[MindFreak9874]

I bought a Comet EV sometime last year, and it's been a great experience. It's been my only car since then due to reasons, but it was always bought as a second car - to complement something else, to be purchased at a future date. Hence the title!

Requirements:

• Upto 20L ex-showroom, although slightly over is ok.
• Fun to drive.
• Good for tall people, say 6' - 6'2".
• Seat 4 adults comfortably. I'd have said 5 but that doesn't leave many options.
• Decent boot space.
• Automatic (DCT or TC), Petrol.
• No EVs please, because one EV is enough for me for now, and with the pace the market is moving I'd rather wait. There's also not too many options in my budget, a lot of temptation to increase it for the various new launches. But I'll wait.
• No Diesel either - not enough running to justify that.
• Good Safety rating, quite important. Crash tests are the way, so GNCAP/BNCAP rating. 5 stars, ideally.

The Comet will still be used regularly, especially for city or solo travel. The new car would serve as a weekend car, family car (4 adults fit fine in the Comet but the ingress and egress for the rear sucks, sadly.), road-trip car, amongst other things.

I've been test driving a bunch of options, but not from dealerships - rather, by renting various potential cars I want to buy through various self-drive places, to be able to spend a good amount of time with the car, live with it, get a true feel for it. I've also used that to try out various form factors: Sedan, 4.3m SUV, 4.7m SUV, Coupe. Diesel, Petrol. Manual, various automatics: CVT, DCT. It's given me a good sense of what I like and don't, to come up with the below lists.

Cars in consideration, in order:

1. Hyundai Verna SX (O) DCT: ADAS, and other features gives this the edge.
2. Volkswagen Virtus 1.5 DSG: Missing some features, but that's livable. Maybe.
3. Skoda Slavia 1.5 DSG: I prefer VW's looks, but this might be cheaper, and still looks great!
4. Mahindra XUV7OO AX7: Petrol engine gives you a big smile. Big car and thus very comfortable inside. Don't need the 7 seats, but that's ok. AX7 mainly due to airbags, otherwise AX5 / AX5 Select may have been ok too. Potential facelift coming as well.
5. Volkswagen Taigun 1.5 DSG: Boot is a bit small. Potential facelift coming, too.
6. Skoda Kushaq 1.5 DSG: Same as above.
7. Citroen Basalt: Wildcard. Lacks features but price reflects that. Looks and Ride quality are what draw me to this car. Their monthly sales draw me away.

I've also been looking at used cars at various places, mostly online (The Classifieds, the new age companies / aggregators), and finding some good deals / tempting options (e.g. Not so old Octys), but I think I will prefer going the new route for this one.

Previously considered, sorted by price:

• Skoda Kylaq: space for 4 adults, boot space.
• Mahindra XUV3XO: same as above.
• Tata Nexon: See Curvv below.
• Kia Syros: I was really excited for this, really liked the rear seat / boot space combination. Priced quite high (I liked top model for ADAS and features), 3-pot engine and no safety rating yet draws me to other options instead.
• Honda Elevate: No safety rating, yet. Also see City below.
• Honda City: Really tempting, but CVT draws me away.
• Tata Curvv: I simply don't fit in this car nicely. Barely any headroom at the front, and at the rear I touch the headliner. Just not for me. Also didn't like the touch-based AC controls one bit - they look very nice, but hard to operate on the move.
• Hyundai Creta N Line: No safety rating, yet. And perhaps boot space as well, leaves you wanting more. Maybe that's just me?
• Honda City Hybrid: Boot space, no safety rating, yet. Added only due to hybrid's unique factor!
• Tata Harrier: Diesel only, and out of budget.

Timeline:

Not in a rush. Hoping to get something this calendar year, which gives me more than enough time to get any of the above, but also means thoughts about facelifts and future launches muddy the waters.

I'd appreciate any and all insights from everyone!

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by MindFreak9874

I'd appreciate any and all insights from everyone!

Straight off, any and all of these coupe SUV’s simply do not work for tall folks. There is no headroom. And one gets a horrible ‘hemmed in’ feeling. (I am 6.2 and big built and I just cant fit comfortably in these Coupe SUV’s.)

Here are my suggestions in no particular order, but taking into account your clarity of thought.

However, one of two of my suggestions may be contrarian.

