[123.rishabh]

I would go for the Q3.
It has Quattro All wheel drive, the 2.0 TDI is a no fuss super reliable powerplant with a good combination of power & mileage.

Do get the car thoroughly checked at Audi ASS or an independent mechanic who specializes in VAG cars and has a VCDS or ODIS tool (This can also help to check if the odometer is tampered)

[shashi792]

I am also in a similar situation, but between Q3 (Diesel) and X1 (Diesel). Between the two, what I found is that the Q3 is slightly lighter on the pocket compared to X1 for a similar comparable model. Search is still ON for me. I am not actively looking for it but, if something good comes by I might be into it (For now, it's only TBhp classifieds).

[sunikkat]

Q3 definitely over GLA. Better looking with clean lines (subjective), more practical, more power etc. Also Q3 engine will be more mod friendly than GLA

[nikhilarni]

Originally Posted by wanderer007

I am looking to buy a sensible second car for the household and am planning to go the pre-owned route.

Hi Wanderer007,

Strictly between the Q3 and GLA, it has to be the Q3.

If you add X1 to the contention, I would prefer the X1 to the Q3, but I see you already have a Bimmer in your garage. The X1 will feel disappointing since you are used to the 5.

The GLA just looks big on the outside, but the insides is just a pigeon hole.

You haven't mentioned the price point you're shooting for.

[josephilip]

Originally Posted by GTO

I would personally go for the Q3. Better looking (I find the GLA to be too ugly), more presence, quite an all-rounder (other than the size). Get the workhorse 2.0 diesel and you're all set. In Mumbai, there will be ample choice of good independent workshops for maintenance.

I am sorry because this is a late question. The Q3 has a dct mated to the 2.0 tdi, is it going to be a headache like vw dq200 gearboxes, or are they more reliable.

[lamborghini]

Originally Posted by josephilip

The Q3 has a dct mated to the 2.0 tdi, is it going to be a headache like vw dq200 gearboxes, or are they more reliable.

The Q3 gets the more robust wet clutch DSG system which is more reliable.
Make sure the gearbox oil has been changed every 4 years / 60Kkm as per schedule and watch out for any unusual behavior.

[Highflyer]

Hi Friends.

This thread came closest to my quest for a new set of wheels. If any FM finds a more appropriate thread then please let me know, I will shift my post there.

I currently have a Honda Civic, 2007. It was a pre-owned one bought in 2012 from Kolkata. That time I was working there and it worked out for me. It has completed 15 years in 2022. It did wonderful job over the last 10 years. Apart from minor issues, I never faced any major problems. It’s suspensions were changed about two years back and the ride became a little hard after that. It is a little too low and scrapes almost all speed breakers (car wreckers) on our roads. The seating is too low which makes entry/exit a problem for old age parents.

It was time to become a little aspirational and acquire something from lower luxury segment.
Having been bitten by the per-owned bug and realising exceptional value proposition that they bring, I have decided to walk that path again.

My budget is 30 lacs plus minus, for per-owned cars. If I decide on buying something new then 40 lacs plus minus, is the budget. Now, this might confuse a little bit, but new cars aren’t completely off the charts. In case, I am unable to get what I want from pre-owned category, then new ones would need minimum of that amount to get one. That too not from premium ones aka BMW, Merc and Audi. 40 lacs is for brands like Hyundai, Škoda, VW etc etc.

My Usage.

99% within city.
Approx 5-7K per year.
I stay in Hyderabad now which has decent roads but considering the growth of traffic and deteriorating roads, I would prefer something with suspensions that take care of bad roads.

My Requirements.

The new car should have the following:-

1. Automatic transmission. Hassle free drive. Not looking for raging performance but something that works for comfortable city drives with traffic.

2. Very easy to ingress and egress. Neither too low like my current civic, nor too high, like Scorpio or other big SUVs. Basically the occupant should be able to slide in or out, with ease.

3. A 5 seater would do. Shouldn’t be very big. Considering driving and parking within city can be challenging. Smaller the better.

4. Features. Creature comforts like cooled seats, electrical seat adjustments, 360 camera (not a deal breaker), lumbar support, steering with both reach and rake adjustments etc etc. I am not a fan of sunroof considering Indian climate conditions. Problem is that, it has become a must have feature due customer demand. Good NCAP safety rating would be great.

