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BHPian ComboCutter recently shared this with other enthusiasts.
The First car I bought: Elevate VX Automatic
Why the Elevate?
When I did the test drives for the car purchase research, I liked how the Honda City handled the urban roads and highways but unfortunately, I was not into sedans. A good SA experience also led to the Honda Elevate being booked. I booked the VX CVT variant in Obsidian Blue Pearl colour when the pre-bookings opened.
My Car Search Journey:
Till the later half of 2022, I was not a big car guy and I was content to get around with a moped or by public transportation or taxi services rather than a car. But the car bug bit me after a proper long trip between Chennai and Goa in a friend's MG Hector in late 2022.
I was initially apprehensive about the long drive, but the Hector made it a breeze. The ride was incredibly comfortable, even on the rough roads of some of the smaller towns and villages in Karnataka that we passed through (the in-built navigator took us through some unusual routes). The interior was spacious and well-appointed. By the end of the trip, The comfortable ride and its features really impressed me and nudged me to buy my own. This further was fueled by my workplace's new 3-day hybrid work policy. Work is a good 40-45 kms roundtrip from my home every workday on my moped.
I decided to start by doing test drives of all the cars that were available in the market. I wanted to get a feel for the different cars and see what I liked and didn't like. I also wanted to compare the different features and prices. MG's showroom experience was a disappointment, even after two showroom visits, I am yet to get a Test Drive! Also, I didn't test drive any Toyota or Mahindra as their SAs were borderline rude on multiple occasions when I visited their showrooms. Not all were bad, Skoda and Honda SAs were very cordial and readily offered multiple test drives (even long) on request for the Kushaq and City.
Finally, after much brouhaha, I narrowed in on SUVs, the sedans and the hatchbacks didn't interest me much. I also didn't want Diesel. I narrowed in on three models,
I liked the Citroen C3's ride quality but the car didn't feel right with me with missed features. Also, the Chennai dealership doesn't even have a turbo for test drives, a year after launch. (too many red flags)
I booked Seltos and Nexon EV by the end of June, after extensive reading of reviews, maintenance posts, and ownership stories on them on Team-BHP. Both of them had a couple of months waiting period for the colour and model that I wanted and thank god they did.
I knew high maintenance would be an issue for the Kushaq but SC reviews from your friend's circle really make an impact so I didn't book the Kushaq. The SA did try to alleviate some of the pet-peeves while I appreciated his efforts, I didn't go ahead with a booking.
I cancelled the Nexon EV booking after the SA failed to provide proper responses or any updates after a while. The Seltos booking was cancelled for its facelift.
The Hyundai Exter, Honda Elevate, and Seltos Facelift launched at the start of July, and I booked all of them.
Why not Exter? (I know Exter is an odd shortlist of my search; I myself ask the same but it just is) I booked the Exter as it was feature-packed and appealing to an extent, I test-drove it before booking, and was good within the city. My family also liked the car. I cancelled the Exter booking by the end of August after multiple requests for a delivery date were answered within a couple of weeks which never came. Also, paying a premium for a potentially less safe car didn't feel right to me.
Why not Seltos? Seltos HTX 1.5 NA was from the start a compromise for me as it is the only option left after eliminating the Creta, Astor, or GV. I liked the turbo petrol but the HTX IVT was already exceeding my budget and my experience with iMT was not good earlier so the HTK+ iMT was eliminated. So I cancelled the Seltos booking after confirming the Elevate PDI. Kia SAs were okay and did follow-up for feedback. (which all companies should do)
Why Not Elevate the ZX CVT variant? I didn't really feel the need to get everything the top variant offered (based on that screenshot of features across variants that were going around). I have also felt the ADAS a bit intrusive when driving on the highway at speed in the City (I won't trust a camera-based system on Indian roads by taking my hands off; nor should you), so was content with not having ADAS. If your budget permits go for the top, I feel ADAS would be greatly useful in traffic.
The Elevate delivery experience:
A test drive and the PDI were done during the second and third week of September, and full payment was made for the car with a delivery by 23/24 September. I went with Honda Insurance because the quotes from outside were just a little less than Honda's quote. I also took some accessories and the basic kit.
SA also conveyed they are planning a mass delivery event and will keep me informed about it. The mass delivery event was fixed on the 24th, and the car registration was completed on the 22nd. I decided to go ahead and take delivery during the event.
The organized event was good but did feel I was rushed with the documents. They didn't have a copy of the insurance and payment receipts. I only shared the digital copies in the subsequent days and have yet to receive the documents in person.
I checked the car briefly for any damages. the ordered accessories were all installed except for the floor mats which were just in the boot in their plastic covers. The SA also didn't have space or time for the demo of the car during the event and assured me of a detailed demonstration at my house. The SA didn't fulfill their assurances even after the request, I did receive a demonstration when I visited their showroom later in the week.
It has been a long week after delivery and I really like driving the Elevate. The car has already been driven nearly 400 kms. I have driven it 50:50 on the highway (took the long route to the office) and the city, and here are my thoughts on the car,
What's great:
What's okay:
What's not okay:
What's next? (Besides long pleasant drives)
Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.