Buying my 1st car: Need a safe, compact & automatic model under 16 lakh

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Vehicles like the Tata Nexon were not considered as I did not like the AMT gearbox.

BHPian dnabhi25 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Dear Members,

Happy Dussehra to everyone and their families! I am looking for valuable advice from all of you on the first car which I plan to purchase finally after completing a decade of my professional journey. This has been a dream since childhood and which my father couldn’t achieve and I want to do it for my family as well.

To set the context and give you an idea of my requirements and background. Here it is:

  • I am 32 years old, learnt driving 5 years back on a brilliant Swift Diesel which had clocked more than 250,000 km!
  • I live in Thane, Maharashtra with my mother (a retired principal who is nearing 70), my wife and my 2-year-old daughter.
  • Considering the worsening traffic scene in Mumbai and MMRDA areas, my requirement is for an automatic car (torque converter / CVT gearbox) budget constrained to 15-16 lakhs on road.
  • Need a car which is safe, spacious, fun to drive, compact in the city and decent looking.

Here’s what I narrowed my options down to:

  • Skoda Kushaq Ambition Classic variant
  • Honda Jazz ZX
  • Maruti Brezza ZXi
  • Honda City VX
  • MG Astor CVT

I had actually finalised to book the Ford Figo automatic (6-speed TC) which they had released in India just before packing up. The car was a complete hoot to drive and I even went to book it but for some reason, the dealership (Satyam Ford in Thane West) didn’t take my booking and a week later Ford called it quits in India. I have missed out on some brilliant cars which were decent, safe, and fun to drive (VW Polo, Ford Figo, Ford Ecosport). I consider myself a Ford fanboy and badly miss the company in India.

Now, I do not know whether I am confusing myself or members here, but as you can see I am in a mess as unfortunately there is not a car available in the market which is niggle free, fun to drive, has decent looks and within my budget. I do not want to go through the used car route as both my wife and mother are against it. Also, the waiting period for some cars is frustrating with some cars having more than 6-7 months of waiting!

Also, safe cars like Tata Nexon were not considered as I did not like the AMT gearbox.

I would request that if you could guide me accordingly so that I could purchase a vehicle soon for myself and my family.

Here’s what BHPian ajayc123 had to say about the matter:

Hey, you have done a great job shortlisting.

You have to look at your priorities and driving style and eliminate the ones that come out low.

For example:

  • If mileage is important: eliminate 1 and 5
  • If you want power, eliminate 2, if you are a sedate driver, keep 2
  • If NVH or niggles are a concern, eliminate 1

Hopefully, you get the drift. And, of course, the seating and ergonomic aspects to finalize once you have a shorter list.

Here’s what BHPian bijims had to say about the matter:

Considering your requirements, from the options shortlisted:

Skoda Kushaq Ambition Classic

  • Price: It comes to around 16.9 lakhs OTR in Thane
  • Safe: Yes, VAG group cars are usually on the safer side, with previous models performing well on crash tests.
  • Spacious: being an SUV longer than 4 metres, it’s quite spacious with adequate legroom and knee room, although the intrusive transmission tunnel may make it a little uncomfortable for the third occupant in the back seat.
  • Fun to drive: Kushaq/Taigun with 1.0 L TSI and 6-speed TC AT gearbox is definitely one of the more fun to drive cars in the segment.
  • Compact in the City: One of the above 4-metre cars that do look compact
  • Decent Looks: Although looks are subjective, I feel the Kushaq is a handsome car.

Honda Jazz ZX

  • Price: It comes to around 12.3 lakhs OTR in Thane
  • Safe: Yes, Honda cars are safe, with Jazz scoring 4 stars in the GNCAP crash test.
  • Spacious: One of the more spacious sub 4-metre cars, the Jazz is definitely a spacious car with its quasi-MPV styling.
  • Fun to drive: The 1.2-litre i-VTEC with 89 bhp of power and 110 nm of torque isn’t the most fun to drive but definitely gets the job done.
  • Compact in the City: Being sub 4 metres, it definitely is compact.
  • Decent Looks: Although looks are subjective, I feel the Jazz is a decent-looking car.

Maruti Brezza ZXI/ZXI+

  • Price: It comes to around 14.5 lakhs OTR for ZXI AT and 16.25 lakhs OTR for ZXI+ AT
  • Safe: Yes, Previous gen Brezza scored 4 stars in GNCAP, the New Brezza should score similarly if not better.
  • Spacious: One of the more spacious sub 4 metre SUVs, the Brezza is definitely a spacious SUV with adequate headroom, knee room and legroom.
  • Fun to drive: The 1.5 L K15C Smart Hybrid NA 4-cylinder petrol with 102 bhp of power and 136.8 nm of torque isn’t the most fun to drive but definitely doesn’t feel underpowered, it’s more for relaxed cruising than outright performance.
  • Compact in the City: Being sub 4 metres, it definitely is compact.
  • Decent Looks: Although looks are subjective, I feel the New Brezza is a much better-looking car than the previous generation.

Honda City V/VX

  • Price: It comes to around 15.4 lakhs OTR for V CVT and 17 lakhs OTR for VX CVT in Thane.
  • Safe: Yes, The City is one of the safest sedans in the market with a 5-star ASEAN NCAP safety rating.
  • Spacious: Being a 4.5 metre-long sedan, it’s one of the most spacious cars on the list.
  • Fun to drive: The 1.5-litre i-VTEC with 119 bhp of power and 145 nm of torque is definitely a delight to drive with sorted dynamics, it’s definitely an engaging experience and one of the few NA motors to be able to provide that.
  • Compact in the City: At 4.5 metres long, it isn’t compact by any means.
  • Decent Looks: Although looks are subjective, I have always felt Honda cars to be beautiful to look at.

MG Astor

  • Price: It comes to around 16 lakhs OTR for the 1.5 L Super CVT in Thane.
  • Safe: Yes, the Astor is one of the safest cars with its namesake sibling the MG ZS scoring 5 stars in the NCAP crash tests.
  • Spacious: Being an SUV above 4 metres, it’s definitely spacious
  • Fun to drive: The 1.5-litre engine with 108 bhp of power and 144 nm of torque isn’t the most engaging of the lot but definitely gets the job done.
  • Compact in the City: At 4.3 metres in length, it’s not the most compact, but definitely isn’t huge.
  • Decent Looks: Although looks are subjective, I feel the MG Astor looks the part.

All of the above-mentioned cars have their pros and cons and it is up to you to decide what you can live with. As a suggestion from my end, if you are OK with sedans and the length isn’t a problem, the Honda City feels the most complete of the lot.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

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