I was looking for comfort & power & hence I had also shortlisted the Mercedes-Benz GLC & the Toyota Fortuner.

BHPian sethu.murali recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Happy to share that today we took delivery of our Starry Night Tucson from the Advaith Hyundai Showroom at the Billekahalli branch. First time taking delivery of a car that I didn't test drive but convinced about the capabilities and performance of this international car. The short drive today did not disappoint and everything worked smoothly.

Selecting the car

With my Duster around 8 years old, it was time to identify the next workhorse. Until late last year, Duster was such a beauty to drive around, very planted, has nice power when you are on the highways and is very sure of itself in any situation. But alas, things started to go south with back-to-back injector failures (middle of highway drive with family) in a span of 2K Kms. Mine was an AWD model with 110PS. Many owners are reporting this problem and Renault had a casual response citing that the quality of fuel is circumspect. Very poor way to respond to customers when they are still a growing brand in India and their stand in these situations not helping at all.

Now for my next one, I was clear I do not need complex engineering in the form of AWD and want a simple 2WD as my off-roading is close to nil even with the eight years of my Duster (bought the AWD as the ride quality was significantly better during that time).

I looked for better comfort and more power, more modern looking with all the bells and whistles. Shortlisted Merc GLC, Fortuner and then Hyundai Tucson. GLC was way above the planned budget though the looks and the drive of the car are fantastic. Fortuner started to slip from my interest as Toyota is very clearly looking to overhaul its diesel models with its discontinuation of booking of several diesel models. Fortuner is fun to drive and totally gives the boss mode while driving. With so many videos popping up on the YT about the new Tucson, started to take a serious look at this vehicle. Tucson completely appealed to my senses, features to my liking and my family loved the look of the car and its space.

Booking experience

Initially, went ahead and booked a Creta (as Tucscon was not launched). Creta had a waiting period of 6 months when I booked in Jan 2022. However, I knew that the Tucson launch is in the second half of 2022 (Thanks to NDTV Car&bike) and requested my SA to switch the booking to Tucson once the bookings are announced. Waited patiently for the launch and bookings to announce. My SA mentioned the dealer needs an additional amount to transfer the booking to Tucson which I complied with.

Once the bookings started, the allocation funda is a grey area and no one has any control over the car allocation process. There are so many different powers at play - Dealer, Hyundai Plant, Hyundai Sales. When I received the news from the dealer that the vehicle may take 6 to 8 months more to deliver as a standard response, I lost hope of getting this sooner. Then I had a chance to explain my case to the HMIL team about staying in the queue from pre-booking time for Tucson and asked for their help. The HMIL team deserves thanks and took my case with priority to allocate vehicles - either plant production or through cancellation around allotment time. My second choice was Starry Night color which got allotted.

PDI and delivery

The dealer called up and confirmed that the car is allotted. Shared a proforma for the 2WD Signature Diesel model. Asking for payment to release the vehicle for delivery from Hyundai. Though the dealer mentioned that insurance can be from my side, he cited the benefits coming from the Hyundai Assurance Program with the insurance. With my bad experience with Duster at the back of my mind, I went for the Hyundai Insurance program. Added 5-year warranty.

Once the payment is completed, the PDI was arranged in 2 days - at the stockyard and saw the beautiful Starry Night color and instantly knew that the vehicle is the perfect choice for my needs. Thanks to Team-BHP for the continuing details with the changing times around PDI, the whole event went smoothly.

Once in agreement, the dealer started the RTO process and got this completed in a day. I wanted the delivery on Sunday, 02nd Oct and the dealer obliged. After some nice celebrations at the dealer’s place, we took delivery of our new car. Went with sweet boxes to be distributed to everyone at the dealership. Bought just the floor mat and a couple of pillows as accessories. Completed Fastag installation with Kotak at the dealer’s place.

First drive

The dealer had a person familiar with Tucson to explain the features and familiarize the myriad tech support inside. It is not easy to get schooled at this age on how to use features. Decided to learn on the go, took delivery and started to ride back home. Initial surprises with ADAS active help and beeps, the steering starts to feel heavy the moment the vehicle crosses 40Kms and struggling to find where and how to use the features of the car. It is going to take a while to get used to the change but loved the ride quality. Off to puja at a nearby Anjenaya swami temple and brought the car to my parking space.

What next

Looking to do PPF for this color as it is very easy to get scratches, master the controls and report back on the car and its performance to my extended team here.

I just have to thank everyone here in this thread who helped with their experiences and postings, Team-BHP for the fantastic car collaboration site. Happy to report this is the third car that I bought with their input and no-nonsense reviews.

Thank you folks and keep the thread busy. Enjoy the festivities and my best wishes to all.

Here's what BHPian Stuttgart had to say about the matter:

Heartiest Congratulations on the new car! That is one nice-looking shade.

I visited another dealership here in Mumbai that had a Petrol TD vehicle available. The TD experience was really underwhelming (no offence to all Delhi NCR folks who are forced to pick petrol powertrains). A car of this size definitely deserves a Turbo petrol unit at least. It's a shame that we don't get the engine options (including hybrids) that the rest of the world gets and is so happy about.

One surprising thing I noticed was all the Tucsons that were ready for delivery at that dealership had genuine Hyundai mats in them. I remember reading posts on this forum about how these mats are not available with dealers yet. My SA said these mats are the only accessories being provided by Hyundai for Tucson so far.

