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-   -   Automatic hatchback under 10 lakhs OTR (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/hatchbacks/242693-automatic-hatchback-under-10-lakhs-otr.html)

Hello everyone.
I am currently in the market for a automatic hatchback car under 10 lakhs OTR.

I keep my cars for atleast 10 years and don't change them frequently.

I am currently considering three options:
1) Tiago NRG AMT
2) Baleno CVT
3) Grand i10 Nios AMT

In terms of things that are important to me in descending order would be :
1) Ride quality - Mumbai roads are pathetic to say the least.
2) Reliability - The auto box should be reliable
3) Safety - A safer car is a plus, this var won't be used on highways
4) Fuel efficiency - This car will be the daily driver with a running of about 10,000 km/year, good fuel efficiency is appreciated
5) Features - A good music system, android auto etc are good feature to have.
6) Maintenance Costs - Ownership should be hassle free.

Which car would you choose and why?
Thanks.

I'd go with the Baleno since it is the only car here which doesn't have a faux automatic and has the best engine as well. I have driven all the listed cars in their manual guise and the Baleno was clearly the most fun to drive. Other than the safety front, it does meet your requirement well.

If you are open to a sedan as well, do check out the Amaze S CVT. It does lack in features though when compared to the Baleno and truth be told, I'd pick the Baleno over the Amaze.

Have you considered Polo Comfortline TSI AT ? OTR should be within 10 lakhs. It’s a bit old design wise, but engine + gearbox combo will bring a smile on your face every time you drive it.

I would choose the following for city use :
- if automatic is a necessity then the Baleno primarily because of the CVT.
- else either the Nios MT or the Ignis MT(for the easy seating and GC)

The 1.2 Kappa and the K12 are the most refined powetrains in that budget.

Take a TD and go with what you feel seems best and update us, would be nice to hear your perspective on the cars.

Thanks for replying.
The Baleno is certainly an attractive package. The mid spec CVT is almost two lakhs more expensive compared to the Tiago NRG, the question in my mind was, would that premium be worth it?

With the facelift coming soon, should I wait for the new Baleno is another question. I can probably push for some discounts on the old model during this year end.

Thanks for replying
The Polo was rejected mainly because of rear seat space and the old design. I love the TSI motor, though.

Thanks for replying
The MT's are out of question. This car is primarily going to be driven in Mumbai traffic, I am tired of my Honda City Manual now.

I have taken the TD of the Tiago NRG.
I was impressed with the build quality, music system, 180 mm ground clearance.

What I did not particularly care for was the engine+gearbox combo, I did not push the car and could sense that the car does not like being pushed in any case. The engine+gearbox combo was adequate for sedate city driving.

I have heard some problems that people are having with clutch wear in AMT's , along with problematic Tata service and that 6 month service schedule.

At 8.5 lakhs OTR compared to Baleno CVT at about 10-10.5 lakhs is my dilemma.

Yes Tiago is built well, good suspension and brilliant Harman, hasn't reported a lot of issues too. Negatives would be the engine refinement, that instrument cluster and TML's hit/miss service.

Personally I don't prefer AMTs hence its more personal choice.

The Baleno is also a larger car in the league with i20 hence the price is more reminiscent of a cheaper i20 and comparable to the Altroz rather than the i10 and Tiago.

For budget and liking its your call but I would recommend to TD all the cars mentioned and then take a call what you prefer most. The feel factors which are highly personal can only come from a TD, IMO :)

Unfortunately I don't think one among your shortlist would meet all your requirements.

• Reliability of AT and smoother drives: Baleno may score higher as the CVT is a long available tech and is the best suited for city use. AMT's how ever well tuned are jerky.
• Safety: Tiago would score here.
• Sound system, features: I would think Tiago and Nios score better.
• Fuel Efficiency: The AMTs would fare better than the CVT here.
• Ride Quality: Not sure on this, but I assume Tiago would fare better here.

In short, all three would meet your requirements to a certain level, all of them are popular high selling models and hence you cannot go wrong with any of them. The Baleno if I am not wrong would be one segment higher than the other two and more expensive. Tiago would give you a little more uniqueness on the road. Personal choice for me would be the Tiago as I like the car.