Safety features wise, most of the contenders (listed later) are quite loaded. Safety features wise, Q3 and C5, were lacking in a few, while Tucson appeared to be punching way above it’s weight.

5. PLIANT SUSPENSION. The drive would be mostly within the city. The way our roads are getting speed breakers and pot holes I want want something that can soak them, at low speeds. High speed driving dynamics aren’t going to be a deal breaker, since long highway drives would be very rare and far in between.

6. Independent suspension. This flows from the previous point. Only an independent suspension can give a truly comfortable ride and negotiate imperfections with perfection. That’s where many cars like Creta, Taigun etc and similar ones went out of contention. After driving Tiguan and Tucson, there was no going back.

The Search

While trying to find the features listed above, I realised that Sedans are out of the picture, so were all big SUVs. It narrowed down to MUVs/MPVs. The independent suspension requirement further narrowed it down to luxury brands since, independent suspensions are available in only anything north of 30 lacs.

XUV700 and Harrier do have independent setup, but were ruled out because of their height.

The models that meet most of these criteria are:-

Mercedes Benz GLA (2017-20)

2. BMW X1(2016-20)

3. Audi Q3 (2017-20)

4. Volkswagen Tiguan (previous and current versions)

5. Škoda Kodiaq (previous and current versions)

6. Hyundai Tucson (current version only)

7. Citroen C5 Aircross (current version)

8. Volvo XC40 (2018-22)

Electric cars were ruled out due to very less driving and the extra premium for these, didn’t make sense.

In the process of decision making, I drove all Hyundai models from i20 N line to Tucson. Creta met most of the requirements, except the ride quality. Loved driving and comfort of Tucson. Drove Tiguan and found it to be a tad too firm but decent.

Impressions.

I compared the features on various websites and threads on team-bhp.

GLA/X1/Q3. Considering the budget, only the previous versions and pre-owned ones are being considered. I haven’t driven anyone of them though.

GLA has very nice suspension setup. Interiors are premium. Few features are lacking.
X1 is good, but is supposed to have a firm low speed ride.
Q3 has mixed reviews. Couldn’t find anything great or bad.

Tiguan. Solid car but the ride is a little firm at low speeds. The previous version lacks in few features.

Kodiaq. Very nice car. Meets a lot of criteria. Plush and full of features. A little expensive compared to similar crop of vehicles. Škoda after sales service is a hit or a miss.

Tucson. Amazing car, with features galore. Fun to drive and the suspension is great. Rear seat space is great. Considering pricing of C5 and Tiguan, it appears to be a better value proposition. Hyundai, after sales and cost of ownership is great.

C5 Aircross. Best ride quality in this category. Lacks in quite a lot of features considering its the price and others in this segment. Long term support and services aren’t yet known. Not very many available in pre-owned market yet. Not sure of it’s worth it, to go for a new one considering lack of basic features. @GTO’s comment on another thread rings a bell, where he says that it is better than entry level luxury cars that are listed above.

XC40. Ticks all the boxes. Couldn’t find any negative review. Full of features, solid built. Rear seat space is not as great. I couldn’t find a definitive review on it’s low speed ride quality. Very few are available in the pre-owned segment and are snapped up by connoisseurs as soon as one comes into the market.

The Dilemma. In my quest for this purchase, I have scoured the net, spinny Max, local dealers, Olx etc and have come to following conclusions:-

Pre-owned X1/ GLA/ Q3 of 2018/19 with 20-35 k on odo are available for 25-29 lacs.
Spinny prices are on the higher side but information provided is best. The buying experience is also mostly decent.
Local dealers can be hit or a miss. They all claim their goods to be of highest quality but people have faced issues later. Few lucky ones got good deals and experience.
Olx could be similar to normal dealers.
Delhi is most dicey in terms of things going bad and fraud.
Kolkata offers cheapest (lowest price) for all cars in this segment compared to other cities in the country. The odo readings were also the least on these cars. Am I missing something here?

Need Help. Need help from FMs on the following aspects:-

Is it a good idea to buy from any part of India and then take the car to Hyderabad? What are the likely issues?

If X1, GLA and Q3 are available, with similar reading on odo and same year of manufacturing, then which one to choose and why? Just remember that only the previous versions of these have been considered.

- Have I missed anything important in my assessment of various aspects?

[Highflyer]

@trackday, @lamborghini, @GTO and other FMs, request your inputs to my requirements in my post above.