I recommend that you should at least test drive these and then decide.

1. Toyota Hyryder/ Grand Vitara Hybrid - 20 Lacs (amazing value, very comfy, great visibility for our potholed roads, good seating, enough luggage space, easy servicing, reliable cars.)




2. Skoda Kushaq 1.5 Turbo Prestige - 23.5 Lacs (a nice peppy, comfortable, safe vehicle with great seating and view of the road. Enough features and space. Good value even though slightly over budget.)



3. Citroen C3 Aircross Max Facelift (expected June and price may be 19 lacs) (this is a hidden gem. Forget everything else and just drive one, the existing car itself is really comfortable. The new one will only be better. Citroen is an unfairly undervalued brand.)



4. Hyundai Verna 1.5 Turbo - 20 lacs (it may well be amongst the last of the nice, peppy, well engineered, fair priced, turbo petrol sedans)



Have fun choosing! Don’t be hurried or pushed. It causes unnecessary pressure.

Above all, forget all the ‘opinions’ - your own comfort is the only thing that matters.

And that can only be gained via direct test drive experiences. Experience always counts higher than Opinion.

[yedukrishnan199]

Originally Posted by MindFreak9874

Requirements:

• Upto 20L ex-showroom, although slightly over is ok.
• Fun to drive.
• Good for tall people, say 6' - 6'2".
• Seat 4 adults comfortably. I'd have said 5 but that doesn't leave many options.
• Decent boot space.
• Automatic (DCT or TC), Petrol.
• No EVs please, because one EV is enough for me for now, and with the pace the market is moving I'd rather wait. There's also not too many options in my budget, a lot of temptation to increase it for the various new launches. But I'll wait.
• No Diesel either - not enough running to justify that.
• Good Safety rating, quite important. Crash tests are the way, so GNCAP/BNCAP rating. 5 stars, ideally.

If sedans are your cup of tea, then the Verna SX(O) DCT is priced under 20 lakhs OTR in your city, and should be an ideal choice, matching all your criteria to the T. It's spacious and practical, has good build, fit and finish with 5 5-star GNCAP rating, as well as many feel-good features, including ADAS too. Quite fun to drive with the 1.5 Turbo DCT as well. A solid contender in my opinion.

The Slavia/Virtus are also great options, with the Slavia being much cheaper with a similar feature set. The 1.5 DSG is the pick of the lot with a smooth and powerful powertrain, a spacious and comfortable cabin and a large boot. However, the fit and finish in certain areas aren't as great as the VWs and Skodas of old. Definitely a contender though!

The Taigun and the Kushaq are the SUV counterparts to the Slvia and Virtus, with the drawbacks of being an SUV being evident, such as a smaller boot, shorter length etc, However, it gets ample ground clearance, which is of course why you go for an SUV and you sit higher up with a more commanding view. If SUVs aren't necessarily a requirement, I would pick their sedan counterparts.

The Mahindra XUV7OO AX7 Petrol AT can be a good consideration, we have one, a Diesel AT AWD, but as regards space, features, practicality, it is a step ahead of the others mentioned with large dimensions, commanding road presence, good ride and handling and powerful engine with 200 hp of power and 380 Nm of torque, it can haul this large car quite effortlessly. However, mileage is usually in single digits and it is quite a thirsty car, the main reason we went for the diesel.

Another alternative from Mahindra worth considering on similar lines is the Thar Roxx AX7L Petrol AT, similarly priced to the XUV7OO mentioned above, it is even more feature-rich and more capable, with tremendous presence as well. However, its on-road manners aren't as good as the XUV7OO or even the Scorpio-N, which is also a good consideration.

Lastly, the wildcards, the Basalt and the Aircross, both their top ends are priced within 60k of each other at 15.17 and 15.77 lakhs respectively. I, however, find the Aircross to be a much more versatile offering. Both have excellent ride quality, good presence, are spacious and practical with responsive steering and good handling as well. The Aircross comes with the added advantage of seven seats, and the last row is removable too If you need further luggage space.

Now considering a decision on this, if you are going for a sedan, the Verna is my pick of the lot for offering a better all-around experience. As regards SUVs/Crossovers, it's a tough call with each having their quirks, the VW-Skoda offerings are more fun to drive, the Mahindra offerings are big, burly, have road presence, while being good to drive with XUV7OO being the better of the three as far as driving on good roads is concerned. For a value for money option, the Aircross from Citroen is a good pick as well.