Here's what BHPian KrishKallapur had to say about the matter:

Congratulations and wish you many happiest miles.

As you mentioned, it takes a while to make friends with this car. It chats a lot.

Here's what BHPian neel911 had to say about the matter:

Congratulations and wishing you many more miles of fun driving. A beautiful colour and goes well with the car. Hoping to see more Tucson on the road as deliveries ramp up. I saw White Tucson (not TD vehicle) 2 days back on road.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

This is the third car which I have sold and all of them were through Team-BHP Classifieds.

BHPian Tgo recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

SOLD! the White One.

This had been a long time coming. With me moving to Canada last year and my brother going to the field next year my Dad was going to juggle between 4 Cars and 2 bikes, in a household where he is the only driver.

So that's the 3rd vehicle we ever sold, and all three were through Team-BHP classifieds:

With an optimistic figure in mind, we posted the ad on Team-BHP classifieds. There was only one response, and that was it. The person who approached had known and read about the car on this thread and didn't have any unreasonable requests. He negotiated only after seeing the car in person and sent two offers while still waiting for us to respond to his offers. So in a course of 2 months, this gentleman, true to his words, sent the final offer and we finalised at a price less than listed, but not too bad for a Renault with >200K km on the odd.

A few parting shots on the day it left us, with 3 months short of 10 years and 215,556 km of delightful service. That mileage has sort of become a theme with the Qualis as well, earlier.

What's gone is gone, and we believe in moving on. I wish the new owner well with the ownership and am sure he would have no issues crossing 350K km with this well-kept example. If he chooses to update us that's well and good, but we have no plans of following up on its journey now. It would be nice to get a glimpse of it once in a while.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The Duster AWD has visited multiple states across India and has driven through various kinds of terrains.

BHPian Samba recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Duster turns 4 with 55,400 km on the odometer.

The journey till now had its own share of ups and downs. But happy to report, that it's been a smooth sail for the last 30,000 km. I hope the teething issues have been resolved for good. Fingers crossed!

Few fun facts:

Together we have completed 30 road trips.

• Driving on snow - Check
• Driving on sand - Check
• Driving on slush - Check
• Driving inside a forest - Check
• Off-Roading in an OTR - Check

States covered:

• West Bengal
• Odisha
• Chhattisgarh
• Madhya Pradesh
• Jharkhand
• Bihar
• Uttar Pradesh
• Uttarakhand
• Sikkim
• Assam
• Arunachal Pradesh
• Meghalaya

Sharing a few pics:

A fun off-road video to highlight the prowess of the AWD.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

Tyres are going to be the next big expense, along with a suspension overhaul.

BHPian Tgo recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Green One - 7 Years-Up! | 140K Service

With most of the fluids changed last time, this service was a quick one. The cost of the diesel fuel filter is touching Rs 3,500 bucks now. Other than that, the car has been fuss-free. It became difficult for my parents to travel during the heat wave. With the White one nearing 10 years, trips requiring travelling through NCR are done in this one only.

Insurance was renewed by Royal Sundaram and we managed to get Zero-Dep coverage for the 8th year of ownership. Expensive, but it's probably the last time it is offered.

Tyres are going to be the next big expense along with a suspension overhaul. Will wait for it till I get back in February and assess the situation.

Used just by my Dad these days who cycles between this and the white one. Still, it averages out at 20,000 km in the 7 years of ownership.

Here are some stats for the nerdy kin.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

A few cars on my list include the Skoda Slavia, Tata Safari, Jeep Compass & Mahindra Scorpio N.

BHPian forty6 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hola fellow internal combustion engine lovers.

I am in a quandary.

I have a 6-year-old Duster AWD which has done 77K kms. Not all of those have been in the city. It has done Gurgaon to Dhanushkodi. Bhutan. Spiti. And quite a lot of trips to Himachal and Uttrakhand. In fact, the girl I was in love with, was just like me in love with the hills, maybe that's why I fell in love with her but I digress. So, since both of us were smitten with hills, I sold my first car - Fabia, and got the Duster. Frankly going to Duster from Fabia was quite a let down, in terms of equipment and interiors, but mechanically the Duster was leagues ahead. It had AWD, independent rear suspension, cruise control, speed limiter, ESP and switchable traction control. From the F1 days, I had known that Renault were brilliant with software, read traction control, so I had no qualms with the electronics. Or using them. The speed limiter is a life saver these days with speed cameras popping up everywhere.

Then there is the subjective thing of looks. I just love the way the Duster looks and its proportions. I think lots of car makers don't really get proportions right. It doesn't look that tough, but apparently, it is. I also like its squattish looks.

But, what I absolutely love is the fact that it can go anywhere. It has the ability to surprise you. Fast corners, take them. Steep incline, just press on. Snow and ice, easy peasy. Sand, ok maybe not its cup of tea. But still, if there is a car that embodies the war time Britain's favourite line "Keep Calm and Carry on" this one is it. In fact, for a crossover, it does the car bit also very well. I have surprised many car owners on fast mountain roads, the Duster skimming the camber like a surfer on waves. Its mechanical grip is very good and then there is its ability to simultaneously transfer information of the road to your fingerprints while not letting you know the professional integrity, or rather lack of it, of the Chief Engineer of PWD or NHAI or BRO.

To be honest, I love it for it can flirt with Centripetal force while still adoring bad roads.

Oh, oh, the engine + gearing is a peach too.

