[msnarain]

We moved to Mumbai from Bangalore last year. We were lucky to find a house near work, which meant we never really needed a car. The chaotic Mumbai traffic ensured we never ever discussed buying a car. We were happy with Uber and the ubiquitous auto rickshaws which were also surprisingly dirt cheap. (Did I tell you I am originally from Chennai where you had to pawn your household jewellery each time you hailed an auto rickshaw?). In fact recently, I went ahead and took care of my long overdue itch and acquired a motorcycle, a Triumph Street Twin that I use(d?) for my everyday commute, something that doubles up as the occasional weekend companion.

But since the pandemic and the subsequent lockdown happened, we have been stuck indoors. And with a 2 year old who needs to be out looking at real things instead of in a book, we are sorely missing having a car handy. My wife and I had made a promise to ourselves to not take the kid on the motorcycle till he was old enough to wear a helmet. But we had to break that promise because he badly needs that fresh air. We have been literally doing <20kmph around the building on a 900CC parallel twin every evening for 30 minutes. In short, we are in a position where we really need a car.

Here's a mini-flashback.

I got my Honda Brio VMT back in 2012. It was my first car, a decision that Team-bhp helped me make. That's also when I started driving - I have been driving for around 8 years now. My wife has been driving for around 12 years now. (In case you are wondering, she was the better driver when we met by a large margin. I think I have considerably narrowed the margin down since though.) We both loved the car to bits that we fought over who got to drive the car to work everyday. The car had absolutely zero features, and we were okay with it. There were no gimmicks, gadgets or distractions between me and the machine, as I floored the car and the iVTEC showed its magic.

We were looking at buying a second car in 2018 as though the Brio was a darling to chuck around in the city, we were doing occasional road trips and it was falling short. We still love the Brio, and it is safe in Chennai at my in-law's place - we can't wait to drive the Brio again.

But, I digress. So, we test drove a few cars - the Verna, Creta, Compass, the new Ecosport and Vento. The Verna and Creta were great. The Vento was out because of terrible showroom experience. The Ford though seemed like a driver's car, felt claustrophobic. And we fell in love with the Compass. It felt like the Brio's elder brother. Beautiful engine that loved to be driven and again, not many gimmicks. But before we could make the decision, we moved to Bangalore and here we are now in Mumbai.

Back to the present, with the lockdown in progress, we are feeling the need for a car to not just get the kid outside, but due to the fact that my wife and I have been getting cabin fever, and would do anything to just get out of the house occasionally, even if it's just a 2-4 hour drive on weekends with the kid plonked in the carseat. And so we are back in the which-car-to-buy dilemma.

Here are our requirements.

• We want it to feel like a proper upgrade
• We need those extra airbags since the kid is going to be spending the next 4 years in the carseat in the back.

The first car we saw was the Hyundai Creta. I know a lot of folks loathe the new design, but I like it. I find it minimal and think it has character. I hated the way the old Creta looks (sorry!). I think it looked too skinny to be an SUV. But hey, looks are subjective. We have never been keen on all the gadgetry that modern cars come with, but we have reached a point in life (also called getting older) where I think the extra features would be useful and actually add to a comfortable life. And Creta is loaded, no doubt.

I was then nudged towards the Seltos by my colleague and fellow TeamBHPian Nimish. I had heard of Kia setting sales charts on fire in this segment, but never really gave that direction a second look because of unknown network, service history etc. But as I read more, I realized Kia was on to something with the Indian market. I called up a couple of showrooms and enquired about the Seltos GTX+ 1.4 manual. Both showrooms said they had the top variant in stock and can deliver in less than 10 days. And both denied any discounts as the Seltos was literally flying off the shelf. Fair enough.

My bank's relationship manager got another Kia showroom to call me and they offered me discounts of up to 30K - they said they had some inventory of the older version (MY19) that came without the all black interiors or a few connected car features that were ready to be delivered in less than 10 days. The MY20 cars had to be dispatched from the factory and would take 4-8 weeks. I called the other two showrooms to get this clarified and they owned up to having told me about the MY19 cars. I was furious about having almost misled by the other two showrooms. Imagine if I had booked the GTX+ thinking I was getting MY20 and on the day of delivery realized I was getting an MY19. I was planning to do almost everything remotely since I did not want to put anyone at any risk. Why do the sales tactic have to be so aggressive and opaque?

