[anjan_c2007]

The thread title is a generalised view or overview as regards safety and reliability of our cars, with likely exceptions and are Indian market specific. Some brands from the West have left our shores after seeing dented, annual balance sheets for many successive years. On the contrary, our Indian brands are doing well and so also the ones from Japan and South Korea. Rather the latter are dominating our market with their product range and their total understanding and grip of our market specifics, plus all the allied nitty gritty. No brand from the Far East has had to close shop so far. Daewoo, Ssangyong and Mitsubishi are exceptions and we are all aware of what went wrong.

The moot point is most of the Indian and Western brands have a solid build quality, scoring reasonably well with their NCAP ratings. But most of these brands sell models that are required to be carefully maintained with proper upkeep. On the contrary, the Far Eastern brand models are extremely reliable on the whole and require less day to day care. With the bare minimum maintenance required adhering to the points to care for, as listed in their owners manual, these cars are quite reliable. They have earned the "RELIABLE" tag from users, but most of these lack on the safety front.

What nationality, brandwise will be your choice for your next car? Whether Indian, Western or Far Eastern? We have the Chinese here too, with their MG brand, that is also doing well in our market and can be also discussed. We can also describe our past car ownerships and experiences with these.

My choice will be for an Indian brand like Mahindra. I have been using their MUV's and SUV's since decades. I have become quite used to owning a Mahindra with all the plus points and niggles. I will prefer to always buy a better selling SUV from Mahindra.

[dhanushs]

Let's take the example of the HiLux & Ranger. The rear prop shaft of the HiLux is a straight shaft with 2 U-joints at both ends. That's it. However, the Ranger has a damper to reduce vibrations and has a CV joint.

Now, user experience wise, the one with the damper and the CV's are far far superior than the old school Universal Joint. However, the U-Joint and straight metal pipe is more reliable.

Now, a back to back comparison between brands will mean Ranger is less reliable. But, why? Since it offers more tech. End of the day, users should take an informed call on what they want. The sad part is reliability is sometimes mistaken for capability and 'everything is better' in this car. (Eg: The horse back ride of the Fortuner, still people bought it)

[Bhargav7]

Most of the western brands manufacture cars with European infrastructure in mind. Doesn't work that way in India. A simple read in any Skoda thread gives us what can go wrong.

Reliability is as important as passive safety features, if not more. With the Far Eastern brands upping their game on safety, it is only a matter of time they consolidate their lead in the sales charts. Indian brands need to up their game in terms of reliability, service and component quality. If we see the improvement of vehicles of Tata and Mahindra, we get a sense that sooner or later, they are going to give tough competition to the Koreans.

European cars will always have the niche market in India though. Nothing can match the way their cars drive.

[Asoon]

Sometimes the quality cannot be quantified in numbers or some kind of list. European brands (Germans) are like apple products (e.g. Macbook air 2015 model still good today), they are not big, do not offer the best specs but some how they feel better, its not a placebo effect. [E.g. Rapid/ Vento with merely 100 Hp it feels rock solid compared to Koreans / Japanese options] Its how the things are put together and as a package what kind of experience its on offer.

[cs_rajesh]

Although, I have opted for "Far Eastern" (primarily due to my trust in Toyota Motor Corp.

However, my choice is complex and depends on what is available in the market in the powertrain that I am buying.

If I wish to buy an ICE car then my next car would be in the order of :
1. Toyota (Japanese) or Indian (if Toyota does not offer any diesel car in the segment I am interested, for example, SUV or Compact SUV ) OR
2. Indian (if there is a Diesel car in that segment I am interested)

If it is EV & Hybrid then my next car would be in the order of :
1. Toyota (if there is a hybrid car available in the segment I want and that car is affordable)

ELSE

2. Western (VW, Ford, a Czech brand or any other European brand if they have a good EV in their stable) or
3. Chinese (particularly BYD)
3. Indian (particularly TATA)

[xjosephjacob]

Based on my ownership experience, here's my take

Indian cars are like well-spiced biriyani, exciting initially, but might leave us feeling uneasy afterwards. European cars are like supermodels, beautiful and brilliant but may break down if we don't treat them right. Japanese cars are like our favorite jeans, always there for us even when we are little rough on them. Koreans cars are like designer jeans we buy on sale, excellent value, but they aren't Levi's.