So, not with the 10-year thingmajig in NCR looming and stories about injector issues scaring me, I was thinking of replacing it.

I value ride quality, steering heft, a good punchy engine, mechanical grip, an elegant proportionate design and a good AC. The rest are kinda negotiable.

What are my options?

Err, these.

• Skoda Slavia 1.5: What?! Ok, I get it. Not really the go-anywhere machine that I want, but it tugs at my heart. It has very good ground clearance too. So, can kind of do bad roads I guess. Ok, maybe not Spiti and other such solutions to a mid-life crisis but it will be better at dealing with roundabouts and twisty roads better than any SUV.
• Tata Safari: The more I look at the XUV 700 the more I realise I don't like its design. It is just the XUV 500 with some nip and tuck. And I never liked XUV 500. I understand that in terms of engine and suspension (independent rear) it is better, but I still like the Harrier/Safari combo. But, two problems with it. One, and this is me being a weirdo, I hate the way its rear axle looks from behind. I don't know, can't explain, but just makes me go barf. The second is that it is still FWD and if I have to go FWD, should I go for...
• Jeep Compass: Like the looks, like the interiors and I know it rides and drives well. But, expensive, since I can't afford the 4x4, and for an SUV its approach angle is atrocious. And did I say expensive?
• ScorpioN: The number of jokes I have cracked on the Scorpio and those who drive them, are going to come and bite me in the behind and be proof of the karmic theory, but it looks like a decent package. Maybe just RWD is going to be good enough, since I have seen enough and more Boleros and Scorpios eat the crap roads in the hills, that is the most off-road I am going to be doing. I am just worried about Mahindra's ability to even make classy things chintzy. And the fact that it is a B0F chassis, and I don't think it will really be that much enjoyable on the good roads in the hills. The suspension and inherent nature of BoF chassis might make it a bit boing boing even on straight but undulated highways that we have many of. So, that's that.

What do you guys think and recommend?

Here's what GTO had to say about the matter:

My first question to you is, why on earth do you want to replace a 6-year-old car with just 77000 km on the odo? Please spend some time on my thread on keeping cars for long. Most BHPians now retain their cars for 9 - 10 years.

You need to do some serious calculations.

• Is it financially wise to keep the Duster till the 9th or 10th year, then sell it off for a lower price? How much will you get for your car in the 9th - 10th year?
• Or sell it today? How much will you get today?

Don't worry about the cost of injectors. It's always cheaper to repair your existing car than to buy a new one.

You'll love the driving pleasure of the Slavia. One heck of a turbo-petrol sedan, the most fun <20 lakhs. Just be prepared for the usual Skoda ownership nonsense.

I don't think you'll be happy with the Safari, after a Duster AWD. The XUV700 is a better car IMHO.

Maybe you could also consider a 2-year-old Compass 4x4 that might fall within your budget?

We're driving the Scorpio N next week & embargoes for the first drive end on 30th June @ 10 AM. Mahindra body-on-frames haven't usually offered a good balance between ride & handling, so after a Duster AWD, keep your expectations real.

Here's what BHPian Shreyans_Jain had to say about the matter:

Best option: Keep the Duster going for another 3 years. Evidently, your car is in fair shape and will easily serve you without six-figure expenses. Eke out as much as you can from it. You won’t get much for it today anyway.

If you have made up your mind to replace it, your best bet is a pre-loved Compass 4x4. Maybe even the Trailhawk version of you find one. Compass residual values have increased over the past 2 years, but it is still a steal, especially for the top variant.

Coming from a Duster 4x4, it is highly unlikely that you will find the ride and handling of a ladder frame vehicle satisfactory. It’s a very different driving experience, you either love it or hate it.

Here's what BHPian dhanushs had to say about the matter:

Hey buddy, if you are selling your Duster, I will be seriously interested.

That said, it's again hard to replace the qualities of the Duster, like the ride quality, the AWD capability etc in a similar price bracket. Your replacement (Upgrade) would be a used Endeavour or a Jeep Compass.

You can even consider the XUV700 for that matter.

Here's what BHPian padmrajravi had to say about the matter:

You should get the Scorpio N. And the 4x4 AT version at that. You love the hills and I don't think anything better than Scorpio N is in the pipeline for the next couple of years.

XUV700 would have been the better choice for you since you are coming from a Duster. But I get the point about the looks. Even though a great package, XUV700's looks let it down. I was never able to digest it as well. And if your car does not prompt you to take pictures of it every now and then, it is not the right car for you.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The journey of this 50,000 km with my Duster AWD was not very smooth.

BHPian Samba recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

50,000 km service update - Odo reads 49,240 km

The 50k service update:

Parts replaced:

• Engine oil (Castrol, Mineral)
• Oil filter
• Air filter
• Fuel Filter
• Ac Filter
• Tappet cover for engine oil seepage
• Front brake pads
• Rear brake shoes
• Both the front wiper blades
• An underbelly protection clamp which got bent during an OTR

Damage to pocket:

• 50k scheduled maintenance - Rs 5,500
• Brake pads - Rs 4,400
• Brake shoes - Rs 6,200
• Tappet cover - Rs 3,200
• Diesel filter - Rs 3,200
• Wiper blades- Rs 1,000
• An underbelly protection clamp (Both sides) - Rs 1600

Total: Rs 23,300 with tax & labor. Got some discounts and freebies as summer camp was going on.

Let me share approximate details with the cost of all the work done to date.

