Let me say yes for the sake of a non zero probability. Will it help with removing water at those speeds, I will take a calculated bet that it won't.

Nothing beats the rear wiper.

On such a rainy drive I have never once used the rear windshield, as my eyes are fixated on what is in front of me. The visibility at the front is already low in a moving car against the rain that side mirrors are the next best-used part of the car.

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

Just get the model with the wiper which sadly is nearing the top models since most of the car buyers don't use it or even know how to use it.

Don't think the Porsche example was using the spoiler to generate anything but downforce but I could be wrong.

As for your problem getting a rain repellant like Glaco before monsoons will help a bit but it cannot replace the utility of the wiper.

If it's just a matter of cost, get the wiper fitted. I would be more concerned about how much of the factory stuff will be opened to run the wiring, piping and attachments.

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

I consider the rear wiper as a safety feature and totally endorse the view of making it mandatory on all cars. I use it regularly and find it very helpful especially in traffic.

I have seen people keeping banners and pillows and what not blocking the view of IRVM. I feel so much discomfort by looking at such cars being driven. A car without a rear wiper in rain is somewhat the same.

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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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