[Ripcord09]

BYD Seal

What you'll like:

• Good build quality coupled with very appealing styling
• Punchy motor offers fast performance. RWD variant's 0-100 km/h time of 5.9 seconds is enjoyable; AWD variant's performance is ballistic (0-100 in 3.8 seconds)
• Good high-speed stability coupled with sorted handling
• Spacious and well-built cabin with comfortable seats
• Useable 400-litre boot, along with a 50-litre frunk (in the front)
• Inherent EV advantages such as a green image, zero tailpipe emissions, low running costs (charge at home) & top-notch NVH
• We find the BYD Seal to be well-priced for what it offers
• Selectable regenerative braking and drive modes allow you to extract maximum performance or efficiency, as needed
• Sufficient driving range (approx 500 km) for urban commuting as well as the usual road-tripping with family
• 6-year/150,000 km warranty on the car, 8-year battery & motor warranty, 6-year roadside assistance
• Features such as the vehicle-to-load function, soundproof glass, rotating 15.6-inch touchscreen, climate control with heat pump, panoramic sunroof, adaptive cruise control, electrically adjustable A/C vents, NFC key card, etc.
• 5-star NCAP rating, top-notch safety kit & level 2 ADAS to keep you safe

What you won't:

• 145 mm ground clearance requires you to drive with care over large speed breakers & broken roads
• Firm low speed ride. Liveable, but not plush in the city. You feel bad roads
• Low slung body makes ingress & egress a challenge for the not-so-flexible and elderly
• No option of a lighter-coloured interior theme (cabin is full-black)
• Rear seat offers poor under-thigh support
• Most functions and settings are controlled through the touchscreen, which makes them difficult to access on the move
• Vertical movement over road joints can get annoying
• Missing features such as connected car tech, a spare wheel (in India!!!), wireless Apple CarPlay, etc.
• Poor rearward visibility due to the acutely-angled rear windscreen and large rear headrests
• BYD's currently small dealership & service network. Even major cities like Mumbai & Delhi have just 1 dealer

First Drive Review

EV Rivals Comparison

Skoda Superb

What you'll like:

• 75% of the A6 / E-Class / 5-Series luxury at a much lower price
• Timeless, elegant styling with “big car” presence. Fit, finish & build quality are top class
• Awesome space and comfort, including at the rear. Beats luxury cars costing twice as much
• Classy dark-brown cabin is luxurious & practical. Cavernous 625 liter boot gobbles up big bags!
• Enjoyable 12-speaker Canton sound system includes a punchy subwoofer
• Insanely fun 2.0 turbo-petrol engine with 187 BHP & 320 Nm on tap
• Fast & improved wet-clutch 7-speed DSG (instead of the notorious DQ200 which I’d never buy)
• Comfortable ride quality is just perfect for Indian roads
• Surprisingly easy to drive for such a large car. Driving experience makes us smile
• Loaded with features & technology. Equipment list runs pages long…
• 5 star safety rating & kit - 9 airbags, ESP, TC, ABS + EBD, EDL and lots more
• 6-year extended warranty & 4-year all inclusive maintenance pack
• Attention to detail (THREE lights in the boot, felt-lined & illuminated door pockets, ticket holder on windscreen, boss button, triple-zone climate, rear headrests with outer support, request sensors even on the rear doors, umbrellas with a drainage system…)

What you won't:

• DSG reliability woes
• Skoda’s notorious dealerships & after-sales horror stories
• Complex electronics & suspect long-term reliability
• Available in only one variant
• Single digit fuel economy of the turbo-petrol in the city
• The economical & practical 2.0 turbo-diesel is no longer available
• For the list price, I’d prefer a RWD instead of a FWD layout
• No full-size spare wheel
• DSGs can get jerky in crawling traffic (between 1st - 3rd gears). It’s an inherent DSG trait
• Sheer size means the car isn’t really city-friendly. Good luck in tight lanes & parking spots
• 156 mm of ground clearance, coupled with a long wheelbase and soft suspension
• Skoda’s sorry attempt at a (fake) panoramic sunroof & the excessive chrome treatment on the L&K

Ownership Review Link

Toyota Camry

What you'll like:

