[mgastor2022grey]

Originally Posted by ssoni.1411

My advice would be listen to your heart. You only live once.
You can even go with the 2023 Tata Harrier/Safari Red Dark Edition. The top model has all the features(360 cam, ADAS, etc.) you need and it's one handsome car.

Very true, was about to suggest the Hyundai Tucson or the Tata Harrier. But I would add another contender here: The MG Hector.

MG seems to be a good company, only downside is the driving feel. Otherwise, it is a great car with all the bells and whistles. You can also add the looks to the negatives, which are quite polarizing, unlike the Harrier's front fascia.

@mods, please edit ssoni.1411's post to avoid quoting the entire post, will be cumbersome for phone users.

[kamilharis]

Originally Posted by akshaysawant

I need some serious help, my fellow members!!!

From the list of cars you have shared, none of them has got badge value including the Tucson.

So I would suggest going for Harrier or Safari after taking an extensive test drive. I agree that you will be getting more features in a Hyundai car but at the end of the day, you have to pay at least 12-15Lakhs more than a Harrier to get all those features!

Moreover, Harrier / Safari is going to give you a far better resale value in the future as those are that popular among buyers.

[ssoni.1411]

Hello BHPians.

Looking for some recommendations and suggestions to buy a new car.
I am sure many of us are in the same dilemma looking at the options in this specific price segment and new tech and launches every quarter.

We are a family of 5 adults and a 4 year old kid. We had bought our first car, the Hyundai Venue SX 1.2L Petrol MT last Nov and for some personal reasons we had to give it away. Also Venue was becoming too congested for the entire family to go around together.

So now the family wants to upgrade to a bigger car so at least the 5 adults are somewhat comfortable than the venue.
The driving would be 60%in city and 40% on Highways. A petrol car makes sense for us, but since we intend to keep the car for good 7-8 years and want a diesel before they are out of picture, we have zeroed in on the Diesel.
Also the driving pleasure and mileage of the Diesel can not be matched.

Requirements are should be feature rich, have all necessary safety equipment and have a fuss free ASS.

Also the area where I live in Mumbai has a parallel parking, so cars no bigger than Creta fit in my parking. For this reason Alcazar, Carens, Harrier, etc go out of picture.

We have zeroed in on two cars:
Hyundai Creta SX(O) 1.5 Diesel MT- 21.4L OTR
Kia Seltos Facelift HTX+ Diesel iMT- 22.6L OTR

The only two things which are causing the dilemma is the long term reliability of the iMT gearbox, and should I put in the extra 1.2L and get a new design.
I intend to take delivery no later than Oct and both the cars will be delivered to me by then.

Do let me know of your thoughts and recommendations!

[Motorhead23]

Originally Posted by bijims

Keeping your budget in mind, I would suggest going for the Elevate, it will be a no-nonsense practical car with all the necessities and nothing more.

I fully agree with you here, Elevate appears to be a practical car anyday. I am waiting for the soft launch to check it out in person. Meanwhile I have changed my Seltos booking to IVT.

Originally Posted by achyutaghosh

How about the Jimny AT?
1. Petrol only, within your price range, and waiting period may not be insane
2. Nice change from your Civic, and provides complementary strengths.
3. You seem to be a happy Maruti customer
4. Compact dimensions and high seating position may be a boon for the Missus
5. Might not be an awesome road trip car, but hey- it gives you the choice. Where the Civic will not make it, the Jimny will

Hi Achyutaghosh, me & my missus both read your post here and we couldn't agree more with each of your assertions. We do plan to checkout Jimny as well but are only sceptical on the comforting ride we look for.

Originally Posted by aseem23

Since you already have a sedan. Kia Seltos would be the best option among the shortlisted options. Go for a test drive, and make your decision.

Thanks aseem23 . I am waiting for the TD Comparison between Seltos / Elevate before making the final call.

Originally Posted by anandhsub

How much are you saving by going for the company lease?

Unless you are looking for a very short term ownership period, which I believe you are not given you are looking at the 10yr rule and have driven 175K on the Scross, going for an inferior car by limiting your budget when you can afford and want to spend more is not the wise thing.

Hi Anandhsub, I am saving almost 40% on the ownership cost in 5 year lease plan which accounts to a substantial amount , hence the dilemma of restricting to the leasing budget.

Originally Posted by CArspeed

Mostly daily city use - Automatic - Petrol - Convenience - Luggage space = Seltos IVT

Verna is rejected as you already have a great sedan. Parking and visibility is better in a shorter SUV.

