[subie_socal]

Out of the list, I can vouch for Hyundai Santro(older one) and i10. There is a Santro in my family, which is as old as I am (FYI, I've just shed my "teenager" tag). That Santro still continues its duty as a city roundabout and is expected to do so until the next registration renewal is up (in 2026).

I am not mentioning Amby or the Fiat as they are already been mentioned by some here.

I would also include Chevrolet Spark and Beat too. Have seen many of them plying around(at least where I live), though not always in good condition.

[PaddleShifter]

Originally Posted by @og_adi

MPFI 1997-

(Source: Indian auto website)

MPFi model was launched in March 2000 to comply with the BS-2 norms that came into effect w.e.f. April 2000.

My father bought his first ever car in March 2000 and it was the outgoing 4 speed carb variant. I still remember standing besides a 5 speed MPFi model as a 15 years old teen, repeatedly asking if we could opt for the “car with 5 gears”.

[dr.aviansh]

A few honourable mentions from dad's garage :

1985 SS80 DX : Never broke down. Did 1Lac kms on that.

Four SB308 AC's we owned :
Plagued with quality issues.
Pretty reliable upto 1Lac kms.

1997 MS Esteem VX CNG'ed :
AC Condenser and Compressor were changed twice. Door trims were replaced along with Axles. The car started breaking down after 2004 and 1.75 Lac kms, forced us to sell her off.
AC became kaput in 2005 and power window in as early as 1999.
Power Steering Reservoir had leakage too, kept on topping up the PS fluid.

2002 MS Zen LXi CNG : Did 2 Lac kms without any mechanical repair. We used it till 2009.
The Power Window switches were replaced otherwise it's a very reliable car.

2005 Hyundai Viva CRDi : Initially the injectors were replaced twice under warranty. Overhaul was done at 1.6L kms, timing belt which was periodically replaced, came off at 1.8Lac kms. No rattling issues, no AC repair, the built quality was timeless and solid unlike today's Hyundai's.


2004 Honda City i-DSi GXi CNG : No major work and was scrapped at 1.3L kms. Needed to get it painted as soon there was a dent, otherwise it was prone to rust quicker than what you'd expect.

2007/08 Honda City Facelift CVT : 1.20 lac kms, No major work apart from suspension. Minor rusting was again there.

2009 Zen Estilo F10, 2010 Alto 800cc : Both were CNG'ed and were sold in 2016 after covering 1.30 Lac and 90k kms respectively. Started having electrical and body issues.
Engines were fine.
Both were sold only due to parking issues because we were having 6 cars in a family of 5. Lol!

2013 Renault Duster 85PS : 1.8Lac kms and counting, Shockers replaced.
The Clutch was replaced only once! Solid and reliable as hell.
AC knobs and stereo were replaced under warranty. Otherwise it hasn't aged much.

2014 Grand i10 Sportz CRDi : 1Lac kms and counting : Plagued with electrical issues, sometimes speedometer sometimes horn and headlight not working.
Body and engine are good.

2015 Honda Amaze i-VTEC : 50k kms and counting :
Suspension job done, locks replaced, Honda Keys break every now and then.
It is suffering from the typical Honda rusting issues.
The Engine seems to get better with time.
The AC is bad and we swapped the compressor from 2004 City before scrapping it. Post this, the AC seems to be much better now.

2017 Toyota Corolla Altis CVT : 50k kms and counting, All 4 Shockers replaced but that's a common problem of E170.
Otherwise it's built to take abuse.

[subie_socal]

I have one thing to ask to the OP, was there a diesel variant of Spark on sale?
I've never heard about it.

To the mods: Please merge this with my earlier reply. I'm still a newbie here and my earlier post will only be visible once a moderator approves it.

[MotoBlip]

Originally Posted by subie_socal

I have one thing to ask to the OP, was there a diesel variant of Spark on sale?
I've never heard about it.

To the mods: Please merge this with my earlier reply. I'm still a newbie here and my earlier post will only be visible once a moderator approves it.

Yes and no, while the Indian Spark never got a diesel mill the UK Spark(Beat in India) did get one. A turbocharged 3 cylinder 1L engine, which in some sense was a derivative of Fiat's 1.3.

Was a brilliant little car that.

[GreasyCarb55]

Voted for the Innova because we have had an Innova Diesel in the family since 2011 and I can tell you this, no single car has made me fall in love with a company more than the Innova and here is why.

1. The diesel engine - We have 2 Innova's in the family, our 2011 2.5 V and my uncle's 2018 2.8 Z both of them being Diesel's. One of the most important things the Innova has nailed every single year since 2004 is the mechanics.

2. The space and comfort (especially Gen 1) - Even today in 2022 our Gen 1 Innova is still one of the most comfortable cars I've ever sat in and one of the few cars that can fit full size adults (5'9" - 6' 2" regular weight) in the 3rd row with ease.

2nd pick would be the Maruti Gypsy, if a design from 1985 with minimal changes can last till 2018 in the civilian market with decent sales and serve the Indian military it deserves all the respect it can get. Especially the later 1.3L models.


