[ThunderMurukku]

Originally Posted by 0xTKB

This is a great thread. I'm also looking to upgrade from my Chevrolet Beat LT petrol to an automatic hatchback.

Was looking forward to i20 DCT (either Asta or N-Line N8). But the problem is the DCT gearbox. It is going to give me anxiety for the next 10 years. I would've gladly selected Amaze but the interiors are highly outdated. I haven't driven the i20 iMT N6 so I can't really comment on that but majority of my driving will be in Tri-City (500-800 kms) with a monthly trip to Himachal ~ 200 kms.

Does anyone has any idea regarding :-

1. When is the new model of Honda Amaze launching?
2. Are there the same DCT problems on i20 DCT as they are in Creta?

I believe the next-gen Honda Amaze is expected to launch sometime next year. Do note that this is based on rumors.

I own a brand new Amaze and yes, the interiors do look outdated (but classy in my opinion!). I was willing to look past it for everything else the car offered which made me go ahead with my purchase.

[PPS]

Originally Posted by pkk077

Amaze CVT is a fantastic choice with the caveat that in bumper-to-bumper city traffic, with AC ON, the FE will be very poor. (I get 7-8).

I get around 9kmpl on my 2013 Amaze Diesel in horrible Mumbai traffic where it takes more than 1hr to cover a distance of 6kms! So I guess the figures you mentioned are not too bad. Amaze although a bit dated appeals greatly as an overall package.

[ashpkd]

Which of these Automatics below 10 lakh gives good fuel economy in city traffic? It's mostly city driven and for a first time automatic user.

[UchihaItachi]

I have had 2 AMTs - Ignis and XUV300 Petrol. Recently I upgraded to Alcazar 1.5D Auto.

I believe AMTs have a good value proposition for most people looking to reduce driving fatigue in cities. It's the engine and gearbox combo that matters. Ignis and XUV300 both have very well-tuned AMTs and deliver very good overall performance. On both the vehicles I have done Mumbai-Goa trips as well. I would not avoid recommending good AMTs to anyone looking for driving convenience on a budget.

PS. Lambo too used to have an AMTish transmission for its supes

[Sanjay Halikar]

Very helpful thread. I am in the same boat. We are looking to purchase a new hatchback/micro SUV for wifey. Budget is max stretchable to 14.5, would prefer about 12 - 12.5. Unfortunately, wifey has very fixed ideas in her head that Amaze is bigger than i20 and I am unable to argue past that fact that both of them are exactly equal in length being sub 4 m cars and in fact i20 is wider than Amaze. Either ways, since Amaze is not a hatchback she thinks it is bigger than the i20 which she "FEELS" is small and very easy to drive in everyday peak Mumbai traffic. This puts Amaze out of contention.

We test drove the Hyundai i20 and Exter. I was simply blown away by how capable the Exter AMT was. I have extensively driven the Nexon petrol AMT and Maruti Dzire AMT and Exter out performs them by a significant margin. Icing on the cake is steering mounted paddle shifters. Wifey really liked Exter but the quoted 5-6 month waiting for the top end Exter put her off completely.

We test drove the i20 Asta(O) iVT back to back with the Exter and must say i20 has a superb drivetrain/transmission combination and has everything a car should have, simply fantastic overall proposition wise. Though I really like the aggressive looks, I somehow did not connect with car, in my opinion the dash and especially the a/c vents were set too low for me and the quality of grey plastic running the entire length of the dash and beside the door handle was too scratchy. Next drive is Altroz, hoping it bowls wifey over or else it looks like its going to be i20.

We have a new Baleno in the extended family, and while the car does everything well, it is slightly boring, more like a jack of all trades did not connect with any of us. No offense meant to any owner.

[jomyboy]

I fear the post is digressing from the title of the post, which is the "most Affordable." Fronx Turbo should only be mentioned in the "most Expensive" category. Anyways, if you are going to drive in the city, the Amaze CVT beats the others hands down. Nothing comes close to the smoothness of CVT in bumper to bumper traffic.

[Nikhil080]

I was in a similar boat a few months ago when I was looking for my second car. Having driven a Octavia 2.0TDI for a good period of time, the engine spec and gearbox both were very important considerations.

The consideration set was broadly the same as your's and decided to go for the i20 Turbo 1.0 DCT Sportz given that it was a primarily going to be used as a city car, reliable and fun to drive (relatively!) as well.

[bravo82in]

Surprisingly, the options for automatic transmissions in the hatchback segment are quite limited, let’s not call AMT an Automatic.

Personally, I own two automatic cars priced under 10 lakhs, and there's one within my extended family.

Last year, I purchased a Honda Amaze with a CVT for my 80-year-old father, who had been driving manual transmissions for the past 60 years. Initially, he was resistant to the change, but now he's quite content with the car. He finds it incredibly convenient for city driving.

Four years ago, I bought a Jazz CVT for my wife as her first car. Despite resistance from the in-laws who questioned why an automatic, I insisted it was my decision. She thoroughly enjoyed the convenience of driving in the bustling NCR, and her sister, who was previously hesitant to drive in the city, ended up purchasing a Jazz CVT in the same color and variant.

It's unfortunate that Jazz has been discontinued. I can't fathom why Indians prioritize features over comfort and safety.

The Hyundai i20 appears to be an excellent choice. It's feature-rich, boasts a reliable engine and gearbox, and Hyundai's service is commendable. For city driving, safety might not be a top concern.

On the other hand, I'd recommend steering clear of the Tata Altroz and Tiago EV due to Tata's subpar service experiences and reliability.

