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Originally Posted by goku_saiyan Test drove the Verna and loved the fast pace it provided. But I am still in 2 minds if should invest so much in my first car that too while I learn how to drive.
What is the community's view on the best automatic transmission out there? Is a TC transmission going to serve my purpose of being hassle free, easy ownership, mostly city driving, odd monthly highway driving (the missus quite like the new Mahindra XUV 3XO which is TC).
Thank you! |
Considering the fact both you and your spouse are novice drivers, spending 19 lakhs on a first car may seem a bit high, so here are some of the cheaper options available (all are Petrol automatics, no AMTs)
1. Tata Altroz DCA
The Tata Altroz is a safe (5-star NCAP), spacious hatch with a smooth 6-speed DCT although it ain't the most powerful or torquey (87 bhp and 115 Nm), it gets the job done, however, I wouldn't say it is the hassle-free long-term reliable car, there have been a few niggles reported and Tata's After Sales Service hasn't known to be the best either. So although it's a great choice, from a long-term perspective, I am not too sure, If you are interested do check it out and get a test drive. The Base XMA Plus Petrol costs only Rs.9.83 lakhs OTR in your city whereas the top-end costs 12 lakhs OTR. Tata has introduced a few offers for the Altroz for July too which include up to Rs 25K Cash discount + 20K Exchange bonus + Rs 5000 Corporate discount as well. Not sure if these apply to all the variants though.
2. Honda Amaze CVT
The Amaze CVT is a safe (GNCAP 4 stars), spacious and practical sedan with an adequately powered engine (89 bhp of power and 115 Nm of torque) mated to a CVT and is as reliable as it can get. You can hold on to it for years and it will be a reliable car with little to no niggles at all. However, the current model has gotten old and is pending a facelift. If you are still interested, the Base S CVT costs Rs.9.86 lakhs OTR whereas the top-end Elite CVT costs 11.15 lakhs. You also get up to Rs 96K Benefits (Upto Rs 40K Cash + Upto Rs 20K Exchange Bonus + Corporate, Loyalty & Accessories Pack) which makes the deal even sweeter.
3. Hyundai i20 CVT
The i20 provides a spacious, feature-rich cabin with adequate power and is a reliable hatch. Priced at Rs.10.76 lakhs for the Sprortz IVT going all the way to Rs.12.69 for the Asta IVT, the i20 is a good choice worth considering. Moreover, the current offers make the deal even sweeter with discounts ranging up to Rs 35K Cash discount + 10K Exchange Bonus.
4. Mahindra XUV 3X0 TC AT
The XUV 3X0 is the new kid on the block now with a TC AT (ditching the AMT), the base model MX2 Pro 1.2 L AT is Value for Money priced at 11.39 lakhs OTR providing you with a spacious compact SUV which is powerful and torquey (110 bhp of power and 200 Nm of torque), the price goes all the way up to Rs.17.72 lakhs for the AX7L 1.2 TGDi Petrol AT which is even more powerful (129 bhp), torquey (230 Nm) and feature-rich (Level 2 ADAS, Panoramic sunroof and a whole list of other features). Considering your wife took a keen interest in it, this seems to be a good option. Do note that the boot is on the smaller side.
5. Maruti Suzuki Brezza AT
The Brezza is one of the best-selling compact SUVs for a reason, the Maruti reliability, easy availability of service, spares and being a well-rounded car as well. The 1.5 L K-15C engine produced 102 bhp of power and 136.8 Nm of torque, while not astounding, you have to note that this is a 4-cylinder Naturally aspirated model and is mated to a 6-speed AT, so it will be the most reliable of the compact SUVs out there. The Brezza VXI AT is priced at Rs.12.46 lakhs OTR going all the way up to Rs.15.66 lakhs for the ZXI Plus AT, However this month Maruti has offered up to Rs 10K Cash + 15K Exchange Bonus on the AT variants with the Urbano Edition getting Rs 15K Cash discount (Vxi) and an Additional 15K Exchange Bonus.
Now coming to whether opting for a more expensive option (close to 20 lakhs) as your first car is a good option, the matter boils down to the fact that you won't be a novice for long and once you get the hang of it, you would have felt that you needed a bigger, better and faster car, in such a case it is better to go for the higher end models rather than settling for the cheaper cars with lower power and features. Now coming to the case of which automatic transmission would be more reliable, traditionally the Torque Converter Automatics (TC AT) were considered the most reliable, followed by the CVT and then the DCTs (considered less reliable due to the newer technologies, DCT heating up and DSG failures in VW). So if you go by that then TC AT would be the choice to go for.
Moreover, it has been seen that Naturally aspirated engines seem to have far fewer issues than Turbos but in today's market Turbos rule and there are only a few options in the Naturally Aspirated segment (most of which are the smaller 1.2 Litre engines which have comparatively lower power and torque). So this can't be the only criterion based on which you make your decision.
So I would recommend you get your priorities in order and choose wisely!