[dr_TJ]

Hello BHPians,
I am starting this thread regarding my confusion of which Compact SUV/Crossover to buy.

Introduction
Initially, I planned to get myself the new Mahindra Thar Diesel AT. Not just because I like the Thar for its looks but also because it will be capable of handling the rough stuff much more easily than my Ecosport can. And so, I ended up booking the Thar, 2 months ago.
In the meantime, I listed my current car, Ford Ecosport Titanium Plus AT for sale.
Little did I know, Ecosport AT is a tough car to sell, Low resale value of Petrol "Big Car", Automatic etc. Few enquires, lots of spam callers and low ballers. Some buyers genuinely interested in getting the Ecosport but don't have any clue about Automatic Transmission.
And then, The mic drop moment by Ford India about its manufacturing shut down/restructuring announcement.

Instantly, The Ecosport sale turned out to be Mission Impossible.
Meanwhile, Mahindra Dealership has offered me, my choice of color and variant of the Thar twice (Don't know how they did so). But I am not able to buy it now. Such a bummer

Now let's get real

Going by the resale value of the Ecosport AT in my place and the lack of Buyers, I now have doubts about its probabilities of sale at a sane price and consequently my financial ability to own the Thar, so I have to make a Plan B.

Plan B is to get myself a Compact SUV (Basically all are crossovers).
Budget: Max of 14.5 lakhs for On-Road Price

Cars in my garage now
1. Maruti Suzuki Celerio VXI AMT - used for my daily commute
2. Ford Ecosport Titanium Plus AT - Weekend rides and intercity rides.

The new car was to be the Thar as mentioned above and it would have replaced the Ecosport. But now, Plan B is to replace the Celerio AMT with a compact Automatic SUV, meanwhile I keep trying to sell off the Ecosport at a good enough price to shut its hypothecation.

Must-Have Features(As per priority) :

1. Reliable Engine and Transmission
2. Good Ground Clearance - 180mm or higher
3. Safety Features like ESP, Hill Hold Assist, Rear defogger etc
4. Automatic Transmission - any form of Automatic transmission is ok for me but has to be reliable so I am staying clear of DCT.
5. Must be good in both City as well as on the Highway

Nice to have Features:

1. Passive Keyless Entry
2. Push Button Start
3. Connected Car app
4. Android Auto or Apple CarPlay

Type of fuel is not a concern to me.

Now, my buying criteria as mentioned above is pretty simple, in short, I want a reliable, automatic SUV.

I have made a shortlist based on the prices:
1. Mahindra XUV300 W8(0) AMT, Petrol and Diesel
2. Maruti Suzuki S-Cross Alpha AT, Petrol
3. Maruti Suzuki XL6 Alpha AT, Petrol(Yes, its a people carrier but will be good for my parents to be driven in)
4. Kia Seltos HTK Plus iMT Petrol
5. Kia Sonet GTX Plus iMT Petrol
6. Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza ZXI+ AT Petrol
7. Toyota Urban Cruiser Premium Grade AT Petrol (Yes, same as Vitara Brezza but Toyota service center will be less crowded)


I also have a wild thought, If I like the clutch action and gearshifts of a certain car, I might get myself a Manual Transmission car, although its very unlikely to happen.

Another important point to consider is the Manufacturer, I don't want to end up with a brand which will turn its back on India in the near future.

Plan A is still to get the Thar AT as a replacement of the Ecosport AT. Keep the Celerio AMT for daily commute and replace it after 2-3 years (if possible with an EV).
Should I wait and try to fulfill Plan A or initiate Plan B

What would be your suggestions?

[shancz]

I would suggest stick to Plan A.

Reasons :
1. Celerio is going to hold its value well, even after 2-3 years down the line, no worries there.
2. Ecosport's value will only keep falling from now on so selling that at a resonable price should be your priority.

IMO it would be an overkill to get a CSUV for city commutes to replace your Celerio.
If you still want to replace it I would also suggest to check out the following hatches with AMT and 180mm GC, in addition to your CSUVs :
- Ignis
- Tiago NRG


PS : Ask your Mahindra dealership what they can offer in exchange for the Ecosport or if they can facilitate it through their contacts.

[dr_TJ]

Originally Posted by shancz

I would suggest stick to Plan A.

Reasons :
1. Celerio is going to hold its value well, even after 2-3 years down the line, no worries there.
2. Ecosport's value will only keep falling from now on so selling that at a resonable price should be your priority.

