Comfortable, reliable, efficient premium SUV or MPV for 35 lakhs

ron178 · 13th June 2023, 01:06

I always thought I knew the car scene well enough to at least be able to make a recommendation if someone I knew had to buy a car. But now that it's my own family, I realised how misguided I was.

Some context: I'm a teenager; this is obviously not my car. But as a family member I am expected to be actively involved in the decision and we could really use some help.

The car we're replacing is a 2009 Fortuner 4x4 manual - most likely. It might also be a 2013 3-series diesel which is burning holes in my father's pocket. The point is, both of them are getting expensive to maintain and impractical to own in general, and we know one of them has to go. Logic dictates we decide what car to sell first, then what to buy, but it's a lot more complicated than that, and emotion and badge snobbery come into play more than you'd expect. But I digress. That part will, hopefully, be settled internally soon.

What we really need help with is narrowing down on a replacement for when we sell the..whatever it is.

What we know is:

it has to be a premium SUV (or MPV) with a budget of ~INR 35L, stretchable if it's worth it.
it should preferably have only two rows and comfortably seat up to five, although we are willing to make an exception for a third row if the car is otherwise good enough.
the car should be reliable and easy on the pocket in the long term - we already had a bad experience with the F30 and will still be left with an Octavia with the DQ200, so we don't want to take more risks.
flex fuel. No, no, that does not mean ethanol. That means we are unable to decide on a fuel type. BEVs are out of the picture, and until recently I thought we were considering only petrols. But suddenly some diesels have entered the picture. I'm not sure that's a good idea, but my father seems okay with them.
should drive well. Not talking track-worthy levels, but my parents' daily drives have been 170+ hp sedans, this should not be much of a downgrade.
automatic gearbox. Won't budge about that.

Here is what we have considered and/or test driven until now, in no particular order:

Toyota Hycross:
Test variant: Toyota INNOVA HYCROSS 'ZX(O)', hybrid
+fuel economy
+drives well
+very well-equipped on paper
+Toyota ownership experience and loyalty benefits
-rear seat comfort underwhelming for the size. Thigh support as bad as Fortuner, couldn't feel my bottom after road trip in friend's car and I would have to amputate my feet to use the ottomans.
-third row not really needed anymore. May be used occasionally at best, and adds unnecessary length.
-some missing features eg. manual passenger seat will not be appreciated.
-emergency lane keeping a little too intrusive (but TSS suite can be dropped as an independent option

).
-waiting period

Hyundai Tucson:
Test variant: Hyundai TUCSON 'Signature', 2L Diesel 4WD
+screams premium, inside out
+has every feature one could ask for, even the little things
+the latest in tech and safety. Hyundai SmartSense ADAS suite tuned well
+comfortable ride
+diesel drives well. Good handling and takes corners remarkably well for an SUV
-petrol not available for test drive and reviews claim mediocre performance
-both engines quite thirsty. Diesel, which is less so, might not the best idea in 2023.
-it's a CKD. Will Hyundai's service network live up to its name?
-"There is no way we are getting a Hyundai" - sister, c. yesterday

That actually completes our shortlist.

Here are some other options we have considered, and some of them driven late last year, although they're quite a bit smaller than what we're looking for. This was more a fun activity for me during a long vacation than a serious hunt for our next car. Mods, please excuse me for the headline-style writing, but this section would otherwise take too much space than it deserves:

The Grand Vitara test-drive was a nice experience in quite an impressive car. Looks larger than direct rivals. The onboard tech was modern. But the interiors were plasticky, rear seat was dark and the boot too small. Lastly, my mum and sister did not want a Maruti. Not test-driven the Mahindra XUV700 yet, but it is interesting to consider. Latest in tech and safety. Interiors appear well-designed. Same length issue as Hycross and we would get the five-seater so extra length would be even harder to justify. My pet peeve is the lap-belt in the rear centre (which I hope changes after Australian exports begin on Thursday). And most importantly 3 out of 4 members will just not have a Mahindra. "New" Fortuner has been in discussion for years. Not test-driven but have experienced on multiple occasions. Way over budget with no significant advantage that helps our use case. Suspension still firm and rear seat average. Due for update within a couple of years. Way too large. Škoda Kodiaq has DSG. Would mean more Škoda service. Would be stuck with 3 VAGs. Expensive, and third row unnecessary. Tata Harrier: niggles hard to ignore. Problematic local service network. Badge. Can't help but wonder how bad exactly ODB64 crashworthiness will turn out. Jeep Meridian: word of mouth suggests bad service experience with local Jeep ASC. Diesel only. Third row not required. Reviews say not very comfortable or refined which is not what we want. Volkswagen Tiguan: DSG. Old. Classy, but somewhat bland. Due for update soon. Would be stuck with 3 VAGs.

In short, what I think we are looking for is something that can best mimic what a RAV4, CR-V or CX-30 would offer.

I understand the requirements are quite vague and I probably haven't supplied enough information for members to help with. What I would appreciate most is help with the subjective part based on experience, i.e., which of the requirements are worth compromising on? I was also wondering if there are any options we've simply forgotten about.