• An extremely well-rounded luxury sedan. Lots of road presence due to its sheer size too
• Spacious, comfortable & well-equipped cabin. Ideal for self-driven or chauffeured owners alike
• High-tech and environment-friendly hybrid powertrain mated to a butter-smooth CVT automatic
• Terrific fuel efficiency! 15 km/l or more in the city
• Compliant ride quality with sorted road manners
• Loaded with kit (amazing sound system, ventilated front seats, reclinable rear seats, head-up display)
• Top-notch safety ratings. Equipment includes 9 airbags, ESP & more
• Toyota’s bullet-proof reliability and superb after-sales service. Camrys age very well

What you won't:

• Weird front styling isn't to everyone's taste. You'll either love it or hate it
• Not as much fun to drive as its German competitors (although it's no longer boring either)
• A couple of missing essentials (rpm counter, Android Auto / Apple CarPlay, folding rear seat...)
• Back seat is better suited to 2 adults, rather than 3
• Just a single trim. No choice of variants at all
• Long waiting period. Over 3 months in some cities

Review Link

Audi A4

Ownership Review

Mercedes-Benz A-Class Limousine

Review Link

BMW 2-Series Gran Coupe

Ownership Review

[Aditya]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[Sensible_Speed]

Vote: Others

Reason: I wouldn't pick any of these cars in the segment. There's a reason this segment is shrinking by the day. Cars like the Camry and Superb used to be bread & butter models for buyers looking for entry level luxury back in the day. Today, they're massively overpriced and don't feel special enough for the money you pay.

The German trio have their own problems. BMW and Merc are too cramped and expensive for what they are. Audi feels like a badge engineered Superb with higher maintenance costs. BYD Seal is limited by its powertrain for highway usage.

If I were offered a Superb or Camry at a reasonable price, used (sub 25 L), I would consider buying. Otherwise, a big NOPE for me.

[vattyboy]

I recently had a disappointing experience with A class and 2 Series, finding them overpriced for what they offer.

Specifically, if considering the Superb or Camry, but if I'm going to spend around 50 lakhs, I want a car with more badge value than just value for money.

Right now, my choice is between the Seal and A4. It's a tough choice because the Seal has great range but could give me charging headaches on long drives, while the A4 is in serious need of an update.

[IC_Morningstar]

Voted for the Skoda Superb keeping a bucket load of if and buts in mind. After seeing the new Superb in Frankfurt I am very much impressed with the rear seat comfort and to a certain extent the dashboard too. If it comes to India with the DCC and not much of a feature deletion at around 50 lakhs OTR Mumbai then it will be a run away success in India (in sedan standard).

[abaliga]

Voted other, We own a 2023 Octavia and I would buy the Octavia again even if the BYD Seal was priced at par for the following reasons

- Petrol motors have a character that can never be replaced by an EV.
- I cannot convince myself to buy a car from a company that is funded by an administration that has bullied my country and the world for long.
- As nice as the Seal is, there is lot of uncertainty around it, long term service, reliability, depth of engineering in terms of materials withstanding our harsh weather etc.
- EVs are not there yet in terms of doing 1000 kms per day trips, there is nothing like a convenience of filling up the car in 5 minutes vs a minimum 30 minute charge time (Not even considering the time spent on locating a convenient charger)
- Service back up for the Octavia exists through out the country as of today whereas BYD hardly has presence outside metros.
- If I had to buy an EV at this price, I would definitely pick the Ionic 5 over the BYD Seal, There is no comparison when it comes to service back up and peace of mind that Hyundai offers.
- Brand image is a big factor for cars that sell upwards of 40 lakhs and BYD is at a significant disadvantage here, until recently the general population was not prepared to shell out that kind of money for even a Toyota/VW/Skoda, However, Fortuner has single handedly changed this mind set in the last 2-3 years!

On a side note the brutal acceleration offered by EVs are nauseating and uncomfortable for many, While they may offer super car/hyper car rivalling 0-100 time, I feel this should not be a huge factor in consideration while buying a luxury car (Sports car maybe), as an example, when I was in the states, I had taken a test drive on a Tesla Model 3 Dual Motor with my wife on the passenger seat, I had a brief drive of 7-8 miles and by the end of it my wife was car sick as I was trying out its acceleration for one or two quick bursts (I had a similar experience when I drove the XUV4OO in the fearless mode recently and I generally do not get car sick!)

[Nikhilvm4]

I would vote for the A4. Its got badge value, good engine / gearbox combo, balanced ride quality, overall a VFM offering.