List of parts changed under warranty:

• 5 injectors: Each costs Rs 29,000 = Rs 145,000
• Finally, Renault changed the engine wiring harness to solve the repeated injector failures in my car: Rs 17,000
• EGR - Renault suspected this of the coolant consumption issue, but it was not the culprit. Still replaced: Approximately Rs 13,000
• Head Gasket - Renault suspected this of the coolant consumption issue, but it was not the culprit. Still replaced: Approximately Rs 7,000
• Radiator & hose - The culprit was a minor crack in the radiator joint. The actual reason for the coolant consumption issue: Approximately Rs 7,000
• Steering angle sensor - Due to a faint nose while rotating the steering wheel: Approximately Rs 8,500
• Wheel cylinders: Rs 7,000
• Fuel Float due to erratic behaviour of the fuel meter: Rs 3,000
• Dashboard wiring harness due to the erratic behaviour of the fuel meter: Rs 25,000
• Cluster meter due to erratic behaviour of the fuel meter: Rs 8,000
• Fuel tank - Due to erratic behaviour of the fuel meter: Approximately Rs 35,000

Approx: Rs 2.75 Lakh! (FOC)

Parts replaced due to wear & tear:

• Front Brake pads (twice) Approximately Rs 4,400 X 2 = Rs 8,800
• Rear Brake shoes: Rs 6,200
• Turbo hose O-Ring: Approximately Rs 600
• Diesel filter while changing injectors on a trip: Approximately Rs 3,000
• Tappet cover (twice): Rs- 3,200 X 2 = 6,400
• Rear Shock - absorbers both sides: Rs 14,600
• Battery: Rs 6,200
• Four Tyres: Rs 29,000
• Underbelly protection clamp (Both sides): Rs 1,600

Approx: Rs 75,000. (Paid by me).

General service:

10,000 km, 20,000 km, 30,000 km, 40,000 km & 50,000 km approximately Rs 10,000-12,000 per service: Roughly Rs 50,000

Total money spent by me: Rs 125,000 approximately.

Cost per kilometre: Rs 2.50

The above figures are a rough estimate after 3 years & 8 months with 49,240 km covered.

The journey of this 50,000 km with my Duster AWD was not very smooth. There are a few excellent and a few horror stories to share. A competent car with few glitches which Renault never bothered to rectify during the whole production period of the Duster. This made the car unreliable twice during my trips.

Special mention to Renault Budgebudge for trying their best to keep my car in the best possible condition. They have gone out of their way to help me to solve the issues. Few parts were changed under warranty as a trial and error method which was actually not necessary. But I must say in the end they have rectified all the problems successfully. The last 10,000 km was totally niggle free.

Let's see how the car performs henceforth. Fingers crossed.

My first participation in a night out. Duster exceeded my expectations with its off-road capabilities

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

We checked out multiple cars like the Skoda Kushaq, VW Taigun, Kia Sonet & Seltos. Tata Motors wasn't even on our radar.

BHPian subuiyer recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

This is an overview of the selection process and buying experience of my Harrier XZA+ Kaziranga edition.

For a detailed review of this vehicle, please refer to this.

The context

My previous ride – Duster AWD – in its 7th year nearing 70K. Significant expenditure on the following components in the past 18 months, but also meant it was running like new:

• 3/4 Injectors
• Diesel rail
• Front shocks

Undertook damping on doors and boot from 3M (acoustic solution) recently and the Duster was in top shape.

A parting shot of the 7-yr old Duster AWD

Since the start of the 7th year, my thinking has been that I should reduce vehicle footprint – a 5-seater compact or even sub-compact SUV should be my next buy. I realised that most of my use will be for commuting to work in Mumbai region, with occasional long drives.

The need

A 5-seater SUV that also must offer: Diesel, auto-box, > avg ride quality for long drives (err, 6+ yrs of Duster AWD – need I say more?), high-ground clearance, ventilated (at least front) seats (yes, a must-have now).

The wish

A vehicle that also offered as many contemporary features as possible for the target price point.

Been eying Kia Sonet diesel auto as it ticked most items on my wish list. Also, have been watching upgrades to Venue (I like its less busy design) though secretly wishing the Renegade or Jimny arrive soon (for AWD). My wife and I seemed sure (until that Saturday afternoon) that we would stick with the Duster for another 12-18 months given the wait times and lack of credible upgrade (i.e. AWD) in similar or near-about price points. In addition to the experience with wait time for parts, Renault’s announcement about stopping Duster production triggered something.

The new car selection process – no logic!

Early March, one Saturday afternoon we just set out for test drives.

Jeep Compass

The Compass, though aspirational in its 2022 avatar, was not a serious contender because it was beyond our budget. Yet for some unexplained reason on that Saturday afternoon, we made our first stop at the nearest Landmark showroom. No other customer except us and we were pleasantly surprised when we were immediately offered a test drive of Limited AWD (diesel auto) with 11K on Odo. Drove it only for 20 mins and came out really impressed at the quality of ride, fit and finish. Compass had suddenly become a serious contender even with its exorbitant (for us) price tag. We also took a look at one S variant that was being prepared for delivery. Incidentally, the Trailhawk was being launched that evening and we were invited to the ceremony (nice of them, but we couldn’t attend).

