[dr.skt]

Dear forum members,

I am about to sell my Audi Q7 technology 2017 diesel due to Delhi NCR 10 year lifespan rule for diesel cars & looking to buy one of the following SUVs:
1. Recently launched iX1 lwb
2. Pre owned 2021 BMW X5 Petrol
3. Pre owned 2020 Range Rover Velar Petrol


I have budget of around 55-60 lacs currently.
I barely drive around 300 kms a month as my day to day running mostly is 6-8 kms round trip from my office.
I drive myself only always (no chauffeur driven) and once/twice a week, i drive with my car fully occupied (with 1 adult in front passenger seat & 2 kids in back).


I usually sell off my cars every 2-3 years but planning to keep this time's purchase for 4-5 years at the very least. It's a big hassle selling off these cars when the time comes for next upgrade / change.


My dilemma for iX1 lwb is the car being a luxury EV and i have absolutely no idea about its resale value after 3-4 years. Another doubt is that this iX1 is the first model of BMW electric being assembled in India, so I am not sure whether to take the plunge of being one of the first buyers and hopefully not run into some manufacturing quality issues.

I am waiting to test drive the iX1 in next few days but I liked the car from the looks of it (in Skyscraper Grey colour), the interior, the spaciousness in front & back and the fresh dash design in the front aswell.

As my running is around 300-400 kms per month, iX1 on a single charge can last me for whole month.



Coming to a Pre-owned X5 / Velar, I am confused whether to choose a brand new iX1 with next 2 years peace of mind warranty OR to go from Audi Q7 to a same segment car like X5 / Velar (was considering latest F-Pace also).

Kindly help me with suggestions / inputs.

[ajmat]

The X5 anyday if you can get one within your budget. You might find the ride and experience relatively hard edged though compared to the Q7. You could consider a used petrol Q5 also you go down a size.

The Velar looks great on paper but service and spares are patchy and expensive. The only advantage of the iX1 is that it is electric. You might get tax breaks etc but it will depreciate faster as EV's evolve. Being new, financing might be cheaper and you can redeploy the capital

[dr.skt]

Originally Posted by ajmat

The X5 anyway if you can get one in your budget. You might find the ride and experience relatively hard edged though compared to the Q7. You could consider a used petrol Q5 also you go down a size.

The Velar looks great on paper but service and spares are patchy and expensive. The only advantage of the iX1 is that it is electric. You might get tax breaks etc but it will depreciating faster as EV's evolve. Being new, financing might be cheaper and you can redeploy the capital

I had an Evoque HSE diesel earlier. Evoque was my dream car ever since it had been launched globally and even though reliability is not synonymous with Land Rover / Range Rovers, I absolutely loved the modern butch yet very compact look of Evoque. And then came the Velar which has been out of my budget since then.
So, i upgraded to Audi Q7 after Evoque. Fortunately, my 1 year short ownership of Evoque was totally free of any issues and i even sold the car for Rs.50k more than what i had bought it for.


When it comes to exterior looks, out of X1, Velar and X5, i find Velar to be most attractive while the X5 feels like overall better package when seeing it more modern interior & sharp exterior.


Reason to consider iX1 was that i could buy it "brand new" as my Q7, Evoque, Q3 have been pre-owned (though luckily I haven't had any issues with either of the cars).
2nd reason was its compact size in comparison to Audi Q7 but not so compact aswell like Q3 or GLA as iX1 is the LWB version and has great legroom in the back seats (even more space than X5 backseats i would say). It even feels more airy inside than GLA and Q3 (wider seats perhaps).

Since i drive way too little and only locally in my city (Faridabad), having a big car like Audi Q7 sometimes is troublesome to find parking spots or sometimes not even considering taking it in some rush traffic areas where i take an Ola/Uber for more convenience and less headache. (especially when i have 3 kids in my car being playful & sometimes crying / laughing while I am focused on driving a big elephant in traffic, thus i take Ola/Uber many a times depending on time/day of the week).


I am not considering any Audi for my next purchase as their interiors are all too familiar for me and doesn't excite me.


I am just confused whether to take risk on an EV like iX1 for the first time or to conveniently go to similar segment and status quo car like Velar / X5, however they would be pre-owned. Somewhere in my head, i do have a thought of buying a brand new car.

Another thing to add is that i buy these cars on individual registration & not on company name, thus i don't get perk of claiming depreciation either.

[GTO]

X5, Velar or even the current-generation Q7 can all be had for 60ish lakhs in the pre-owned market. These are not 1, but 2-3 levels above the X1 in terms of quality & finesse. I would anyday buy these over the iX1. Although, I must say, at the price its offered at, the iX1 is a heck of a deal. BMW might just be doing it to meet CAFE norms.

