[sups]

Own a Getz 1.3 Petrol from 2007. A good car indeed.

My monthly running has gone up from 600km to 2000km. Naturally looking for a diesel. Following is the usage:

1. Monthly running 2000+ km, all within pothole ridden pune city. So, it has to be a diesel + ABS.
2. 90% of time it is chauffer driven, and my wife and son travels at the back. My wife feels that back seat of Getz is bouncy and has a good amount of body roll. So, need a hatch with BEST REAR SEAT SUSPENSION WITHIN CITY LIMIT SPEED. MORE SPACE AT THE BACK IS WELCOME.
3. Want to keep the car for 5 years, need good service at Pune.
4. I can compromise on bells and whistles.
5. Budget 8L onroad max, 7L would be comfortable.
6. No Tata-Fiat-Skoda. Else, I would have bought a fabia or punto.

Kindly suggest please. Should I stretch my budget by 50K and go for an Etios GDSP?

Looking at the review UVA SAIL looks to be the best bet. But, prices are yet declared. Or should I go for a FIGO?

[Gomzy]

Originally Posted by sups

My monthly running has gone up from 600km to 2000km. Naturally looking for a diesel. Following is the usage:

You could get a Swift ZDI for 8 lakhs on road in pune, a proven car for the city, you could also look for the Dzire VDI which you could get for under the 8 lakh bracket, or the Ritz ZDI which would also fit in your budget.

Considering that the car would be 90% of time driven by a chauffer and are looking for more back space, i think the Ritz would fit the bill + no hassles for servicing as there are good number of service stations of Maruti in Pune.

[selfdrive]

Originally Posted by sups

Kindly suggest please. Should I stretch my budget by 50K and go for an Etios GDSP?

what about the Etios Liva? I dont know what GDSP denotes.
Figo is VFM, but not so sure if it is the answer for chauffeur driven hatchback.

Originally Posted by jpm

So, if you were in a fix like mine what would you choose?

been there, and bought the Jazz. If it is solely for city drives, have a look at the Brio too.if it is solely a diesel, I would recommend the Punto.

[sups]

Originally Posted by Gomzy

You could get a Swift ZDI for 8 lakhs on road in pune, a proven car for the city, you could also look for the Dzire VDI which you could get for under the 8 lakh bracket, or the Ritz ZDI which would also fit in your budget.

Considering that the car would be 90% of time driven by a chauffer and are looking for more back space, i think the Ritz would fit the bill + no hassles for servicing as there are good number of service stations of Maruti in Pune.

Thanks Gomzy. I need to buy by November end. Its not possible to get Swift ZDI or Dzire ZDI so soon. I do not want to go with VDI as it does not have ABS. Ritz is more bouncy at the back than my Getz. So that option is ruled out.

[sups]

Originally Posted by selfdrive

what about the Etios Liva? I dont know what GDSP denotes.
Figo is VFM, but not so sure if it is the answer for chauffeur driven hatchback.

I have driven the Liva. But it does not really feel like an upgrade from the Getz. But, yes, Liva is an option definitely.

[Gomzy]

Originally Posted by sups

Thanks Gomzy. I need to buy by November end. Its not possible to get Swift ZDI or Dzire ZDI so soon. I do not want to go with VDI as it does not have ABS. Ritz is more bouncy at the back than my Getz. So that option is ruled out.

Then i believe your options are narrowed down to the Figo (Titanium), Etios, i20, out of which i would consider the following in seriatim;

1) Figo (VFM)
2) i2o, good in city and highway (but the top end model is pretty costly)
3) Etios (i am not to happy with the build quality of the Etios)

[suhaas307]

Your query has the answer - 'Chevrolet Sail U-VA' written all over it, mate!

Originally Posted by sups

1. Monthly running 2000+ km, all within pothole ridden pune city. So, it has to be a diesel + ABS.

Check!

The Sail has a very good ride. It's right up there among the best in the business.

Originally Posted by sups

2. 90% of time it is chauffer driven, and my wife and son travels at the back. My wife feels that back seat of Getz is bouncy and has a good amount of body roll. So, need a hatch with BEST REAR SEAT SUSPENSION WITHIN CITY LIMIT SPEED. MORE SPACE AT THE BACK IS WELCOME.

Check!

It's the only hatchback in India (apart from the Jazz) that gives my knees some breathing-room (I'm 6'2").

