[Livnletcarsliv]

Originally Posted by utkarshgoel

Wow Xuv 700 is really a great car and was really looking at it but today I did a test drive of Ax7 L auto diesel. I was disappointed as the ride was not very smooth as in cities like mine the average speed is around 40 and I found that Xuv 700 holds second great till 40 which made a somewhat loud sound of engine and was not great. It became buttery smooth when I increased speed at few stretches. Instead I also test drove CVT hector and the ride was linear and smoother, its screen and all are something that needs another discussion. Still confused

You are comparing a 2.2 litre diesel vs 1.5 litre petrol which is not the right comparison. A diesel car will any day be noiser compared to a petrol car. Hector doesn't have a diesel automatic option.

You need a 7 seater for your use case. A 5 seater will not be an upgrade at all from your Exter or Jazz. And if you want diesel automatic, then its only safari or xuv700 or alcazar. If you want petrol automatic then consider 700 petrol automatic, hector plus, etc. Wrt BYD, internationally it is also a reliable brand. But since you live remotely, I don't recommend it at all. Unfortunately there are no 7 seater EV's in the market. So finally, you should go for a 7 seater automatic - diesel or petrol - your only choices are Safari (only diesel), XUV700 (petrol & diesel), Scorpio N (petrol and diesel), Alcazar (petrol and diesel), Marazzo (diesel), Crysta (diesel manual), Hycross (petrol and Hybrid).

[Karthik Mathur]

Hi,
I am also in a similar quandary and I am pleasantly surprised that someone else also has the exact same question as me. I stay in Navi Mumbai so some of the points regd. service centre and charging points may not be that applicable to me.

I have been looking at the Petrol XUV for a while now and the recent price cut makes it extremely enticing. Petrol since my running would be about 10k a year, mostly in Mumbai city so there's always a concern about DPF clogging. Petrol would just be a lot less headache.

I am considering installing a solar plant in my house (3 or 4 KW) and hence, I thought about looking at EVs as well since the running cost will be very low with this setup (and I'm been inspired by this comic https://theoatmeal.com/comics/tesla_model_s#sun). The Atto seems to be the only one that would truly prove to be an upgrade from my Rapid and I have been waiting for a price drop since it got the homologation certificate in April.

While the price cut didn't come, the Atto3 in its middle variant is something that looks like a good option, even if it is 3l more expensive than the XUV 700 AX7L. However, I do miss out on ADAS which would be present in the XUV.

This would be my only car and I don't need necessarily need a 7-seater so the Atto would be sufficient.

Would love to hear your thoughts as well.

Thank you

[HillMan]

Originally Posted by Karthik Mathur

I am considering installing a solar plant in my house (3 or 4 KW) and hence, I thought about looking at EVs as well since the running cost will be very low with this setup (and I'm been inspired by this comic https://theoatmeal.com/comics/tesla_model_s#sun). The Atto seems to be the only one that would truly prove to be an upgrade from my Rapid and I have been waiting for a price drop since it got the homologation certificate in April.

Plan for a 6KWA plant keeping future in mind. The plants never generate at full capacity. I have Solar roof top installation, so taking by experience. If you have lot of power cuts, hybrid is better and setup to feed back excess to the grid.

[Karthik Mathur]

Originally Posted by HillMan

Plan for a 6KWA plant keeping future in mind. The plants never generate at full capacity. I have Solar roof top installation, so taking by experience. If you have lot of power cuts, hybrid is better and setup to feed back excess to the grid.

Touch wood, Navi Mumbai doesn't have an electricity problem. With my current consumption, a 3 or 4 KW plant seems sufficient. But yes, an EV that I fully charge once a week might change that.

[3WiseMen]

I would suggest just go for XUV700, the reasons being:

1) Having the 5+2 option. And when not required having a bigger boot, trust me it helps.
2) A product that is actually a segment larger - Atto is Creta sized.
3) Having a far more solidly built product.
4) Easy and cheaper to repair and maintain than the EV. Availability of Spare Parts.
5) Most importantly, buying Indian instead of Chinese. The more Indian brands we buy, the better we get and the fact that you are considering the XUV already is a testament of how far Indian brands have come.
6) Peace of mind when going in long run drive - no range anxiety, no worries of finding a service center in a remote place.
7) Far better ride and handling (also one of the best suspensions in the price range).
8) Much less depreciation.
9) No major expense after 6-7 years in battery replacement.