IMO it would be an overkill to get a CSUV for city commutes to replace your Celerio.
If you still want to replace it I would also suggest to check out the following hatches with AMT and 180mm GC, in addition to your CSUVs :
- Ignis
- Tiago NRG


PS : Ask your Mahindra dealership what they can offer in exchange for the Ecosport or if they can facilitate it through their contacts.

Thanks for the suggestion.

Yes, Ecosport value is plummeting, so I am in search of a buyer to offer a sane price. I might drop the plan of getting the Thar totally and get a car which could be a proper replacement for both Celerio and Ecosport, hence CSUV as Plan B.

I already asked Mahindra Dealership, they have stopped exchange policy as of now, secondly I asked for some help for its sale. Price offer was insanely low for me

Now everything depends on the Ecosport sale

[Researcher]

Originally Posted by dr_TJ

Should I wait and try to fulfill Plan A or initiate Plan B

Let me add to your confusion by suggesting another plan, Plan C.

Get the Thar as your weekend car, shift the EcoSport to daily duties and get rid of the Celerio. This way, you keep your EcoSport as a compact SUV daily driver, get the most return after selling the Celerio and enjoy the Thar as intended. You will lose the least amount of money this way as well. Selling the Ford at a lower than expected price plus getting another similar vehicle which will depreciate when new is not a good financial choice.

Also, unless you're facing major issues with your EcoSport (reliability or space), you should not worry about after-sales. I know of a few people who are happy with Chevrolet despite the brand leaving India 4 years back, and Ford has much cheaper parts in comparison. Apart from stiff ride and less space at rear, there is not much that can be listed as a con for the EcoSport as a product (barring the Sync3 and other feature shuffling which is a Ford planning failure rather than the product).

So I will suggest you to refrain from a panic sale and wait unless you're facing issues. There are plenty of EcoSport owners in India and Ford even has CBU plans for which they will preferably not leave the existing owners high and dry in the next decade at least.

[shancz]

Agree with Researcher on Plan C, sounds better

Ecosport Petrol AT as a city car is good too. And if you hang on to it for its RC duration as a beater car then you've used its value and the scrappage policy should bring in acceptable value on a new car.

Its a bit risky to keep the car for that long but we had done the same with our Matiz and a relative is doing the same with his Spark.

City usage will utilise your AT to the fullest and the powetrain is good. City usage also avoids any major damages which need any replacements so I think Plan C makes most sense.

[dr_TJ]

Plan C sounds good to me but my bank A/C and wallet might say otherwise

The Ecosport had been well behaved so far. Its driving dynamics was what made me chose it over other options plus I love the look of tailgate mounted spare wheel.

Upgrading from a Celerio to Ecosport, ride quality and Space immediately felt like a big improvement.

Let's see, If financially viable, I would get the Thar as a replacement for the Celerio AMT.

[shancz]

Originally Posted by dr_TJ

The Ecosport had been well behaved so far. Its driving dynamics was what made me chose it over other options plus I love the look of tailgate mounted spare wheel.

I get why you have the Plan B, reasonable but it runs the risk of ending up with 2 CSUVs since selling the Ecosport AT at sane price will be difficult especially at your location.

How old are your cars ? Are you the only driver ? If you are sure that Ecosport has to go in the next 1-2 years then go with Plan B now and double down on selling the Ecosport.

Another approach is to wait a couple of months for the situation with Ford to clear out and the initial panic selling to settle. You should be in a better position to take a call and hopefully get a sane price.

Note :
Also for the S-Cross if you're not into auto headlamps and wipers then get the Zeta, I feel that's the most VFM without compromising on any important features.

The XL and S-Cross rank high on comfort of senior citizens as discussed in some other threads.

If bootspace is acceptable to you then the xuv300 is an excellent car.

No experience with the others though.

[dr_TJ]

Originally Posted by shancz

How old are your cars ? Are you the only driver ? If you are sure that Ecosport has to go in the next 1-2 years then go with Plan B now and double down on selling the Ecosport.

Note :
Also for the S-Cross if you're not into auto headlamps and wipers then get the Zeta, I feel that's the most VFM without compromising on any important features.

The XL and S-Cross rank high on comfort of senior citizens as discussed in some other threads.

If bootspace is acceptable to you then the xuv300 is an excellent car.

Celerio AMT is nearing 5 years of ownership. Lots of battle scars along with typical AMT juddering and Maruti freebie i.e Rattles. Still, has been an absolute workhorse. Before the Ecosport joined the garage, Celerio was used for around 120 kms of driving daily with no fuss.