Likes and dislikes

• + executive interior - fit-n-finish, NVH, and I thought tan+ colour interior of limited is fantastic
• + drive – ride, power, high seating position (note I am coming from a brute 6+ yrs old Duster K9K)
• + city drive (only 4-5 kms) was a significant step up for me – didn’t bother taking highway drive (was sure it would pass the muster for me)
• + offered a variant (S) that ticked everything in my list including features – diesel, city-box (auto), ventilated seats, 360 camera, AWD (of course), powered driver & pass seats, sun-roof
• - price tag - way beyond my budget even the limited 4x4

For a few days, the Compass remained a serious contender in that none of the others we looked at seemed to be ticking our ‘need’ list, let alone our wish list. But back of my mind, there was this middle-class guilt of over-spending on a vehicle – which eventually won.

Sonet Diesel Auto GTX+

This was my prime target. Walked into the Kia showroom and it was relatively very busy compared to the Jeep showroom. Again, pleasantly surprised when our sales rep offered a test drive within a minute of the conversation.

The Sonet test drive vehicle was on a beaten diesel GTX auto 2020 model with 15K+ on odo, clearly showing abuse.

Likes and dislikes

• + everything I want in small foot-print – diesel auto, ventilated seats, paddle shifters (obviously test vehicle didn’t have, since this came in 2021 onwards), plus a host of other features we could think of
• - hard ride quality, dark interior (didn’t realize how much I started to dislike it till then), ‘gadgety’ dash staring at the driver
• - at least 4+ months to delivery (officially 6+ months wait)

Seltos Diesel Auto GTX+

This was my wife’s prime target. During the Sonet test drive, the sales rep egged us to try Seltos, clearly trying to upsell. My wife had indicated a preference for the Seltos over Sonet so we agreed to test drive one. Our test drive Seltos was a 2022 Manual GTX+ diesel auto with 5K+ on Odo, but much better maintained.

Likes and dislikes

• + everything I want (everything in Sonet that we just drove) plus paddle shifters, plus lane change camera view in digital cockpit, in a size that didn’t seem to be screaming budget and still easy to commute in within MMR
• - at least 4+ months to delivery (officially 6+ months wait)
• - very stiff ride (which they now claim to have addressed in to be launched 2022 refresh) and again that gadgety dash left us with a sense of inexplicable discomfort

That last bullet point is why our respective primes, Seltos and Sonet lost out (we were ok waiting for a few more months, an opportunity to enjoy our good-as-new Duster AWD into its sunset). I'd like to mention the professionalism of the Kia sales rep - continued to follow up regularly till the time I told him about my purchase.

Kushaq Ambition (1.5 DSG)

I had no intention of making this my next vehicle (didn’t want a petrol even with turbo, but didn’t mind a DSG even with a history), but my wife was keen on testing this (after Seltos). So it had to be the top variant. JMD was the usual treatment – at first, they didn’t seem welcoming as they were too busy with Slavia prospects and test drives. But I had already paid for parking (!!) so hung around for a few more minutes just past the door (let's enjoy the air-conditioning). Finally, someone had a change of heart and approached us. We headed straight to the display vehicle – both of us spent several minutes, sat on every seat since test drive was not available. I was pleasantly surprised with the light-coloured interior, space in the rear and mature dash design (coming from the gadgety Kias). But this top variant was going to cost us a few thousand more than the Seltos – which was a bummer. Don’t remember if they were offering the 4-yr unlimited service back then, but that would have been a plus.

Likes and dislikes

• + space at the back, mature dash design, ventilated seats
• + of course, the drive dynamics of the engine+DSG combo (even without driving one)
• - petrol only so fuel cost (strangely, because were just sold on 2L diesel Compass likely to have similar running fuel cost)
• - price didn’t seem value (compared to Kia)

Hector Diesel (only manual available)

Next went to MG as again wife was keen. The showroom experience was as expected, brilliant. The sales rep was methodical asking the right questions to identify what we wanted (not needed). I told him Hector diesel it is unless there was a plan to launch an auto-box near future. Hector was not available to test drive, so he offered us Hector Plus, which I took.

Likes and dislikes

• + 2L diesel, great fit and finish, for some reason I didn’t find it as gadgety (as you know who)
• - no auto-box, too much badging on outside (for my liking), I stalled the vehicle at least thrice in a span of 10 mins
• - one of my neighbours already has one (such things too, we learnt, mattered to us! After all, we are only humans)
• - Felt huge – one size bigger than anything we thought we needed thus far (even the Compass)

The upgraded Astor with its fantastic red interior was very enticing with ADAS and whatnot. But alas! It didn’t appeal to the driver me.

That weekend ended on a sour note for us – our prime contenders rejected, aspirational Compass was beyond budget and we both were left dejected for the rest of the week trying to convince ourselves that the original idea of riding Duster AWD for some more time was better (though much less exciting now having tasted blood).

So the next weekend, we set out again with my wife firmly targeting Taigun.

Taigun (1.5 DSG)

On a Sunday afternoon, there was only one other family there who had just taken delivery of their 1.0 TSI Highline. The Sales lead offered us a test drive of 1.5 GTX+. The first thing that I liked was the mature dash design in red colour on a mustard yellow car (against the all-grey in Kushaq). Test drive was great and drove on several inclines/declines and rough roads to get a sense of city ride quality (but did not try highway speeds).