I always lean towards buying a Japanese car. I think they are very reliable, and being reliable is a top priority for me. I would also consider a European car (as they are very 'desirable' to me) however my past experiences (before 2014) with Korean and Indian cars haven't been very good.

[It's Magic]

Originally Posted by anjan_c2007

What nationality, brandwise will be your choice for your next car?

I voted for Indian manufacturers.

The latest offerings from both Tata and Mahindra show a lot of promise. Whether it's car designs, safety aspects, or feature lists, both Tata and Mahindra have improved significantly. In terms of sales, both are getting closer to Hyundai for the number 2 spot.

Indian manufacturer cars do carry some manufacturing niggles, but overall, their products are built to last. I will definitely check out Indian manufacturer cars for my next purchase.

[Sk8r]

I have never been a "nationalist/hyper nationalist" if it in fact meant anything. However, I did vote for "Indian" and more specifically it would be a Mahindra.

Reasons ?

1- "Fun" to drive quotient is way too high for Mahindra vehicles, be it their Turbo Petrols/ Diesels

2- They've a personality of their own. Be it the Scorpio, Thar or even the humble Bolero/Bolero Neo

My most likely update from my current Ford Freestyle would be the refreshed Bolero.

[Rajeevraj]

I don't think I will make a decision based on nationality. Indian brands like Tata and Mahindra are coming up with solid, feature loaded, good to drive, 5 Star rated cars. The Europeans are trying to shed the tags of expensive maintenance and poor reliability. The Far Eastern manufacturers continue to do everything acceptably well. The Chinese are also doing well with companies like BYD bringing in fantastic products like the Seal.

So in summary, I think my choice will be dictated by my requirements and which car matches it the most. The nationality is secondary.

[SRTPorsche]

I drive a Korean now - Kia Seltos GTX+ (2020) but my next car will most likely will be a Chinese EV - They have good battery tech, easy on the pocket and the styling of a multi crore car. It's just I am trying too hard to time the purchase to perfection.

While I loved BYD Seal, I was waiting for the initial ownership reviews, then for any love in the new budget and now for the 07 facelift.

[TheSMG]

Indian manufacturers are offering good cars with wide range of engine options and features, however their long term reliability and service are a big let down. Still with the kind of progress Tata and M&M are making, its fair to opt for the Indian brands as they are the one who are taking over market seriously right now apart from the Korean Twins. Rest of the manufactures still cannot figure out the market and gauge customer sentiments.

[salluks]

I don't really trust the "strong build" from Indian companies especially Tata. They make cars specifically for beating crash ratings rather than actually caring about the safety. If its not required for a test, they don't really care about that feature.

Its the same as VW / Skoda / Ford etc.

[FlashMustang]

Voted for Far Eastern cars.
I've also put my money where my mouth is. Earlier this week, I sold my Honda of 12 years and bought a Maruti Suzuki.

After a long and hard thought, analyzing a lot of aspects, I came to understand that I value the reliability and ease of maintenance of the Japanese brands. I'm ready for the periodic and planned maintenance. But, I lack the time and energy to follow up and attend to unforeseen repairs.

I'm not a big fan of features, and value functionality over form. Hence, the east Asian approaches to a car suit my requirements to a T.

[tushky]

Originally Posted by salluks

I don't really trust the "strong build" from Indian companies especially Tata. They make cars specifically for beating crash ratings rather than actually caring about the safety. If its not required for a test, they don't really care about that feature.

Its the same as VW / Skoda / Ford etc.

Well thats not true. Tata have been crash testing their cars since Indica era. Crash test results was unheard thing in India back then. Even Indica Vista was designed as per Euro NCAP in mind hence it was heavier than its Indian rivals.

[speed79]

Voted for home grown Indian brands Tata and Mahindra as they make safer cars. Currently I own a Vista (2011), Punch (2022), Hexa (2019) and have previously owned Safari Storme (2015) and Maruti Alto (2005).

Originally Posted by salluks

I don't really trust the "strong build" from Indian companies especially TATA.

I have personally experienced strong build qulaity of Tata. In April 2022, I had fallen asleep while driving from Bangalore to Nagpur and rear ended a truck. My Storme was totaled in the accident but it saved me (with some injuries) and my family. Everything worked as it should have (and may be luck was on my side too), and I am here writing this post. Post accident I bought a Punch and a used Hexa.