I have a KTM 390 Adventure but I wanted a car that can tackle mild off-roading & the XUV300 does that with ease.

BHPian krishnakumar recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Ok folks, so, it has been just over 7 months since Yoda has been with us. So far we have completed a little over 7500km and I'm hoping to cover as many updates as possible in this post.

So how have the last 7500 km been?

Overall - FANTASTIC!! While there have been a few hiccups on the way, some of them have been resolved and some of them are still continuing. So without further ado, here's the update:

What has gone well so far?

• Excellent highway stability: This just stands out in the XUV300 and I love the comfort it offers for long-distance trips. I have done multiple rounds of Bangalore <> Trivandrum runs (750km one-way) and reached the destination with no fatigue.
• Smothers rough roads: The XUV300 excels in rough patches. I love off-roading and have a KTM 390 Adventure in the garage specifically for this but I wanted a car that can tackle mild off-roads with ease. The 300Nm torque and excellent suspension setup ensure that those faraway resorts and homestays are always accessible to us.

On the way to an estate resort. It felt so easy driving up these estate trails.

• Surprisingly quiet cabin: The XUV300 diesel mill is already a refined one but big props go to the sound-proofing in the XUV300. With the windows up and eyes glued to the road, it is very difficult to guess the speed. Thanks (or not so much thanks, debatable) to the 80kph chime, I know when the threshold is broken. Without that, it'd be really hard to say.

What were the hiccups along the way?

I'll break this up into two.

Issues that have been resolved

• Issue where the Bluetooth keeps getting disconnected: The issue is explained a bit in detail in this post on the official review thread. Happy to report that it was indeed a software bug and was resolved when the update came through. I was pleasantly surprised to get a call from the technical manager at Sireesh Marathahalli service center about the software update. Mr. Sridhar had promised me that he'd call me when the update comes but I actually did not expect him to follow through. So big props to that!
• Mild DPF scare: Between 6000km-6700km, the car was almost exclusively driven for short city commutes. The duration of this was around 3 months. The lapse was from my side and while I thought of taking the car out for a highway run every weekend, one thing or the other came up and I kept pushing it. One fine day, I get the DPF alert on my instrument cluster while dropping my wife off at work (one of those typical short city commutes). I came back and did a park regen and the issue was fixed. Now the plan is to at least do a short breakfast run every weekend.
• A rear-end resulting in bonnet replacement: So this was completely my fault. We were at an intersection (Hope Farm signal for the Bangaloreans) and there was a water tanker truck in front of us. I had to take a right turn but had no visibility of the traffic lights (which were getting blocked by the tanker in front). There was a Creta in front of me that was taking the right turn and I was following the Creta's cue (#1 mistake). The truck suddenly stopped (no rear brake lights, of course) but the Creta proceeded to complete the turn, possibly under the Amber light and this confused me a bit. I braked immediately, or so I thought, but the car had already rear-ended the truck on the passenger side corner; basically went below the under-ride with the under-ride protector squeezing the bonnet from the top. The speeds very extremely slow, less than 5kmph and hence nothing serious happened. I believe the truck didn't even realize. We were taking our puppy to the vet as he was sick and he was constantly wailing in the car, so I was already a little stressed; possibly the reason why I didn't function well because I have never made such silly mistakes in the past. Well, there is always a first and it was an important lesson. Got the bonnet replaced but totally not happy with the painting job done by the service. Thinking of leaving it as is for now and going for some detailing later this year.

Thankfully, no mechanical or electrical damage. The bonnet had to be replaced and everything else was good to go.

Ongoing Issues (that were reported/found earlier)

• "Whup whup whup" sound while releasing throttle at around 40kph speed: I had posted this on this post but didn't see many others facing a similar issue. One theory was on the intercooler pipe which I checked with the service center and they said my batch of cars did not have that concern. The issue doesn't manifest always and there are specific trigger patterns that I have not been able to fully recreate every time I test. So that has been a problem in explaining exactly what's going on to the service center guys. Anyway, planning to take a technician on a slightly longer test drive and show them in person.
• Gear knob vibrating at the 5th gear position while accelerating from 60kph-80kph (which is the recommended speed range for 5th gear): This issue is specific to 5th gear position and the knob vibrates while accelerating from 65kph-80kph. Beyond 80kph, it doesn't vibrate and below 60 kph, there are chances to stall so I always shift down. Again, there are specific instances when this doesn't vibrate and I haven't been able to figure out why it doesn't. These "ideal" instances are 1/10; the rest 9/10 times, the knob vibrates. Again issue with replicating this to the technician was within city limits it was simply not possible to get up to those speeds.

New issue that has cropped up in the last 500km

A mild creaking/squeaking noise from the driver side door pad/b-pillar - can't exactly place where! Hoping that this is something minor that can be fixed but since it's right next to my ears, it's very difficult to ignore. Also, FINGERS CROSSED, no other rattles so far and hoping it stays that way.

What are some quirks that I have gotten used to?

• Oversteer on rumble strips: Realized this is more a function of the suspension setup. Basically, if I steer while on the rumble strips coupled with braking or acceleration, there is terrible oversteer that needs immediate correction. Having driven cars for many years, I have been confident in tackling those scenarios well but this might catch an amateur off-guard! Not sure if there is a fix to this though. Typically, I do trail braking on sharper corners as it is a much more mature way of driving/riding (certainly carried over this habit from my riding days). So while I would normally trail brake on these sharper curves, if I see rumble strips on one I slow down much earlier and hold the steering a bit loose to quickly adjust for any corrections that might be required. So far this has been working well!
• Extremely sensitive cold brakes: Again something that's difficult to replicate to a service station as by the time I reach there the temps have already gone up. But when the brakes are cold (first start of the day or after a long park), the brakes are extremely sensitive. Even a light tap causes a sudden halt which is nerve-wracking. I have to be extremely soft and gentle with brake inputs for the first 5 minutes beyond which this sensitivity goes away. That doesn't mean the brakes are at their best, which leads me to the 3rd quirk.
• Spongy brakes: Clearly, the brakes are a weak point for XUV300. I would have certainly liked a bit more bite to the input, giving me some crucial initial feedback. Although, I have now learned the braking input required and managed around this by controlling other inputs. Yet, this is one thing that I'd want to get checked once again at the service center to identify a fix.
• Lastly, the annoying rear washer wiper quirk: Even started a thread for this here (Annoying rear wiper/washer behavior in the Mahindra XUV300). Planning to get this checked out and fix this in my next service visit.

What's the fuel economy offered?

• No ownership update is complete without an update on fuel economy, especially in India. After all, it's the most basic metric to ascertain ownership costs. On highways, the car has been giving an economy of ~16kmpl and in city traffic ~14kmpl. I'm still looking at ways to improve this and putting to practice some of the techniques mentioned in this lovely thread.
• Following DBHPian Arun Josie's steps of diligently logging refuelling, I've managed to plot a graph as given below. Note how the MID is always showing 1.5-2kmpl higher than the actual (measured by Tank-to-Tank method, stopped at auto-cutoff always). The last 16.3 kmpl is with the IOCL XtraGreen and while this is no different than the earlier economy I've managed to extract, this particular trip was to Coorg involving some good amount of offroad, hilly roads and Bangalore traffic. Will try this fuel for another trip and see how much economy the car offers.

Verdict

LOVE THE CAR TO BITS. Looking forward to many more happy miles with Yoda.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

I was able to get the handling charges waived off on escalation to Mahindra.

BHPian asitmonty recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I couldn't say this enough. Thank you Team-BHP. Because of this incredible group, I was able to pick up a good vehicle, had a much smoother buying process than I otherwise would, and saved myself from getting scammed off of at least 25k. I truly thank all of you, especially the founder, moderators/admins for keeping the entire group clean and organized, and to the active members who took the effort to share their experience. Thanks a lot everyone.

Now it's my turn to give back so that someone else may benefit from my updates/experience with this process.

