SUV vs sedan: Which one to choose on a 40L budget?

I really liked Hycross but there is a waiting for 1.5 years and I do not intend to wait for that long.

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I am currently a proud owner of Honda City IVTEC 2013 model. The car has generally worked very well for me for the past 11+ years, now looking for an upgrade. Typical run is 8000-10000 kms per year. It will be driven by me and I have a family of 5 people. Mostly in the Delhi-NCR area with occasional highway tours.

My first love have been sedan cars, but alas, there are no sedan cars available in the 25-40 lacs budget.

I considered the sub-20 lacs segment but found City to be the best amongst them keeping comfort, mileage, reliability in mind. Ignored that segment altogether as I don't want to keep driving City for another 10 years plus wanted to have a feel good factor of an upgrade.

I went above to 40+ lacs category; considered

• Camry: Very reliable and comfortable but the features look quite outdated for the price. Also, it is strictly 4-seater due to big central tunnel
• Merc A200: Quite cramped. Just did not feel like getting into luxury category with a impractical and over priced product.
• BMW 2-series: Same as Merc A200

Next I considered the SUVs, did not want to go with Diesel options and reliability, mileage, regular maintenance being a concern ruled out most of the options. I really liked Hycross but there is a waiting for 1.5 years (they are not even taking ZX, ZX(O) bookings at the moment) and I do not intend to wait for that long. Also, I did not like the attitude of the local dealer, they were just discouraging me to consider Hycross and were pushing for either Hyryder or Camry. It was a big put-off. I am open to consider XUV 700 petrol though but unaware of the waiting period there plus I am yet to take a test drive.

A friend advised me too check out EVs too. Though my annual run is not very high but I have a soft corner for them. Also, I plan to retain my City through its remaining lifetime of 3+ years. Considered

• BYD Atto 3: Liked the design but found suspension hard to my comfort levels. Unsure of quality of interior material and Chinese make is another concern
• BYD Seal: Looks stunning but low ground clearance. Dont want to keep that hassle. Chinese make is another concern.
• Ioniq 5: Absolutely loved it. Good space and features. Currently top of mind but little expensive for my budget.

I know I am looking into all sort of options right now but purchasing a ~40 lacs vehicle which I intend to keep for 10+ years is a big decision and I want to avoid buyer's remorse later.

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

Simple reasoning as per my personal experience and choice:

Love pushing the car along the corners and love driving with a sporty experience, then it's the sedan.

Love touring along the country side and loading the car with heavy stuff. Also have to take many people along and have to drive out skirts then it is the SUV.

But also need to show-off your calibure, then you need to pick a luxury SUV.

If your travel is too less, that is less than 25 km per day, pick a petrol. If your travel is more than 55-60 km per day that can got upto 100 kms, then pick a diesel or Hybrid. If your useage is in the middle, then electric is optimal

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

Looks like the main reason you want to go for an SUV is the lack of sedan options. How about trying the Pre-owned route. 30-40lakhs will be a sweet budget to get a proper premium German sedan. Being in NCR you should have a lot of options also. Just need to be cautious about finding a good example.

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

Go for XUV700 AX7L AWD. It is well within your budget and an ultra modern car. It is a driver's car and good as chauffeur driven too. All the niggles have been sorted in the last two years of its existence. The waiting period was 30-45 days when I last checked. But it depends on the colour of your choice. If a batch is coming out of factory and you are in luck, the car could be yours in a week as well.
Not sure why you want a petrol, modern Diesels are good too. They are low reviving and fun to drive.

On highways the adaptive cruise control and follow features will reduce the stress.

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

I'd recommend you also checkout the following cars before pulling the trigger:

A4 - Feels premium inside out and considering its due for a new generation almost all the niggles feel ironed out. The A4 will certainly ease out the cons you have against the 2 series and A class.

Q3 - Not as premium as the A4 on the inside, but gets better GS and above everything else it gets Quattro across the trim levels.

Kodiaq - Again due for a replacement shortly, most niggles would have been fixed by now. Most car for your money frankly if you can live with the dated design.

Fortuner 4x2 AT: If you don't mind a ladder on frame construction this still remains the top selling product in this price band.

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