Auto spawn · 13th June 2023, 01:31

Unless you’ve pre-booked the Hycross and you’re in the line, it’ll be difficult to get your hands on one for up to a year!

Looks like the Tucson will fit all your requirements. It’s premium and has all the must-have modern features including ADAS. The performance of the diesel is good too. They’re even offering some attractively priced maintenance packages.

Since you’re not sure about going ahead with diesel, how about going the pre-owned route with a lovely Lexus, say maybe the NX 300h?

bijims · 13th June 2023, 05:36

All your requirements are best fulfilled with the Tucson, it's a premium car with attractive exterior and premium interior, the car is loaded with all the features you could ask for and comes with an excellent engine and gearbox combo in the diesel guise. The only issue that may bother you is the "not-so premium nameplate", but if you can live with that, you can get a car that fulfils most of your needs around your budget.

The Signature 2L 4WD AT Diesel is the top-of-the-line model and has all the bells and whistles along with 4WD as well, you couldn't go wrong with it.

Else, if you are going for the Hycross, be reminded that Maruti will soon be launching its twin the Engage, so considering the high wait times for the Hycross Hybrid, you may consider getting a booking of the Engage as well once it launches in a month or so, but then it will still pose nameplate issues as it is a Maruti.

Another option worth considering is the MG Gloster but its an MG, a Chinese car.

Considering your requirements, you could also go for a used German car too as a potential replacement for your 3-series, Germans tend to depreciate quite quickly, so you may be able to get good examples of hardly 3–4-year-old Audis, BMWs, Mercedes etc. in your budget.

Hope it helps!

GTO · 13th June 2023, 07:51

Ron, your best bet is the Innova Hycross. It's big, spacious, fuel efficient, has sorted road manners and is lovely to drive for an MPV. The waiting period can be made tolerable if you hold the Fortuner / BMW for a little more time.

Second choice = either the Tucson or the Ioniq 5. Suggesting the Ioniq 5 since you said you are open to stretching the budget if it's worth it...trust me, it is. Take your family for a nice TD of the Ioniq 5 and you'll be a convert. It's a "WOW" car, the best EV on sale in India, has enough range for highway trips and will nicely complete your garage.

Also take a long spin of the XUV700 Petrol AT & Diesel AT.

yedukrishnan199 · 13th June 2023, 08:13

I find your situation relatable to that of my cousin, who has an Innova Crysta and a few luxury Germans in his garage, after feeling the need for a new car, I insisted he try out the XUV700 AX7 AWD Luxury Pack which costs around 35 lakhs, Being a Mahindra, he was very reluctant at first, but once he had a couple of test drives, he was impressed and bought the car home in a weeks' time thanks to a few cancellations, the dealer could arrange it in quite short notice, now for quite a few of his drives, he takes out the XUV700, the features, look and size are definitely worth the price and he feels the money was well spent, so I would definitely recommend the XUV700 as a car worth considering.

Now, on the Hycross, the same cousin, bought a Hycross too, this year as a replacement for his Innova and its definitely more comfortable and much more frugal due to the Hybrid system, it's definitely a car worth considering if you love the rock-solid reliability that Toyota offers.

The Tucson is a from a different league, and if you really want to go premium, nothing can match the finesse offered by the Tucson, which is truly an international model.

Now, if you are looking at EVs, the Ioniq 5 is perhaps the only EV, I would recommend in the current scenario, as regards the perfect match of price, range and practicality.

So, to conclude, if you love the Toyota brand and the reliability and mileage offered by the Hycrooss, it's definitely worth it, else if you are willing to go for a Hyundai, the Tucson and Ioniq 5 are international models worth considering, else if you look for a VFM car that can do it all, the XUV700 would be a good pick.

aseem23 · 13th June 2023, 08:44

Ron, I was in the same situation for the last two months, and I considered Jeep Compass, Meridian, Innova Hycross, Skoda Kodiaq, Hyundai Tucson, Tata Harrier, Safari, Mahindra XUV700, Scorpio N, and VW Tiguan. After driving all the vehicles, evaluating costs, and vehicle availability I bought Hyundai Tucson Diesel top model.

I am fine with Diesel, as I don't think it is going to be banned anytime soon, no matter how much the hype. With EVs or Hybrid cars, as the battery performance will degrade over the years, I am not sure whether anyone will buy a used EV or Hybrid unless they are getting a newly replaced battery. Will the OEM replace the battery under warranty if the battery performance is down to 85% or 90% let's say in six years, or will any terms & conditions apply, will the cost of replacing the battery add to my total cost of ownership? Still so many unanswered questions, therefore I went ahead with Diesel.

Innova Hycross material, plastic, and camera quality were sub-standard. + waiting period
Jeep Compass, Meridian: limited space, no ADAS, no front parking sensors. It did not feel like a 35L+ car
Skoda Kodiaq: Expensive, budget constraints
Tata: Noisy engine, facelift due in a few months
VW Tiguan: Same price as Tucson, but lacking a lot of tech
Mahindra: Too common, + Tucson quality levels are higher as compared to Mahindra variants

I have driven it for around 1800 km so far, and the car is undoubtedly a head-turner. It has a powerful silent diesel engine, looks, ample space, tech features, comfort, AWD capability, etc. Also, Hyundai is offering some decent discounts too, and you will get the vehicle soon as there is a minimal or negligible waiting period. There are some negatives too like light interiors, no rear window blinds, etc but no car is perfect. There will be some cons always no matter which car we buy.

