[axe_deo]

Originally Posted by HTC

I would suggest maruti vitara hybrid awd.

I don't think that Maruti offers the AWD in the Grand Vitara hybrid. The AWD is offered only in the NA petrol.

The best option in my opinion would be an Innova Hycross. It's spacious, luxurious, has a good feature list, has a powerful engine and fuel efficient too. Only drawback is the long waiting periods for the top model. May be the rebadged Maruti Invicto can be had for delivery early.

[Ottomatic]

Get an Innova Crysta, Not 4 x 4 but its should tick most of the boxes.

[Tvk1991]

Your present Innova has covered a lot of kms. You running is close to 15k-20k kms per year. Seeing this I believe the new Innova Hybrid will be best choice for you. It will serve you trouble free for the next 15 years. The only major cost after 7+ years will be change of hybrid battery.

[powertrain]

Originally Posted by CJP

1. Jeep Compass
2. Mercedes GLA220D (blew our budget - perhaps used?)
3. Citroen C5 (FWD only - cushy ride though, lack of country-wide support)
4. Hyundai Tucson (not particularly fond of this one)
5. Fortuner (too big, too heavy and we will need to replace our bones/teeth at some point)
6. Audi Q3 / Skoda Kodiaq/Kushaq, VW Tiguan (petrol)
7. BMW X1 (will blow our budget)

Hello CJP

From your query its clear you need a car for the long run. Also its clear you need reliability. From the above list you have ONLY ONE option - Toyota Fortuner.

Your requirements:-
Reliability - You've been a Toyota customer for more than a decade. You know better.
Safety- 7 airbags, ESP & the works. Although no crash test rating. So that's a negative.
Space - Fortuner has loads of it.
Price - Expensive! No two ways about it. But then again, that's true for all the cars available in the market today.

I myself drive a 2022 Fortuner 4x4 AT.

I suggest you take a long test drive of the Fortuner. Yes, the ride is not as good as others but it's no way bad. My senior citizen parents haven't complained yet. You certainly wouldn't have to replace your teeth!

Alto, the cost of servicing the Fortuner will be on an average 30% cheaper than the other cars you are considering.

Cars worth considering:-
XUV 700 - 5 star safety rating. Monocoque construction. Infinitely better ride & handling. You'll have to live with minor electronical niggles, but mechanically the car is sorted!

Jeep Meridian - Again, better ride & handling than Fortuner. The biggest disadvantage is that its a Jeep! Jeep just like Fiat, isn't doing very well. So long term future remains to be seen.

Happy Hunting!
Powertrain

[npawan29]

I know you have clearly mentioned that you prefer Diesel, however to stay relevant it would be a good idea to consider a strong hybrid, it has to be relevant for the next 15+ years.

[Neil Roy]

Originally Posted by CJP

......
One thought that occurred to me while reading your comments was to pick up a Diesel for the short term (even used perhaps) complete some level of touring and sell/exchange for a petrol hybrid for the longer term. That also means more planning, especially from a financial perspective. This will also require me to be patient and as Condor knows, am not particularly blessed with patience

To stir the pot further
You can try to get your Innova RC renewed for another 5 years by paying the green tax and wait and see how the automotive market evolves. Toyotas are built to last and the first gen innovas are the best. In another 5 years petrol, hybrid, electric and even hydrogen cell powered cars will vie for the market share and stabilize.

[venkat_partha]

Originally Posted by Neil Roy

To stir the pot further
You can try to get your Innova RC renewed for another 5 years by paying the green tax and wait and see how the automotive market evolves. Toyotas are built to last and the first gen innovas are the best. In another 5 years petrol, hybrid, electric and even hydrogen cell powered cars will vie for the market share and stabilize.

I agree with this. The market is evolving in different directions, EV, Strong Hybrid, Mild Hybrid etc.

Waiting would be prudent, and once settled, bet on the winning technology.

All the best.

[Quatro]

Hi CJP, I am not sure of your views on it but I will strongly recommend you to include "ADAS" as good to have criteria in your evaluation. Given that you intend to go touring, I feel strongly that having the function of Adaptive Cruise is a game changer.

[kayarem]

Originally Posted by HTC

I would suggest maruti vitara hybrid awd. You will save a lot of money upfront which can be used for travel purpose. Gives good milage and maruti service network is good. Give it a thought.

AWD (AllGrip) is not offered in the Hybrid options of Grand Vitara or HyRyder. It is offered only in the NA engine.

[shrinz.vivek]

I am sure all of you would agree that two things to consider when thinking about long distance touring is realiability and service network. Now Realiability = Toyota and the best service network belongs to Maruti.
The only car which has the best of these two worlds is a Grand Vitara Hybrid.
A Toyota drivetrain in a Maruti car suits you the best I feel.