Do take extended drives on each of these before finalising

[GTO]

Originally Posted by MindFreak9874

I bought a Comet EV sometime last year, and it's been a great experience.

The Comet EV is cheap, unique & effective as a local runabout. But it is also terribly basic. You need something really nice as the main car.

Fun to drive.

. You are already sailing in the right direction!

As of date, the VW Virtus 1.5L meets your requirements to the T. It's a hell of a lot of fun to drive, is spacious, has great ground clearance for those highway trips and wears timeless styling. With the blackened roof & wheels, the Virtus looks deadly. The Slavia is the same car, but I greatly prefer the VW's styling. Get the long extended warranty and be prepared for the DSG to fail (once in the warranty period, once outside of it). I own two German cars (including one with a DSG) and they are a different breed = I am totally okay with 4-5 days of downtime every year, as long as the car gives me driving pleasure over the other 361 days.

Second choice is the XUV700 Turbo-Petrol AT. Have one in my family and it's such an all-rounded, smooth, safe SUV. The single downside is that guzzling turbo-petrol.

Drive both, take your family on the test-drives and pick the one that makes you smile more. You've been practical + budget oriented with the Comet EV...now, it's time to have some fun & enjoy the drive.

[Comrade]

+1 for VW Virtus 1.5 DSG amongst your shortlist. It has all the desired German qualities like fast car with refined engines, elegant styling and well equipped features. It has been Indianized enough that GC also is not a problem.

Like GTO says, DSG longevity is still an unknown so make a 1L or 2L FD towards the after-warranty corpus fund! But with that 2L FD in the bank, German cars are way more fun than Japanese.

[MindFreak9874]

Thanks all for your thoughtful replies!

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

1. Toyota Hyryder/ Grand Vitara Hybrid - 20 Lacs (amazing value, very comfy, great visibility for our potholed roads, good seating, enough luggage space, easy servicing, reliable cars.)

I had looked at this given the consideration of the Honda City Hybrid, but missed it's safety rating. However, I'm not sure if it'd be fun to drive on the highways. It'd be great for city drives for sure, but I already have something for that, and nothing can beat an EV in that, especially not when it's so tiny! Comet fits where rickshaws fit.

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

2. Skoda Kushaq 1.5 Turbo Prestige - 23.5 Lacs (a nice peppy, comfortable, safe vehicle with great seating and view of the road. Enough features and space. Good value even though slightly over budget.)

Will check. In my city I'm seeing the on-road at 21L, excluding discounts. At 23.5L the XUV7OO becomes tempting.

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

3. Citroen C3 Aircross Max Facelift (expected June and price may be 19 lacs) (this is a hidden gem. Forget everything else and just drive one, the existing car itself is really comfortable. The new one will only be better. Citroen is an unfairly undervalued brand.)

Agreed on Citroen being unfairly undervalued. I did look at even the 7 seater version of this, it reduces the rear legroom slightly, but adds a roof-mounted rear AC (or perhaps just a blower?), which I felt may be more useful. Will check at a showroom, although the sales number give me a lot of pause. Especially if it's not going to be any cheaper compared to the alternatives, and devoid of features.

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

4. Hyundai Verna 1.5 Turbo - 20 lacs (it may well be amongst the last of the nice, peppy, well engineered, fair priced, turbo petrol sedans)

Those are all good reasons to just go for it.

I really liked your inclusion of images, I was tempted to do so myself but ended up against it, wish I had. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. Thanks!

Originally Posted by yedukrishnan199

If SUVs aren't necessarily a requirement, I would pick their sedan counterparts.

Thanks! This is something I'm still trying to figure out, leaning towards sedans (especially given high GC of all 3 options here), but when spending such a big amount, one wants to be absolutely sure.

Originally Posted by yedukrishnan199

The Mahindra XUV7OO AX7 Petrol AT can be a good consideration, we have one, a Diesel AT AWD.

AWD tempts me, and non-AWD Diesel only costs a little bit more than the Petrol for each variant - the gap is small enough that the extra expense would be easily recovered, say roughly around 50,000km. However, I'm fine with lower mileage given all the other requirements. I think I can live with that, especially with an EV in the house for mileage conscious city usage.

Originally Posted by yedukrishnan199

Thar Roxx AX7L Petrol AT or even the Scorpio-N

I think those would be very far off from sedans, a monocoque SUV is one thing, but a BoF SUV might be a bit too much, given I don't have any requirements that wouldn't be met by the XUV7OO.

Originally Posted by yedukrishnan199

Lastly, the wildcards, the Basalt and the Aircross, both their top ends are priced within 60k of each other at 15.17 and 15.77 lakhs respectively.

There's also the discounts on those, given the sales numbers. Even at 1-2L, that's going to be far, far cheaper than anything else on the list. You give up on a lot, and I already did that by getting the base model Comet, so that's one more reason I'm not the most keen on these. Definitely worth checking out though, will do so!

Thanks!

Originally Posted by GTO

VW Virtus 1.5L, XUV700 Turbo-Petrol AT.

Drive both, take your family on the test-drives and pick the one that makes you smile more.

Thanks!

Interestingly enough, these are the two cars I had already rented earlier in the year, and even had a good drive with family in tow. Also drove it on the highway and through heavy city traffic alone, to get a feel all around. I even did a test run of my usual commute(s) and parking at those places, for the full experience. Both cars were about 2-3 years old, and had ran under 50k km. In good condition for that age, another thing that I feel a rental is a good way to check. I think I drove each for close to 8 hours, with many breaks in between, but all in a weekend.

The Virtus was a 1.5L DSG, Curcuma Yellow. I got a comment about the color, which was that it's nice to look at once, but not something you'd want to look at every day. It was really fun to drive. Comet is 3m, Virtus is 4.5m, yet I didn't feel like that got in the way too much during the city drive or in traffic. I also ended up taking the Virtus on NH64, NE4 and NE1 - and those drives were just a lot of fun. The acceleration is very addictive, and gets up to the limit in no time. It was great on the limited curves these roads I could take it to (some interchanges - do cloverleafs count as curvy roads? ) Family was ok too, ingress/egress was ok for them, so were the seats / comfort. I didn't spend any time in the back in this car, or any sedan for that matter really.

The XUV700 was a lower-variant petrol manual (The only ATs available were diesel, and I wanted to test the engine more than the transmission). It gave me a big smile when accelerating in gear on a open patch of highway. It just pulls, there was even some wheel spin!
Family loved the car, there were 3 adults in the back, and they were comfortable, apart from AC, which I think should be fine on the higher variants / 7 seater having a lot more gas and vents in the back. I've also spent enough time in both the passenger seat and rear row of friends' XUV to know that it's a good experience.


This is where I'm confused, though. The family definitely prefers the XUV, and I prefer the sedan(s).
They know that I'm the one who's going to drive it the most, so the choice is entirely up to me. It's not that I didn't enjoy the XUV, it was fun, I just liked the sedan slightly better. The XUV then in many ways feels like the safer option, but YOLO.

There's also the fact that there may be a facelift, and since I'm in no rush, it may be worth wait. For the XUV that might be till August, which is fine. Unsure about Virtus (I see news of a Taigun facelift late this year / early next year, which I imagine will trickle to the sedan as well at some point, just not sure when).

Verna is unlikely to get a facelift given that it's only been 2 years since the launch, so that helps there.

Originally Posted by Comrade

DSG longevity is still an unknown

Thanks. I can live with that. Extended warranty (for all of the options, really) plus a dedicated corpus sounds good enough, and it wouldn't be the only car, so some downtime is fine.



I'm going to start test driving and checking out more of the options. I spent a few months coming up with the list, adding and removing cars as I drove the rentals. Next up is dealership test-drives, and I think this summer is a good time for it - the heat means AC / ventilated seat performance will go through a nice real world test, especially with test drive cars often parked outside in the sun.

Will keep this thread updated.

[sharmanova]

My suggestion:

SUV - Scorpio-N Z8 Petrol AT
Sedan - Verna SX(O) Turbo DCT

Happy shopping!

[Shreyans_Jain]

Get the Virtus GT. Clearly, that is where your heart lies.

[Clown Prince]

Originally Posted by MindFreak9874

I bought a Comet EV sometime last year
[*]Fun to drive.

I'd appreciate any and all insights from everyone!

If you can get a well maintained Octavia, go for it. That car is pure love.
For new car I would say Verna turbo is your car. It ticks all your boxes. Else choose between Virtus or Slavia 1.5 whichever you get cheaper.
Consider Aircross compared to Basalt. For 6 footers that car is more comfortable.

[Voodooblaster]

Top petrol AT variants that are Comfortably within your budget.

1) XUV 3XO Petrol - A very exciting engine but sub 4m car with a puny boot

2) Elevate ZX CVT - Thoroughly dependent engine but lacks outright excitement. Current OEM offers avbl for approx 75k. Dealer can be pushed to make it al least 80k

Personally i felt Scorpio N looks better than XUV700

The Z8S might slightly overshoot your budget though. Also you get flexibility of 7 seater in the event some friends / extended family members tag along for weekend trips. Do a long test drive to check if you can live with the BOF

If i were in your shoes these are the cars i would buy:

Scorpio N > Elevate > XUV3XO

[sunikkat]

With the ‘Fun To Drive’ aspect, your best bet is Virtus 1.5 DSG. Safety is sorted too and the car is still well build than others in the segment. Get the GT Line with black accents and it looks dope. If in your place, that’s my definite pick.

[shashi792]

IMO, Volkswagen Virtus 1.5 DSG is the one to go. You already have a beater/daily driver. What you want is a smile on your face when you take it to highway. Virtus with 1.5 is a very good option.

[MindFreak9874]

Thanks all for your suggestions!

I visited a bunch of showrooms. Didn't do any test drives yet because I wanted to start by just sitting in the car, getting a feel of it, and getting a price list / etc, and then test drive what felt good overall. Also need to take the family to see the options, but I didn't want to drag everyone through multiple showrooms.

The cars checked:

• Hyundai Verna SX (O) DCT: Starry night was my color of choice, looks great. Sadly, while the front is ok (even with the sunroof), I simply don't fit in the rear seat. My head hits the top right away, and I can't sit comfortably. Just sitting in the showroom car for a bit was painful.
• Volkswagen Virtus 1.5 DSG: Most voted for here. Unfortunately, the same rear seat headroom issue persists.
• Skoda Slavia 1.5 DSG: Sadly, as expected, same rear seat headroom issue as it's cousin. Bummer, really.
• Mahindra XUV7OO AX7: Fantastic. Some misses. Quite expensive. AX7L is tempting for ventilated seats and 360 camera, but it's even more expensive. Still on the list, however. At least I fit in the rear row! (but not the third, although that's alright, may just remove those seats)
• Volkswagen Taigun 1.5 DSG: Next choice given the sedan experience. Rear seat headroom was ok due to slightly raised roof,
• Skoda Kushaq 1.5 DSG: Same as above. I think this colors better in certain colors, and Taigun in others, so it may come down to that.
• Citroen Basalt: Interiors felt ok, and I really like the exterior look. Sadly rear seat headroom issue was also present here.
• Citroen Aircross: Checked only because I was in the showroom. Rear seat is definitely better suited for me as mentioned by many comments above. Not really considering due to lack of safety rating. And the sales numbers still gives me pause.
• Skoda Kylaq: Very nice! I want something bigger, otherwise I think this'd be perfect!
• Hyundai i20: Not on my list, but having owned one in the past, and fitting into it very nicely, I checked, and yes, I'm fine in all seats even here. Makes one even sadder about the Verna, if only it was a little bit bigger.
• Mahindra XUV 3XO: I had checked this before. Interior feels very nice, mini 7OO-esque. Still a bit small for my current desires. If only brought a 4.3m 5XO! I think that would be perfect for me!
• Mahindra Thar Roxx: This is high. Definitely won't work for my family members.
• Mahindra Scorpio N: Same, too high for family.
• Kia Syros: Given the safety rating news, decided to give this a look. Was very impressed. Best rear seat by far from the entire list. And the front seat / features tick all of my boxes

Initial dealership experience, best first:

