Quote:
Originally Posted by CloudOne Requirement: - Automatic only
- Should be smooth & jerk free
- I like Compact cars than longer ones
- 90% City Driving. 300 km highway run every 2 months
- Should be reliable in terms of service and maintenance
- Fun to drive is preferred
- Budget: 10-12 Lac On road
After watching 100+ videos, booked the Hyundai Exter SX (O) at on road price 11.2 Lacs
The Exter looked fine in the showroom but recently saw it on road next to a Venue and suddenly it felt like a very small car, specially from rear. Or am I wrong here?
And then the dilemma began. Should I keep Exter or stretch budget and upgrade to next segment? Hyundai Venue: Loved the looks the most. After test driving turbo DCT, found lot of lag in slow speed. N Line was comparatively better. Regular Venue felt very slow to pick up. Not sure if any issue with that car or it's like that only. I can get S(O) Turbo DCT by extending budget by 2 Lacs. SX(O) feels too overpriced. Kia Sonet HTX DCT: Found the rear seat to be smaller in length compared to Venue. And reading complaints about stiffer suspension. It's a 3 Lac stretch from Exter. Brezza VXI: Have not test driven yet, but interior felt very basic and not worth 13.5 lacs. Missing many important features in VXI. 2 Lac stretch from Exter. Fronx: Haven't looked at Fronx yet but lot of posts suggest Maruti cars quality not being good. So little skeptical. I might be completely wrong here. Nissan Magnite: I like the car design, but will it be wise to go with Nissan right now?
So, the main questions is - Is EXTER the right choice for me? Am I just thinking too much?
Or should I stretch the budget by 2-3 Lacs and go for any of the above. If yes, which one? Is the upgrade actually worth it?
Really like the looks of the Venue but confused about noticed initial lag, is DCT reliable in city traffic, or does IMT makes sense? S(O) variant loses out on many features I am getting in Exter.
As you can see I have been watching video after video of each car and getting even more confused. Really need suggestion from the community in guiding in the right direction.
Thank you so much in advance. |
1. The Exter does look small when you compare it to the cars in the segment above. No doubt about that.
2. While DCT in general aren't as reliable as let's say, a torque converter, but I haven't seen too many complaints about the Hyundai/Kia DCT. Yes, there are a couple of cases right here on the forum but nothing like the DQ200. With that being said, it's been only 4 years since the DCT was launched by the group and only after another 3-4 years, shall we know more about the reliability of their DCTs. At a personal level, I wouldn't worry too much about it. I'd personally avoid the iMT since it feels neither here not there to me.
3. The upgrade to the next segment does make sense if you want to drive a more powerful car. In the segment of the Exter, the 1.2 NA is the norm. Of course, there is the size factor as well. So it's size and engine power vs features. You decide. I'd say that it is worth it, especially since you state that you'd want the transmission to be smooth and jerk free. Also, there are some additional features in the Venue S(O) over the Exter so it's not all bad in terms of features.
4. I would be a bit hesitant to go for the Nissan but you may consider the Kiger.
5. I am gonna divide the cars which you have shortlisted into 2 categories-
i. The ones which are stretching your budget by ~3L-
Sonet is a very good car IMO. But if you think that the space and suspension is a deal breaker, do look at the Fronx Zeta. Yes, the Fronx turbo. It comes with a turbo petrol and a torque converter and you can't really doubt the reliability of Suzuki. You say that the quality of Maruti cars isn't good and yes, the quality of the interiors and the built isn't the best, but in terms of safety, there is hardly anything separating the mass market Hyundais and Marutis. In fact, Maruti has fared a wee bit better. With the Fronx, you wouldn't compromise on any major feature except the sunroof but you'd gain quite a lot as well.
ii. The ones which are stretching your budget by ~2L-
While the Brezza is a good car, it is indeed basic and the engine isn't anything to write about. It does seem that you like the Venue and as I have stated before, I'd anyday pick the Venue over the Exter, for the reasons I have stated above. You can also get the fully loaded Kiger CVT at the same price as the Venue S(O) and it will satisfy both the enthusiast(turbo+proper AT) and the feature itch that we all have. It is a safe car too.
6. To summarise, the Fronx and the Kiger do seem like the all rounders here as long as you are willing to compromise on the build quality and lesser ASS reach respectively. The Sonet is my personal pick of the bunch whereas the Brezza is a good car which may not appeal to the heart in the lower variants. The Venue offers you a better engine and a smoother transmission over the Exter at the cost of features though it isn't missing any major feature(except for power folding mirrors). I'd prefer the Venue over the Exter.
7. To finally sum it up, unless you are uncomfortably extending your budget for one of these cars, it is worth spending the extra money for a smooth and powerful powertrain.
Sonet HTX> Venue S(O)> Fronx Zeta Turbo> Kiger RXZ> Brezza VXI.