Price Summary (June 2022):

XUV 300 Petrol W8(O) Manual

• Vehicle Cost : 1,238,202

• TCS 1% : 12,382

• Discount (Accessories) : 19,350

• EX-SHOWROOM PRICE : 1,231,234

• Road Tax Registration : 126,060

• Insurance : 33,452 (Initial dealer quote was 45,000)

• Shield Warranty (2 Yrs) : 13,804 (Dealer quoted 15,800. opted out, bought through the hamesha app)

• Fastag : 500 (opted out, got it personally)

• Accessories : 26,000

ON ROAD PRICE : 14,30,550

• Accessories from Amazon : 10,000

TOTAL EXPENSE : 14,40,550

Handling Charges: 4,000 (Dealer reluctantly waived off with pressure from Mahindra)

A slightly better formatted price list details

Timeline:

2021:

• Oct - started test drives and decided on vehicle
• Nov-Feb : waited for Dec/Jan discounts and just in case Mahindra announces a new model in 2022

2022:

• Feb 21 - Booking done
• May 13 - Unit billed to me
• May 19 - Vehicle arrived at Dealer stockyard
• May 23 - Dealer notified me of Vehicle in their stock (lousy)
• May 24 - PDI completed
• May 26 - ICICI Loan finalized
• May 28 - Invoice signed
• Jun 1 - Bank disbursed payment and RTO registration start
• Jun 4 - Vehicle received

Selection Process:

I had zero idea of buying a car in India. And I started totally confused with the huge number of make/model options, insurance terminology, confusing process. Eventually, I decided that a bigger car would be nice (My dad had a hatchback - i10), but not the full size since it is too expensive and would be a little tight for my small garage.

After quick initial reading around, decided to check 5 models under the 15L price point that I had - Nexon, XUV300, Brezza, Urban Cruiser and Venue. My ride with Brezza and Urban Cruiser was ok. The interior was average and overall didn't feel great about either. Venue was a bit better overall, but the rear seats felt too tight, and so did the handling.

Nexon and XUV300 were definitely the winner from the test drive phase.

Between Nexon and XUV300,

Nexon -

Pros:

• Very attractive prices - almost 1L lower than XUV300.
• Boot space - bigger than XUV300
• Sportier look than competition. Especially with the new Kaziranga.

Cons:

• The bigger Boot space results in tighter spacing between rear seat and front seats. With the front seat retreated to accomodate a 5'10" guy, the knees of riders in the back would almost touch the front seat. My i10 has a better spacing compared to Nexon. The drop in knee space for rear passengers is obvious, given the extra boot space within 4m, compared to xuv300.
• Curvature of the rear portion of roof results in much smaller gap between the head and roof, if you are taller than avg. I am 5'10" and there was barely a fist sized gap between my head and the roof. My i10 has a bigger gap.If your rear passengers are 5'6" or shorter, or if you are going to have kids in the back most of the time, you can consider the car.
• Black interior roofs, makes the space feel smaller.

XUV 300

Pros:

• Extra curtain airbags and ESC. I saw the link where impact on occupant safety due to side airbags was highlighted. We take highway trips (2-3 hours drive) every 3 months or so with my little girl in the back (she doesn't get into car seat). So, this felt important. Check these two posts for some relevant research material

Post 1

Post 2

• Better seating space, gap between head and roof. Because of the flat design of roof, unlike Nexon's sloped, that extra fist size room makes the difference.
• Less sporty, more SUV feeling
• The sexy wheels - if you look at silver alloys vs diamond cut, chances are you will get the O trim just for its wheels

Cons:

• Boot space is less. Though for practical purposes (specific to my case), it is big enough to fit a couple of large duffel bags, supplies and chairs for a trip to the beach. I don't plan to go on drives longer than 12 hours, so it is not a big botheration for me. For those occasional trips to airport to drop any of the US bound relatives, I can fold one side of the 60:40 back seat and fit in upto two additional big suitcases. Else, uber those 1 or 2 trips.
• Expensive by 1 lakh, though still not overpriced
• There is a huge gap in features between W6 and W8 (top trim). So, you are sort of forced to opt for W8(O)

Price

I have already summarized pricing details at top. Some additional info below.

Possible discounts and timing:

Dec - Feb : about 30k now (used to be close to 70k if you are lucky before the semiconductor shortage)

Mar - Jun : about 20k price increase : for 2022, it was in May

There is at least one BHPian from Chennai, who got 70k waived off in Dec 2020 (didn't save the post link). With the semiconductor shortage, and the pouring orders, right now no discount is going on. However, if you plan to buy a Mahindra towards year end (Dec/Jan) when they offer big amount on previous year manufactured cars, consider the overall loss.

For a 12L vehicle, When you sell your vehicle after, say, 10 years, the drop in value per year is about 60k. Unless the dealership is offering that much in savings, it is a loss.

More detail with pretty charts.

Big decision related to expected new models -

Should I get the car this year, or wait till Apr 2023 to get the new upgrade that every car site is talking about??

With XUV700 at 90 weeks delivery, and current 300s at a 13 weeks delay, I am skeptical about how long the 2023 XUV will take to be delivered. On top of that, at the rate Mahindra is raising prices, it is likely they would another 50k to the new model. So, at the end, decided the new logo, looks and features is not worth waiting a full year, year and half and paying 50k more. Though if recession hits, it may likely go cheaper.

Negotiating with dealer:

1. Logistics charges of 4000

I pointed out to SA that it is an illegal charge as declared by various high courts, but his dealership couldn't care less. I would have pursued it though if they would have forced me to pay. But fortunately, I got lucky here.

Twitter to my rescue:

I dropped a tweet tagging Anand Mahindra. In 48 hours, the GM at the dealership called. Tried to give me theories around why the 4k is a justified charge. I was polite but firm about not paying the charge. At the end, he declined to waive it and disconnected. Calls me back in a few hours and informed that as a courtsey, he will waive the handling charge. I am guessing, Mahindra has some sort of customer satsifaction targets for each dealer, and the dealership decided that the value of that is much more than my puny 4k. Good for me.

2. Insurance -

Dealer quoted 45k for insurance through IFFCO Tokio. When I checked online, IFFCO quoted 25k. Even the 2nd most expensive quote was 33k only. Though it was still confusing with so many insurers and a big price gap (lowest at 16k all the way to 32k). I did some data anlaysis using IRDAI data (from their website) and grouped the insurers by their claim settlement ratio and rejection ratio. Not surprisingly, the insurers with low settlement ratios also were the ones with the low prices. At the end, I picked within the top 5 insurers, despite the relatively high price. If I get into an accident, I would be unhappy enough. Minimizing the collection pain is likely worth the extra bucks.

Within the top 5 insurers:

• HDFC Ergo - I picked this finally for approx 36k (for IDV - 1176291 + RTI + Zero Dep)
• Bajaj Allianz - Most expensive
• Oriental - Website Quote is not user friendly. So, likely claims process is not completely digital. Though i couldn't confirm
• Royal Sundaram - Overall good, but they dont have Return to Invoice cover.
• SBI General - Same problem as Oriental. Online quote cannot be done with Chassis. And their online sales team really sucks.

Once I decided the insurer, I told the dealer that I will get my own. They kept on justifying a policy through the dealer claiming it will make claims easier and faster. When I asked how would it help given the claim is now done through the mobile app and the insurer will send their own claim investigation person anyway, they just blabbered and had no clue what to say. Finally, they gave up and told me they will match whatever quote I have from online.

So, now I get a policy through the dealer for 2/3rd of the price they originally quoted and got a better insurer than they planned to have for me.

Oh, and the additional discount of 5k they had promised earlier, apparently that couldn't be done anymore. I guess that 5k discount for 'feel good' was from the extra 20k they were charging me for insurance.

I have posted an infographic that puts all insurers in a visual friendly manner using claims settlement ratio at this link. I hope it helps the ones like me who are new to this.