Also, 10k/year running does not justify buying an EV - there is no saving at that usage. There is no economic gain. In fact, for 10k/year running I would suggest get the AX7L Petrol instead of Diesel and save some more.

[LMOO2]

I would say go for Mahindra XUV7OO if you need the car urgently. Don't buy an EV now since there is good number of EVs lined up for the next year. BYD Atto 3 is a CBU (Fully imported) so the after sales service will be a little slow and expensive if you need parts replacement. The government policy around EVs is also not clear since FAME 3 will bring many Hybrid cars and the Corporate Lobby will pressurize for lower tax on Hybrids.

[newenergy]

Originally Posted by 3WiseMen

9) No major expense after 6-7 years in battery replacement.

I see there is some misinformation. We do not need a battery pack replacement after the warranty period. In most cases, a battery pack will outlive the car's life. LFP battery chemistry has even better charge cycles than NMC and we have already seen EVs doing more than 3L+ km without much maintenance cost. This can never be said about ICE. At 3L+ kms you are looking at gearbox failures, clutch issues, and what not. In EV you will get about 85-90% of the range after 8+ years, nothing else. This does not mean the battery needs a replacement.

We consider EV because of the driving pleasure it gives (absolute silent drive) and yes some may not like this but for those who care about NVH, for them, EV is the holly grail. You drive an EV and ICE back to back to feel this.

Once I have experienced how an EV drives and felt its quietness, I will never buy anything ICE. It is not about saving money or maintenance, it is the quietness. Drive one to experience it.

[utkarshgoel]

Thank you everyone. Based on inputs I experienced Xuv 700, MG ZS EV and Hector CVT. I found that MG ZS Ev will not suit me as its rear seat is not very comfortable. I think I will only enjoy a 7 seater although it might be hassle to drive in city. No EV in 7 seater. I decided that it needs to be a 7 seater and for that its either Hector, Xuv 700 or upcoming Alcazar. Xuv is a sorted product but I found too much cost cutting from 2 reverse sensors, no front sensors, no adjustable passenger seat etc. Hector has its own shortcomings from bad milage to every control through screen. Alcazar has underpowered diesel engine and unreliable petrol auto transmission. Lets see what can be decided. I think I will wait till September to see what new alcazar holds and then decide.

[revvingbeast]

Hi Utkarsh,

It's an easy decision to go with the XUV 700. Having the showroom and service centers very far from home will become a headache going forward.

Also, BYD is still relatively new to India. Many cities might not have service centers. So if the car gives a problem outside Lucknow on any trip, it will again give us a lot of trouble.
It's always better to get a car with service center nearby. Telling this from a lot of customers I know who made this mistake and from my father's experience as well

[GoBabyGo]

Hi Utkarshgoel - Since you are considering Alcazar, do test drive Kia Carens. In my view, Carens offers excellent space for 7 people and last row has amongst the best seating space for adult. The only drawback you can think of is 3 Start GNCAP rating and its very ordinary road presence. Although it look very good in darker shades e.g. Blue, Black & Grey.

While I still suggest you to have a look at Hycross VX(O), in case you can stretch your budget to 30 lacs.

[Abhishek_fridjo]

The Byd atto 3 is actually a gem of a car when it comes to comfort and high speed performance (for it’s price )and I am claiming this because I personally own 1 myself I have got compliments from people who uses cars from the luxury car segment also I have the 2023 varient which claims a range of 480 kms which I get around 350-400 with a heavy foot.

And service intervals are at 20k kms and it’s dead cheap as there are lesser wear and tear parts. I charge the car at my house with a 15amps plug on a regular basis for an over night charge and only use the wall mount 7kv charger when in a hurry.