OT: You stirred my thoughts so much that I will now spend the weekend thinking of my retirement plans even though it is 20years away (or less? or more?). And I currently drive a 12 year old diesel Innova.

[cefiljoseph]

Hi, if you want a reliable car as the Innova for the next 15 years with reasonable maintenance cost, then I’m afraid the Germans won’t keep you happy.

On a budget the car to get would undeniably be the Jimny. However, to get a upmarket model, will have still with a Toyota or Lexus. Try getting a slightly used Crysta, Fortuner Legender, Used Lexus crossers too can be considered but keep in mind the battery change required in hybrids after eight years.

You can consider electrics cars like the BYD models or ZS EV as well in case you want to move from diesels.

[ChandraSekarMN]

I was reading the thread and felt each of the suggestion have there own merits.

My suggestions in the order of priority:
1. Hycross Hybrid (waiting period is the only Fly in the oinment)
2. hyrider (being a non diesel) is an advantage @ncr
3. XUV700/ Scorpion N - niggles

[Cresterk]

Originally Posted by CJP

Hello folks,
built to last, reasonably free of drama or need for roadside assistance - reliable as our Innova has been, simple enough to fix in most states without the need for brain surgeons or rocket scientists. Fairly cheap to run

Your requirements are one thing.

1. Jeep Compass
2. Mercedes GLA220D (blew our budget - perhaps used?)
3. Citroen C5 (FWD only - cushy ride though, lack of country-wide support)
4. Hyundai Tucson (not particularly fond of this one)
5. Fortuner (too big, too heavy and we will need to replace our bones/teeth at some point)
6. Audi Q3 / Skoda Kodiaq/Kushaq, VW Tiguan (petrol)
7. BMW X1 (will blow our budget)

And the cars you are considering are completely something else. Other than the fortuner, every single one of these cars is going to be a major change to your innova ownership. They are all drama queens that require rocket scientists to fix and none of them are going to be cheap to run. Lots of things to go wrong with all of them too and it's not going to be a quick fix at some roadside shop either. Take a look at some teambhp ownership reviews of these luxury cars to understand what you are going to be in for and set aside a few lakhs every year for maintenance and unexpected repairs.

[CJP]

I must apologize, I've been very busy with work and weekend obligations, hence the late reply to this thread. Thanks for all your inputs folks, while all the suggestions have their own merits, a particular path is opening up. I also wanted to clarify a couple of things

1. Our current Innova has run most during the earlier part of ownership, mostly school and office runs. Now that both the kids have grown up there is only the college and office run. The college trip is only 8km one way and my office is about 35km one way (Kengeri to Whitefield) - and this is quite rare, as I prefer the Metro. So it is mostly about 16km a day and the odd grocery run once a week perhaps.
2. Our long vacation trips or recreational drives were mostly weekends and school holidays. And pretty much all our driving holidays have been across South India

and now to the list from the suggestions above

- The Innova Hycross has a lot of votes
- The Fortuner or even a Crysta - is emerging as a good replacement given Toyota reliability and advantageous TCO
- The Germans have been given a bad score primarly due to maintenance, reliability and long term TCO
- The XUV7OO is a potential candidate - it is mechanically sorted, but the niggles remain
- new entrants like the Jimny AT
- no one suggested the Citroen, the Q3 or the X1 - that was interesting to understand

Based on the suggestions here is how the shortlist now looks in priority order
- Innova Hycross
- Fortuner or Crysta
- Tucson
- Jimny AT or XUV7OO
- Wait a bit
- Jeep Compass / Meridian
- GLA
- Scorpio N

Looks like we have a winner - the Toyota Hycross
We also have a recommendation to wait a bit - so that the hybrids get sorted and there is some more stability in the product offerings and potentially more/better choices.

For me more than picking a winner here, the conversation and the criteria for a specific choice opened up considerations that weren't on my list, that was good learning. Next step is to test drive at least the top 5 on the list and figure which one makes the cut.

Thank you all very much, this has indeed been a good learning experience of me. I sincerely appreciate your inputs and the fact that you took the trouble to answer my query. I will post updates as I test drive each of the suggested cars here. Thanks once again to everyone who responded.

[condor]

Originally Posted by CJP

We also have a recommendation to wait a bit - so that the hybrids get sorted and there is some more stability in the product offerings and potentially more/better choices.

Suggest to consider one point here: Post retirement, how much do you plan to drive in the city ?

The Hybrids score higher in city traffic than on the highway. Hence, if the running will some in city but more outside, then the higher cost of the Hybrid will be less justified.