Under 10L you can also consider honda jazz cvt which would tick most of your boxes.

How about Nissan Magnite or Renault Kiger. Both will give you proper CVT. e.g. Magnite Turbo CVT XL will cost around 9.8 OTR in Mumbai. Many may want to call them SUVs, but I just consider them as taller hatch (if you may like).

The Baleno / Glanza CVT are no-brainer choices for you. Smooth, comfortable, spacious, great service backing.

Tata's AMTs really suck. Too jerky & very unsorted, especially when mated to a weak motor like the 1.2L NA.

Hyundai's AMTs are the best of the lot & liveable, but nowhere as smooth as a CVT. I'd go for the Baleno or Glanza CVT if I were in your shoes.

Sticking to your list above, the Baleno / Glanza CVT are no brainer options. I would not touch any AMT with a barge pole if I had an alternative conventional automatic to choose.

Outside that list I would peg the Jazz CVT as worth considering too. Should check most of your boxes.

I would have also recommended the Polo which as a pure fun to drive car is a superbly priced option but given your 10 year ownership requirement as a hassle free car with good ride quality, I think the Polo goes in the opposite direction on most of those fronts.

As someone mentioned above , I would go with either the Magnite or the Kiger. The dimensions aren't too different from the hatches. Much more powerful engine with the turbo being there.Good NCAP ratings. Priced well too. Within 10 lakhs.

Please do have a look at Jazz CVT. Jazz has a well tested and reliable engine, good space and Honda brand name is also higher in the hierarchy than Suzuki. Regarding Tatas, I am not sure how they will age.

Polo Torque converter TSI comfortline.Comes under 10 lakh mark, Ticks Ride, NVH, Power.

Hey Vedant,

Like you, we were in the dilemma as well 2 years back.
We were coming from Dzire manual, in mint condition, but driving in traffic was getting a pain. I didn't want to go for a longer vehicle (Ciaz/Creta etc) coz of Mumbai traffic & parking woes.

I had looked at then recently launched Venue (purely for the seat position & ingress), but the DCT was not a preference for stop-go scenario of our city. I was super keen on Polo, but the space management (esp second row) is not great.

AMTs for Dzire/Swift was too much of a compromise on drivability, esp for the occasional long drives. Ditto for Nexon & others in TATA due to gearbox.

Finally went for Baleno Zeta CVT. What has really mattered over the past 2 years:
1) All the key features you need (Android/CarPlay, Keyless entry, Auto dimming IRVM, good aircon)

2) Excellent space management: we are a tall family, and 5 of us sit in the car with ease. The leg room is just fantastic. It compensates for the lowering sitting position but a boon when going for various family functions etc. The boot gobbles up luggage with ease. I have never struggled, even when doing Mumbai - Delhi roadtrips during pandemic.
None of the cars mentioned above (barring Jazz, as i dont have experience of it) have as good a seating room (esp in second row) as Baleno IMHO

3) CVT works amazingly in traffic. Unlike the AMTs I drove of my friends, it really comes handy during your overall ownership period (given you keep cars for long). Esp if you have very frequent drives.

4) The size is perfect for parking anywhere in Mumbai (big reason why I wasn't keen on a larger vehicle).

What is lacking:
a) Interiors are not as classy (or flashy) as Koreans nor as well built as Germans (Polo). That doesn't mean the fittings are poor. MS builds for scale and as such, I haven't had any issues with those hard plastics.
b) Its not an enthusiasts car in CVT, though manual is relatively fun. Cant even compare to Polo. Out on the highway, the car cruises well. I dont go over 100, but cruising at 80-90 is easy with the car & luggage.

Have done majority of 21k in 2 years on road trips thanks to pandemic. Not just the good NH, but also some bad NH & SH in UP & MH. No trouble, very comfortable for everyone on 12 hours drives. Compared to that, city traffic is easy!

My reason for not going with Glanza was the mechanics at MS service center know these cars in & out vs Toyota. And if its the same car, i rather go to the Original.
Also, a city like Mumbai, I feel badge value isn't as imp as maybe in some cities up north.

Cheers!