[ashwin1224]

Originally Posted by GTO

If I were in your place though, I'd use the GL350 only for the highway runs. It offers a 5-star safety package which no 20 lakh car can match.

Thanx for the reply

The GL is almost exclusively used for Highway runs. And that is the main reason we wish to look for an alternative. My father has been completely spoiled by first the Captain seat innova and then the mighty merc so I dont think either the Aria or the XUV5OO can cut the mustard.

Will getting a current gen innova now and then swapping it for the next gen make sense?

[wadewilson]

Hi everyone, we have recently acquired a Toyota Innova (2012 Base Model) two months back (IIRC) before the production stopped altogether for 14.5 OTR (IIRC). We had always booked Innova Taxis for the highway runs to Guwahati and so Dad thought that having an Innova in the family would be a good alternative to spending 10,000 rupees every trip. And also, the Opel Corsa, at 15 years old was getting long in the tooth, having constant breakdowns and good quality parts are also scarce here in North East so it was a good time as any to buy a new car.

Anyway, what we didn't anticipate was the horrible ride quality the Innova offered on our huge crater sized potholed roads in town and also on the highway to Nagaland (We commute on a near daily basis to Nagaland as well). The car would toss us around, literally, and dad's head has banged against the window countless times. I, sitting in the front seat also suffer from terrible back aches as the seat makes it impossible to sit in a relaxed position and I have to sit upright and keep my feet firmly planted to avoid being thrown around as well. The seatbelt aren't much help either. The ride quality is the same regardless of whether we drive slow or fast (although we always drive slowly) and after caring for it so properly, in just two months, our horrible roads have gifted our Innova with lots of body noise. Also, due to the low GC, the Innova has been scraped a few times even though we drove carefully and slowly trying our best to avoid it.

So after days of pestering dad, he finally put up the Innova for sale and we have been getting offers in the range of 12-13 Lakhs for it with a buyer nearby ready to come with cash and collect. The problem now, however, is which car to replace it with (in the given price range)? I suggested the Mahindra XUV 5OO to my dad, as being a monocoque, it might offer better ride quality on our potholed roads and also reading the favorable reviews on the facelifted version on TeamBHP, I suggested the same to him. Dad however, is unconvinced. He feels that companies like Mahindra, Hyundai, Renault etc. make shoddy quality cars and they are very expensive to maintain compared to Toyota, Maruti Suzuki and Honda whose parts, according to him are very cheap.

Also, dad is unconvinced of the space in the XUV 5OO and complains that the leg room won't be enough and it will be a very cramped car. At 5'6" and our driver being 5'4", I doubt he'd have any issue of legroom in the massive (compared to our short size) XUV 5OO. Also, my little brother and me, really liked the interiors on the Mahindra XUV 5OO which felt a step above the utilitarian base model Innova of ours.

I then suggested the Mahindra Scorpio as well, since he has a soft spot for it in his heart (because our Grandpa bought it as well). However, both of us are worried that even the new Scorpio would have horrible ride quality on our bad crater sized potholed roads and might be just as much if not more bouncy and bumpy. Also, the top model of the Scorpio is quite close to the base model of the XUV 5OO so I'm confused what to suggest.

We are a family of four and dad's requirements are that the car be reliable, be able to sit four of us in comfort and have adequate ground clearance to tackle the crater sized potholes.

Dear BHPians, please help me clear the doubts:

1. Would the Mahindra XUV 5OO be a better alternative to the Toyota Innova (2012 model) that we have right now? Does it tend to have a bouncy ride as well?
2. Is the XUV 5OO more prone to mechanical failure compared to the Toyota Innova? I read on TeamBHP that they (Mahindra) have fixed a lot of niggles and issues?
3. While driving the TD car, the XUV 5OO's engine noise was very harsh and audible on the inside as well. Is the same true for the normal XUV's? Also, the TD car had done close to 17,000 kms and the dashboard was also rattling over bad roads.
4. Could the Scorpio be considered as well? Is the ride quality good on potholed roads? Not to exagerrate but, our entire roads are covered with potholes, from our house to the town.