Likes and dislikes

• + fit-n-finish more appealing than Kushaq – the red or body-coloured dash was a nice touch
• + low-speed ride quality and driving dynamics of the engine+DSG combo
• - again petrol only so fuel cost (but we knew this right?) and price didn’t seem value
• - 15K discount because only manual OVRMs are available instead of auto-folding (huh!), only one key and a 5-yr AMC package where the per year maintenance cost was > 15K

Once we hear the last two felt fishy – parts shortage could get worse for VW, while AMCs are supposed to showcase low maintenance costs, but this one was already high. Experience says service centres will always succeed in adding more costs on each visit on top of this. More significantly, for reasons best known to her, wife was clear that a Taigun will not be our next vehicle.

As we walked back to our Duster outside the VW showroom, she said something about only a 2L engine would be a proper upgrade and I was staring at an ad on Kaziranga edition on my phone. So next was Tata Motors, which was never on our radar till then.

Tata Harrier Diesel Auto (Harrier Kaziranga Edition)

We enter Heritage Motors (Tata) which is nearby. It's Sunday evening and the showroom is full of people. One variant of almost every Tata car on offer was on display – Nexon EV and Punch getting maximum attention. But we were only interested in the 5-seater Harrier Kaziranga edition that was on display (next to a Safari Dark edition). We both spent significant time with the display vehicle. They didn’t have one for a test drive and never provided me with a test drive. I was told this showroom was sharing its Harrier test vehicle with three other showrooms so arranging one for the weekend was a logistical challenge and I couldn’t do weekday due to work.

This showroom was new, and they even had their opening ceremony by local MP and Tata Motors VP a week later.

Likes and dislikes

• + Rugged vehicle with 2L Diesel auto-box
• + Dual tone interiors, ventilated seats
• + Assured < month old vehicle, delivery within weeks
• - Big footprint, not city-friendly, but parking at the apartment was not going to be a problem
• - Tata’s CS reputation

At this point, I had made up my mind to go for Harrier because it ticked all items on my needs list though the on-road price was still a stretch. In hindsight, it clicked because there were no immediate showstoppers with the Harrier like a dear feature missing or a long wait. CS experience was a question mark, but it was in the future, not immediate.

The buying experience at the Tata showroom

First visit – day #1

The showroom was busy with 9 Punch deliveries that evening, but we had an audience with:

• Sales rep (my primary contact), who explained the vehicle variant and distinct features
• Finance rep, who explained the finance schemes
• Exchange rep, who provided explained the offer and process
• Sales lead, who offered and explained the discounts

All the above was done under 20 mins and we were free to spend more time with the display. Delivery was possible in 3 weeks, but I gave them a specific date when I needed to take delivery (5 weeks away). They were OK. We walked out with no commitment. Wife was not convinced with the CS experience but said Harrier was the most realistic contender if not Compass. We stewed over the next 5 days on whether to stretch for the Compass (Limited or S) or go for the Harrier.

Second visit – day #7

The following weekend we visited again to look at the vehicle and paid the booking amount. The sales rep again failed to arrange for a test drive vehicle despite us informing him a couple of days in advance. The showroom was again very busy.

Third visit – day #18

This was after allocation (receiving VIN) for handing over the Duster (exchange, with bonus), negotiating the final price with discounts, documentation (finance, RTO, exchange), accessories and down payment. RTO work was completed in 3 working days after this. I got the RC view in Digilocker app the next day, though physical RC will take time to arrive. Weekday so relatively less busy, still all tables occupied.

Fourth visit – day #26

The first look at the new vehicle before PDI at the showroom

Did PDI at the showroom one day before delivery (I had already mentioned this at the time of booking). I was apprehensive that I could not do it at the yard before registration. Saw my vehicle for the first time (that is some feeling). It was kept ready for me. Except for light dirt on the tyres and wheel well it was spotless, all wrappers in place. A couple of accessories were not yet fitted (to my disappointment). The sales rep stood by patiently, non-intrusively even helped a few times (opening bonnet, photographing a couple of difficult to reach underbody areas) as I went through the Team-BHP PDI list and it turned out well (except 3/5 accessories I had paid for). It was also missing the Kaziranga 3D mats I had specifically asked for, which when I pointed out, was told will be available the next day at delivery. It also had the 3M underbody anti-rust. Start of a long holiday weekend, so busy.

Fifth visit – day #27

For delivery. Four of us reached 75 mins later than the agreed time. The showroom was packed with people, being Friday first day of a long weekend. We had to stand near the door for about 15 minutes till one seating area vacated. I noticed today there were no customer water bottles or tea being offered to any of the visitors – all my earlier visits I was offered. Again, holiday weekend so they were super busy.

Ours was the 3rd out of 6 deliveries that day. Staff was getting ready for the 2nd. After nearly 45 minutes the sales rep called me aside for some final documentation. At that point, he mentioned for the first time that Tata is providing only one key for now. Felt a bit anxious. He immediately introduced me to the GM and she reiterated the same (and for the first and only time someone from Tata Motors conversed in English with me in all this while). Said the 2nd key will be available within a month.

Another 15 mins to clean the vehicle. Then a quick ceremony, a few photos and a customer 30-second feature explanation (because I said I don’t need a detailed explanation), we drove off.

The fuel was already topped up. I had paid for the Diesel to be topped up so that I didn’t have to face the stress of hunting the nearest fuel station on a vehicle I was driving for the first time.

Only later I noticed that the mats were 3D (regular Harrier emblem) but not Kaziranga ones (with rhino emblem).