3. Shield warranty - a few of the reviews on Team-BHP had mentioned that it is better to get shield through the withyouhamesha app. So, verfiied and stuck to that option. Was cheaper by 2k compared to dealer's quote. The actual purchase on app took 2 minutes.

PDI -

The SA was reluctant for PDI and gave all sorts of reasons - against company policy, nobody does that, our Service Manager will do the PDA so you dont have to worry, and so on. But thanks to Team-BHP, I stood my ground and he finally relented. Took the checklist printout, and went through it page by page (about 80% covered). And it definitely is a must do. There was nothing big, but maybe about 10 minor things. A minor scratch on the bonnet, 2 or 3 weird marks on body, another 4 or so minor dirt marks inside. On every single item, the service manager either made an excuse or said 'it is like that'. But eventually said they would address it. (though the service manager fixed some and left others, so its better that you make the service manager write down the list, or at least whatsapp the list directly to him)

Few observations:

1. Download the Blue Sense Connect app before you show up. Helps you test the car Entertainment system, as well as you can see the trip details made by your car (in case it was driven around more than it should have been). Though I did it during the PDI, so it isn't a big deal if you have a good LTE connection at the PDI location. But still safer to get it before you leave.

2. Think about your accessories before you go for the PDI. I had already gone through the available accessories listed on M2All and the brochure that SA shared on whatsapp. After the PDI, I talked to my SA and got the prices for the ones I was interested in.

I looked at some of the accessories that were getting fitted for 2 cars, and that helped clear my choices a bit.

Mahindra has a nice website to check accessories look on the car. I played around on this site.

Loan

Mahindra finance offered me 7.2% (as of May 29 2022) fixed with 5k processing fee, whereas ICICI did 7.2% fixed with 5k processing fee and Union bank 7.4% variable with 3k processing fee. I confirmed with Mahindra Finance. But on the day of PDI, when I went to finalize the papers, turns out MahFin wants 6k insurance for the loan as well. Even though when I had asked him to list every single fee, he conveniently skipped that. Some members in my family were like - you are paying 14L already, what's another 6k. And they are right, 6k is not a big amount. It's more around, if the company is sneaky enough to do this, what else have they got hidden in that contract? I was sort of prepared mentally to walk out if this happens, and that's what I did. Reached out to ICICI, and they processed it at the promised rate. No hidden charges. Plus, it took just another 2 days. When I have waited 3 months, what's another 2 days?

Final amount payment and Invoice

As recommended by BHPians, I double checked all entries and turns out the Engine number was entered wrong. Just one letter, but obviously that would have been a pain if it got submitted to RTO. The SA was a bit reluctant to accept his mistake (this was something that regular customers wouldn't catch, but yay to TeamBHP). Finally, he accepted and fixed it.

Accessories -

• I went for about 37k of accessories. 26k from Mahindra -
• Intense Chrome Set - 10,880,
• SS rear bumper guard - 4,800
• parcel tray - 1,795
• Illuminated Door Sill- 2,400
• anti-skid dash mat, front and rear mud protector, body side moulding set, bumper corner protector set, fender garnish, door edge protector - total 4,950
• Front middle grill garnish - wasn't available so have to do it later

And then another 10k from Amazon

1. Hi Art PVC, Faux Leather 7D Beige car mats- ₹ 5,700

2. Hi Art Rear Waterproof Tray Boot Trunk Mat - ₹ 2,000

Hi-Art is really owned by this guy Pulkit from Delhi (probably chinese orders). If you buy direct from his website mats cost 4950 instead of 5700. Though, it has its own risk (I ordered through Amazon since the returns with Amazon are less-hassle). Here is the direct website for the brave ones.

3. kinder Fluff Luxurious 210T Fabric Foldable Windshield Sunshade (L) - ₹ 1,500

We watched accessories videos on youtube where the youtuber would show each accessory's looks on a real vehicle. That, in addition to taking a glance whenever you got a chance (during showroom visit, or parked XUV's on road, or even one that would cross us on a drive) was very helpful in getting a true sense of how good/bad it looked

Delivery

The SA initially offered us to take the delivery at 4 pm on Friday. But I went with TeamBHP recommendation, and asked for Saturday morning. And it was a very useful decision. Nobody was in a rush, and they had a problem tracking my payment, so it took a good 1.5 hours from arrival to departure. I had been given 10:30 am, and based on my previous experience with their tardiness, I called them up at 10 to confirm. As expected they hadnt even started anything, I was asked to come at 11. To get the final payment for accessories, checking all reciepts/warranties - overall it took 1.5 hours at the showroom. So, plan accordingly.

For the demo, I was asked by the receptionist during the final handover and when I said I haven't got any yet, they said they can have a person come over to our place and do the entire demo (electrical, mechanical options, etc - the full deal). So, I have one coming in next week. I haven't asked if it is free though, but I think it is.

As @SMG recommended, I had ordered from a nearby shop and took about 20 breakfast packets of snacks to share some happiness. Their sales floor have about 8 employees. Don't know if it did spread some happiness, but at least I sure felt good about it. A hearty thanks to for putting up that guide for buying process.

Post delivery:

Upgrades that I have decided on based on my 2 drives with the car-

Headlight - there are about 4 really helpful posts by BHPians on headlight upgrade options. 

Upgrades that I am not sure about yet:

1. Audio - Feels alright. Since we do not plan to go on 4+ hour drives yet (my daughter is 3 now and takes a lot of planning for longer drives), I will review it later.

2. Horn - sounds ok i guess

Useful links:

I am adding some links to posts from other BHPians, that I collected during my research. So that future buyers dont have to spend weeks scouring old posts. This thread is 50+ pages already

1. Oil change early at 1000 km

2. Headlight

3. Audio options : starts at 20k all the way to 1.2L

Thread 1

Thread 2

4. Replacing Tyres for better driving experience - ₹ 32k for Michelin

Post 1

Post 2

5. Full-body PPF and interior coating - ₹ 80k-1.2L

Thread 1

Thread 2

Good luck to future buyers. If there is any other information I can help with, please feel free to reach out.

Read BHPian comments for more insights and information.

We are looking at the automatic transmission options but is it possible (or advisable) to drive an AMT car in manual mode in the long term?

BHPian Malyaj recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

It is time to buy a new car and as with most purchases, analysis-paralysis had kicked in. After a few months of research, I have zeroed down on 2 options, but before that, some background will help.

Background

Our current garage consists of a 2013 WagonR and a pre-owned 2010 A-Star Automatic. For most of the ownership period, the WagonR has been my drive and A-Star my wife's. She cannot drive a manual. The vehicle to be replaced is the A-Star as it is quite old now, rattles on the horrible Bangalore roads, and we want to part with it while we can get some value.

Additional problems with the A-Star include:

• A windshield which has developed wiper scratch marks which cause visibility problems at night on narrow 2-lane roads with the oncoming traffic lights.
• Tiny ORVMs
• Poor headlights. Couple of years back I got these replaced by more powerful ones, which went kaput. The mechanic said the wiring cannot support better headlamps and I have to live with it or keep changing them.

All the above put together make driving at night difficult and even dangerous. Bangalore roads are poorly lit and I don't want my wife driving such a vehicle any longer. Hence the decision to part with it rather than the Wagon R, which still has some years left in it.

Once replaced, the new AT car will become the primary vehicle. Our workplaces are now walking distance from each other's and therefore we commute together. We plan to use only one car 90% of the time, with the WagonR becoming a stand-by car if there are guests at home and more than 5 need to be carried.

A very important consideration is that the new vehicle has to last at least 10 years as we are not planning to purchase anything in between. We are also not people who like frequent visits to the workshops or expensive repair bills. Maruti has spoilt us in this department.

Lessons from past driving experiences

• Before Covid, we used to do a fair amount of outstation trips, but as the vehicles have aged and safety consciousness has set in, this has reduced.
• Both our vehicles are not great performers, and more than once on highways we have been in tricky situations while overtaking.
• The A-Star has given us some nightmarish moments on steep hills. On one particular trip back from Goa to Bangalore, we took a less frequented route (Tirali Ghat, IIRC), which had very steep hairpin bends and the A-Star kept upshifting from 1st to 2nd gear, which made climbing next to impossible.
• We have also suffered underbody hits, in the rain-battered roads of Western Ghats / Nilgiris which we visit fairly often.