Originally Posted by sups

3. Want to keep the car for 5 years, need good service at Pune.

I'm assuming it should be good. Why don't you get in touch with Pune based dealerships and see which one suits you best.

Originally Posted by sups

4. I can compromise on bells and whistles.

Check!

it doesn't have much to begin with!

Originally Posted by sups

5. Budget 8L onroad max, 7L would be comfortable.

Check!

Don't think you would be spending more than 8 lakhs. My guess is that it will cost 7-7.5 lakhs OTR.**


** Speculation! Please don't take my word for it!

[sups]

Originally Posted by suhaas307

Your query has the answer - 'Chevrolet Sail U-VA' written all over it, mate!

Thanks a ton for the so useful response. Team bhp rocks.

Just talked to the dealer in Pune. The pricing and the display car will come to them on 2nd November. He also mentioned that the pricing of the top end model will be at par with Swift VDI. So, looks to be around 7.5L OTR, if I am not wrong.

[jpm]

Originally Posted by veedub89

If you want a petrol go for the Jazz. I have driven the Polo petrol and it is underpowered. If you didn't like the eagerness of the Polo diesel don't expect anything at all from the petrol avtar.
Also all things considered the Jazz is not a bad "premium" option, its actually quite good. It drives very well and comes with all the bells and whistles.

Post test drive update:
First Up, Jazz - spacious and plush. Dad loved it. Easy to drive. Not fast. Not a slouch either. Though the engine was silent, I was surprised that a lot of road noise was seeping inside the cabin. Of course, while stationary without looking at the rev counter, difficult to say whether the engine is running or not.

Was quoted 7.3L OTR for the Select version (mid end). Dealer didnt much except offering Reverse Audio Sensors. Kept insisting that Honda doesnt allow discounting of Jazz as there is much demand for it.

The dealer tried a fast one as well saying Honda doesnt allow insurance outside of the dealership.

Next, we went to the Renault Showroom to test drive the Pulse. Even before the test drive, the interior quality was a letdown. It also had Cramped rear seats. After having seen the Jazz, we had a feeling that its overpriced at 7.68L OTR for Dual Airbags RxZ that too without ABS.

However, it looked stunning in white. Also the gizmos: auto retracting ORVMs, pure Keyless Entry etc were fun. No steering wheel controls, no USB et al though.

The cabin is well insulated from engine noise and road noise, considering the racket that the engine makes. As expected, the car was fun to drive with the turbo spooling enthusiastically thereby definitely driving better than the Jazz inside the city.

We were offered free insurance (some 22K+10K cash discount+10K accessories) bringing the OTR down to 7.3L)

Next Up was the Polo. Cozy, plush but cramped. Dare i say, seemed smaller than the Pulse. NVH was decent but for someone inside the cabin, the diesel and petrol sound the same. Gruff. The petrol drove like the diesel. Nothing special.

The SA offered the pre-refresh Polo HL Diesel with a 50K discount at 7.6L OTR as he had them in stock. However he was not ready to commit to any offers for the refreshed Polo as he insisted that as company policy VW only allows offers/discounts on invoiced cars. So, I was ready to sign the booking amount but it didnt happen.

Seems like a bad omen, doesnt it?

Well it wasnt. There was a Skoda showroom on the road where we test drove the Polo sisters. It was late when we left VW, but dad wanted to check out the Fabia as well. But we never saw the Fabia though there was a fine one in white parked in display. Coz there was a stunning beauty in black right next to it. The Rapid. After gawking at that, dad was almost sure he wanted a sedan and not a hatch.

They didnt even have a test drive car. No cash discounts; with the SA blathering on how Skoda has exceeded its internal sales expectations on this car and, of all things, the Yeti and are now on 2013 chassis for these cars. 10.51L OTR for the Rapid Ambition Plus. With Just Reverse sensors thrown in. Yet, we want one.

So there it is; while they (dad & brother) have now decided on the Rapid Ambition Plus without even a TD, I still wish for Vento Diesel CL/HL knowing the potential nightmare a Skoda ownership can be. However dad reckons if we get the Skoda secure for 4 years, that shouldnt be a problem.


We have given ourselves a week to decide.

Should be fun.

Note From Team-BHP Support: Only TWO emoticons allowed per post. Thanks.