Thank you all for taking the time to help out

[silverado]

Originally Posted by wadewilson

We had always booked Innova Taxis for the highway runs to Guwahati and so Dad thought that having an Innova in the family would be a good alternative

Anyway, what we didn't anticipate was the horrible ride quality the Innova offered

We are a family of four and dad's requirements are that the car be reliable, be able to sit four of us in comfort and have adequate ground clearance to tackle the crater sized potholes.

Could the Scorpio be considered as well?

So we understand you were used to riding in Innova's very often, did you get a poorly maintained second hand innova?

My options would be as below

ERTIGA - Can seat 4 in comfort and has a decent GC - 185mm.
TATA HEXA - can wait for another 5-6 months to see how good it is, and then decide.

S-CROSS - Should be reliable and has decent GC - 180mm.

[wadewilson]

Originally Posted by silverado

So we understand you were used to riding in Innova's very often, did you get a poorly maintained second hand innova?

Not at all, it was brand new. We bought it from Toyota Guwahati. I did a PDI as well before we bought it, decoded VIN, checked Form 21, it was freshly made.

Originally Posted by silverado

My options would be as below

ERTIGA - Can seat 4 in comfort and has a decent GC - 185mm.
TATA HEXA - can wait for another 5-6 months to see how good it is, and then decide.
S-CROSS - Should be reliable and has decent GC - 180mm.

Those are good options especially the S-Cross which, being a Maruti product might interest Dad. Thank you for that But we were wanting to go for the XUV 5OO or the Mahindra instead, considering whether they would perform well on our roads or not as the cost of the Innova would be almost recuperated and with 13L cash on hand (after selling the Innova), we could add a little more and go for the XUV.

On a side note, is the Innova really comfortable even on potholes? Our car wobbles a lot and the ride is very bumpy, often throwing us from side to side

[silverado]

Originally Posted by wadewilson

On a side note, is the Innova really comfortable even on potholes? Our car wobbles a lot and the ride is very bumpy, often throwing us from side to side

Innova is the number one choice of TAXI in one of the roughest terrains in India - Leh highway.
Do you see major difference in ride quality in Innova taxis that you rode and your car?

[Turbanator]

we have recently acquired a Toyota Innova (2012 Base Model)

Not at all, it was brand new. We bought it from Toyota Guwahati.

Looks you have wrongly mentioned 2012 & you meant 2015

In case lower GC / Suspension is your concern, did you thought of upgrading tyres and Suspension? Can check Bilstein or something like

http://www.redroosterperformance.com...oller=category

I don't think any of the cars you have mentioned will give you a better ride over Innova though.

[Aniket6]

Originally Posted by wadewilson

Dear BHPians, please help me clear the doubts:

1. Would the Mahindra XUV 5OO be a better alternative to the Toyota Innova (2012 model) that we have right now? Does it tend to have a bouncy ride as well?
2. Is the XUV 5OO more prone to mechanical failure compared to the Toyota Innova? I read on TeamBHP that they (Mahindra) have fixed a lot of niggles and issues?
3. While driving the TD car, the XUV 5OO's engine noise was very harsh and audible on the inside as well. Is the same true for the normal XUV's? Also, the TD car had done close to 17,000 kms and the dashboard was also rattling over bad roads.
4. Could the Scorpio be considered as well? Is the ride quality good on potholed roads? Not to exagerrate but, our entire roads are covered with potholes, from our house to the town.

Thank you all for taking the time to help out

- The XUV isnt prone to mechanical failures, there were some niggles but not mechanical failures. Moreover, Mahindra has solved most of the niggles, I have had my XUV since last 2 years (36k kms) without a single issue.

- The sound you mentioned from TD vehicle is abnormal, as XUV is pretty refined and well insulated.

- Sounds like the roads you travel in are in very bad state with huge potholes. You might need a very rugged and abuse friendly vehicle.

I think the Renault Duster AWD is the best choice for your requirement as it has an amazing ride quality, can seat 4 in comfort and is very abuse friendly. Why don't you TD it once?

Even the Scorpio would be a better choice over the XUV for the landscape you have mentioned. XUV is well suited for long distance highway cruising over average to good roads with just the occasional bad stretches.

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by wadewilson

We had always booked Innova Taxis for the highway runs to Guwahati and so Dad thought that having an Innova in the family would be a good alternative to spending 10,000 rupees every trip.

Anyway, what we didn't anticipate was the horrible ride quality the Innova offered on our huge crater sized potholed roads in town and also on the highway to Nagaland (We commute on a near daily basis to Nagaland as well).

I am not sure I read you correctly here.

You hired Innova taxis for your trips, and then you decided to pick up the same car to save on the rental costs.

Now you are bothered by a bad ride quality, so much so that you are willing to sell the car and take the financial hit, while earlier, in the same variety of vehicle, you were quite comfortable enough to contemplate buying this one.

Either there's something seriously wrong with your own car, or the person driving it doesn't do so properly.

For a start, get your tyre pressures checked, and get another driver to drive you around for a few days - maybe asking one of those taxi drivers to do your duty for a day would be a good idea.

[Rahul Rao]

Originally Posted by wadewilson

Hi everyone, we have recently acquired a Toyota Innova (2012 Base Model) two months back (IIRC) before the production stopped altogether for 14.5 OTR (IIRC). We had always booked Innova Taxis for the highway runs to Guwahati and so Dad thought that having an Innova in the family would be a good alternative to spending 10,000 rupees every trip.

Anyway, what we didn't anticipate was the horrible ride quality the Innova offered on our huge crater sized potholed roads in town and also on the highway to Nagaland (We commute on a near daily basis to Nagaland as well). The car would toss us around, literally,

Please check the suspension and tyre size in your Innova. Many people upsize tyres for better road holding without considering that it reduces ground clearance and comfort.

Rahul

[ike]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

I am not sure I read you correctly here.

You hired Innova taxis for your trips, and then you decided to pick up the same car to save on the rental costs.

Now you are bothered by a bad ride quality, so much so that you are willing to sell the car and take the financial hit, while earlier, in the same variety of vehicle, you were quite comfortable enough to contemplate buying this one.

I agree. From what I have read, I understood that you went ahead and bought the innova because you were impressed by it. Why would your innova have poor ride quality while the taxis are OK? There's something amiss here.

[vivekgk]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

I am not sure I read you correctly here.

You hired Innova taxis for your trips, and then you decided to pick up the same car to save on the rental costs.

Now you are bothered by a bad ride quality, so much so that you are willing to sell the car and take the financial hit, while earlier, in the same variety of vehicle, you were quite comfortable enough to contemplate buying this one.

I think that what he means is that they liked the Innovas they rented for their Guwahati highway trips, but had not experienced the low speed ride on the potholed roads in their own town. At least, that's how I understand it.

Dear wadewilson, here's the thing. You've already made a sizeable investment in a new car. And you've made a good choice with the Innova.

It would be hard to meet the standards set by the Innova in terms of product reliability, ease of service and value retention. If you want the same kind of service, reliability, and value, and you are absolutely convinced that you want to replace the Innova, buy the new Crysta. Since you've made your peace with the base model amenities, it should not be an issue. You'll have a better engine, better suspension, more modern looks and end up with a better car overall while sacrificing nothing.

The only way to determine if the XUV is worth your money is to take a long test drive through the exact same roads. But, do not expect the same level of service or niggle free experience from Mahindra. A monocoque does not guarantee a better ride quality.

If you're willing to forego the extra two seats, consider the Duster. It has great ride quality, is mostly bullet proof and is much better equipped than a base model Innova.

If you need the extra seats, and are not particularly concerned with the image, and want lots of equipment, take a good hard look at the Lodgy. It has amazing interior space, and the dealers will give you great deals on the top end trim models like the Stepway.

If you're willing to take a small risk, try the Safari Storme. Most of the niggles have been ironed out, and the ride quality and equipment levels on the new Storme are very good. But forget resale value and expect slightly inconsistent quality that might throw up unexpected surprises. The Hexa should be much better overall.

[shankar.balan]

I m a bit surprised at the statements on this thread about the "Poor" ride quality of the Innova.

I think it is the first time I ve ever heard a complaint about this aspect.

In my experience, at most speeds that one may be travelling at, on inner roads, highways, residential streets or shopping districts or even broken roads, as of this moment in India, the Innova is by far one of the most comfortable vehicles to move around in.

Especially when one has a good, reliable and experienced driver at the wheel.
It is absolutely perfect for the Chauffeur Driven classes. Nice and roomy and extremely comfortable.

No wonder it continues to sell like hot cakes, despite having literally tripled in price over the last 11 years!

[revharder]

Opt for self drive rentals in your city for cars you want to check thoroughly.
Usually a 6-hours package is the minimum you can rent, and that's enough for a thorough test drive.
We always follow this practice in our friends' circle. Company/showroom given TD is useless. It doesnot allows you to make a genuine opinion about the car.

This little investment always help in making a right decision.

My two cents.

[joybhowmik]

Dear Wade
Congratulations on your acquisition of the Innova!

I would tend to agree with the others on the thread. The Innova is a very comfortable tourer. Speaking from personal experience, the Innova's suspension is comparatively softer to the Scorpio's (my terms of reference are a 2009 model year Innova and a 2015 model year Scorpio).

Thus over the same stretch of badly scarred roads (UP roads off NH-24 @ Moradabad are an example), the Scorpio has less body roll, but bounces around a lot more.

For Innova, on badly scarred stretches the body roll element combines with frequent twists and turns (to avoid rough patches to the extent possible), resulting in vertigo like symptoms particularly for rear seat passengers. Or knocking of the head against the windows. I suspect it's this characteristic of the suspension that's bothering you and your family the most.
If at all you have a problem with excessive bounce on the innova get the shock absorber checked - but I doubt that it would be faulty. As an example my Innova's shockers needed replacement after 6 years/60000km.

On the contrary, with Scorpio, even though the body roll element is lesser, the bounce element is much higher - for rear seat passengers this results in back aches and possible banging of the head against the ceiling!

Which is better? For most people not used to being driven on potholed roads all the time, they would choose a soft suspension over a hard suspension most of the time. However, I commiserate with you that the body roll characteristic can be equally disturbing.

The answer is to drive slowly & carefully - minimizing the effect of both characteristics irrespective of the vehicle.

Originally Posted by wadewilson

We are a family of four and dad's requirements are that the car be reliable, be able to sit four of us in comfort and have adequate ground clearance to tackle the crater sized potholes.

Now that you've invested in the Innova - my suggestion is that keep it.
Innova is /has :
a) very reliable (zero warranty failures, < 1 visit per year for running repair compared to Scorpio - in just over 1 year 5 warranty failures)

b) very comfortable (my preferred choice over Scorpio for Delhi-Kolkata road trips). Disregarding the body roll for a moment - the ability to absorb bumps on a straight road is best in class. Especially if one is seated on the captain seats. There is literally no back-ache from long drives.

c) good ground clearance. Although not as high as the Scorpio - it has decent ground clearance - and can take on most rough terrain without underbody hits. I am talking of places such as Himachal (Chandrataal) and Ladakh where sometimes roads are non-existent.

d) Holds its value much more than the other cars you are considering.

[Aroy]

It is intriguing that you found the Innova Taxi ride comfortable, but your new Innova ride horrible. Check the tyre pressure, at times the tyres are filled at 40 PSI which results in extremely bumpy rides.

As suggested in previous posts, get a taxi driver to drive your car, as well as comment on its ride quality. He can give you pointers to get a better ride quality.

Ultimately, if the roads are bad and full of crater sized potholes, no car except one with Air Suspension and large diameter tyres (30"+) will give you a reasonably smooth ride. I had once driven from Silchar to Aizawl just after rains and the craters swallowed truck tyres fully, a small car tyre has no chance in such cases.

One thing that I have noticed is that the ruts and potholes are mainly created by trucks and the space between the ruts is relatively smooth. In such cases travelling in a narrower vehicle - Maruti Van, M800 or Alto results in a relatively smooth ride. I suggest that you hire a Maruti Ecco van for a few days and drive over the usual roads. You will be surprised at the difference in ride quality compared to broader cars.