This has made us conclude that our next vehicle must have:

• Decent ground clearance
• Enough power for safe overtaking
• A gearbox that is competent on hills

A host of other decisions have gone into the shortlisting, but I won't go into them as many other 'What Car' threads have answered those queries. The 2 shortlisted cars are - Nexon & XUV300.

As you all know, these come only with the AMT gearbox and hence I will quickly come to the questions:

• Is it possible (or advisable) to drive the AMT as a manual in the long term? Since my wife is a sedate driver and will be driving only in the city, she can use it on AMT mode, while when I am driving I can use the manual mode. Please note that even in the city it will be me who will be driving most of the time when we both commute to office together. It's just that the AT option has to be there, in case my wife is driving alone.
• Is the AMT good enough on steep hills? Will the gear auto upshift even if I have switched to manual mode?
• Is any AMT gearbox good enough to last 10-12 years? I know they haven't been around too long in mainstream vehicles so I can understand if there is no clear answer to this.
• Is overtaking really too much of a pain with AMT cars?

Some important conditions that went into shortlisting:

• Should be able to seat 5 comfortably.
• Longish vehicles like City / Verna are to be avoided as my wife is not very good at parking and manoeuvring tight spots.
• AC should be effective as I like the cabin pretty chilled.
• Budget is 13-14 L OTR Bangalore

Magnite and Kiger were rejected because of longevity / support confidence. S-Cross is a strong contender, but new variant ambiguity (FOMO) is playing on my mind.

I would also love to know the views of Nexon / XUV300 owners on the quality of headlamps used. Is the illumination adequate?

Looking forward to your views.

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

XUV 300 is a great option and the AMT does the job pretty well IMO. My 2cents on your queries.

I drive mostly with manual mode, and can seamlessly throw her in auto mode whenever I feel like. I don't know about a long-term effect as I’ve had her for 2 yrs now.

On manual mode, it won't auto up shift, but if you slow down it will auto downshift. I have not faced any issues with overtaking on the highway or in the city. I have done a few short trips on the ghats and she has behaved perfectly in manual mode whether going uphill or downhill.

The hill hold works like a charm and is extremely useful in choke block traffic, especially on inclines like getting on a flyover.

AC is chilly on the front but there are no rear AC vents. I haven’t found this to be a major concern but would have been a good to have feature.

At your budget, I’d suggest going for the W8 which has most of the nice features. I don't know if the W8 (o) will fit in that budget and you may have to stretch a bit. Diesel is more expensive but totally worth it and probably the best in this segment.

The headlamps are okay but not the best.

Overall a very competent car and fun to drive. You probably find reasons to do a road trip whenever you can.

Nexon is also a great car. Reasons I didn't go with Nexon is because I found the seating more comfortable in XUV and the ride quality much better, especially in the city.

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

By its very nature, AMT is not the best choice for the considerations you have in mind. My brother-in-law owns a Nexon AMT and I have also driven it extensively. Even being an AMT, it does a great job in most situations, but where I do feel it lacking is in hilly and steep areas-being an AMT there is no hill-hold and like a typical AMT, sometimes it has a mind of its own when shifting-especially in urgent situations. Of course, you can drive it in manual as you mentioned, but then I don't see the point. An automatic car should do the job in AT mode at least 70-80% of the time.

In summary, the Nexon is a great car and gets most of the things right, but the one area where the AMT struggles (based on my personal experience) fall right into one of your key requirements. Again in my personal view, overtaking sometimes is a pain in AMT cars, but the Nexon's engine manages to mask the inefficiency of the AMT to a great extent.

I think the Venue and Sonet also meet your need and come with a turbo petrol and a proper AT? Any reason to drop those?

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The XUV300 Sportz is powered by a 1.2L turbo-petrol engine that makes 129 BHP and 230 Nm.

According to a media report, Mahindra has received ICAT (International Centre for Automotive Technology) certification for its upcoming XUV300 variant powered by a more powerful turbo-petrol engine.

The new ‘Sportz’ variant comes with a 1.2-litre, 3-cylinder direct-injection turbo-petrol engine. It is said to produce 129 BHP and 230 Nm and is expected to be paired with a 6-speed manual gearbox.

Currently, the XUV300 is offered with a 1.2L turbo-petrol engine rated at 109 BHP and 200 Nm. Whether Mahindra will sell the Sportz variant alongside the less powerful version remains to be seen.

The XUV300 Sportz was initially scheduled to go on sale in April 2020. However, the launch was pushed back due to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Source: Autocar India

I've already booked the XUV300 but after seeing the spy pictures of the 2022 Brezza, I'm having second thoughts about it.

BHPian RahulC recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Is it a good idea to buy an XUV 300 (P) in June 2022?

I have been longing to buy a new car since the start of this year but for some reason or the other haven't been able to finally get one. My ultimate priority was safety and my original shortlists were Nexon XZ+ (S) Petrol and XUV 300 W8 (P). After waiting for so long and having witnessed multiple price hikes, I finally booked XUV 300. The day the dealer called me telling me that he had arranged a car for me, I saw the spy pics of the new Brezza. Now I am confused about whether it's worth going for the XUV 300 (which is now roughly a 3-year-old model) or waiting until the full specs of the Brezza are officially released (anticipated in June).

I would really love to hear thoughts from experts in the community.

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

Having owned a 2011 Ritz earlier, test-driven nearly all the cars in the sub-15L range and owned an XUV300 W6 AMT for the past 9 months, I would recommend the XUV300 without any hesitation.

If I were to compare it to the Brezza, here's how I would see it:

Service: My experience with Mahindra has been as good as it had been with Maruti. While the parent company (Maruti) has been responsive, I have had mixed experiences at Bimal Motors and great experiences at UM Cars (Domlur). So far at Mahindra, both India Garage and PPS Motors have been good to me.

Build Quality and Safety: A coconut fell bang on the bonnet of my XUV300 a few weeks ago. There was a dent for a short while but it straightened out by itself on my way home. Brezza might be the safest-rated vehicle from the Maruti stable, but I am not sure it might be as good.

Value for money: I lucked out by buying the non-touchscreen W6 variant during the semiconductor shortage, reducing my OTR by INR 1L. Brezza (the pre-facelift version) was even then the costlier option for the AT variant.
Waiting time: A car in hand is better than one just booked, if you ask me. With prices being hiked frequently, and especially more so when it comes to popular models, it's better to get your vehicle before the hikes push it to the very edge of your budget.

Comfort: As a driver, I am a fan of the XUV. I've had multiple day-long trips (750+ kms) without feeling the strain. The turbo petrol has done everything asked of it on highways. The TD I took of the old Brezza, on the other hand, was a disappointment because the 4-speed AT+engine combo just did not seem like it had the lungs to respond quickly. Given the initial feedback for the new Baleno and XL6/Ertiga, if the same new engine is ported over to the Brezza, you might be in for a more sedate ride than you might like.

Boot space: This is where the XUV300 takes a massive hit. I ended up installing a roof carrier when we had the whole family on a trip. Brezza, if I am not wrong, might not have needed the capacity expansion. That said, I am not sure if Brezza will come with load-bearing roof rails - if it doesn't, it does limit your options should you ever need them in future.

As things stand now, there are a few things that you can't know about the new Brezza until you do a proper TD and put it through its paces. But if the reasons you had for finally deciding in favor of the XUV300 still hold true, you might be better off going for it. Otherwise, be mentally prepared for a hike that might come in between now and the delivery of whatever car you finally choose. In any case, Brezza or XUV300, all the best and hope your miles are always filled with smiles!

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

I was to take the car to the service center, however again the ‘transmission malfunction’ error came on the dashboard and car was not starting. I again had to call RSA and get the vehicle to the service center by towing.