[CodeRed]

Guyz,
been an avid reader of this forum for many years. I had been waiting for the past one year to buy a car but due to some or the other reason i couldnt finalize it. Finally my search for my first car began in Oct. I have a budget of 5.5 lacs .We are a family of 4 i.e Me, wifey, and parents. I plan to use the car on Monday morn while going to Pune for work and coming back on friday to Mumbai. I wont use the car on other days except for monday and friday.There would also be a monthly long drive. Considering all this i have decided to go for a Petrol Hatch since i dont have much running keeping aside the occasional trip. Also only me and wifey would be driving the car.

My MAIN REQUIREMENTS ARE :
1) VFM
2) GOOD FE
3) Should Have good A.S.S
4) Should have good looks
5) Should be easy while entering and coming out of the car ( Am 5'10'').
6) Should have good rear leg room.
7) Should have good build quality.
8) Should have minimal turbo lag

After visiting various showrooms in Thane i have zeroed down on the following cars :

1) Beat LT Petrol - Fully loaded comes for 5.47 lacs + cash discount. I was easily able to enter the drivers seat , but coming out required bit of an effort. Also liked its AC . Rear is strictly okayish.
2) Sail UVA - 5.30 LACS OTR + cash discount for the base model. Has oodles of space .
3) i10 1.2 Magna - 5.27 OTR + cash discount - Love the looks of the car. same problem as in beat while entering and coming out of the car.
4) wagon r vxi - 4.5 OTR + cash discount - was easily able to enter and come out. Rear also has good space, but i dont like the shape . looks like a Tin ka dabba .
5) Honda Brio S (MT) - Cuet design, but a bit skeptical about the rear design. good space in the driers as well as rear.

Keep pouring your suggestions guys.

Note from Team-BHP Support: Thread merged. Please use the search feature before creating a new thread on a topic that might already exist. Please continue your discussion in this thread. This will keep all the relevant information in one place and make it easier for readers in the future.

[pganapathy]

Originally Posted by CodeRed

My MAIN REQUIREMENTS ARE :
1) VFM
2) GOOD FE
3) Should Have good A.S.S
4) Should have good looks
5) Should be easy while entering and coming out of the car ( Am 5'10'').
6) Should have good rear leg room.
7) Should have good build quality.
8) Should have minimal turbo lag

The best vehicle I would suggest, but which unfortunately goes over budget, is the Honda Jazz. I would guess the base model is around 7 to 7.5 otr in Bombay. However, do check if you can stretch your budget to accommodate that. Even if you wind up with a family of 5 soon you would not need to change car. It is probably the best hatch in India. It's biggest problem is the petrol only engine and it's image being destroyed by being overpriced initially.

If budget cannot be stretched, then look at the liva as well. That might just fit into the budget IIRC. The car is reliable and Toyota service is generally good. It is quite spacious as well and there should be no wait for the petrol car

[CodeRed]

Haha... Just got married 3 weeks ago. . Yes, The Liva is an option worth trying . I would have loved to have the Jazz as its my fav hatch , but due to budget constraints have to forgo it. Any idea how is the space in the liva. Saw some reviews where ppl were complaining about the non-existance of a speedometer and the entire instrument console is bang in the middle .

[pganapathy]

Originally Posted by CodeRed

Haha... Just got married 3 weeks ago. . Yes, The Liva is an option worth trying . I would have loved to have the Jazz as its my fav hatch , but due to budget constraints have to forgo it. Any idea how is the space in the liva. Saw some reviews where ppl were complaining about the non-existance of a speedometer and the entire instrument console is bang in the middle .

So far all we know you are only 8 months and 1 week away from being a family of 5. Hehe.

Anyway, I test drove the liva, and found it to be quite a spacious car. Yes, the interiors do look a little row rent and built to cost, and the console is not great, but far more pertinent should be how the car is, not how good it looks. The alto sells huge numbers not because it looks brilliant or has the best interiors, but because it does it's job brilliantly.

I would suggest you TD the liva, and if you are happy buy it.

I too think the jazz is the best hatchback, and one of the two best cars for India. For me, the innova wins out purely for GC. Otherwise it would be the jazz. I understand budget considerations mean the jazz is not a feasible buy, but do try if possible to get it. Like you, I am scrimping and saving so that I can pick up a jazz one day

[suhaas307]

Originally Posted by CodeRed

Haha... Just got married 3 weeks ago. . Yes, The Liva is an option worth trying . I would have loved to have the Jazz as its my fav hatch , but due to budget constraints have to forgo it. Any idea how is the space in the liva. Saw some reviews where ppl were complaining about the non-existance of a speedometer and the entire instrument console is bang in the middle .