VW Škoda twins is rejected for the lack of luggage space and a jerky slow speed city ride that’s a trademark DSG quality.

Alcazar is straight away rejected as it is MT.

Elevate is yet to come and to its prove its worth against the potent Seltos will take much more time.

Hi CArspeed, I am fully align with your opinion, plus the bling of features offered in Seltos vs Elevate or Taigun.

Originally Posted by ssoni.1411

I would suggest you can go for Creta SX IVT. It will cost you 18L OTR and you will get all the bells and whistles and fuss free ownership of Hyundai. The facelift is as it is going to be expensive and you will be getting a proper package. Plus the panaromic sunroof is a big thumbs up over the older seltos. Its a beautiful feature for road trips.

Hi ssoni.1411, This has been our last resort anyday, but now with Seltos HTX IVT priced competitively to Creta SX IVT plus the additional features like Dual Zone Climate control, All 4 windows auto up/down etc made more sense to us.

Originally Posted by mgastor2022grey

Hi @Motorhead23, hope you are and your family are doing good.

When you are buying a car for yourself to drive, it would be best if you follow your heart. But when you re buying for your family, going to head will be my choice. Since you are buying for your wife, and stated that you will travel occasionally with your newborn, it is best to buy a safe car. If you are looking in the SUV segment, I would suggest you the Taigun and Astor. Why the Taigun and not the Kushaq?

Taigun would be better than Kushaq due to having extra features like all-digital cluster, LED lights at the front, better styling and 10-inch screen.

Astor will be perfect for your scenario due to:
1) Perfect automatic car - AT/CVT.
2) Has ample space, both at front and rear.
3) Safety - 5 star NCAP, 6 airbags, ADAS, ESC.
4) Good seating.
5) Petrol vehicle, so reliable to an extent.

Taigun will be perfect for you due to:
1) Power on offer is insane.
2) Not spacious at rear seat, but manageable.
3) Safety - 5 star NCAP, 6 airbags, ESC.
4) Amazing styling.

If you are going to sedans, go for the [ B]City[/b] or the Virtus. Virtus over the Slavia due to mentioned features of Taigun over Kushaq.

Hope this helps!

Hi mgastor2022grey, You made a very valid point on the safety aspect and this is where I am little unsure on Seltos going by the various discussion on the forum itself and hence I wanted to explore the other options as well like Elevate [ I believe it to be more safer than the korean twins ]. On Taigun/Astor front , we didn't checked out the Taigun because we took a TD of Kushaq already and thought it to be similar. Astor was not considered primarily due to the compact size and performance reviews.

Originally Posted by PaddleShifter

iMT is super convenient to drive but just remember that the experience in first gear is lethargic (based on my frequent driving of my colleague’s Sonet iMT HTK+ turbo). After a few days, that won’t be an issue and you won’t notice that lag.

Seltos is seemingly the best option for you. It has all the features that fufill your mentioned requirements. Since you have pre booked it already, you will most probably get it in time too (Aug/Sept).

Lastly, after driving the Civic, I doubt if you will love smaller sedans for your highway trips. And as others have mentioned, you can benefit from a crossover/ SUV since you already have a sedan so the crossover would take care of the GC requirements part well.

Hi PaddleShifter, I have asked my SA to arrange TD of Seltos iMT as well , HTK+ Turbo iMT fits our budget, we may lose out on many features but get to drive the Turbo Engine. Final call would be taken by missus after she test drove all of them.

Originally Posted by sanjayrozario

I would also suggest to look at VW Taigun / Virtus. The sedan twins are amazing vehicles. With good GC, superb driving dynamics, and competent engines, you won't miss the SUVs.

Hi Sanjayrozario, we did checkout the Skoda Slavia & Kushaq . And we loved the Slavia in Red, but the only dilemma was whether it should be another sedan in our garage or a C-SUV ?

Originally Posted by abaliga

It is easier to tuck in a baby on the child seat on a crossover/SUV given the seat itself is at a higher position, do consider this aspect when you finalize.

Hi Abaliga, we recently realized this on a short road trip in my brother-in-laws Carens. It was easier to install the Car seat in Carens vs re-installing in my Civic due to the sheer height available inside the cabin. Secondly, during the trip also, putting the baby inside and diaper changes were way easier as
compared to doing that in Civic. This is a very strong consideration for us in the next purchase.