BHPian RakeshMX3 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Here's my initial ownership review after completing closed to 3000 kms in 3 months. I bought the XUV300 W6 AMT in Dec 2021 from Pune. The 1st month of ownership was great, the vehicle ran very well and certainly met my expectation. However, in the 2nd month the problem started. Due to some health issues of my mother, I had to come to my hometown Aurangabad, and since mid-Jan working from here. Below is the series of vehicle failure I experienced in the month of Feb:

1. Feb 5th, 2022: I was travelling with my family in town area to buy some stuff. Once the shopping was done, the car refused to start. The remote was not working, the engine was not starting and the dashboard was showing ‘transmission malfunction’ error continuously. I had to then call the road side assistance and get the car tow to nearest service center. At service center, the service adviser inspected the issue and noticed some issue in the fuse box and fixed it. The car started and then I took it to home.
2. Feb 19th, 2022: The same error ‘transmission malfunction’ appeared. Again the car refused to start. This was around 9pm when I was to take my mother from hospital back to home after her chemotherapy cycle. I was about to call RSA again to tow the vehicle but decided to crank the engine one more time and it worked. The car started I was able to take it to home. The week of Feb 21st was extremely busy for me, hence I couldn’t take the vehicle to service center during weekdays. On Saturday, Feb 26th, I took the vehicle to service center, however the service advisor said he is very busy today and the car would need to drop in the service center for 2 days and I was told to get the vehicle to them on Tuesday, Mar 1st.
3. Mar 1st, 2022: I was to take the car to the service center, however again the ‘transmission malfunction’ error came on the dashboard and car was not starting. I again had to call RSA and get the vehicle to the service center by towing. They kept the vehicle there for 2 days and called me and confirm that there was an issue with one of the fuse in the fuse box. They said this is resolved and I wont face this issue ever.

Since March 1st, I haven’t received any issue, however, for 2 weeks I was extremely scared to take the vehicle anywhere. I am certainly worried and sceptical now on the quality checks that MnM has, a vehicle which is merely 2 months old, need to tow twice is utterly shameful for a company such as MnM. I had also contacted MnM customer care but all they did was fwd me to the service center.

Service experience MS vs MnM:

I owned Maruti Zen Estilo for 9 years and surely found it more professional compare to Mahindra. In MS service centers I felt I am dealing with an institution which has certain process checks, whereas at Mahindra I had to keep chasing the SAs, if I dont stand on his head, he will slow down .

Would I still recommend XUV300? absolutely! The engine is certainly a gem of a machine, its been 3 months now and it still puts smile on my face on open highways. Quick overtakes still needs some planning due to the AMT gear-shift pauses. In city, at ~10 km/hr speed, I still find the acceleration uneven to the throttle response, the best way here is to keep sufficient space between the next vehicle.

Attaching few images for your reference.

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My wife had stopped the car at a gradual right turn because a Toyota Etios was parked on the left shoulder of the road facing the opposite direction of the traffic.

BHPian Vijin recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

It's a little unfortunate to report that we were involved in a minor accident a couple of weeks ago.

This happened on my way from Hyderabad to Trivandrum. I drove from Hyderabad to Bangalore alone, spent the night there, then went to Trichur to visit my in-laws, picked up my wife and kid, and continued south to visit my parents in Trivandrum.

26/03

About 90 kilometres north of our final destination, my wife offered to drive the rest of the way. She is a novice and has done some highway trip drive sharing in the past, though not much on Kerala highways.

If you are unaware, the majority of Kerala's highways are only two lanes with a mix of continuous and broken white lines separating traffic in both directions. We were approaching 40kmph on a gradual right turn with a continuous white line prohibiting any overtaking. A white Toyota Etios was parked on the left shoulder of the road, but it was facing the opposite direction of traffic. My wife had slowed and came to a complete stop when she saw this car waiting in the opposite direction because she was unsure what the Etios guy was going to do next.

Then, seemingly out of nowhere, a truck carrying LPG cylinders decided to overtake us and re-enter the lane as quickly as possible. He was almost there, except for the crash bar on the back end, which caught our front right side.

We were stunned for a split second as we heard the thud and a screech and felt a sudden jerk. We usually travel with our seats belted and our child in his car seat, resulting in nil impact inside.

I saw the truck driver realise what had happened and come to a halt a few metres ahead of me. I also noticed that my wife was in shock, but that my child was sound asleep and safe. When I regained my composure, I noticed that traffic was piling up behind me. I asked my wife to drive ahead and park on the shoulder just ahead of the Etios, who was noticing all the commotion. I assured her that everything would be fine and that I would take care of all that.

When I got out of the car, I noticed damage to the right front cladding, tyre, alloy wheel, wheel arch garnish, and front bumper. The front bumper was broken and was hanging a little, the DRL, fog light, and front parking sensor on the right side became non-functional. The sidewall of the front right tyre was torn, the alloy wheel was scratched, and the wheel arch was ripped open.

The rear crash bar

I then opened the bonnet and was relieved to see that there had been no impact on the inside and that the majority of the impact was cosmetic.

Guilt set in for the Etios guy, who rushed out of the car, gathered the crowd and started yelling at the truck driver. Meanwhile, I quickly dialled a known SA from MASS at Eram Mahindra, Trichur, and sent him a few clicks to get a rough estimate. He assured me that with my insurance, I might have to spend around Rs.2K, but the final bill could be well over Rs 30K.

Due to the commotion, my son had awoken and began crying, and the crowd was on the verge of calling the police. I just wanted to avoid any complications and unnecessary time waste. The Etios driver and his friend demanded that the truck driver pay a substantial amount of money or we all go to the police, while the truck driver offered 1.5K.

To calm everyone down, I quickly agreed to take the money and demanded that he assist me with the hanging bumper situation so that I could drive until the next ASS. He quickly tied things up with metal wires, and I discovered we could proceed.

I quickly thanked everyone, dispersed the crowd, and continued my journey at a slow pace, assuring my better half that I would have done the same thing in that situation and nothing would have been different.

Sunday, March 27th

MASS was working on Sunday due to a trade union strike scheduled for the 28th and 29th of March. I went to Trivandrum SS Mahindra, and they gave me an estimate of Rs. 43k and asked that I return the vehicle on Wednesday. Furthermore, they mentioned that the alloy wheels might need to be replaced and that they are experiencing some delays in receiving parts these days. I proceeded to pay an advance amount and requested that an order be placed immediately.

Wednesday, 30/03

I drove back to MASS, parked the car, and went to the nearest United India Insurance office to file a claim. (I have both of my cars and a two-wheeler insured with United India because I have a relative who works there. The only flipside is that none of the ASS has cashless transactions with these guys).

31/03

An insurance approver arrived, gave the green light, and a work order was given. I asked around and was told that there had been quite a few delays due to accidental repairs in this service centre and that some follow-up might be required to speed things up.

01/04

After a few follow-ups with the claims team and store management at SS Mahindra, I realised that these guys are severely understaffed, and my case may be delayed as a result. My work order was reflected in the Mahindra portal after a few follow-ups. My delivery date, on the other hand, is set for 11/04.

08/04

It appears that they are still waiting for parts such as alloy wheels and tyre arch garnish. They claim to have completed all other tasks.

The scarcity of electronic parts is understandable, but the scarcity of metal and plastic parts baffles me. I've had similar repairs done on my previous Maruti and Hyundai vehicles, but I've never seen such a long wait, Mahindra!

I'll wait a few more days, hoping to put this episode behind me; fingers crossed!

Update

10/04

Called SS Mahindra because this was the delivery date that had been promised. However, SA informed me that DRL would not arrive until the following day. I proceeded to escalate the situation using the Mahindra Withyouhamesha app. My order was placed on 27/03, almost 15 days ago.

11/04

Called the SA again in the afternoon; his manager took the call and informed me that the vehicle was ready and that I could come in. When I arrived at the centre around 4 p.m., no one knew where the file pertaining to my vehicle was. They made some excuses and told me that a resurvey by an insurance agent was necessary. When I mentioned that I had only come because I had received confirmation to come and collect, the perplexed SA asked me to wait in the customer lounge while they sorted out the paperwork.

Meanwhile, I called the insurance surveyor and inquired about the resurvey part. He stated that it is not required, and he had already updated that to the one of SA here. He also made a few follow-up phone calls. After nearly an hour of waiting and still no response from the ASC team, I went in again and expressed my displeasure with the lack of respect for my time. After some time, they generated the bill and handed me the vehicle. I also discovered one of the TPMS sensors was missing, and SA promptly followed up and returned it.

Finally, on my way back home, I got a call with a request to sign a customer satisfaction form, I asked them to WhatsApp me (Probably to close the loop on the escalation done by me). Though the repair appears to be done to my satisfaction, the delay and less than professional customer service left me unimpressed.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

When the wiper stalk is depressed, the wiper starts before the washer sprays water.

BHPian krishnakumar recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hello BHPians and TBHP readers!!

I had earlier posted regarding an annoying behavior of the rear wiper/washer of Mahindra XUV300 in the Official Review thread.

When the wiper stalk is depressed, the wiper starts before the washer sprays water. This results in the wiper doing a full swipe (dragging all the dust and debris) across the rear windshield before meeting the water on its way back.

I noticed this annoying behavior right from day 1. At first, I assumed there was no washer fluid and that there could be a separate tank for rear washers (since no water was coming). Later, I realized that by continuing to keep the stalk depressed for a second the water comes out.

This essentially nullifies the use of washer if the wiper is anyway doing a full swipe without any fluid.

Obviously, I took the car to the service center to have a chat with the technical manager. He noticed the problem and said that it is a behavior in the MBFM itself and is likely due to the washer motor being in front. So the water is getting pumped at the same time as the start of wiper. However, since the water line has to build up pressure, there is a delay of 1-2 seconds within which the wiper does a full swipe.

I insisted on getting this checked on other cars and luckily there were 2 other XUV300s that had come for service. What I noticed was interesting. One of the cars had this wiper/washer working perfectly!!

Please see the videos below:

The annoying behavior served to you on a silver platter!

Video 1

Note: the above car is not mine but the behavior is identical in my car

The XUV300 where this works perfectly

Video 2

From this we confirmed that the problem is isolated to some cars. The only difference we could find was that the XUV300 in which this was working perfectly was a BS4 version and the other car (including mine) are BS6. The hypothesis is that the MBFM has this calibrated incorrectly in the BS6 version.

While I posted this on the official thread, there were very few responses on it confirming the behavior in their cars.

BHPians ashishk29 and Goandiaries confirming the presence of this behavior in their cars.

And BHPian mihir_m13 calling out a possibility that this existed.

The reason I'm starting a new thread is to bring attention to this problem and get a poll among XUV300 users (or BHPians who have XUV300s in their friends or family to check). The issue is small enough that a dealership would never bother bringing this up to Mahindra. For Mahindra, this might either be one of those known gaps small enough to not bother fixing, or they are completely oblivious to this bug.

In either case, I would like this thread to get the attention of the right folks. All it probably needs is one MBFM update with the wiper/washer motor calibrated to ensure the water comes as soon as or immediately before the wiper initiates the swipe. It already works for some of their cars - so maybe if it reaches the right ears, all it might need is a Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V.

Request to Mods:

* If this doesn't deserve a dedicated thread, please do merge with an existing thread.

* If you know anyone from the Mahindra's technical teams, please do help in bringing this to their notice.

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

There will be a one way check valve/non return valve installed after the washer fluid motor. That check valve ensures that the water remains in the pipe and does the flow back into the container. I think the check valve is faulty. Hence the delay in the water reaching the rear glass outlet.

I presume this happens only if you do not use the rear wash for a while? Maybe a few hours?

Get the valve replaced and see if the problem goes away

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

Based on the video I see that the problem car's spray seems pressurized while the one that works fine has a more free flowing nature. Could that indicate anything? Was it common in all other cars you checked ?

If yes then probably a blockage in the piping/nozzle which causes the lag ?

Could it be due to a motor going weak ?

FYI the wagonR (2016) has the same behaviour and it has the free flowing nature, worse flow than the 300 of course.

Although what your ASC explained is what I had thought too.

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I feel like a driving enthusiast again which I had lost after selling my Honda and bringing in the XUV300.

BHPian AKSwamy recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I bought my Skoda Slavia 1.0L Style variant on 18th Mar and I was told I am the first customer from PPS Skoda Mysore road showroom Bengaluru.

I picked the silver color since that was looking as the most appealing and elegant of all the other colors available (picture attached).

Some background:

Having driven a Honda Amaze for almost 7 years from 2013-2020 and looking for an upgrade in many ways, I had bought a Mahindra XUV300 in Mar 2020 and as with most things unanticipated in my life, crisis stuck and we went into our 1st lockdown just 1 week after I bought it. With limited opportunity, I still did couple of trips to Hampi and Pondi with it. I was not at all happy with this one since the 1st day, having driven a Honda for many years, this felt like a downgrade rather than an upgrade. Mind you I had an SMT diesel and my XUV300 was an AMT diesel top end. I know many would think it is a bad decision going for an AMT, but I didn't have much option at the time and I was desperate for an upgrade to an automatic and I got an handsome discount since it was BS4 and one of the last ones available!

I have had all kinds of problems with regards to niggles and issues with the XUV300 right from the loose glove box lids, music system issues, sounds coming from seats, suspensions etc. Even if I ignore all these issues, it was a disaster to drive in the city with rubber band effect and all that you can associate with an AMT. It was a beast on the highway which should be mentioned!

Now coming to the Slavia:

I had pre-booked it at the launch and was offered one in the first batch hence and the whole buying experience was good and smooth. I love the looks and it is a head turner for sure since I have been stopped and asked about it already couple of times. Coming to the driving experience, boy-o-boy I am enjoying every bit of refinement and punch it offers. I feel like a driving enthusiast again which I had lost after selling my Honda and bringing in the XUV300. I love the way it drives through our famous Bengaluru traffic and I am not minding the traffic because of it!

I know there are fence sitters who talk about the degradation in the quality of Skoda with the new India specific platform and cost cutting parts, I am telling you for the price and driving pleasure it offers I have no regrets. The door closing thud is still great, the cabin still feels luxurious, cabin space once you are inside is ample and I have already spoken about the driving pleasure enough!

Having researched a lot of cars through Team BHP forums, innumerable You Tube reviews, I am feeling like I have made the right choice.

My bottom line is go for an Indian manufacturer like Tata/Maruti/Mahindra if your budget is below 15L, mind you my first car was a Tata Indica Xeta.

If your budget is above 15L, you should go for an European or Japanese since the refinement and driving pleasure is incomparable which is the essence of any car, and 90% of the reason why you are buying a car.

If you need only features go for Korean/Chinese.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

So basically, in my 32-years of driving, I have only been with very old Maruti vehicles. And I have never owned a car myself.

BHPian Aaditto recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hello,

This is a humble appeal for help – to all you highly-informed experts at Team BHP.

But to begin with, thank you very much T-BHP moderators – for including me into this amazing community! I have been an avid reader of this forum for a number of years. And it feels great to be a part of it.

To introduce myself:

I hail from Kolkata, originally. I live and work in a remote rural area, in the district of Birbhum. And if I may quote my standard ‘social media’ introduction here, I am a wanderer, by nature an artist, by training a teacher & permaculturist, by profession.

This will be my first new thread here. Advance apologies for the lengthy post – I'll try and make it as detailed as possible, so that I can explain my situation better. In case you do not want to go through the whole post, here are the bullet points of my query :

Need help in deciding the best option for a new petrol MT Crossover/ CSUV / hatchback car within Rs. 10 lakh (On-Road price, Kolkata, West Bengal) – which can be stretched up a little, if justified.

