[nidhikapoor]

Hi,

This is a strange one but my friend is shifting to Germany for a 5 year stint. He has a budget of about 30,000 Euros [maybe a bit stretchable if I get him a good reco from you guys ;-) ] and wants something like a compact SUV but wants it loaded with features like adaptive CC, blind spot alert, lane keep assist, emergency braking, rear cross traffic alert, seat heating etc.

Should be either diesel or petrol. He has narrowed down on the new Kona petrol. He's looked at the EU brands and they don't seem to be as loaded for the price. He doesn't care about brand as long as safety rating is good.

Any other suggestions?

[Jeroen]

Originally Posted by nidhikapoor

Hi,

This is a strange one but my friend is shifting to Germany for a 5 year stint. He has a budget of about 30,000 Euros [maybe a bit stretchable if I get him a good reco from you guys ;-) ] and wants something like a compact SUV but wants it loaded with features like adaptive CC, blind spot alert, lane keep assist, emergency braking, rear cross traffic alert, seat heating etc.

Should be either diesel or petrol. He has narrowed down on the new Kona petrol. He's looked at the EU brands and they don't seem to be as loaded for the price. He doesn't care about brand as long as safety rating is good.

Any other suggestions?

For a five year stint don’t buy a diesel. Diesels are on their way out and more and more restrictions are placed on diesel cars entering European towns. Depreciation will be even worse than on a petrol. Remember many EU countries are banning the sale of ICE cars altogether from 2030-35 onwards.

So from that perspective Consider going second hand and that sort of money can get you a lot of (European) car. More car, less depreciation!

In countries such as Germany and the Netherlands most people will buy second hand.

Both my kids have a (second hand) Kia Niro and it is pretty much loaded with every imaginable feature you can imagine.

Good luck
Jeroen

[ashivas89]

Originally Posted by nidhikapoor

Hi,

This is a strange one but my friend is shifting to Germany for a 5 year stint. He has a budget of about 30,000 Euros [maybe a bit stretchable if I get him a good reco from you guys ;-) ] and wants something like a compact SUV but wants it loaded with features like adaptive CC, blind spot alert, lane keep assist, emergency braking, rear cross traffic alert, seat heating etc.

Should be either diesel or petrol. He has narrowed down on the new Kona petrol. He's looked at the EU brands and they don't seem to be as loaded for the price. He doesn't care about brand as long as safety rating is good.

Any other suggestions?

Buy used. The market in Germany is pretty mature, tonnes of end of lease options will be available at dealerships. Plenty of VWs out there for that price.

A juicy Tiguan can be had for that price. Servicing VWs in Germany is hassle free. Plenty of expertise available unlike India.

VWs have great residuals in Germany unlike Hyundai.

[Simha.k]

I highly recommend he must check the used car market first. Mobile.de is the best place to start looking for an attractive used car. 30000 Euros is a very good budget to find a good car.

A Volkswagen Tiguan should fit the budget and also meet his requirements. Most used car dealerships even offer 1 year warranty as standard. Also, he can check for sellers within his company especially colleagues who may be leaving the country for good. A friend of mine got a great car at a lucrative price from his colleague which, otherwise, he would not find in the open market.

I am assuming that he's yet to move and he doesn't have an EU driver's license yet. His first worry should be about getting a German DL and then worry about buying a car. It takes many attempts and many years and several thousand Euros to get one. I have many friends who've been living there since many years but have failed all their attempts to pass the test and have spent up to 4000 Euros and still no DL.

My best wishes to your friend for his DL.

[IshaanIan]

Why go all the way to Europe only to drive a Hyundai that you can buy here? Tell him to look at a Subaru Forester. Driving a Subaru is truly a revelation due to the boxer engine and symmetrical all wheel drive setup they feel so balanced without needing an overly stiff suspension setup.

[EnigmaExplorer]

Hyundai Kona is good because of its features and the price. If he wants to look more, Mazda CX-30 might be interesting to see. The design is very modern and the car has technology for safety, also it moves smoothly when driving. Mazda is famous because it does not break easily. Another choice might be the Volkswagen T-Roc; it has features that are quite alike, and VW is well-known in Germany. Either would suit your needs and you'd probably save money from your budget as well.

[charanreddy]

As some one currently living in Berlin, let me weigh in, admittedly I don’t own a car here and haven’t got my DL yet.

To echo, @simha.k, getting a DL in Germany is a royal pain the A$$ , is very paper and process heavy and takes atleast a year . Indian DL is valid for 6 months.


Getting to cars, a colleague bought a fairly loaded Audi A4 Quattro (1 year old) at 40K euros. The sweet spot is 3 yr old cars which give a good balance between reliability and VFM. Cars bought from a dealership come with a legal 1 yr warranty.

The cars I researched and which appealed to me here in no particular order.

VW T-ROC : we had a limited run for this car in India , but this is a fairly commonly sold car here.

Mercedes C Class

VW Passat

VW Tiguan : same car is available in sister brands like Seat.

BMW 3 series.

Kia Sportage : my Driving school had this car. Looks may be subjective but this is a good car quality wise and features wise.

Mobile.de is a good place to start.

[indrangiri]

You can drive upto 6 months in Germany on India IDP. For longer stays, you will have to apply for the German DL during this period and pass the written and practical tests. I understand from a friend that this is expensive and costed him Euro 2k for the training and test. Details at link below

https://india.diplo.de/in-en/service...od%20of%20time.

[the_real_slager]

For Germany use the app mobile.de. You can see a variety of second had cars and you can filter them based on budget/features etc.

I am from Belgium but even I buy my cars second hand from Germany. Such is the variety and size of Auto market there.

For your peace of mind, you can go for a dealer if you prefer and then you get a year warranty atleast from them.

Regards,
Kiron

[Sensible_Speed]

Buy anything VW or Renault used. These are by far the most popular brands in Europe for budget dailys. You cannot go wrong with a used VW Golf 1.5 TSI. Good in the city and enough grunt for the Autobahns.

[libranof1987]

Originally Posted by charanreddy

Getting a DL in Germany .... takes atleast a year. Indian DL is valid for 6 months.

OT, but hope it helps the OP's friend plan the purchase.

The Indian DL for six months, but the IDP would be valid for a year? How do most people plan their car purchases in the interim between expiry of the IDP, and getting the German DL? Or does everyone plan their purchase only once they get the German DL?

[charanreddy]

Originally Posted by libranof1987

OT, but hope it helps the OP's friend plan the purchase.

The Indian DL for six months, but the IDP would be valid for a year? How do most people plan their car purchases in the interim between expiry of the IDP, and getting the German DL? Or does everyone plan their purchase only once they get the German DL?

IDP does not have any incremental validity over and above our regular license. It’s good to have A German translated copy of the normal license. People here don’t plan purchase immediately after they land, they wait for the German DL before taking the plunge.

[dkaile]

The new 2024 Skoda Kodiaq. Starts at just 40k Euros in Germany. Here's a great German review of the same -

https://youtu.be/nf19Vw0TUb8?si=su8yOsTLKIhnYBdf

Cheers...

[McLaren Rulez]

Originally Posted by nidhikapoor

He has narrowed down on the new Kona petrol. He's looked at the EU brands and they don't seem to be as loaded for the price.

Buy the Kona, but used. They are overlooked by many German buyers due to the badge and hence would have depreciated quickly, giving your friend a good deal.