The main advantage of the car is tat it’s very comfortable to go on long drives and keep the ev charging network in the south I feel it a breeze and yes I have got struck once with range anxiety where I reached the charger with 4% of remaining battery but tat was completely my fault of being over confident and skipping chargers. So my pick of the lot would be the atto 3 just because of the way it drives and how easy it is on the pocket

[BlueGod]

Go for BYD or ZS EV if you’re concerned about ASS. ZS Ev gives adas as well at this price point. your driving range can be easily achieved by these two EVs. Spent a lakh extra to install solar panels and travel almost free for rest of your life. You will have to plan a little bit for long drives but it can be done using various apps now. My drive is similar to yours and I am considering replacing my car to EV in the next few months

[Humane India]

Hello Everyone

I just want to make Car Owners aware about the essential add on covers we need to take during buying an insurance policy for any Vehicle

1 Zero/Nil Depreciation Cover - Compulsory - No depreciation on repair parts

2 Return To Invoice - Compulsory - In case of Theft or Fire

3 Road Side Assistance - Compulsory - Assistance during breakdown
(Buy it even if provided by the OEM)

4 Consumables - Compulsory - Payment for petty items during a repair

5 Rat Cover - Compulsory - Compulsory - Rat Bite coverage
(Many companies have it inbuilt in the comprehensive coverage)

6 Rim & Tyre Protect - Optional - Compensation for tyre or rim damage without
invoking the zero depreciation component

7 Key Protect - Compulsory - Reimbursement for loss of car keys

8 Loss Of Personal Belongings - Optional - Reimbursement for loss of personal items
from inside the car during theft

9 NCB Protector - Optional - In case of only 1 claim per year, the discount for the
next year will not get nil on renewal

But the most important coverage EVERY EV owner must purchase is :-

" BATTERY & MOTOR PROTECT FOR AN EV & ENGINE PROTECT FOR ICE "

This cover will save you lakhs of rupees in case of non accidental claim upon damage to the battery or the motor at the time of floods, internal sparking or fire in case of an EV and engine and gearbox parts due to consequential damage due to water ingression

The premium for such an additional add on cover will range between 2-6k depending upon company to company BUT is crucial for tropical country such as India where drainage is not world class

The reason for writing this post is that has been observed that many car buyers miss out on opting for these important add on covers due to lack of knowledge OR the insurance agents try to missell for their increasing their own margins

If you want to know more about these covers before buying insurance for a new car or renewing an insurance policy for an existing car, feel free to DM me here or connect on Telegram - shaggy7979

Happy Motoring !!

[actuallyankur]

Hi Utkarsh!
Being your townmate, I believe we are going to have a long long chat real soon about this thread and the topic in general. I'd still pen my thoughts, since I'm in a somewhat similar situation of deciding (or not deciding) on my next car replacement.

First of all, would like to know if you have a chauffer (part or full time) or not, as is the case with most people in Prayagraj with 2 or more cars, that might change things drastically. Secondly, I get the feeling that your priority is to get a "big car" and not necessarily 7 seats, last row is any which ways not practical.

Now I'd break down my argument in three parts: Diesel, Petrol & Hybrid/EV

DIESEL
For an average monthly running of less than 1000kms, PLEASE DON'T EVEN THINK OF DIESELS
BS6 diesels require to burn the soot produced to be catalyzed and burnt in the exhaust system, which requires the catalytic convertor (a component in exhaust) to operate at temperatures of 350-400 degree Celsius, that too for close to half an hour to efficiently burn the soot and de-clog the entire system. Failing which, the car will end up clogging the exhaust system, which in the long run might even end up damaging the engine. I very recently faced this issue in my Hyundai Creta Diesel AT which was primarily used for city runs, where in I was facing issues since July 2023, and the car was practically shuffling between 4 different service centers through the past 12 months, when Hyundai finally replaced the engine last month, and now I'm selling the car at whatever price I'm getting. Your 15 km one sided city run will do no good to help in this.

PETROL

Originally Posted by utkarshgoel

I was confused between Hector CVT and XUV. After the reduction of XUV 700 prices, I was almost sold towards XUV 700 AXL D.