• It will be used by my family of two adults and a 7-year old (with an occasional addition of 2 more family members).
• The car will work mostly in rural areas – with a monthly trip (or two) into the city, which is c. 200 kms away – travelling mostly over super-expressways (i.e. 400 kms to-and-from, on highways, each month).
• It will not have heavy commute on a daily basis, either in it’s usual rural surroundings, or during the occasional trip into Kolkata (one of the most congested cities – where I generally prefer public transport).
• During local commute, the car will often have to negotiate really bad dirt roods (village access roads in Bengal can be quite an off-road experience!).
• However, we hope to go for at least one yearly family vacation in it (petrol prices be damned!) – and our favourite haunt is usually the hills (Himalayan foothills) to the North East of our state.
• I am a careful driver – who also enjoys driving – and takes pride in optimized use of the right foot.

I do not race up to a red traffic-signal.

But neither do I believe in ‘carefully’ cruising at 80 kmph on a highway – where I regularly hit 100-110 kmph in my 29-year old Maruti 800 – taking on every ‘new-age’ vehicle, with a sloppy driver behind the wheel, who might block my path.

I need the car to have/ be:

• Reliable.
• Sturdy.
• Comfortable – from a suspension point of view.
• Good ground clearance – village roads worthy.
• Longevity – I won’t be changing it for a new one in the next hundred years.
• Decent mileage – my economic standing is strictly middle-class.
• Grounded – I enjoy cars with good traction.
• Good throttle response.

I don’t need the car to have/ be:

• Super-charged with ‘features’.
• Turbo charged engine – I prefer NA engines.
• Fitted with a sun-roof (in fact, I’d prefer if it does not have one).
• Any other ‘fringe benefit’ that does not affect the vehicle as such.

However, there is one specific ‘feature’ – which would be very helpful to have. That is a height adjustable driver's seat. I am just 5’6” tall  and most of the modern cars don’t seem to offer as clear a view of the left corner of the bonnet as the cars of old did!

My background:

I am 50 years old (though I often get confused, and believe that I am really 30!). I learnt driving at an young age – in a second-hand Standard 8 (a tiny, Morris Minor like car, which was discontinued in the late 1950’s) – by observing my father, an expert but rash driver – and my mother, an expert and copybook driver.

However, my whole family was a stickler for rules – as am I. Of course, my father refused to let me drive out in the roads without a license. So, for two years, I could only drive in my mind, sitting in the co-passenger’s seat. Once I turned 18, and got my license, I started driving my grandmother’s Maruti Suzuki 800 (Second Generation - 1993 registration) – which is the car I still drive.

For the past seventeen years, I have been living and working at our family-owned rural-action project – in a backward and rather wild area of West Bengal. This project owns a Maruti Suzuki Gypsy (“MG 410” – 1991) & also a Maruti Omni (2001 registration) – and, of course, I have been entrusted with maintaining – and driving – both these relics.

Old as they may be, all these three cars have performed beyond expectation, over the years.

The Maruti 800 (registered in my grandmother’s name) gives me an average of 15-18 kmpl and runs nonchalantly at 100-110 kmph speeds (the engine can still go up to 120 quite easily, it’s the suspension and breaks that I don’t trust anymore) – but its just too damned old now! The local PVD is not going to allow a change-of-name (I checked!). So, once the present ‘Fitness’ expires, in 2023, I will have no option but to ‘scrap’ that little darling of ours.

The Gypsy (owned by the Project I run) still pulls a quintal of logs over rough terrain, with disdain, and has actually pulled out a tractor once, which had broken down in mud.

Having been with these three Marutis for so long – and given their performance over the years – I have probably become a bit biased towards the company, when it comes to reliability.

However, I am not an ostrich. I know that many of the other companies around today would be just as reliable, or better even, when it comes to making a quality vehicle. But do they have a comparable service network/ low maintenance costs? I am not clear in that area yet.

So basically, in my 32-years of driving, I have only been with very old Maruti vehicles. And I have never owned a car myself. I do own a Suzuki Fiero 150cc motorcycle – which I bought in Delhi, 20+ years ago.

We are not an affluent family. In fact, we are a family of freaks, who have deliberately desisted from pursuing wealth, and chosen to spend our lives trying to work at the grassroots, alongside the really poor but amazing people of rural India – for the past 40 years or so.

However, I have suddenly come upon some ‘one-time-wealth’, by way of selling a small flat, after the demise of both my parents and my grandmother – over the past few years. So, that is how I have arrived at this point – where I have decided to ‘pamper’ myself, for once – and start owning a car – and a ‘proper’ one at that! But even if I have the ‘one-time-funds’ to start dreaming about a ‘good car’ – I have to bear in mind that my day-to-day economic position will not allow me the luxury of owning a high-maintenance vehicle, in the long run!

Was that too much detail to share on a public forum? I hope no one found it inappropriate – if you did, please accept my sincere apologies! The thing is, I believe that my background – in life, generally, as well as with cars – has a lot to do with the ‘right choice’ of a new car – that fits me.

What do I want from the vehicle – and why?

• A sturdy body: Not just in terms of tensile strength, durability is the greater requirement here. It needs to last long, without paint peeling off, rust forming under the hood, or plastic parts coming loose within a few years. I intend to live with the car for the rest of my driving-life – say a 10-15 year period.
• A responsive engine: Not the ‘turbo-charged’ variety. In fact, I would prefer a Naturally Aspirated engine. I don’t have any intention of drag-racing with it – but it needs to be responsive enough so that high speed overtakes don’t become a drag!

The way I understand it, the simpler the design is, the better a machine functions.

I can understand the requirement of turbo boost on the race track. But I really don’t see the point of it, in the given Indian road conditions. Also, the turbo mechanism is complicating the combustion that much more – and with the dusty as well as hot and humid conditions of our country, I think it is recipe for complications, over a longer period of time.

• Comfortable suspension & good ground clearance: The car will do quite a bit of dirt road travel. Also, the city as well as highway road conditions in our State are atrocious! I don’t like bumpy rides. Some of the CSUV’s that I have recently done TD with – such as the Hyundai Venue – have really hard suspension. While that is quite nice at high speeds, on our potholed village-roads, the ride was unbelievably jarring. The highway-connectors that I travel over regularly are dotted with ‘locally commissioned’ speed breakers – which we refer to as Himalayan ranges. They can be a serious challenge, as well as a hazard, for a car without sufficient ground clearance. The same goes for the dirt-roods in the rural areas where we live for more than 9-months in a year.

• Good traction: I don’t like light cars. I like cars that feel grounded. Even though it is very convenient to have a small turning radius, especially in our cities, I still prefer cars with longer wheel-base – simply because they feel comparatively more rooted.

Decent mileage: An average of 18 kmpl would be amazing – but I can live with 15 kmpl. Anything below that would be a strain.

Cars I have shortlisted – done TD with – awaiting TD.

Please see the attachment at the bottom.

My reactions to some of the TD’ed vehicles in the above list (added as attachment at the end) – the ones that impressed – in ascending order of liking:

Hyundai Venue:

Likes:

• Smooth engine & transmission.
• Responsiveness.
• Excellent ground clearance.
• Looks – especially the rear.
• Interiors & features.

Dislikes:

• Stiff suspension – extremely bumpy on potholed dirt-road.
• Lack of traction – at higher speeds on the highway.
• Too light steering.
• The odd bulge over the front mudguards – I think that mars the otherwise smart look of the car.
• The width (and ‘boxyness’) of the design[/indent].

Honda WR-V:

Likes:

• Excellent suspension.
• Smooth engine & transmission.
• Relatively narrower design – less of a boxy SUV, more a crossover.
• Nice traction.
• Plush interiors & features – love the driver’s cup holder on the dash![/indent].

Dislikes:

• Remarkable lack of responsiveness of the engine at the lower end.
• Design – especially the front view – with the slightly upturned extremities of the headlight – makes is a little too ‘fruity’ for my liking.
• Only two variants – so, the upper variant, which is much more plush, forces the sunroof – which I want to avoid.

