Not considering cars like the Hyundai i20 or the Maruti Baleno. I also like the Renault Kiger, but the interiors seem basic.
BHPian naru80 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.
We are looking to replace our 14-year-old i10. For the last 5 years, it’s been used very sparingly, mostly for trips to the neighbourhood market. That’s why it’s not been replaced yet. But it’s now a little unreliable. Needs tyres, battery replaced + and other small issues and we don’t want to spend any money on it since it has only a year of life left. And with offices now reopened, we are feeling the need for a reliable and easy to drive city car.
The requirements are pretty basic:
It doesn’t really matter if it’s a hatch, CSUV or sedan as long as the seating is not low (bonnet should be visible). The driver is not an enthusiast. Just wants to get to her destination in comfort.
We are not very keen on stuff like a sunroof, push-button start, etc. We don’t want to spend more than 10 lakh since our other car is also going to be replaced next year (most likely with a Creta/XUV700).
We tend to retain our cars for 10+ years, so we want to buy something that is fresh so that it doesn’t feel dated so soon.
We test drove and rejected Nexon. It’s a very nice car, but oddball design elements were dealbreakers. Only manual TD was available. Couldn’t test the AMT.
Sonet/Venue iMTs were also rejected because we want a fully automatic vehicle. The DCTs are in contention (haven’t TD’ed yet since no one seems to have one). But the problem is the high price (we will be paying for lots of “features” which will never be used), long wait and DCT reliability issues. But Sonet has the nicest interiors and strongly ticks the wow factor criterion.
I really liked the Kiger CVT, but the interiors are too basic. Plus the cost-cutting is not very confidence-inspiring. The salesman too felt the interiors were not justified for the ~10-11 lakh mark variants. He strongly suggested we go for the cheaper AMT since “only college kids get CVT to show off, families don’t need it”.
Then there’s the Amaze. The all-singing, all-dancing VX CVT is a shade over 10 lakh. The interiors, though not “wow”, seem acceptable. We got a very small 5 min TD in which the ride, etc too seemed okay. Though it’s not a car that tugs at the heart, so far it seemed like it can be an acceptable compromise of easy driveability and clean interiors. The + point is that the VX variant is just around 1 lakh more than the Grand i10 Nios Asta AMT. But the cost-cutting is also evident: it has the worst reverse camera of any car we have tested (and none in the cheaper S version).
But then I searched for its reviews on Team-bhp. It may manage to see ~3k units/month but here the verdict seems to be pretty brutal: there is hardly any activity on the main review page, very few ownership reviews, and a lot of negativity around AS*, the cost-cutting in Amaze, and the future of Honda itself in India.
The only other car from our shortlist left to TD is the Grand i10 AMT. We are not particularly keen on it since we have been using an i10 for the last 14 years.
Cars not considered:
- Nissan/VW/Skoda because we want hassle-free ownership.
- i20: Our other car is already an i20
- Baleno: low seating/ same category as i20
- Brezza: Facelift coming soon
Is Amaze a good choice or should we consider any other option?
Here’s what BHPian The Rationalist had to say on the matter:
Why is the Tata Altroz DCA not even considered? I think you should test drive it. Amaze is definitely a good choice, but I’m sceptical about Honda surviving our market. Hardly any volume sellers and nothing much exciting on the cards.
Here’s what BHPian AYP had to say on the matter:
The Amaze is definitely the better option when compared to the Nios primarily due to the CVT vs AMT. It may not wow you but the CVT is definitely worth it. If I were you I’d give the Jazz a chance as it has scored a solid 4 star in the GNCAP test and the top end ZX with LED headlights(and sunroof) looks contemporary. Do sit inside both the cars and you will find that the interiors of the Jazz feel a notch above the Amaze.
If Jazz is still a no go and the Amaze isn’t pulling the strings of your heart, then you do have 3 other options:
- Tata Punch: interiors have a wow factor and the features are ample. The weak engine is a sore point though.
- Maruti Suzuki Ignis: Great engine and the most affordable one here though missing on the wow factor.
- Renault Kiger 2022: Kiger’s interior IMO are a tad bit more premium than the Magnite and the 2022 model (top end presumably) comes with contrast red interiors and other feature additions. Do check if the Kiger appeals to you.
The Kiger would be my pick otherwise the Amaze is a great option as well.
Here’s what BHPian creative420 had to say on the matter:
Ignis meets all your requirements to the t. A zippy engine that returns a very good mileage. Great visibility. Quirky interiors, but my wife loved it when she test-drove it. And it seems like a perfect replacement for our ageing Ritz.
Maybe check out Punch too. Tall, tasteful interiors and super safe too.
Here’s what BHPian jkrishnakj had to say on the matter:
Please test drive the Baleno once. Their back seat space and leg room are truly the best in that segment.
Tata’s punch could be a good option.
Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.
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