I lost interest in Kia post this incident.

The Creta now looked good, but the SX(O) did not come with a manual turbo petrol. And the DCT seems to be a hit or a miss. I would absolutely love those paddle shifters, but I am just not getting the confidence. Nor am I keen on the 1.5 CVT. On a side note, the wife thinks automatics are for kids. I would prefer them any day in traffic these days! I have managed to convince her to get an auto though.

We have been looking at a few other cars that I have looked at in the meantime - the new City for example. Honestly, I am not sure if I will ever want another Honda in the house. Great cars, make no mistake. We just need some variety. Plus I am not a big fan of the new design language that Honda is adopting across its line. We are also not sure if we want a sedan now. We really want our next big upgrade to be a BMW 3 or a Merc A. The sedan can wait a few years.

We discussed the Compass the other day, and the wife started grinning ear to ear. The Compass still has got a special place in our hearts. But the 6 airbags come in Limited Plus and the AT costs close to 26L on-road. I am not sure if I can really justify the premium.

The other tangent we have been discussing is the fact that we won't be in Mumbai permanently and might want to move back to base in the long term. Is it really worth getting am SUV here or do we just get a small car? The Venue came into the picture - but again the DCT is not inspiring confidence. We are not too keen on going after the older cars in the sub-compact segment - the XUV300, Duster or the Ecosport.

We are even looking at renting/leasing a car from Revv or Zoom. But it's working out to be an expensive affair - The Creta AT costs around 35k a month for 6 months and the Swift AT is going to cost us 25k per month for the same period! That's ridiculous and daylight robbery! I did some quick math and realized it makes no sense whatsoever. Am I missing something here?

So that's where we are at. With a budget for an SUV that can be stretched to 20L on-road, our options now include..

• Hyundai Creta 1.4 DCT (really hoping you guys give me the confidence to get the DCT)
• Kia Seltos (I will have to ignore the shady sales guys and tactics. Talk to the guy my banker introduced and get a 1.4 turbo manual)
• Hyundai Venue 1.4 turbo manual
• Rent a car on Revv (assuming I am missing something and you guys show me the real math)
• Any other car that you guys feel I have missed out.

Help a brother out!

[sv97]

Had I been in your position I would have gone with the Kia Seltos eyes closed.
The looks,features and the availability of the top end in the manual variant which is your choice make it a clear winner.

If you want to save some money and would let go of some features then go for the GTX manual variant. It has all the safety features that you need but loses out on some features like ventilated seats, Bose audio system,powered driver seat etc.

[Mynameis]

@RavenAvi recently bought a Creta CVT and has put up a nice review. Would strongly recommend you to go through that.

A major advantage that Creta has over Seltos is Panoramic sunroof (if it matters to you). I find interiors of Creta better than Seltos, although its subjective. Also Creta will most probably have better resale value (if it matters to you). And not to forget the Hyundai+CVT reliability and thereby peace of mind.

As far as driving fun is concerned, yes CVT will not be as fun as DCT but is certainly not BAD. Its very much liveable from what I have made out of all the reviews that I have read/ watched. I have personally not driven the new Creta. I would say don't just look at CVT. Fact that it is coupled with a fairly large 1.5L engine, does help.

Take a thorough test drives of both these cars and then it will be a lot easier to decide. And do share your impressions

As far as holding the purchase is concerned, I do not think that makes sense. In these Covid times plus with a 2 year old kid, personal car is a must.

[landcruiser123]

Future transfer + occasional use + safety requirements leans towards used cars. But you don't want to venture out. Fair enough, so new cars only. Given your situation, usage pattern, and the general economic uncertainty, I'd suggest Elite i20 or Ford Figo with 6 airbags.

If you're making a choice between Creta and Seltos, I'd suggest buying the variant that fits your requirements and budget. Both cars are mechanically identical.

[GTO]

In this segment, you have shortlisted the best two options. There is also the MG Hector which offers more space & a softer ride, if that is high on your priority list.