Mahindra XUV300:

Likes:

• Excellent engine & transmission.
• Smooth suspension.
• Excellent ground clearance.
• 5-star NCAP rating.
• Nice traction.
• Plush interiors.

Dislikes:

• High price – only the base variant is within my budget – which leaves out the rear wiper.
• The width (and ‘boxyness’) of the design – too bulky for city traffic.
• The general design/ look – not very appealing to me.

Maruti Suzuki S-Cross:

Likes:

• Excellent suspension – butter smooth, even over potholed dirt roads, at a pretty high speed.
• First class traction – thanks to long wheelbase & vehicle weight.
• Great looks (exterior) – contrary to the popular dislike for its design, I actually like its looks the most, in its current avatar – among all the other SUVs / Crossovers..
• Smooth engine & transmission.
• Relatively narrower design – less of a boxy SUV, more a crossover.
• Disk breaks all around.
• Tilt and telescopic steering.
• Quite tall gearing – even when I tried 4th gear at 30 kmph / 5th gear at 40 kmph – the engine seemed to be totally composed.
• Plusher interiors & features – compared to other Marutis – thanks to the Nexa branding.

‘Maruti’ reliability.

Dislikes:

• Noticeably poor mid-range response of the engine – along with excessive engine noise at that slot. The car sails effortlessly from 0 – 60 kmph… again, after 80 kmph, the response is good enough. But it suffers quite evidently, if you try to pick up speed quickly, between 60 – 80 kmph.
• Turning radius of 5.5 mts is worrisome, especially in a congested city.
• Just a little too long for comfort, in cities. Would have been happier if it was actually a sub-4 mts vehicle.
• Interiors and features are not as refined as most of the other cars in the range.
• LED headlamps not available even in the Zeta variety – which is already just beyond my budget – and where the vital “Driver Seat Height Adjuster” feature starts
• The Alpha variety is too enticing, in terms of finish and features – but its too expensive.

Various quandaries:

I have a mechanic friend, who worked as a Grade-A mechanic at a Maruti Service Centre for many years, and then started a very successful local workshop of his own. He is a truly expert mechanic, with lots of experience and a very good sense.

When I asked for his advise, specifically about moving away from Maruti as a brand, he categorically mentioned that I should not venture into TATA & Renault vehicles – while the Mahindras, & Hyundais were fine. In his opinion – those two brands are not trustworthy in the long haul. But I see that the new TATA CSUV’s are amongst the highest rated and very popular vehicle in the market today!

So, should I disregard the warning of my mechanic friend?

How reliable – in terms of after-sales service/ service network/ reliability/ durability – are brands (Indian versions) such as:

• Nissan.
• Ford.
• Renault.
• Skoda.
• MG.
• Kia.

Should I be looking at – do TD’s – for some of the cars I have left out in my initial shortlist? Such as:

• Ford Eco Sport (the low mileage is a worry – and also that it is dated).Skoda Kushak (after sales / cost of parts / maintenance worries?).
• Hyundai Creta (I would only be able to afford the base variant).
• MG Astor (again, could afford only the base variant / also, service network and maintenance worries?).
• Kia Sonnet / Seltos (tried repeatedly for Sonnet TD – both with our local small-town dealer, as well as in Kolkata – they just couldn’t manage to organise a TD with a Petrol-MT variant! Also, do they have their act together with service networks?).
• Renault Kwid Climber (the Petrol - 1.0 MT DT engine?) ?).
• Mahindra KUV 100 (can’t say I am too happy with it’s look!).
• Even the Hyundai i10 Nios (which is actually one of my early favourites, from the new crop of cars – and I have left it out so far only because of it’s super-low ground clearance).

Given the serious requirement for ground clearance, with my high rate of village/ dirt road travel – should I just stick to the CSUV / Crossovers – or is it actually worth checking out some of the Premium Hatchbacks too?[/indent].

My ‘TOP CHOICE’, at the moment – and some trepidation around it:

Maruti Suzuki S-Cross.

• The “2022 upgrade” is around the corner. I DON’T like that look at all – since I really like the look of the present avatar. But once the NEW DESIGN arrives, will it become that much harder to find parts (body) for the older one?
• The 4300 mm length – how much of a bother will that be in the congested traffic of Kolkata? (Eagerly waiting to do the 2nd TD in the city).
• The ARAI rated mileage of 18.55 (MT) – is that going to be achievable in real life (of course, provided proper driving habits).

Once again, apologies for the extensive post. I guess it’s my middle-aged, middle-class panic at work! It’s a lot of money for us – the temporary riches notwithstanding! I desperately need to get the call absolutely right – since this will be the first as well as the last time I will be doing this. A wrong call now, and I’ll be cursing myself for the rest of my life.

Thanks in advance, for any and every help from all you experts out there!

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

If I were in your place, I'd go for the XUV300. A truly premium crossover (you'll love the interiors) with a fantastic engine + road manners + ground clearance that you need for rural areas. Mahindra has an excellent network in rural India too.

Here's what BHPian nik0502 had to say on the matter:

Hello Sir,

Your requirements scream a Bolero. It’s robust, built like a tank and will last as long as you want it to. It might not be as comfortable and refined as other cars you have listed but trust me it will be the right car for you. Yes it will be diesel but the maintenance is very low and the parts are inexpensive and easily available everywhere. Buy from Mahindra if you have money, or buy from local shops if you have less money otherwise buy from scrapyard if you are short of money. This is the first time I have advised someone a Bolero on the forum but I have my reasons. All modern cars that you have listed will not be very good on broken village roads over a period of 8-10 years. Plus the repairs are very expensive. A suspension job easily costs 40-50 K in modern cars which you will have to undertake in next 5-6 years and if you ignore these repairs car will start eating tyres which will also be expensive. Give it a try. Otherwise you should also consider the Bolero Neo (TUV).

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

You really need to give the TUV300, now sold as Bolero Neo, a long and hard look. This the the car that comes closest to meeting your requirements. It is tough as nails, spacious, comfortable at lower speeds and is super reliable and economical to own. This should be your first choice. I do not like the idea of buying a model that is about to be discontinued. You will be left with an ‘old model’ within 6 months of buying. Why do that? If you are keen on Maruti only, wait for a few months for the updated Brezza and S Cross.

Here's what BHPian Bibendum90949 had to say on the matter:

Welcome to the forum. All the requirements you've listed out may not be met in one vehicle. Compromises has to be made in one way or the other. One clear thing is none of the modern day cross-overs would stand the abuse the vehicle will be subjected to in your line of duty, especially when you're looking at very long term. Please do stay away from the Kigers, Magnites, Venues, Sonets et al.

The only car which may be an exception is the Renault Duster. It's got the credentials to withstand rough road usage a fair bit. You check it out and see if that works for you. RXS 1.5 Petrol MT variant would cost 11 lakhs OTR in Kolkata.

Thar AX four seater may well shoot past your budget, it'll be 14.xx lakhs on road in Kolkata.

Jimny may well be the car for you, but we all have been waiting for it since 3 years. It won't be under the 10 lakh mark. It would surely be 13-14 lakhs OTR even for the entry variant.

Else, as Shreyans suggested it has to be a Bolero or Bolero Neo. That's the closest car that you can buy new that suits your budget and requirements.

This is just another thought which may sound stupid and impractical but worth exploring. Pick up either a well maintained civilian Gypsy MGW 413(hard to find, but not impossible) or rebuild one with a 1.6 Baleno engine, fix an AC and upgrade the suspension. All would cost 7 lakhs at the maximum. Since you've a trusted and experienced Maruti mechanic with you, this would be a fairly easy affair. It's still one of the very very few vehicles in your budget which can handle your type of usage on a long term. And you very well know the mechanical simplicity of Gypsy and it's highly reliable nature. At some point later, you can switch to a new Jimny, if budget permits.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.