Choosing an AT car for the city within 10L: Honda City vs Maruti Ciaz

The Ciaz, feels familiar because I have driven a Dzire for a long time.

BHPian droider412 recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

I have been driving a 2019 Dzire (belongs to my father) since the past 4 years. Occasionally, I have also driven a Kwid AMT (that my wife bought to learn driving and use as hers).

Been a long time lurker of the forum at this point and since I learnt to drive, the craze of owning a car of my own has been stuck with me.

After a long while, I (and wife) finally decided that we can invest in a nice car. We were pretty much decided on the XUV 700 (AX7L AWD) to the point of making a booking. However due to some sudden changes (in life), my wife got an opportunity in Hyderabad and since we are pretty young, we decided to go ahead with it.

This changes the decision of buying the car, mainly because:

1. We will eventually come back to our place (maybe after a year or 2) and I don’t want to register a nice car in a new city and then have to re-register it again.
2. It’s a city we have never been to in the past and we will have a lot of new expenses (rented house, daily expenses etc) so investing a hefty amount in a car does not make a lot of sense.

Eventually, we came to the agreement that we will absolutely need a car while we are there. I looked at leasing options but those were way too expensive and did not seem reasonable at all.

So, all in all, we have a budget of 10L (can expand to 12L max) and we need a car that is:

1. Absolutely reliable - don’t want any issues in a city where we literally don’t know anyone
2. Will be used extensively in both highway and city - since we will be in Hyderabad we are already planning multiple road trips to nearby states like Maharastra, Bangalore etc.
3. Should be automatic - have driven a manual since I learnt driving and even though it’s very fun, I feel like I want to settle down for a less fun but more convenient way to drive.
4. Should not be an AMT

The plan is to do one of the 2 once we decide to come back:

1. Sell the car for a good value before leaving
2. Drive it back to our home and keep as second car while buying a brand new car - I am more inclined towards this and thus I want a car that would be reliable.

Oh, and I am a fan of sedans. Absolutely hate those fake SUV’s (this was another reason we were going to book the AWD variant of XUV700. So we are only looking at sedans and hatcbacks (some) and should be an automatic.

Options so far

Honda City CVT

I have had my eyes on the city since a long time so decided to check the used-car options in Hyderabad. There are a few decent options.

1. 2021 ZX CVT with <40k clicks for ~11L
2. 2022 ZX CVT with ~50k clicks for ~13L

I feel like the first option is a great VFM (given the astronomical prices of cars in the used market) and am planning to check out the car in person the first thing we land in Hyderabad.

Ciaz AT

The Ciaz, feels familiar because I have driven a Dzire for a long time. I have only found one "good" option for it:

2021 Alpha AT with 32k clicks for ~9.5L

i20 N

Feels like a good option to consider because this is the only hatchback that comes with a CVT (or DCT).

I am now wondering what would be a good option to go for. The heart wants to get a City (even if that means getting a new one).

I am aware of the Amaze with the CVT transmission but after driving the Dzire, I just don’t want to go for a brand new sub 4m sedan. A hatchback is still worth considering.

The big question

Do I go with one of these used options or should I actually suck it up and buy a brand new cheap car?

I am open to hearing suggestions from everyone. Please let me know your thoughts on the options I have listed and what would be the most logical option to go with (both used or new).

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

If its certain that you'll be going back in a couple of years - I'd buy a cheap all purpose new hatchback (Ignis, Baleno, Altroz, Glanza, i20 etc) - even AMT for that matter, use it as a beater for the 1-2 years, and sell it off when returning to native place. Don't get attached to the car at all. Just get a long term keeper once you settle down afterwards.

Presently you'll be in the run-around mode of relocation related hassles and daily chores. What you need is a reliable car that you can take for any errand without issues. A pre-owned car no matter where you get it from - always has a higher chance of needing garage visits than a new one. Eliminate this variable during this small stint. It will make a big difference.

Hyderabad after-all is a metro city. Has its perils of traffic and parking issues even if not as pronounced as BLR/BOM. A compact hatchback will be convenient.
In case your stay extends for a long term in Hyderabad - you can keep the hatchback as a beater and add a larger car for touring.

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