[mgastor2022grey]

Originally Posted by Motorhead23

Hi mgastor2022grey, You made a very valid point on the safety aspect and this is where I am little unsure on Seltos going by the various discussion on the forum itself and hence I wanted to explore the other options as well like Elevate [ I believe it to be more safer than the korean twins ]. On Taigun/Astor front , we didn't checked out the Taigun because we took a TD of Kushaq already and thought it to be similar. Astor was not considered primarily due to the compact size and performance reviews.

Sure man, don't go for the Seltos for safety factor. Though Kia tells that the build quality is improved, it is miles away. I have checked the new Seltos and being an Astor owner, Astor is more safer. Check my observations here: https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/india...ml#post5579441 (2023 Kia Seltos Facelift, bookings now open. EDIT: Kia Launched at Rs. 10.90 lakh)

Do check out the Elevate, looks like an all-rounder package, definitely if you can compromise on the feel-good and driving factor.

Astor has space, trust me, but yeah, as you said, performance is just acceptable, not explosive like the VAG twins.

[rajshenoy]

Dear Bhpians, I am seeking your opinion here in finalising my next car which I plan to keep for another 10 years. My usage is around 15 to 20000 km per year(10k on highways and rest in city limits). I am visiting office 2 times a week, however it might increase in future.

I am 40+ and most likely this will be one last chance to drive a big car(ICE car too) before I down size into city friendly options. My driving style is not sedate but not aggressive either. I am happy maintaining 100-120kmph on my corolla on highways and I am able to extract double digit economy with a 1.8L NA petrol in both city as well as highways (10-14 kmpl)

Not very sure if I really need ADAS, perhaps the only feature I like is adaptive cruise control(Bit skeptical having too many electronics which intrude into my driving - auto braking, lane watch etc)

Current garrage: Corolla Altis 2014 GL Manual (my tourer) and Alto K10 AMT(for dreaded Bangalore traffic and running errands)

Budget: 20-30L

Timeline: Not in hurry, I plan to buy before 2024. But since most of my shortlists anyway come with long waiting periods, I might as well join the waitlist

My high-level requirements
1. Safety - 5 star preferred
2. Has to be an automatic
3. Car that can seat 5 adults and has good boot
4. Budget 20-30L, I dont mind saving my hard earned money OR worst case, stretch by few lakhs if absolutely necessary
5. Body roll - I drive a sedan so I expect my next car to have decent handling and not rock like a boat(ladder frame cars, first gen XUV etc)

I have been going through lot of threads(and new launches) in last few weeks and here are my shortlists

Toyota Hycross
Pros:
Hybrid
Already pampered by Toyota service quality
Only car with usable 3rd row
SUV appeal
Innova resale value - Will I recover that extra 5-6 lakh premium ?
Cons:
At 30L, VX model has only 2 air bags and no features
I will end up shooting my budget by 5 lakhs for VX(0)
Car interiors does not justify the premium over XUV
No crash rating yet !!
My 10 year old car has auto headlamps, wipers, electric seat with lumbar support and has better quality interior than hycross
ZX model does not have rear bench seat, tyre profile may result in stiff ride quality

XUV700
Pros:
Feature packed(AX7 comes below 30L and even has ADAS features)
Good 5 seater with large boot
Suspension tuning
5 star rated car
That sky roof !!
Cons:
Diesel AT - will it have any long term reliability issues ?
Mahindra and gadgets = niggles

Tata harrier
Pros:
XZA plus in my budget
Facelift will arrive by 2024
I had rejected this in 2019, However most of those issues are now sorted
Handles better than XUV
Possibility of a turbo petrol ?
Cons:
Diesel AT - will it have any long term reliability issues ?
Facelift seems too bling-y with all those touch screens(why so desperate tata)
Steering is heavy in city speeds
Safety still a question mark

While I am comfortable driving longer cars(my corolla is over 4600mm long) all these 3 cars are much wider for city manoeuvrability so I might require 2 cars(I am a solo driver in the house). Would love to hear from daily drivers of these cars

I also considered below options for their compact footprint. But they are not a worthy upgrade from a Corolla Altis(though they come loaded with features)

Seltos facelift Diesel AT or 1.5 NA + IVT
Pros
Comes loaded with features
6 airbags standard
all 4 disc brakes
Save 4-5 lakhs over XUV700
Cons
Safety rating - will buy only if they improve the safety
Does not feel like an upgrade from my Corolla
Ruling out Turbo petrol + DCT
1.5 NA + IVT can do the job but will never match 1.8 NA petrol
I liked the camel tan interior but it does not have AT option
ADAS only limited to GT line