Being a CKD variant, the car has all the premium features, and top-notch material quality, and Hyundai customer service for Tucson customers is top-notch. Hyundai is also offering 3 years or up to 30,000km of free service.

epiccross · 14th June 2023, 12:23

Ioniq 5 - comfortable car, one of the globally best-selling EVs (that we have here), premium inside out with all the bells and whistles, unmatched power/torque of EVs, good range to top everything. Perfect choice after Tuscon, IMHO.

Livnletcarsliv · 14th June 2023, 13:00

Cars have become expensive no matter what. Today a Maruti (the brand that makes the cheapest car in India) costs 23L. So in todays market ignoring a brand just because of the brand name itself is a mere ignorance. So just educate you sister about that.

Now coming to your requirements, looks like Tucson and Ioniq 5 suits you the best. Both are global models and CKDs. So you will get that European quality and global support for both. And regarding reliability, Hyundai is equally good to Toyota in India. Regarding the diesel powertrains, India is still in its nascent stages of EV adoption. So diesels will definitely continue for at least next 10 years if not more. So you cannot go wrong with both.

lamborghini · 14th June 2023, 13:57

Your requirements scream Hyundai Tucson (take the family for a trip in it - it will change mindsets!); or the Innova Hycross (Book the Suzuki Invictus for quicker delivery maybe).

As a third option, I would consider the Tiguan - the only other option in the budget. The interiors are feeling a little old in the tooth especially since you keep cars for a long time; but it has the space, power, practicality to keep you happy in the long run.

The Fortuner, Kodiaq, etc. are seemingly over budget and just don't feel as VFM. If you don't need the third row, want snob value, and are ok spending close to Rs. 50L +/- on road : Look at the Audi Q3 as well and fight hard for a good deal - maybe not today, but during festive season / year end you could snag one.

shrvenkataraman · 14th June 2023, 16:26

I think you should also consider the Kia Carnival Limousine version.

NCAP 5 star rated car, available within your budget, fully loaded with features, and powerful engine too. Has good diesel options, real world FE is quite good for a car that size, is similar to Hycross, but price to performance is better, VFM.

ron178 · 14th June 2023, 18:02

Thanks so much everyone for the myriad of advice. Have been reading your replies as they come but could not reply in time because I was otherwise engaged; sorry about that.

Couple of updates first: my father is keen on selling the F30 instead of the Fortuner. He consulted our independent mechanic who says our Fortuner is still in good enough shape for at least another couple of years. The F30, not so much. Scheduled maintenance is already significantly more expensive, and the car has a pretty badly degraded interior - melted rubber, oxidised chrome, falling seatbacks, you name it. The floor mat has bent out of shape to cover the accelerator, one horn tone doesn't work, and neither does the frequently used right side of the horn pad. And the TPMS and ABS sensors constantly break down. These would seem like simple issues to fix, but with BMW, nothing is, and whatever we fix usually crops up again in a few months.

So, in short, the car is in very bad shape (I pray the second owner isn't a BHPian

) but my mum and sister say they love how it drives, and to an extent I agree, but I have driven it on occasion and, torque-rpm characteristics aside, it is not much faster than the Octavia we already have (TSI not TDI for those asking). So, while I hate to accuse my own family of anything, I think it's just a cover for their love of the badge, which I guess is also understandable. Selling the F30 has been on the cards for a few years now and whenever the idea has cropped up it has not progressed much. But it is impractical to let emotion control this for this long and we will have to find a way to convince them to let it go - but there's also the question of convincing them that moving to a Hyundai (or a Toyota) isn't as much of a downgrade as it seems. The last thing we'd want is a family car that half the family is not happy with. The best way would be to have them come along for a test-drive.

About the new car: Pretty much narrowed down to the Tucson and Hycross. The Tucson seems like a better choice to replace the F30 with because it quite a bit more premium-feeling than the Hycross. The only thing making me from making a clear-cut recommendation for the Tucson is the ~4kmpl drop in fuel economy. Whether that is worth the rest the Tucson has to offer is quite a hard, subjective, head vs heart decision.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Auto spawn

Unless you’ve pre-booked the Hycross and you’re in the line, it’ll be difficult to get your hands on one for up to a year!

The waiting period, although undesirable, is not a deal-breaker.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Auto spawn

Looks like the Tucson will fit all your requirements. It’s premium and has all the must-have modern features including ADAS. The performance of the diesel is good too. They’re even offering some attractively priced maintenance packages.

Thanks, that is what I thought. There is little the Tucson misses out on that much more expensive cars offer, down to even the little details, eg. an electric passenger seat.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Auto spawn

Since you’re not sure about going ahead with diesel, how about going the pre-owned route with a lovely Lexus, say maybe the NX 300h?

Sorry, no Lexus service centre where I live and they have the cars shipped to Mumbai. Also not quite open to pre-owned.

Quote: