Buy the Jeep Compass or wait for next-gen Hyundai Tucson

I am planning to sell off the Beat as it is hardly being used, since my dad stopped driving and I am now the only driver in the house. I am looking forward to buying a new SUV, under 30L

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I am searching for a car and would love to have an SUV in my garage. The family owns three cars right now - a 2009 Corolla Altis, 2011 Chevrolet Beat and an Elite i20.

Background

I am planning to sell off the Beat as it is hardly being used, since my dad stopped driving and I am now the only driver in the house. I am looking forward to buying a new SUV, under 30 lacs, that offers:

• A premium cabin
• Powerful Engine: Petrol or Diesel, preferably manual but this is not a deciding factor so automatics can also be considered
• Has proper SUV dynamics & structure (suspension, ruggedness, etc.). 4X2 setup would work though
• Good Road presence. Not necessarily 'Stance', but should be good to look at

Options

1. Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos: Ruled these out, purely because of personal outlook that these look like beefed up/lifted hatchbacks. No offense to Creta or Seltos owners

2.Tata Safari and Harrier: Although both these products are super capable, stunning to look at and are considerably improved product offering by Tata, in comparison to its earlier products. I am still skeptical on Tata's after sales service and dealer experiences. We had a Safari Dicor in the house few years back and the ownership experience was horrible, because of Tata's poor after sales service

3. Toyota Fortuner: Pricey, feels over-priced for what it offers, ingress/outgress challenges for parents. Stiff ride quality

4. Ford Endeavour: Pricey, 2.0 litre Diesel feels underpowered for such heavy vehicle, ingress/outgress challenges for parents

Narrowing all this, leaves me with two options to consider: The facelifted Jeep Compass 2021 and the current generation Hyundai Tuscon.

Jeep Compass 2021

Pros: Premium all black interiors in top variants, Fiat's 2.0 Diesel motor, Good looks, proper SUV genes, really good features/tech list, compact size allows ease of driving in city

Cons: Limited cabin and boot space makes this a strict 4-seater, Jeep's really slim after sales network in India (we travel a lot so this is a cause of concern), fully loaded top variants are priced on a higher side, no cruise control in MT variants, pathetic fuel efficiency and performance of petrol variants

Hyundai Tuscon

Pros: Its a Hyundai so good after sales and spare parts availability, feels like a big SUV, punchy Diesel motor, smooth AT

Cons: Interior feels two generations older, the current model feels outdated, no MT option. Lastly, I am still not convinced to spend anything above a 18-10 lacs on a Hyundai

My family is all in to buy the S model-MT-Diesel Jeep Compass; however, I have below points in my mind before I make any decision:

1. Jeep's India Roadmap and After Sales Service (including spare parts availability). I drive a lot and my family loves long road trips to the hills and destinations that are far. Thus, limited service network is an area of concern

2. Have heard a lot of issues with Compass on this forum - Battery draining, intermittent rattling, etc. Any comments from existing Compass owners here?

3. Is the new model of Hyundai Tuscon expected in India anytime soon ? Does it make sense to wait for it? The international model looks promising; and Hyundai's after sales is something I can vouch for. Although my wife does not like Hyundai's new design language, she feels the edgy designs do not look classy, unless it's a Skoda.

Here's what BHPian Shreyas Agarwal had to say on the matter:

Considering your requirements, one more car I would strongly suggest is the Mahindra XUV700. It is no less of an SUV than the Compass or the Tucson. It's going to get quite powerful engines and premium interiors. Although the looks can be a hit or a miss and one can never be so sure about a newly launched Mahindra's reliability.

Since you mentioned Skoda, do wait for the Kodiaq or the VW Tiguan. Both these cars might suit your requirements too. Although reliability is going to be a sore point in the long run.

Another contender can be the Citroen C5 Aircross. It has a good diesel engine and bodes well with your requirements but the dealer network is even thinner than Jeep. IIRC they have only 15 dealers in the entire nation. Although, I would say it's worth a look.

Regarding the Hyundai Tucson, there has been no official communication about its launch anytime soon. IMO one can safely assume that it is at least 8-10 months away.

If you can wait, I would say you should. Make do with your current cars and take a call a year down the line. By then, we should have the new Hyundai Tucson ideally which is what you seem to like. Also, XUV700 would have sorted its niggles and Citroen might have expanded its dealer network so as to bring in their sub 4m car.

If you cannot wait, go ahead with either the Jeep Compass or the current Hyundai Tucson. My pick would be the Tucson. It's a no-nonsense car and suits your requirements too. Added advantages are the sales network and your spouse's agreement on the car's design.

Here's what GTO had to say on the matter:

If you want driving pleasure, go for the Compass. If you are fine with an MT, go for the Compass. On the open road, it will offer you the most driving pleasure. The stability is like a tank's, the suspension is solid & mature, high speed behaviour is fantastic and that 2.0 diesel pulls like a train. I doubt the next-gen Tucson will be able to match the Compass in driving pleasure.

The Compass ATs suck though. But if you must have an AT, wait for the XUV700 & next-gen Tucson. Both of them will entail a 1+ year wait. XUV700 = 1 year wait for Mahindra to sort out niggles, while for the Tucson, it'll be for Hyundai to get the car here.

Out of the box suggestion = wait for the Kodiaq 2.0 TSI. The crossover is brilliant in diesel guise (just ask any owner) & the fast 2.0 TSI + DSG will make it a potent package. You seem to be okay with the budget & petrol, hence suggesting. Trust me, this is an SUV that punches well above its weight.

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