What was delivered

• Harrier XZA+ Kaziranga edition manufactured in March 2022 with HSRP
• Insurance - 3rd party 3 yrs and self for 1 yr
• Only one smart key
• Manual/warranty booklet

Comes with a 2-yr / 100000 KMS warranty. I asked for the Pentacare, 5-yr package, but the dealer had no clue and I didn't have the energy to chase.

Accessories fitted at showroom

• Harrier branded 5-piece 3D mats (I had asked for Rhino emblemed Kaziranga ones - they had them in the display vehicle)
• Mudflaps
• Floor matting (aka lamination)
• Underbody anti-rust coating (3M)

Waiting to be delivered (paid for)

• Second smart key
• Accessories (waiting to ship) – window visor, ambient lights, door edge protection, boot mat (not sure why I went for OEM, could have got it at a local shop)
• Documents - 3M anti-rust warranty, battery warranty, physical RC, road tax receipt

Additional accessories I am considering in the short term

• Window shades (magnetic)
• Replace floor mats with GFX branded 3-piece 3D which I think are more effective
• Front and back dashcam (leaning towards 70mai A500S)

Overall, the buying experience was not bad and even pleasant considering all that we had heard and read about. So already a win for Tata Motors.

My reflection on Tata Showroom experience

I hope I won’t be bashed for this next paragraph but having heard/read so many adverse comments about Tata CS my intent is to just highlight what I perceived - pardon if reads like a judgement, certainly not starting a long thread on this topic.

Having seen several other showrooms recently, this Tata showroom was definitely more ‘local friendly’ - staff always spoke local language (Marathi or Hindi), dressed in neat uniforms but cannot say sharp/suave, very warm/friendly and yet matter of fact (e.g. no sugar-coated words or calibrated response just because I was a prospect/customer), less organized in a few instances (e.g. coordination between different depts. for common documents, unable to arrange test drive despite clear ask), showed none of the etiquettes/efficiencies a globally travelled person would come to expect (beyond offering water / chai / coffee). When I reflected on the entire experience later, they were clearly no less professional, nor the experience at the showroom more chaotic than some of the others I had recently been to. But perhaps showroom staff was not as rigorously trained as some of the competition on how to engage with prospects and relied a lot on their street smarts to succeed on the job. Also, this showroom always seemed to have significantly more staff (easy to spot in their uniform) than any other brand showroom I have been to, so am speculating there is a lot of internal competition and consequently individuals may be poorly paid.

Having driven the Harrier for a week now, am very happy with the vehicle.

Here is a summary of what I liked and how I wish it was better.

What I liked

• Big, butch vehicle that is well powered to offer good driving dynamics, an upgrade from the Duster.
• People stop to give way – more so with the DRLs ON.
• Spacious interior – value for money on that parameter.
• Rugged feel – gives a sense of lasting, while seems ready to take a few scratches and dings in city traffic without causing heartache (or maybe it's just me preparing my mind for this eventuality).
• Reasonably well featured - at least one gets it all in the top variant (unlike some competition).
• AC – comes with auto, cools quickly even for mid-April Mumbai afternoons.
• Ventilated front seats – both back and seat ventilated (unlike some competition).
• Common controls – are all physical buttons making life easier
• Interior fit-n-finish – for me, use of some light colours in the interior is a plus given my previous vehicles had mono-coloured, darker interiors.
• Lots of small, nifty features – such as separate buttons to control each part of the sunroof, auto everything close, switching to circulation automatically mode when reversing to prevent ingress of exhaust into the cabin, etc. Still on pg 206/266 of the manual.
• NVH reasonably good – cuts off surrounding noise to a large extend but one can catch the engine notes, which is good for me as I rely on engine note to determine driving inputs more than the speedo – an auditory driver in many other ways).
• Kaziranga edition – I am not a fan of the colour, but having moved around in it for a few days think the colour helps the vehicle be less conspicuous (like camouflaged) in most lighting conditions – artificially lit parking, under daylight – though DRLs when turned on negate this. My reading is the Dark edition, White and Red colours immediately draw attention.

What I wish was better

360-view camera for a vehicle of this size.

Infotainment Screen – must fidget with it to get anything done.

Digital cluster - that is less busy with art / colours and prioritizing vehicle info; coming from Duster’s traditional monochrome cluster, as I have struggled to locate icons and notice warnings (like a door ajar) in the few days. Plus, the constant (default) view of fuel range seems to make me anxious about mileage (hear Ux designers), though I can change it to a different view.

• Low beam – stock light works for drives at 40-50 kmph under streetlights, but not for dark roads at speeds >25 m/s, so need ones that have a brighter throw.
• Powered tailgate – takes significant effort to open and then close, most people will struggle.
• Powered Passenger seat adjustment – there is no height adjustment for passenger seat, so the significant other is not happy.
• Rear AC vents – the B-pillar placement is a mixed bag, and some may find the blower angle good enough for quick cooling.
• Hydraulic struts for bonnet lid – another one that takes significant effort to open.
• Hangs on to the 2nd and 3rd gear a bit longer than I like – the engine revs higher (~1.8-2K before stepping up). The whine at slower speeds draws attention from those around who are not familiar with auto-boxes (it is acceptable at higher gears/speeds). Both my apartment security and office security have told me I am speeding out of the gate in the new vehicle, though I am not. But the same characteristics I suppose are positive for overtakes and on inclines.

Other features that are good to have, but I don’t miss are

• AWD – if offered I would have lapped up
• TPMS – I have never had it in the past, so don’t know what I am missing
• ADAS –I have never had it in the past, so don’t know what I am missing
• Dual Zone Climate – given size would have been useful

Leaving with a few pictures. Hoping to update after the first service.