Ecosport AT is 1.5 years old. Yes, too new to be sold and so the purchase offers don't seem sane to me. But considering the lack of AT adoption here, purchase offer won't be increasing anytime soon. So, I planned to get rid of the Ecosport, close its loan and get a new car. I would not have been worried if I happen to stay in any Metro or Tier-1 city. But out here, in Eastern Assam, service facility will be a worry.
So, yes, I am sure, The Ecosport has to go as soon as a good offer comes along. But have to wait for Ford situation to clear out and the resale prices to stabilize.
Maybe I should post paid Ads then.

Yes, S-Cross Zeta is good enough for me. Can the Alpha Headlights be added on the Zeta variant? Cause the Zeta headlights reminds me of the old S-Cross.
Also I guess the 4 speed AT will make me more sane driver unlike the 6 speed AT is the Ecosport and with Paddle Shifters, It easy to drop 2-3 gears and zoom past other cars.
If my parents happen to visit a Nexa showroom and experience the captain seats of the XL6, It would be finalized immediately so XL6 would be the last option
Long wheelbase and average ground clearance will come back to bite me on bad roads though.

XUV300 would be a easy option to get cause I already have a booking with Mahindra Dealership. Had to reject my 2nd offer of the Thar yesterday. Boot space had not been a concern on the Celerio in 4 years of ownership, so XUV300 would be fine. Also having driven one of the 1st gen AMT in the Celerio, I have become familiar with its Quirks and Features. Although not liking the Juddering. With XUV300, Diesel AMT would be my choice.
So, the garage shall end up with just one multipurpose car.

Features list of Kia Sonet and Seltos are really attractive, Although I don't like the looks of the Sonet, specially the rear half and the Poor safety rating is a huge bummer.
All black interiors of the Maruti Suzuki offering in my shortlist are also not much of a liking by me or my patents.

Waiting for Local Ford Dealerships to make a official announcement and some stabilization of the resale value

[abhishek46]

Originally Posted by dr_TJ

Little did I know, Ecosport AT is a tough car to sell, Low resale value of Petrol "Big Car", Automatic etc. Few enquires, lots of spam callers and low ballers. Some buyers genuinely interested in getting the Ecosport but don't have any clue about Automatic Transmission.
And then, The mic drop moment by Ford India about its manufacturing shut down/restructuring announcement.

Do not waste too much time on OLX.
There are too many frauds, and time pass people there.

Get your vehicle evaluated by trust worthy entities like Spinny, Cars24, Mahindra First Choice, Maruti True Value etc.

[Benoit]

Aren't you already on plan B? A small hatch for city commutes and a crossover for highway trips. Selling the ecosport for another crossover wouldn't be an upgrade.

You wanted to have a Thar AT. Wait for a few years, use up the good years in the Ecosport, and then get a proper upgrade when it is financially feasible. Plus, Ecosport isn't unreliable. Regular servicing would make sure it lives long. If service centers disappear, find an FNG. General servicing and spares shouldn't be a problem. If you munch enough miles in your Ecosport, you wouldn't have to worry about resale value.

Do not spend 14.5L on something that you didn't want in the first place.

[dr_TJ]

Originally Posted by abhishek46

Do not waste too much time on OLX.
There are too many frauds, and time pass people there.

Get your vehicle evaluated by trust worthy entities like Spinny, Cars24, Mahindra First Choice, Maruti True Value etc.

Yes, OLX has been a real headache for me. Out of nearly 20 queries, just 1 genuine buyer turned up, deal was almost final but as said, the announcement made him to back out cause It would have been his first car purchase.

Already got my car inspected by Cars24. The quoted price was less, even before the announcement, now, It would be half the purchase price for sure. True Value was even lower than Cars24 and they are not much bothered if I don't happen to buy a Maruti Suzuki car.
No presence of Spinny here. I tried my luck with the Mahindra Guys, but again slightly above 50% of on price offered.

Only choice is to sell to a well imformed individual who knows what he is getting into and is sure about why he wants a Ecosport.

[abhishek46]

Originally Posted by dr_TJ

Yes, OLX has been a real headache for me. Out of nearly 20 queries, just 1 genuine buyer turned up, deal was almost final but as said, the announcement made him to back out cause It would have been his first car purchase.

Already got my car inspected by Cars24. The quoted price was less, even before the announcement, now, It would be half the purchase price for sure. True Value was even lower than Cars24 and they are not much bothered if I don't happen to buy a Maruti Suzuki car.
No presence of Spinny here. I tried my luck with the Mahindra Guys, but again slightly above 50% of on price offered.