By now I think you know the fuel efficiency Hector returns. I had a friend who got Hector CVT and at times he got fuel efficiency as low as 4kmpl (though he drives with a heavy foot and drives extremely rash). Still if you are ok with fuel efficiency of 7-8kmpl, you can always consider XUV700 Petrol. trust me that engine is smooth, and smooth to the tune that maybe body lotion brands can use the comparison in their TV ads

I have an XUV diesel AX7L AT, and over the years the car has grown on to me. The electronic niggles are a thing of the past with so many software updates over the past 3 years, very reasonable maintenance cost for a car of this price, convenience of having 2 fully equipped service centers in opposite ends of the city (and I'm assuming one of them must be close to your place of work since you travel 15kms daily) and both offer pickup & drop albeit chargeable, but they do waive it off at times if you request them. Yes Mahindra service, especially in Prayagraj, is not upto the mark if you compare it to Toyota, maruti or Hyundai, but trust me others are worse. Even the Japanese & Korean brands ASC are not doing any phenomenal jobs either, it's Allahabad aka Prayagraj after all.

Now the XUV interior is something that grows on to you eventually, once you learn to live with the average plastic quality used. Fit & finish is mostly good, I haven't had any issues with any panels as such. AC is fantastic. Front & middle rows are exceptionally comfortable. The headlights are by far some of the best I have seen in any car, even if you include luxury brands like BMW, Audi & Mercedes. Yes the brakes are noisy, but haven't failed me yet (37000 kms and counting). Excellent suspension balance for city & highways, with well contained body roll. Safety is top notch- we had a couple of minor crashes, but the car stood strong. ADAS functions- will slowly grown on to you and they are by far some of the most suited to Indian roads.

Alternatives you can look at are Toyota Innova Hycross (petrol version).

EV & HYBRIDS

Originally Posted by utkarshgoel

My driving has 10k annual run with may be 1 to 2 long drives a year with max 300 km one side. Only in these trips the entire family of 2 kids (aged 3 and 9) and 4 adults go.

Electric will save money as my daily running to office is around 30km (to and fro). I have heard and seen great reviews about the Atto 3 but switching to EV is not which is easy.

There are 3 use cases for EV- cost saving, driving pleasure and to avoid the hassle of going to fuel station weekly.

Looking at your running, EVs don't make any use case at all in my humble opinion. As per industry buzz, EVs will end up loosing 20-30% battery capacity between 6-8 years, and might need partial or full replacement let's say somewhere around the 8 to 10 or 12 year mark, and might cost almost 35-50% of the cost of vehicle today. So what you save now, say about Rs1 lac per year (given you drive 10000 kms annually), and 10 lacs in total over 10 years, then end up bearing a battery replacement cost of at least Rs.10 lacs (assuming battery prices neither rise or fall till that time) or more, on a 10 year old vehicle, which might not make emotional sense at the time.

Now if you want to own an EV for the driving pleasure, and the ease that you don't have to que up at a fuel station every week, defies all logic and reasons, and as such you must go for it.

Originally Posted by utkarshgoel

I am from a small city Prayagraj and Atto showroom is in Lucknow which is 200km from here. So there is hassle of going for servicing.

Here, if you have a chauffer (either part or full time), things get much easier, you can always have someone take vehicle to lucknow/kanpur for you and come back the same evening. Do keep in mind that annual service is not the only thing you'd need to visit the service center for. All modern cars are sensor based, and usually the smallest of components cause the biggest frustrations. For example I recently had an issue with ABS sensors in my car, and the car didn't start. It had to be towed by RSA. Afterall an EV is just a software controlling a large battery to power the motor to spin the wheels. N-number of things can develop some nag- AC thermostat or air flow director, power-window motors get affected by rain water somehow, or maybe something as simple as the horn. Please just think about it and make an informed decision.

Apologies for such a long long reply, this topic is so relevant in my life right now, couldn't hold my heart!
Cheers!

[utkarshgoel]

Originally Posted by actuallyankur

Apologies for such a long long reply, this topic is so relevant in my life right now, couldn't hold my heart!
Cheers!

Fantastic and a very reasonable explanation. These were the exact thoughts floating in my mind. I will discuss the same in person with you and would like to clear my confusion.
Thank you again.