The Creta & Seltos are effectively the same car from the same parent company. You can't go wrong with either of them. The major differences are that the Creta has better ride quality (although it's still nowhere as cushy as the 1st-gen Creta), feature differences (e.g. panoramic sunroof vs 360 degree camera), styling (I find the Creta to be ugly but looks are subjective and you don't seem to have a problem with it) and variant planning. The Seltos is the more fun to drive on the open road, although the Creta is close.

Keep the above points in mind and buy whichever car appeals to you. In this segment, I would strongly recommend the ATs only.

We discussed the Compass the other day, and the wife started grinning ear to ear. The Compass still has got a special place in our hearts. But the 6 airbags come in Limited Plus and the AT costs close to 26L on-road. I am not sure if I can really justify the premium.

Call the dealer & tell him you are a serious buyer; ask him for the best possible discounts. You might end up with a good deal as it is a buyer's market.

Kia Seltos (I will have to ignore the shady sales guys and tactics. Talk to the guy my banker introduced and get a 1.4 turbo manual)

You have to live with the car, not the salesman - related thread (Had a bad sales experience at a dealer? Please do NOT eliminate the car model because of that!).

Poll added to thread!

[KarthikK]

Voted for Seltos all the way! It is the freshest face on the block, looks nice, packs a punch with so many powertrain and gizmo options and ticks all your boxes.

Originally Posted by msnarain

.. snip snip ..
We discussed the Compass the other day, and the wife started grinning ear to ear. The Compass still has got a special place in our hearts. But the 6 airbags come in Limited Plus and the AT costs close to 26L on-road. I am not sure if I can really justify the premium.

The other tangent we have been discussing is the fact that we won't be in Mumbai permanently and might want to move back to base in the long term. Is it really worth getting am SUV here or do we just get a small car? The Venue came into the picture - but again the DCT is not inspiring confidence. We are not too keen on going after the older cars in the sub-compact segment - the XUV300, Duster or the Ecosport.

I wouldn't suggest the Compass (or any of the older cars you have listed) if you foresee an imminent move across cities and the need to sell the car at a later date. FCA products in general have a bad resale value due to the lackadaisical attitude of the parent company, and you are now in the capital city of vehicle depreciation - Mumbai! Just kidding, but you get the drift. The costlier the vehicle (and worse the brand reputation in the market), more the depreciation hit will be when you try to sell it.

We are even looking at renting/leasing a car from Revv or Zoom. But it's working out to be an expensive affair - The Creta AT costs around 35k a month for 6 months and the Swift AT is going to cost us 25k per month for the same period! That's ridiculous and daylight robbery! I did some quick math and realized it makes no sense whatsoever. Am I missing something here?

You're right - nowadays the car rental prices have hit the roof and are no longer feasible to consider as an alternative to purchasing a car. And then you have all the usual annoying factors ruining the experience - delay in delivery, not being able to get the car you wanted because they swapped it for something else at the last minute, dirty car, unmaintained car and what not. A pre-owned car can work better than a long term rental if you want to avoid the depreciation hit of selling a new car after a few years.

[Turbokick]

I would personally ask you to go for Kia Seltos 1.4 manual version without any apprehensions. Sad that Creta doesn't have a manual option for 1.4. Kia is here to stay and their presence and growth will only improve with time. While it is relatively a new identity, it still is from Hyundai family. They have got enormous amount of experience with them in India. So things going bad for Kia is a very low probability.

One more suggestion that you can think of is the diesel automatic variant of Seltos/Creta.

1. Turbo charged and makes torque equivalent to the 1.4
2. Torque converter gearbox should be robust and troublefree
3. 1.5 diesel is extremely refined. NVH wont be a problem
4. Good fuel economy will be the added bonus.

[akash_v12]

Since you're ok with the Creta's quirky design and are willing to go for it, I'd recommend going for the Creta. It's backed by Hyundai's good A.S.S in the very rural areas too. It has better ride quality than the Seltos and considering that both the cars are mechanically the same, The Creta should have good performance too.

IIRC, the SX(O) trim is the only one that gets 6 airbags, so in this case you're left with just one variant which has the DCT which will be a boon in Mumbai once everything returns to normalcy.

Also linking RavenAvi's wonderfully detailed review of his Creta SX IVT.

RavenAvi's Creta's review

[BZ25]

I own a Seltos GTX+ Manual, and all I can say is that it's incredibly fun to drive. If you have no problems using a stick shifter, you should definitely go for the Seltos! It's a brilliant all-rounder.