Please comb through available used SUVs. Delhi & nearby areas form the hottest market for pre-worshipped cars, with the most options at great prices.

[Turbanator]

Originally Posted by dr.skt

When it comes to exterior looks, out of X1, Velar and X5, i find Velar to be most attractive.

Reason to consider iX1 was that i could buy it "brand new"

I am just confused whether to take risk on an EV like iX1 for the first time

I think you should go with a new car this time. I know how older cars are more value but given your use case & past car purchases, a newer model will be better. In fact, a new iX1 is just for guys like you. It's more modern (iDrive 9 and a lot of new connected features), the front seat and the overall ambience will be more open. Most BMW dealers will have a pre-owned outlet in the same premise. You should go and check both this newer and older X5, just to be sure. I will not ask for a test drive at home and instead go to the dealership.

A lot of EV technology, especially on BMW, is pretty updated and BMW is very fair with warranties. So, I will trust this brand over a superior (on paper) product from say a BYD or MG.

I have seen this on the road and one can easily mistake it for a larger car. In fact, for city use, I was once considering the CBU (phased out). This is priced very well and there's a lot of interest in this car. I will say BMW India has done a great job as far as pricing is concerned and is very likely for numbers.

BMW usually offers buy-back options, with both the 3 and the 4 Year plans. Even if you want to keep the car for a longer period, you should consider opting for that route.

[quattroa4]

Why not a brand new Fortuner or a fully loaded XUV 700 Ax L ? The later offers more features then twice the value vehicles .

[n:CorE]

My pick would be the BMW X5 40i.

What makes this a no-brainer for me:

- B58 engine.
- Sorted ride and driving dynamics.
- Great tech + still has a few buttons on the dash. (Not touchscreen everything!)
- Split folding rear tailgate.

[GP2engine]

Originally Posted by quattroa4

Why not a brand new Fortuner or a fully loaded XUV 700 Ax L ? The later offers more features then twice the value vehicles .

He is considering brands like BMW and Range Rover/Land rover for a reason. It doesn't make sense recommending him cars like Fortuner and XUV700.

[sgmuser]

I suggest X5. It's two levels higher (X2 isn't available here though) compared to the iX1 this means better features, space, power and technology. Period. Avoid anything RR. It's a big pain the back when it comes to reliability. The bills are absurd. For your kind of usage better to avoid anything RR or LR. Stick with BMW OR MB. BMW engines are far more reliable and enjoyable as well compared to MB. They are drivers car since you're going to drive. IX1 is small and can seat the max 2 comfortably still but has better leg room though obviously. The only advantage of ix1 is being it's brand new and the Road Tax savings. Otherwise personally ev is not yet matured had any predictability when it comes to resale.

These all makes sense when you happened to stumble on a good X5 sample. Otherwise iX1 is the second best choice. You might end saving a lot on fuels.

[Cresterk]

My pick would be the X5 or GLE.

I would stay far away from used range rovers.

[cynosium]

Originally Posted by quattroa4

Why not a brand new Fortuner or a fully loaded XUV 700 Ax L ? The later offers more features then twice the value vehicles .

A Fortuner will be a massive downgrade in every single way from his current Q7 in every single way except reliability and service costs. Similarily, the XUV700 might offer good electronic features yet the basics like the ride quality and handling would be a huge downgrade from his current Q7 as well. Doesn't make sense to suggest cars like the Fortuner to someone looking for a comfortable luxury SUV.

[316kmph]

New iX1 LWB is the way to go. BMW might also offer you a guaranteed buyback, please check. Mercedes offer this on their EVs.

Low monthly usage means you don’t have to worry about charging infra and even after 3-4 years you can keep it as a 2nd car. At 50 Lakh ex showroom, it’s fantastic value.

Used German / European cars are notoriously expensive to maintain. Avoid at all costs, unless of course there is some warranty remaining.

[dr.skt]

I am considering an Audi Q8 also now with the above mix of cars for its attractive sharp sporty coupe-like outlook.

Today, i came to know from a nearby BMW dealership that iX1 lwb has a waiting time of 5 months which honestly didn't sound believable to me. I certainly do not plan to be in any such waiting list and with an unreliable and unproven resale value for luxury EV after 3-4 years, I am not really considering iX1 strongly anymore.

I would visit few places to check out X5, Velar, Q8 and GLE this month to have the actual feel of exterior outlook and interior ambience and then wait out for some good offers once I can set my heart for one of these cars as all are pretty good and comparable in one way or the other. Very confusing.

Most important aspect for me are the attractive exterior outlook of the car and the modern and plush interior of the car.