One surprising thing about this poll is the lack of the WagonR, we had a 2005 WagonR (gen 1 pre facelift) for over 12 years and covered just under 200,000km without any issues.


So this would be my top 3 for durable indian cars:

1. Toyota Innova/Qualis/Fortuner (Basically all 7 seater Toyota cars)

2. Maruti Suzuki Gypsy/King

3. Maruti Suzuki WagonR

Honorable mention - Mahindra Bolero.

[subie_socal]

Originally Posted by MotoBlip

Yes and no, while the Indian Spark never got a diesel mill the UK Spark(Beat in India) did get one. A turbocharged 3 cylinder 1L engine, which in some sense was a derivative of Fiat's 1.3.

If I recall correctly, even the Beat had a similar diesel engine, right?

[Sebring]

Our Maruti Zen lasted almost 20 years! That's how good the car was. When it left our door step to its new house it was in brand new condition (Wish I had a good pic). The only reason we gave it up was because of the AC. Got tired sweating it out. And in spite of a last ditch effort to replace condenser/all AC parts it could not measure up, so it had to leave

[GTO]

In terms of durability - whether India or abroad - nothing touches a Toyota body-on-frame diesel UV. Think Qualis, Innova, Prado, Landcruiser and the like. These are indestructible machines and kept well, will easily cross 500,000 km. A well-maintained Landcruiser could also outlast its owner .

I wouldn't really term the Padmini & Ambassador as durable. Like my '97 Classic, they are just easy to fix, cheap to repair and have their own fan club. Which is what keeps them going. But they also age really fast, are rust-prone, parts wear out quickly and continuous niggles are a given.

[Maky]

Our Maruti Esteem lasted 19 years before it had to be scrapped. It was very very well maintained for the first 12 years of its life after which it got less attention that it needed, I would say it would have lasted another 5-6 years easily had we maintained it well during its later years.
Some real great memories in that one : ).

[mpthy]

We live by the beach in Mumbai, and my 2006 Innova (odo: 215k Km) has been rust free and trouble free for its entire ownership period. Though it lacks many features that we take for granted today, I don't want to let it go. It's reliability and durability has been exemplary.

Similarly, my Maruti Swift (2012-2021, odo: 96k Km) too was in excellent condition when I sold it last year, and I still have seller's remorse on that transaction.

However, my 2010 Tata Manza's ownership (odo: 75k Km) has been terrible. It's in very poor condition and has witnessed multiple breakdowns and component failures. I can't wait to scrap it and claim the benefits on my next purchase.

[Bibendum90949]

Originally Posted by GreasyCarb55

2nd pick would be the Maruti Gypsy, if a design from 1985 with minimal changes can last till 2018 in the civilian market with decent sales and serve the Indian military it deserves all the respect it can get. Especially the later 1.3L models.

+1 to this. Gypsy is such a simple machine. With timely maintenance and service, there's hardly anything that can go wrong with it. I voted for Gypsy owing to personal experience with it, indeed an epitome of reliability. At home, we had one of the initial batches of Maruti SS80 too which stayed with us for ten years or so. I can't recollect of a single instance it broke down. The same can be said about most Marutis too - M800 SB308, Omni, Zen, Wagon R et al.

I guess Marutis and Toyotas would dominate this poll.

[SulemanP]

Toyota Qualis is the one i would go with because we had it in our family. The build quality, paint quality, engine, suspension etc was built to last and this vehicle is still in use with the new owners. Design part aside the product was very good and was a instant hit when launched.

The reliability quotient for Toyota product is immense, no doubt!

We even had Tata Indica diesel no doubt it was a good vehicle but it had its own share of problems it did complete 7+ years (If i remember correctly) in the family running close to 1 lakh kms. Being a Tata rest was okay except that the interiors started looking out of fashion and became an eyesore in the later years.

[Turbohead]

I've voted for the Toyota Innova but honestly Fortuner and Qualis is equally good. I still see many of the older Qualis and Innovas puttering on the streets frequently. Unbelievable reliability and the older cars have kind of stopped depreciating. I've ridden in a 3.5 lakh km Qualis, and it was unbelievable for a car designed and built before 2005.

Unfortunately, these cars are being phased out because of half baked rules and not meant want to hold on to older cars thanks to the NGT's new ideas.

[GreasyCarb55]

Originally Posted by Bibendum90949

I guess Marutis and Toyotas would dominate this poll.

Yeah I saw that coming, most vehicles on this poll are struggling to get 3-4 votes while the Innova is flying high at 28 votes (as of typing this reply).

Another advantage of the 1.3L Gypsy's is that those engines were basically the same engines as the Esteem (1996-2000 model) and the Gen 1 Swift (2001-2018 model) petrol engines so you can imagine the number of spare parts and aftermarket support available on the market.

If you're going for a pure off road build then a 2001-2018 Gypsy tuned to about 140-150hp is the best you can get.