Fun-to-drive car with 150+ BHP under 20 lakh: Upgrading from a VW Polo

Some of the popular options include the Hyundai Verna 1.5 & VW Virtus, with a special mention to the Honda City 1.5.

BHPian PetrolHead2272 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Posting this on behalf of a cousin:

He is in his mid-20s and is looking for his first proper fun-to-drive car after lugging around the asthmatic MPFi engine of his Polo for a few years. He has put on many kilometres till now so he's confident enough to handle cars well above 150+ BHP too.

Requirements:

• It has to be a manual, no automatics at all.
• Petrol
• Average running of around 10-15k annually.
• No conditions as such except for the fact that the car should be insanely fun to drive.
• C2 segment only
• Maximum price should be around 20L
• It should be an all-rounder in fun-to-drive terms. ie excellent handling and outright acceleration

Options:

1. Verna 1.5 turbo
2. Slavia 1.5
3. Virtus 1.5
4. City 1.5 vtec
5. Kushaq 1.5
6. Taigun 1.5
7. Creta turbo
8. Seltos 1.5
9. Elevate vtec
10. Hyryder mild hybrid

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

First off, I'd rule out the Hyryder mild hybrid. I have two cars with the same engine, my Brezza and my Grand Vitara. They're not the definition of fun-to-drive, more like utilitarian and reliable.

If sedan vs crossover is not a great deal breaker, I'd suggest a sedan. And turbos over NA petrol, in general.

Following would be my suggestion for sedans, in order of priority:

1. Slavia/Virtus 1.5 Turbo (might go over 20 lakhs)
2. Verna 1.5 Turbo (might go over 20 lakhs)
3. City 1.5 (bang within budget, with some minor misses)

If crossovers are his thing then:

1. Elevate 1.5 (in many ways, a better car than the City. The best Honda on sale right now)
2. Kushaq/Taigun 1.5 (excellent cars, but will go above 20 lakhs)
3. Creta/Seltos 1.5 (might hit your budget cap)

Normally, I wouldn't suggest VW/Skoda to any prospective buyer as I have quite a dim view of their service centres. That said, the Polo ownership experience might have introduced him to VW dealers. So if you have recalibrated your expectations accordingly, please go for their offerings.

If still in doubt, just close your eyes and get the Elevate.

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

I have driven both the Virtus 1.5 and the Verna 1.5. I would pick the Verna every day. Why?

1. Handling is not too far off from the Virtus.
2. The pull of that 10 HP across the rev range is more
3. Better after-sales
4. Better interiors, features
5. Surely would be more reliable in the long run in the Indian driving conditions

The rest of the cars don’t stand a chance in front of the above two in fun-to-drive categories.

PS: special mention is the City with that cream of a petrol motor which you can rev to the moon. But that's about it.

Here's what BHPian AKSarkar1 had to say on the matter:

It is evident that the competition is mainly between the Virtus 1.5 and the Verna 1.5

Even though I am a diehard VAG India supporter with my garage having almost every iteration of their earlier cars from the Polo to the Passat, the current generation of the VWs and Skodas are just not at par with the OGs. Not to say that they are not good cars but I definitely won’t pay the premium that they are demanding anymore. Simply put, there is a stark difference between the true breed European versions that were localized as per India’s needs as compared to the ones that are made here with cost-cutting in mind. Not my cup of tea…

This was mainly the reason why I chose the Verna over the Virtus and trust me I couldn’t be happier. The car is big, comfy, loaded to the gills with features and looks like something that Audi/BMW would design. The value proposition of having a German logo on their hood and having to pay a premium for it only holds up until a certain point!

My advice would be to go in for the Verna if you are looking for the Sedan or the Elevate if you are looking for a crossover. All the best!

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

First of all, I would exclude the Hyryder Mild Hybrid (it is mild in every sense when it comes to power and performance in comparison to the other cars in this segment), For a real fun-to-drive experience, I would recommend Sedans over SUVs and VW/Skoda over Hyundai/Kia or Honda.

Considering the same, my recommendation would be to go for the Virtus 1.5 MT or Slavia 1.5 MT, followed by the Verna 1.5 MT. if you want to go for SUVs, then Taigun 1.5 MT followed by Kushaq 1.5 MT would be my pick of the lot. All the others may leave you wanting.

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

Considering it should be insanely fun to drive, and the fact that he has driven a hatchback in the past, he should pick a sedan over an SUV. Within the sedans, I think the VAG cars have created more than a reputation in terms of driving dynamics.

Between the Virtus and the Slavia, it comes down to personal preference. If he's been happy with the Polo and knows the dealership and SA well, the Virtus 1.5 MT seems like the right step up! The car is MOD friendly too!

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.