Do go through the Seltos ownership reviews, they're comprehensive and very helpful.

Karan 561's GTX+ DCT: https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-...l-gtx-dct.html (Ownership Review: My Kia Seltos 1.4L Turbo Petrol (GTX+ DCT))

Here's mine: https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-...ol-mt-gtx.html (My Kia Seltos 1.4L Petrol MT GTX+)

Wishing you all the very best.

[Pashin]

Haven't driven both but voted for the Creta. I think the New Creta takes almost everything the Seltos offers and then takes a few things further.

[rkv_hunter]

Voted for the Creta 1.4 DCT. I am going to get mine delivered in the next 10 days. Like you I did not mind the look and actually feel its looks like a modern car compared to the old Creta and the Seltos.

In Mumbai, Automatic will be a huge convinience.

Also Creta offers the following benefits:

1. Panoramic sunroof. It really gives a special feel to the cabin. I personally love it.
2. Electronic Parking Brake with Auto Hold - This is again a big convinence specially in a DCT gearbox, and in traffic you can just stop the car and relax. No need to keep pressing the brake, hand brake or shift to N/P.
3. Paddle shifters - Although personally I do not have a view on this as I have never used them, but reviewers are making noise about this, maybe I will feel the value when I get to use it.
4. Since you have mentioned about upgrade in a few years, Creta will give you the best resale value. Creta is the Innova of the crossover segment in terms of resale value.

On the reliability of the DCT gearbox I have taken a call based on the following:

1. Kia and Hyundai have been using this gearbox across the globe including developed markets in various models and yes there are occasional issues, but these are not unreliable units. In India, they have been selling cars with the DCT for 2 years including Venue, Seltos and now Creta. Yes there have been issues reported, heating warning in B2B traffic(more common and not serious) and skipping a gear issue (1 or 2 reported in Seltos, very rare given the numbers they sell but critical, and it was sorted out under warranty I guess)

2. Take a 5 year warranty and extended if available to be sure in case of a DCT issue (if you are unlucky)

What I think is better in the Seltos:

1. Interiors look more premium and matured in the Seltos. Creta interiors look like someone made it just before deadline by doing an all nighter (look at the ac unit )

2. 360 degree camera and front parking sensors (which would be available on the Creta in aftermarket I believe)

[1.2TSI7DSG]

Kia of course. I couldnt look at Creta without cringing. It will take a lot of timeto get used to the radical styling.

[Sebzgeo89]

If the design were reversed, the polls would tell a different story. So, as long is someone is fine with Creta’s quirky design, there’s really not much to choose between the two and it’s mostly subjective. I personally cannot digest the rear design of the Creta, so my vote goes for the Seltos.

[Mik]

Voted for the Seltos but wish I could take it back!

After going through the thread, the grinning part when talking about the Compass really takes the cake.
Last december, I was going through something similar and while the budget was probably top-end duster/Eco/mid-variant Seltos worthy, the dream was the Compass. Three extensive test-rides later, I knew it was the car to buy and boy am I still besotted with it.

This year is mostly a write-off. Where we work from is going to change fundamentally depending on job profiles. So you won't really be able to enjoy the car that much. So, I suggest holding off on your purchase (get a second hand beater car maybe for normal duties), test ride the Compass and see if it sets your heart racing - and buy it next year. With the newer model coming in, the older ones will definitely be in your range. In case the Compass is meh, you always got the Korean twins.

[Batfreak]

Voted for the Creta.

If I had to choose for myself, I would have picked the Seltos. The Creta has just one major chink in its armour - its polarising looks. But since you mentioned that you are perfectly okay with them, I think this makes for a better choice than the Seltos.

There is obviously precious little that separates the two cars but the Creta offers a significantly better ride and more features for you to play with, making it the more complete package for your moolah.

Edit: Why not consider getting a used car instead?

From what I gather, your running would not be very high - just weekend rides for the most part. And in any case, you are looking to upgrade to one of the Germans in a few years time. In that case, going down the used car route makes perfect sense to me - it would be cheaper to buy (more savings left for the next upgrade) and you would escape the gremlins of initial depreciation (better returns with respect to the investment). Not to mention, the extra savings could be very helpful in these uncertain times.