A new car for Rs. 30 lakhs

The new car will be used by me. It will see about 1000-1200 km monthly usage mostly in the city. It will be the only car used on the highways so it needs to be spacious and comfortable.

BHPian agrawalyash11 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I am looking for a new 30-lakh rupee car for a family of 4. There weren't any threads with updates answers/choices so I started a new one.

Background - We currently own a Hyundai Verna (7-years old) and a Tata Nexon EV( about 8 months old now).

We had a Vitara Brezza earlier but sold it in August 2020 to make way for the EV. Nexon is now the car which we primarily use for our daily business. It is the best car one could ask for in that budget for city use. Strictly city use though because of the range.

Used the Brezza earlier for long trips but since its gone, have been using the Verna. We have done 4 trips to Surat and 1 trip to Udaipur in the Verna in the past 7 months and are quite surprised by how comfortable it is on the highway. Unfortunately, it is showing its age and we need a new car that does well in the city and on the highway.

Verna is for my mom and it will mostly be used for city duties. Not getting rid of it anytime soon. The manual is still very smooth and very fun to drive.

Nexon EV is used by me and my dad. It is primarily chauffer-driven since we travel 80kms daily within city limits throughout the day and my dad and is on the phone for most of the time.

The new car will be used by me. It will see about 1000-1200 km monthly usage mostly in the city. It will be the only car used on the highways so it needs to be spacious and comfortable.

Didn't consider the Tata twins since we already have a Tata product.

Toyota Innova hasn't been considered yet although probably not gonna do it since for 30 lakhs, it doesn't seem a value proposition. Also seems too large for the city.

Test Drove the T-Roc and father was thoroughly underwhelmed by it. Seemed very barebones and cramped in the rear seats. Also who needs HEATED SEATS? Especially here in Ahmedabad where temperatures reach 45 degress on a good day.

Ventilated seats was a feature we were actively looking for but gave up on it since none in this price point seemed to offer it.

We are confused between the Tucson and Compass. The scales are tipping towards the Tucson. We are not in a hurry to make a decision so any upcoming launches in 3-4 months are also welcome. I turn to the wisdom of Team-BHP members who can help me make the choice.

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

Requirements are not clear - Fuel type (open for petrol), SUV / Sedan or either, manual or automatic.

Of your shortlist, Compass is not spacious and the automatic drive was underwhelming. However, the new Compass has really moved up on interior quality and has a great ride. Tucson is good on space and engine but doesnt drive as well as the Compass and the interiors doesn't justify the price.

If open for petrol, I would suggest waiting for the new Octavia and VW Tiguan. These might be between 30 to 35 lakhs OTR.

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

Upcoming launches that could be worth considering:

1) Skoda Octavia : A great driver's car, perfect size for the city & highway. If the dealer support in your town is good, could be worth considering with extended warranty ticked.

2) Hyundai Alcazar / Creta : A 7 seater / 5 seater with great cargo room. However, I am not too convinced on the highway safety looking at how its sibling Kia Seltos fared.

3) Kushaq / Taigun : A segment lower than the Tucson, though its a fresh design which should be paired with mature ride / handling, good engines, good safety, etc. Legroom should be similar / slightly better than T-Roc.

Currently available options that you can consider are:

1) Tucson : a new model is expected shortly, but the current model is very well priced, has good interiors, fairly reliable & safe (volumes don't justify cost cutting), good engine, and a suspension tuned more towards ride comfort. If the Octavia doesn't work out, this would be my pick too.

2) Compass : I find it overpriced & cramped, but ride & handling is brilliant! You would enjoy it daily but would find the Tucson to be more practical on highway trips with family.

3) Citroen AirCross : Overpriced and cramped judging by reports, but supposedly very comfortable and easy to drive. Between this & the Compass, choice would be whichever is more appealing to you.

4) Innova : It's a great workhorse. I would give this to the driver and enjoy the comfort in town; using the Nexon for self driving.

At this price, you can even consider some pre-owned options such as a fairly late model BMW X1 (2019-2020), W212 E Class, F10 5 series. If this appeals, do look around for well maintained low run examples & keep some money aside to help with repairs. Look for facelifted models towards the end of production cycle (2016-2017).

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