Only choice is to sell to a well imformed individual who knows what he is getting into and is sure about why he wants a Ecosport.

OK. I understand your predicament now.

The best bet would be to hold on to your EcoSport now.
The resale prices will stabilize once the selling frenzy stops.

You vehicle is almost new, and you can easily use it for the next 5-6years.
Regarding spares etc., if you face shortages in your area, you can always get them from Kolkata.

[shancz]

Originally Posted by dr_TJ

1. I would not have been worried if I happen to stay in any Metro or Tier-1 city. But out here, in Eastern Assam, service facility will be a worry.
So, yes, I am sure, The Ecosport has to go as soon as a good offer comes along.

2. Can the Alpha Headlights be added on the Zeta variant?

3. With XUV300, Diesel AMT would be my choice.

4. So, the garage shall end up with just one multipurpose car.

5. Waiting for Local Ford Dealerships to make a official announcement and some stabilization of the resale value

1. True, Guwahati is your best bet. I would've said Kolkata too but not sure how smooth/expensive the inter-state transfer would be but worth a shot.
And since you're sure then Plan B makes sense.

2. I don't think so. Because (credits to Boodmo), OEM Zeta headlights cost 5655 for both left and right while the ones on Alpha cost 21745 for left and 22500 for the right. Apart from the increased cost of the "new" unit there could be some components of the auto headlamps too but still a guess. The one on the right probably also houses the ambient light sensor so the 750 increase in price. The controller although is a separate unit costing 30k!
Looking at it the auto headlamps system with the "new" headlamps itself costs 60k above the normal system! This explains the price difference between the Zeta and Alpha. If you want the headlamps, just get the Alpha and be done with it
Updated : Alpha gets art-leather seats, Exterior LED lighting, DRL, auto headlamps and wipers and rear cabin lamp

3. If you're ok with AMT then why not. I have driven the petrol manual and was impressed.

4. Seems reasonable, you can always look for an EV some years down the line if they are serviceable at your location.

5. Makes sense, let the initial frenzy die down.
Ecosport Petrol AT is a good car and like you said anyone in the metros where the service centers will eventually retract to, should not be particularly concerned about service.


Good Luck on your sales and purchase, keep us posted.

[dr_TJ]

Originally Posted by Benoit

Selling the ecosport for another crossover wouldn't be an upgrade.
Do not spend 14.5L on something that you didn't want in the first place.

Yes, one crossover for another Crossover would not make much of an upgrade, hence the Thar was Plan A. To be honest, I don't want to let go off the Celerio cause it will be hard to get a beater car like it even if I search the used car market here. So its a last option. But I am firm on my decision to sell the Ecosport, if only I get a reasonable offer even if I have to wait for a year or two for it.

Originally Posted by abhishek46

The best bet would be to hold on to your EcoSport now.
The resale prices will stabilize once the selling frenzy stops.

You vehicle is almost new, and you can easily use it for the next 5-6years

I really hope the resale value stabilizes soon

Originally Posted by shancz

3. If you're ok with AMT then why not. I have driven the petrol manual and was impressed.

5. Makes sense, let the initial frenzy die down.
Ecosport Petrol AT is a good car and like you said anyone in the metros where the service centers will eventually retract to, should not be particularly concerned about service.


Good Luck on your sales and purchase, keep us posted.

XUV300 has all the right ingredients for my approval. Infact, XUV300 was the runners-up when I was on a lookout for a Compact SUV but ended up getting the Ecosport cause it had a proper AT and Paddle Shifters. AMT is fine for me, just that, It has to reliable to not leave me stranded some where. Being a Marelli unit in the XUV300, gives me some confidence. Light colored Interiors also gives a more welcoming feel compared to the all black S-Cross and XL6 interiors.

Still, don't want to give up of my dream of owning a Thar so soon and without a fight

Will definitely give updates if I have any.

[shancz]

Originally Posted by dr_TJ

1. I don't want to let go off the Celerio cause it will be hard to get a beater car like it even if I search the used car market here.

2. Light colored Interiors also gives a more welcoming feel compared to the all black S-Cross and XL6 interiors.

3. Still, don't want to give up of my dream of owning a Thar so soon and without a fight

1. True and its going to serve as a beater car for its RC span easily.

2. True just watch out for the DPF issues if any and honestly I am not a fan of AMTs.

And I think wait out for some time and your original plan could be back on track.

3. That's the spirit and as "they" say Godspeed