Congratulations!

The Liva is a very spacious car. It can accommodate 5 people for reasonably long journeys and the boot is okay for 5 back-packs / 3 small suitcases.

There is a speedo but there is no tacho-meter (RPM counter) and yes, it is positioned in the middle of the dashboard but it is angled towards the driver. To me, the way the needle moves reminds me of a weighing-scale!

The Liva is a car that has its fundamentals bang-on. Good engines, lots of space, great ride-quality, neutral handling / balance and composure on highways, etc. So if the quirky interior and the (subjective) exterior does not bother you, it's a good buy.

Do check out the Sail U-VA petrol. Just like the Liva, it has got its fundamentals bang-on. Lots of space, decent engines and a good ride. You feel like you've got what you paid for, unlike the diesel U-VA which is a tad pricey. While Chevy's after-sales-service may not be as good as Toyota's, what you get is a car that does not reek of cost-cutting. The Liva suffers from NVH issues and seems to lack adequate sound-deadening but that's mostly in the diesel. The petrol Liva is butter-smooth. It boils down to your preference at the end of the day.

[Harshal.Bhosale]

Originally Posted by CodeRed

1) Beat LT Petrol - Fully loaded comes for 5.47 lacs + cash discount. I was easily able to enter the drivers seat , but coming out required bit of an effort. Also liked its AC . Rear is strictly okayish.
2) Sail UVA - 5.30 LACS OTR + cash discount for the base model. Has oodles of space .
3) i10 1.2 Magna - 5.27 OTR + cash discount - Love the looks of the car. same problem as in beat while entering and coming out of the car.
4) wagon r vxi - 4.5 OTR + cash discount - was easily able to enter and come out. Rear also has good space, but i dont like the shape . looks like a Tin ka dabba .
5) Honda Brio S (MT) - Cuet design, but a bit skeptical about the rear design. good space in the driers as well as rear.

I see that you have omitted the Ford Figo and the Swift. Personal preference? If not, both fall within you budget.

1) Price/VFM: Figo Titanium petrol retails for 5.76lakh on road, Mumbai, and the Swift Vxi could be yours for 5.46lakh on road Mumbai. Both offer excellent value at their price point, even considering diesel models; so the petrols should be a no-brainer in my opinion.

2) Both have not-so-bad FE figures (15.6kmpl for Figo, 16.91 for Swift - quoted from Overdrive magazine).

3) A.S.S.: We don't even need to talk about; never heard any complaint against these two companies (and have a good first hand impression of both too, although Ford is a tad more expensive for spares, their parts last that much longer too).

4) Purely subjective. Your own/your family's opinions matter here.

5) The Swift, having a tallish stance, would make for easy ingress/egress. Figo, being low-slung, appears to be at a disadvantage. But my uncle who owns a figo finds no problems (he is about 5'9").

6) Rear legroom - Figo/Fiesta Classic (both share interiors) are not known to have the best rear bench. Swift may be better. Then again, if its interior space you want more than anything else in the Indian car market, you choose Tata (Vista in your case). No questions.

7) Build Quality: Both Ford and Maruti are known to make robust, long lasting cars. Senior t-bhpians would know better.

8) Turbo lag - Funny, AFAIK, petrol engined hatchbacks in our market aren't generally turbocharged. At least these two aren't, so no, zero turbo lag.


Apart from the above points, one more point pertaining to you is that both are excellent highway performers, with excellently tuned suspensions in terms of ride and handling (in fact amongst all the Indian hatchbacks I've ever driven, Figo and Swift feature 1st and 2nd respectively in my books as far as their driving dynamics is concerned); and considering that those two highway runs are going to be your weekly commute, that there would've sealed the case for me in favour of either of these 2 cars.

Also, the AC in the Figo is quite a chiller, and the Swift goes a notch higher by offering Automatic Climate Control (ACC), but sadly only in the top Zxi variant (which would stretch your budget to 6.63 otr mumbai btw).

I don't know if you are not interested in these two brands (which may be why you didn't mention them in your list), so if that is the case, do let me know. If you have no such reservations, I wonder why haven't you already TD'ed these two. Just my 2 cents.

Thanks and regards,
Harshal.