1. Volkswagen: The chap had a nice long conversation with me. Understood my requirements. Offered a test drive with me in the back seat to see how the headroom issue I brought up feels on the go, and this was the only place to do so from the 3 dealerships. I'm not too hopeful but still want to take him up on that offer, because even after this I still keep leaning towards a sedan.
2. Mahindra: Quite chill, and I've had this before as well. Walked in, directly sat in a car, nobody came up until we were in the second car. Simple discussion afterwards of requirements / variants / pricing.
3. Kia: Most enthusiastic salesman. Insisted on a test drive multiple times even though I said I'll come back for it another day. Display car's electric seat adjustment and boot opening didn't work due to a dead battery, promptly took us to test drive car parked outside to check that. Helped because the car was in the sun and hot, so it was a quick check for the ventilated seats and AC as well.
4. Hyundai: Sales exec wasn't the most enthusiastic, although he did bring someone higher up immediately to offer a deal (even though I mentioned I'm in no rush, have a long timeline, and also the rear seat headroom issue, which he sorta seemed to ignore)
5. Citroen: I don't even blame them, lack of sales makes it hard. But the guy just kept making false statements, such as many of Tata's current cars being based on Citroen platforms.

The updated list now, in order:

1. Kia Syros 1.0TGDi DCT: Safety rating brought it back into the foray. Least power amongst all here, but also the most spacious feeling. Excellent package overall, loved by everyone in my family. Also the cheapest in this list, which helps! I have driven the Sonet with the same engine/gearbox a little and found it decent, that helps.
2. Skoda Kushaq 1.5 DST: Second only because I was told Taigun 1.5 DSG was only available in the top variant (might be just that dealership?), whereas there's a Sportline here, which is slightly cheaper - although that missed out on some features which I do want, so we'll see.
3. Volkswagen Taigun 1.5 DSG: I'm really curious to compare the driving experience, suspension, braking, with it's cousin above.
4. Mahindra XUV7OO AX7/AX7L: Most expensive, but it's 200BHP! Facelift news will make me want to wait until there's more about that though, especially given I have the time. It's a huge car as well, although I feel like that's not going to be too big of an issue, based on my previous experience.

Next TODO is test drives. I'll try to do them as close as possible to each other to get the best idea of the differences, to help make a choice more easily. Will mean it won't happen for a bit but I'm in no rush and it's worth the wait to do it right.

[AJ56]

Looking at your list and requirements, forget all these and spring for a 2019-20 Camry hybrid. You’ll get 215HP and a 7.2 sec 0-100 time in addition to better ride and space vs the ones in your list.

You get a 150,000 km/8 year warranty on the hybrid battery for peace of mind. You’ll get these well under 30L, 25-28L ideally for single owner, low mile cars.

[07CR]

Originally Posted by MindFreak9874

The updated list now, in order:

1. Kia Syros 1.0TGDi DCT: Safety rating brought it back into the foray. Least power amongst all here, but also the most spacious feeling. Excellent package overall, loved by everyone in my family. Also the cheapest in this list, which helps! I have driven the Sonet with the same engine/gearbox a little and found it decent, that helps.
2. Skoda Kushaq 1.5 DST: Second only because I was told Taigun 1.5 DSG was only available in the top variant (might be just that dealership?), whereas there's a Sportline here, which is slightly cheaper - although that missed out on some features which I do want, so we'll see.
3. Volkswagen Taigun 1.5 DSG: I'm really curious to compare the driving experience, suspension, braking, with it's cousin above.
4. Mahindra XUV7OO AX7/AX7L: Most expensive, but it's 200BHP! Facelift news will make me want to wait until there's more about that though, especially given I have the time. It's a huge car as well, although I feel like that's not going to be too big of an issue, based on my previous experience.

Considering the Syros is now the highest in your ranking, I suggest you do try the Seltos 1.5 Turbo as well. I know the latest model is not crash tested, but my humble request is to not just pass it off just because of it (I have my own reservations on the way the tests have been conducted). I had owned the car for nearly a year, and I simply loved it for the user friendly controls, the 160 PS petrol, sufficient space for 5 and their luggage and oh so premium interiors and the equipment. The set of active and passive safety features too is quite exhaustive. Most important thing, everything worked as expected and no disappointment there. Except the weak headlights, I was a very satisfied customer. Just be sure to check the tyre pressure is set to recommended levels before the drive, as the dealerships notoriously raise it to very high levels, making it quite bouncy.