While BYD Seal seems to be the choice for most, I wonder what would be the value of a BYD Seal or rather any other EV post 8 years once the battery has reached the end of its life cycle and the car would probably have to be sold at scrap metal value. I would personally avoid spending anything above 10 to 15L on an EV in todays day and age.

[sachin_cs]

Had Skoda not done the pricing shenanigans, I’m sure the result of the poll would have been in the favour of the Czech beauty.

I voted for- Camry, as that’s the only proper limousine here that justifies the price (especially with discounts).

Reason for not voting for others-
BYD- I don’t want to plonk 50L on a relatively unknown brand
Superb- 64L onroad, seriously? That too for older generation
A class- they should remove the limousine suffix from it, it clearly isn’t
2 series- felt cramped when I tried the rear seat
A4- long in the tooth now

[lamborghini]

Voted other:
Living in Mumbai, with a family - the BYD is a hard sell.

Yes - it's quick, which is good because i'll have to floor it between speed breakers so I can tackle them sideways before rest of traffic catches up.
But if you aren't able to do that - I can see this car scraping half the speed breakers regularly which coupled with it's not so friendly rear seats becomes difficult to justify the car at home.

It would work if it there were multiple cars at home, where I would daily it on good roads, etc. but after living with a lowered 3 series that required me to stick to known roads, and a generally low seating C Class in which my parents sit only when needed: it's not for our house. If it were a daily with multiple cars available for family use - I'd probably be exploring some loud pre-worshipped options instead because I will be forced to convert to electric in the future anyways so may as well try and get the largest petrol engine I can find before then.

[rajshenoy]

Voted for BYD !!

Sedans are dying and sad to see such big void from 20L to 50-60L with no sedan to choose from. BYD on the other hand has launched an electric sedan, that too at sub 50L prices. Looks like rest of the automakers dont want to commit to sedan roadmap in India(Octavia, Corolla, Elantra segment)

I see plenty of BYD doing airport taxi runs in Bangalore and real world range of 400kms is not a deal breaker either.

[Haze]

No way does the A class have a GC or 127mm.

Are you sure you didnt check the A35 AMG's numbers?


EDIT: Haha. Just as I thought. Someone ran a lazy Google search "A Class Ground clearance" and copied the first number that came up.

The suspension is raised for India, which gives it great ground clearance, but that hasn’t come at the expense of ride comfort, as we’ve seen in some other locally assembled Mercs in the past. In fact, we’d even say it rides better than some of its larger sedan siblings.

Source: https://www.autocarindia.com/car-rev...t-drive-420069

[Aritra]

Voting for the Camry because of following which I see as a big advantage:
- Reliability: Toyotas are proven products and more reliable over a longer term compared to a Skoda or Merc. BYD is yet to prove itself in the Indian context.
- Hybrid: Hybrid option means more efficient than a gasoline and no range anxiety - sort of better of both worlds at this moment.
- Service Access: Toyota, undoubtedly has a far wider service network compared to the other options giving better peace of mind.

[adityaNview]

If I could have, then I would have definitely voted for Audi A4 for the following reasons:
A) It is terrific Value For Money, considering the discounts being offered.
B) It comes with punchy and tested 2.0 TSI engine which provides you with oodles of responsible fun.
C) That Bang & Olufson Sound System
D) Audi is a proper luxury brand
E) The upkeep and maintenance is not very high
when compared to other luxury brands.
In comparison to others, it makes more sense to go ahead with A4

[DasAutoFanatic]

Definitely the Superb! As you can see from my username, I own a VW Vento 2018 Highline Plus Variant, and boy! has it pampered me to the core... Definitely vouching for VAG or the German big boys.

I recently looked at a Camry at a Toyota dealership, But to my extreme disappointment, it did not in the slightest, please me. The doors are so light and don't have the "German Car Thud" to it. The interior design was done fair enough but when closing the door from the inside, the door panels and switches were vibrating like crazy. Moreover, the Audio Quality is also relatively poor as all of us were Audiophiles and like to blast music with high bass. But maybe also because my Vento came with Bose Speakers and subwoofers as stock. It also doesn't have Matrix headlights which was a big let down for us.

I have test drove the Superb and I feel it is an extremely VFM Vehicle that brings the significantly higher priced German trio to be questioned.

I haven't checked the German Trio yet but from prior experiences with friends vehicles, this was my opinions.