Dilemma: Get a Tata Tiago EV or a compact SUV on a 10L budget

Primary contenders are the Tata Tiago EV, Hyundai Venue & Grand i10 NIOS.

BHPian RaSing recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I am on the lookout for a new car for my wife to replace her 9-year-old 61000kms run alto k10. This change is not because she has asked for it but because I have got bored of this car now

Present Scenario: I have a 2017 Creta 1.4 D (left with 5 yrs because of NCR Diesel Rule) for my personal use/family/highway use. Alto was used by the wife for her daily office commute and has never been used on a highway. I have booked a TIAGO MR XT EV. Here MR Stands for the Medium Range(Expected Actual Range around 125-150kms per charge) and shall cost me around 9,80,000 on road Delhi.

Our requirement is for a small hatchback/compact SUV to be used again in city onl

  • Budget 8-10 lakhs
  • Transmission: Automatic Preferred
  • Daily Run: At present, it is 36kms(18 on one side) to be driven in DELHI NCR Traffic

We have considered the following cars and listed below are some positives and negatives we observed

Tata Punch Manual/ AMT

+Felt the car is built nice ,

– Though the AMT felt ok on a test drive, not sure if it really is (as per reviews on the forum/elsewhere)

Rejected because wife didn’t like the looks much. However, open for a reconsideration

Grand i 10 Nios AMT

My preferred car at the moment as

+we felt the cabin to be really nice and airy because of white and grey colors used

+good plastic quality used inside.

+AMT felt nice too.

– The suspension felt to be very stiff for low-speed rides

– Perceived Value doesn’t look worth 8.5 on road(i think so)

Maruti Ignis AMT

+ Appropriate Size

+ High Ground Clearance

+ Good Seating position

– Very Very Stiff Suspension

– Non Self centering the steering wheel

Rejected because of very very stiff suspension (could feel all jerks) plus the non-self-centering steering wheel

Hyundai Venue Manual/IMT

-Have not test-driven but I feel that it might be more comfortable than the ones on the list above

-Greater Social Status

-If buying the IMT then we also get the Turbo on the engine

-I saw a youtube review and again got to know that the suspension is stiff for city limits(Kindly confirm). So between the Grand i10 and the venue the problem remains the same as stiff suspension. -IMT is around 11.2 on the road and a bit stretched on the budget.

-Tiago EV(Booked)

+Have to take a look and feel and test drive yet as the car is not in the showroom yet

+Saves around 30-35k annually as per my current running

+ Better Automatic than a AMT(i believe)

– Actual saving may start only around 4th or 5th year

– Range Anxiety

The problem here is that:

I also believe that the initial stretch of +1/2 Lakhs is still better rather than regretting it later, so open to suggestions

Please suggest the best in this case.

Here’s what GTO had to say on the matter:

I think your use case is just perfect for an electric hatchback & you should pull the trigger:

  • 9 years means time to replace your Alto, especially because of its basic nature.
  • You have a larger car for highway runs. If it was the only car of the house, I’d tell you to stick to petrol power, but this new purchase will primarily be used in the city by your wife.
  • Most of your alternatives are AMTs and I can tell you that AMTs are awful to live with. Jerky, with suspect long-term reliability. Of course, the Grand i10’s AMT is smoother than the rest, yet it will never match the refined & seamless power delivery of an EV.

You will be an early adopter, so expect some niggles & issues. Although Tata is way ahead on the learning curve compared to other manufacturers, due to the sheer volumes of its EV division.

In terms of status, I would say that a green number-plate has more bragging rights than a Venue

Here’s what BHPian SKC-auto had to say on the matter:

It’s right time to take a plunge into EV, especially for NCR people. Is the odd-even rule still applied in winters? I believe EVs can be used on both odd and even days.

You will start saving after 3 years of usage, will save considerably if you keep the car for more than 10 years.

The batteries should last 15 years, no need of replacement 5-7 years. It really does not matter to someone who uses the car for personal usage for 10 years about other rapid developments of EVs.

I recommend switching to LR, gives you more range, will not be a problem even if battery loses 5-10% charge in your long ownership.

As GTO mentioned, you may see few niggles, not because it is an EV, it’s because Tata is still in it’s learning curve. Since your usage is strictly for City and probably do not have to use dc fast chargers and you will not be dealing with many of the niggles.

Edit: Just realized, another issue with ICE cars is flex fuel in future.

Here’s what BHPian IshaanIan had to say on the matter:

Having driven the Tiago extensively back in 2017 when our family nearly decided to buy one, I can say confidently that the car is exceptional in every sense except for its weak power-train options (JTP variant was asked for but dealership never had an answer on it). So that way I guess an EV Tiago ought to be really nice

Also I note that you are considering getting a Hyundai i10 or Venue or Ignis for better “social status”? Please know that both the i10 and Venue have performed extremely abysmally in crash tests and are definitely less safe than the Tiago and as for the Ignis, a close friend of mine’s mother owns an Ignis AMT from back when it was launched and since he was looking for a new car to replace the Ignis, I thought I’d ask him if he’d sell it to me. Since he stays near my house, maintains his cars well at the ASC and I had even driven the car few years back and thought it drove well, I imagined buying it off of him would be a safe bet. He told me not to bother as the AMT box has been giving problems and that the service center folks have not been able to solve it or give a concrete resolution that does not involve heavy expenditure. So I would say stay far away from any AMT vehicle.

Here’s what BHPian Everlearner had to say on the matter:

I strongly suggest the Tiago EV.

Though I understand the apprehension as it is a new and untested product, the Tata’s EV journey till date gives a lot of confidence and as GTO said, your’s is a perfect case for an EV.

Though the pure cost savings may be debatable depending on what you compare with,
Since you are in Delhi, the benefits of an EV is not only limited to fuel cost savings, but also extend to be able to drive on both odd and even days, not required to sell/scrap after 10/15 years etc.,

All the best for your purchase and do update your experience before and after purchase.

Here’s what BHPian biijims had to say on the matter:

As a second car in the house and as a city runabout, the Tiago EV makes for a great choice, but if you want a bigger SUV like car, why not consider the Renault Kiger RXT(O) CVT at 11.2 lakhs OTR Delhi or the Nissan Magnite XV Turbo CVT at 11 lakhs OTR Delhi, although not the best sellers in the segment and built to a cost, they are definitely VFM as regards engine, power, performance and features are concerned.

If you are OK with AMT and don’t mind a base-spec SUV, the Tata Nexon XMA at 10.4 Lakhs OTR Delhi is a good choice as well.

If a non AMT hatchback is alright, you can’t go wrong with the Hyundai i20 Sportz DCT or Sportz IVT, the DCT being the same one as used in the Venue, the car is adequately feature loaded and is a spacious car too. Tthe i20 Sportz IVT costs just 10.15 lakhs OTR Delhi whereas the i20 Sportz DCT costs 11 lakhs OTR Delhi.

Read BHPian comments for more insights and information .

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