Honda Elevate
Pros
Typical Honda quality and reliable engine + CVT
Looks good, hopefully priced similar to Creta NA engines
Save 4-5 lakhs over XUV700
Cons
No hybrid option(if I need to keep a single car)
only a camera based ADAS
No rear disc brakes
Safety not yet tested

Hyundai Verna
Pros
Unlike Seltos, even 1.5NA+IVT has top spec loaded with ADAS
Spacious boot, good rear leg room(shoulder room just ok)
Fully loaded - heating/cooling seats etc.
Much VFM deal as compared to Seltos at 21L
Cons
Rear suspension is too soft
Hyundai designs do age gracefully with time
Rear seat is bit narrow
Only sedan in my list(hardly any options these days)

I did consider below options as well but they did not end up in my final shortlist

Creta - Hate the way it looks, Period !!
Carens - Very practical, however Seltos is a better deal for me as it only has 3rd row as extra.
Hyryder/Grand vitara - Hybrid however too cramped interiors, tiny boot and feels typical Maruti build quality but priced at a premium
Hyundai Tucson - Love the looks and feels solid, but is out of my budget and not worth stretching
VW Virtus - love the looks, German build but not sure about DSG reliability
Honda City - Does not feel like an upgrade from Corolla which has much better build quality
BYD Atto3 - EV that I can on long drives, Its Chinese and not sure about long term reliability in India due to current geo political tensions.

Seltos seems like a brilliant package(except for safety), Hycross for its hybrid tech,Toyota badge and XUV700 seems like a perfect balance between the two(both price and tech)

I won't mind waiting if there is a possibility of next gen Corolla hybrid or Corolla Cross or likes of Honda CR-V within next couple of years !!

My Dilemma:
1. Single car that can be driven both in city/highways vs maintaining two cars(will keep Alto for few more years)
2. Is it safe going for a diesel car after BS6 Ph 2 ?
3. Stretch the budget and go for Hycross VX(0)
4. Stick to Corolla and Alto combo for another 2-3 years and wait for new models/tech

[bijims]

Originally Posted by rajshenoy

My Dilemma:
1. Single car that can be driven both in city/highways vs maintaining two cars(will keep Alto for few more years)
2. Is it safe going for a diesel car after BS6 Ph 2 ?
3. Stretch the budget and go for Hycross VX(0)
4. Stick to Corolla and Alto combo for another 2-3 years and wait for new models/tech

The most balanced car out of the lot in my opinion, with proven safety is indeed the Mahindra XUV700, and you can't go wrong with it. the Diesel AT in my opinion will be much more reliable than the turbo-charged petrol and is the option worth going for in the XUV700.

Diesel cars won't be leaving us anytime soon as the emissions of diesel vis a vis petrol are minuscule post-BS-6. So if the sale of diesel passenger vehicles is banned one day, the same for petrols won't be far off either.

With luxury cars and SUVs having the majority of their sales in diesel, diesel isn't going anywhere anytime soon. In the mass-market segment, Tata, Mahindra, Kia, and Hyundai are committed to their diesel powertrains and will remain so for the foreseeable future, even Toyota for their Innova Crysta, Fortuner, etc have diesel in their lineup when you consider the fact that the diesel engines from these manufacturers are plying on their best-selling cars as well, it becomes evident that they are here to stay.

Now, if you need a 7-seater, the Innova Hycross is worth considering and the VX(O) would be the variant to go for.

Considering the fact that your Corolla is in good shape, it will easily serve you for many more years and the Corolla, Alto combo would do, now waiting for new launches makes sense, as many facelifts and upgrades are in the pipeline from most manufacturers and are indeed worth considering.

So to conclude, if you really need a 7-seater, go for the Hycross right away or if you are happy with the current XUV700, it will also do, else if you are willing to wait, then other options in the future may be worth exploring.

[rajshenoy]

Originally Posted by bijims

So to conclude, if you really need a 7-seater, go for the Hycross right away or if you are happy with the current XUV700, it will also do, else if you are willing to wait, then other options in the future may be worth exploring.

Thank you, I am not in any hurry but the thought of long delivery timelines prompted me to join some wait list

My corolla still drives like new and has not even a single rattle/squeak and I prefer the NA petrol engine over the turbo petrols. However there are moments I wish for stuff like cruise control and AT and a panoramic sun roof for those occasions driving via lush green western ghats and due to these, I am getting the upgrade itch.