Whenever someone seeks my opinion on hatchbacks, I take them on a long drive in one of my CVTs, and they usually end up convinced of its merits.

Regards

Bravo

[Iva1311]

My cousin owns an Amaze CVT and I can vouch for its smoothness and Honda's reliability. If an absolute smoothness is a requirement, then Petrol engine is best suited for the consumer here.
This will also be within a fair budget of 10L on road.

[SixPistons]

Originally Posted by bravo82in

…

At the risk of going off topic…

The Jazz should’ve gotten a proper upgrade inside out, especially when the exact Engine+GB combination is also available in the Amaze. Honda, by not giving it a genuine upgrade effectively shot themselves in the foot as others gave planned upgrades to their line up.

It was lot of fun to drive in fact with the paddle shifters and deserved to refreshed in platform and looks. I almost bought a used one few months back, if it was not for the sub par experience with Truebil. Being excessively priced with paintwork in not-so-good condition and suspension feeling worn out I had to let it go. Bought the i20 N Line instead.

Jazz with a more powerful engine and clothes would’ve been the right way ahead.

As the market stands today, if you’re not looking for the DCT/iVT in i20 or the CVT in existing Amaze you might as well start looking at the TC Brezza or Fronx.

[0xTKB]

Originally Posted by SixPistons

1. Not sure Honda have one in the pipeline for now.
2. I think Creta also has a Dry DCT. However, I am driving the i20 N8 DCT for five months but haven’t had the gearbox throwing up any problems.

That's good to hear but no offense, 5-months is a very short time.

While I haven’t taken it to the hills yet, I would expect decent wear on the kind of sustained trips to the hills like you expect to make in any Dry Clutch DCT. Someone else with a DCT may be able to throw better light on this.

1. Check out Fronx 1.0 Turbo AT: Technically a cross over, a bigger Baleno. The 1.0 BoosterJet is good. Nevertheless, it looks good for what it offers on paper and has a good road presence

That's exactly what I'm waiting for. Searching the entire forum for a person who has driven DCT enabled car extensively in the hills.

Fronx was my first choice. The Zeta variant at an onroad price of ₹13.5 lakhs was great. But it misses a very important thing, cruise control. The thing is that the new highway from Kiratpur to Mandi has speed controlled cameras, around 100 cameras. They have implemented a speed limit of 60 kmph as soon as you enter Himachal, which is stupid (should be around 80 kmph). That's why I want cruise-control as a mandatory requirement in my new vehicle.

2. I would suggest Nexon Petrol DCT, but then again the DCT is a risk since it is new with Nexon and it is also a different segment. Also, I am not sure how the Tata ASS is near your area, so it may also be a hit or a miss.

I wouldn't touch Tata with a 10-foot pole. Have seen my cousin pulling his hair out due to the after sales service.

3. You could consider the Brezza as it also comes with a TC Automatic. May be a bit pricier than Fronx but with slightly more power and a reliable 1.5L NA engine.

Wife doesn't likes the way how it looks.

[nitin_knw]

Originally Posted by UchihaItachi

I have had 2 AMTs - Ignis and XUV300 Petrol. Recently I upgraded to Alcazar 1.5D Auto.

I believe AMTs have a good value proposition for most people looking to reduce driving fatigue in cities. It's the engine and gearbox combo that matters. Ignis and XUV300 both have very well-tuned AMTs and deliver very good overall performance. On both the vehicles I have done Mumbai-Goa trips as well. I would not avoid recommending good AMTs to anyone looking for driving convenience on a budget.

PS. Lambo too used to have an AMTish transmission for its supes

I agree, driving XUV300 AMT since 2 year's and could not appreciate more how well Mahindra has tuned the AMT gear engine ratio.AMT has come a long way and having a good low end torque nullify the AMT shortcomings and I am enjoying driving it.

[.sushilkumar]

Originally Posted by 0xTKB

Fronx was my first choice. The Zeta variant at an onroad price of ₹13.5 lakhs was great. But it misses a very important thing, cruise control. .

Let me add a bit. Perhaps Offtopic for the thread but here it goes.

My home is not too far away from yours. I picked up XL6 Zeta automatic and she does have cruise control. On road price for me was around 14.4 Lakhs for me which would be same for you. It's a extremely VFM pricing IMO for what it offers. In return, you get a proper 6 seater with all needed features & tons of space for kids & cargo.

Please bear in mind that XL 6 is no rocket off the block but more of a highway cruise so if outright performance is your priority look no further than DCT. She does takes her time to reach speed limits but not a deal breaker in real world conditions. Anyways, on the quoted stretch one can hardly do triple digits speeds but you will have no issues following & maintaining the speed limits & traffic alike.

For HP's village roads, have negotiated those 8 feet wide roads easily with occasional "M" mode . A gentle top on pedal and she easily climbs with zero fuss. Pls note that "D" mode is tuned for efficiency & on those steep inclines, engines just revs to glory with no real power transferring to wheels partly due to the way AT gearbox is tuned. To give a idea, inclines on my side are easily 60 degrees where you cannot carry forward momentum (Familiar 120 degree turns in between ).

Mileage wise, I easily get 13-14 KMPL On village roads and 20-21 KMPL on highways.

[lina]

Just get an EV instead of these complicated engines mated to even more complicated transmissions. Honestly the sub-20L ICE market is a disaster except for the cheap Marutis.

Complicated, unrefined (thanks to most being 3-cylinders) and extremely thirsty.

[KeepReading]

Great list.

Tiago eV is fantastic option for a second car.

I prefer Amaze for single car usage.
Also, Punch eV is expected to launched in Oct. I guess it can be good package cost wise and feature/battery wise.