Have to fidget with the screen half the time. I found the functions to be clear - easy to find.

Well-appointed dashboard.

I liked the dual-toned interior with lighter colour dominating.

Kazirange edition family

Getting ready for delivery

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

Our garage consisted of three cars - a Ford EcoSport, a Hyundai Eon and a pre-owned Toyota Innova.

BHPian Mountain_Deep recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I wanted to start this thread long back, just as I got my membership approved but I was never confident whether the report would be long enough to provide the insights that are generally present in ownership threads. The ownership experience has always been dicey where one day I am so frustrated that I want to put an advertisement on Olx and bid adieu and the next day, I am grinning with joy as I hit the highway with the car.

Owning a Duster is comparable to being in a relationship in your early twenties and I am in the right phase to compare both perfectly. It all starts with dreamy eyes and exchanging glances, the secret crush you stalk, seeing others in such relationships and feeling lonely at times, wanting and hoping that someday you will be mine, and only mine, and we will conquer the world, reach all heights, travel together, spend quality time, be there for each other, make each other happy and most importantly, take the long road together.

Then comes the phase when you end up together, the proposal has been accepted and vows of seeing a future together have been exchanged. You start to enjoy the honeymoon phase where you feel loved, constantly around each other, pampering each other, making time for the late-night drives, and the small runaways making small yet significant memories. When you stop for a tea break on a rainy evening, sipping the hot tea and turning towards your love exchanging glances and you tell yourself how lucky you are.

You spend a couple of months together and your partner now enjoys your company a lot but then she sucks away the peace and the tantrums have started to pour in. Sometimes she will end up fogging the windshield, sometimes it will be an O-Ring leaking. Small issues will start cropping up and then there will be the major tantrums where she will be in such a mood that she will light up my dashes like Christmas lights and BOOM, it is the dreaded 'injector'.

This is when you start questioning yourself, have you made the right choice, or did you make a hasty decision. Should you have waited a bit more and taken things slowly? Why hadn't you observed such relationships around, taken the red flags, and steered away from such a relationship? At this point you feel like leaving, calling for a break, and when it just gets too much to handle, maybe leave for good, break-up from this relationship which sucks away the peace and fills up with tantrums, negativity, and toxicity. You start to feel maybe this is where you are supposed to walk away, maybe spend some time alone to find oneself or maybe find someone stable and safe, a relationship which feels at peace even if it lacks the feeling of butterflies in your stomach.

But my dear friends, as I've already told you that the relationship is like that of the early twenties where you are high on idealism and low on realism. Even after everything, you just can't leave her. You can't walk out thinking of the memories and the promises. What if she is the 'One'? What if all it takes is a bit more patience to be happy together for a lifetime and beyond? You try to ignore the issues and look forward to the good times, the times when she makes you smile, makes you grin with joy, makes memories with you, the adrenaline rush she brings in the relationship. And thus, you stick around, like the relationships of your twenties hoping she is the one for you, forever. And before reality kicks in, I would like to be the romantic fool, deeply in love with the Duster, hoping that the tantrums are temporary and a lifetime of happiness is in store for us together.

And that's US, together!

Continue reading BHPian Mountain_Deep's ownership review for more insights and information.

The highest discount is being offered on the Duster as dealerships are looking to clear their inventory.

Renault India has announced discounts of up to Rs. 1.30 lakh on its range of cars.

Renault dealerships are clearing their Duster inventory, offering the highest discount. Customers looking to lap up the last units can get an exchange bonus of Rs. 50,000, a corporate discount of up to Rs. 30,000 and a cash discount of up to Rs. 50,000 on all variants except the 1.5L RXZ.

Renault is offering a loyalty bonus of up to Rs. 55,000 on the Kiger. Besides this, customers can also get a corporate discount of up to Rs. 10,000 and a rural benefit of up to Rs. 5,000.

The MY2021 and MY2022 models of the Triber are being offered with an exchange benefit of up to Rs. 20,000, a cash discount of up to Rs. 10,000, a corporate benefit of up to Rs. 10,000 and a rural benefit of Rs. 5,000.

The Triber Limited Edition comes with a loyalty bonus of up to Rs. 44,000. Cash discount is not available on the RXE variant.

The Renault Kwid is offered with a cash discount of up to Rs. 10,000, an exchange bonus of up to Rs. 15,000 on the 1.0L version and Rs. 10,000 on the 800cc version. The car is also being offered with a corporate discount of Rs. 10,000 and a rural benefit of Rs. 5,000.

It is unclear whether Renault will bring the all-wheel-drive version of the Duster to India.

The Renault Duster went out of production in India earlier this year, with no clear indication if a replacement would be introduced. Now, a media report suggests that the next-generation Duster is being actively evaluated for the Indian market.

It is said that the next-gen Duster will be based on the new CMF-B LS platform. 'LS' stands for 'Lower Spec', which is derived from the CMF-B, and is optimized primarily for emerging markets. Still, the low-cost version is expected to comply with global safety and emission standards.

The design of the new Duster is likely to be inspired by its predecessor. While the new model will have a character of its own, it could retain styling elements like the flared wheel arches and integrated grille and headlamps.

The report also states that the next-gen Duster could be offered with hybrid powertrains in place of the diesel engine. It is unclear whether Renault will bring the all-wheel-drive version to India.

Source: Autocar India