I feel that all these cars drive quite comfortably and are equipped with more than enough powerful engines and that really doesn't make a difference to me as my daily drive is not even 10 kms running (that's like 30 mins in total run time only for me on daily basis). I don't like driving fast either anymore since many years (being a father of 3 kids) and rarely even touch 100 km/hr speed which I throttle down as soon as I notice such speed.

[dr.skt]

I went to Delhi to 2 pre-owned car showrooms to check out my selected options at same place for a side by side comparison going in and out of different cars.

I checked out BMW X5 xdrive 40i mSport, Audi Q8 celebration, RR Velar, Mercedes GLE and latest GLC aswell.

Out of all above, I liked X5 and Q8 the most that day, followed by latest GLC's modern interior however i preferred X5 and Q8 over GLC due to much lesser overall spaciousness inside the cabin (lower headroom & shoulder room; legroom in rear was okay though).

Today, i got a home test drive for an X5 and i checked it out in detail. Honestly, it didn't give me that special feeling which I am looking for when thinking of changing to next car from my Audi Q7 currently. The quality of leather, buttons, chrome finish inside the cabin, the digital dash quality and the overall ambience didn't feel better than my 2017 Q7 technology model. I certainly don't want to pay 45-50 lakhs difference over my Q7's resell value to have such minimal change in the luxury feel quotient.

Now I am back to square one, rethinking over Audi Q8 2021 or to check out even RR Evoque 2021/22 or Mercedes GLB 2023.


My current opinion:

Audi Q8 (most expensive for me currently after selling/exchanging my Q7):-
Looks: Exquisite, Rare, Unique (i have always liked the coupe-type cars for their quirky look)
Interior quality is a notch above X5. Much more space in rear seats (good for my kids) - more than GLE, X5 and Velar.
It lacks basic feature for such a segment like 360 degree camera, which seems important for such a big-size car to manoeuver confidently. X5 has HUD also, which i would have loved to have but i can manage to live without.


Range Rover Evoque (atleast 15-18 lakhs cheaper than Audi Q8):-
Looks: Modern, sleek and compact. I can drive it pretty much anywhere due to its compactness without ever thinking about parking issue in any mall parking or a busy market area (I have left my Audi Q7 numerous times at home due to it being a big-size SUV).
Brand value perception of a Range Rover Evoque is better than a similar Q5/GLC/X3 i suppose.
I haven't checked its interior physically yet but will do in 1-2 days as there is a car available nearby for sale. It is with Wine colour interior (looks pretty unique atleast in the videos I have seen).
I had an Evoque HSE earlier and this new-gen Evoque has 360 degree cameras now, Carplay, digital rearview mirror etc.


Mercedes GLB (atleast 15 lakhs cheaper than Audi Q8):-
Looks: Family friendly / mini-GLS / not so exciting but doesn't look bad either.
Interior: I like its front dash design (which is same as a GLA and somewhat resembles the interior flow of G-wagon aswell. Ambient lights are best in the segment. MBUX is smooth. Feels modern and luxurious. Clean layout.
Rear seats are comfortable and can be reclined and sliding aswell to have lots of legroom.
It has 3rd row seats aswell, which either of my kids prefer to use sometimes.

GLB's engine is the least powerful and its the slowest car out of all above, but these factors don't make much of a difference to me as per my driving behaviour.

I also like the fact that GLB is not very compact like Evoque when compared to my Q7 and is somewhere in the middle where compromise on inside-cabin space and even the outer dimensions of the car are lesser when compared to the Q7.


Eventually to conclude, I am very confused and was little disheartened after BMW X5 not living upto my expectation after today's detailed physical checkout of the car at my home.

Choosing my previous cars till now has been much much easier task as they were very clear choices for their time (started with SUVs for my personal use only with a Q3, upgrading to an Evoque and then to a Q7... these upgrades were clear like day & night in terms of car size, interiors, luxury value they provided).
But this time, switching from an Audi Q7 is highly confusing and I don't want to spend upto 65-70 lakhs on a preowned car having to regret it soon. I want to keep this time's car for atleast 5 years usage.

[dr.skt]

Currently considering between Audi Q8, Mercedes EQB 350 and GLC coupe (the one launched in 2020).

I checked out Mercedes EQB yesterday and liked its overall interiors. 3rd row is good option for kids whenever they want to sit there. Being an EV, its single charge would be sufficient for my monthly usage. It looked quite nice on the exterior aswell in black colour with wide running led lights on front & rear of the car.
Obviously, its not as good in looks when compared to Audi Q8 and GLC coupe but it has its own understated look in my opinion.

I would be test driving EQB and Q8 in few days and will see further which one to choose.