We have test driven the Tata Nexon EV and MG Comet but are not sure whether spending more to get an electric vehicle would make sense.
BHPian thirdmainroad recently shared this with other enthusiasts.
Looking at replacing my wife’s Maruti Ignis AT (or not). It’s about 4 years old, 23,000 KM done, and in good shape.
Usage
The car will be used almost exclusively for her daily office – home commute 15 KM each way, 30 KM in total per day, 5 days a week. So about 750 KM per month runs. I have a Taigun 1.5 GT, and we’ll use that when we go out and on highway trips.
Why
She’s joined a new job, which offers her a tax saving of about INR 2.5 L a year if we get a new car – the car will be bought in the name of her company, will be leased to her, and transferred to her name once payments are done. That’s the biggest reason.
I don’t like the Ignis steering at all. Find it quite hard and dry. She doesn’t really mind. I hardly ever drive the Ignis.
I am not sure I like the idea of having a Maruti Suzuki in our stable. I don’t like the fact that they have disregarded safety as they have. Figure I’ll get a good price on the Ignis, with it being a Maruti and AT, and under 25,000 KM on the odo.
Requirements
Automatic Transmission is a must.
A smallish car, easy to drive in the city and on small roads, with an SUV stance. The wife likes it, but she’s also now looking at sedans.
Don’t want to go high on budget as this will be only a home-to-office and back vehicle for one person. Ideally around the 10L mark – can stretch a little more, but as mentioned before, we have the Taigun for long drives, so I don’t think we should.
Not sure an electric will be worth the extra price, as it won’t be running too much, with an average of only 30 KM a day X 5 days a week. Correct me if I am wrong here.
If it’s a fun car to drive, perhaps I’ll park my Taigun GT more and take the new one out for city errands, which are far and few in between. I do not like driving the Ignis too much, mostly because of its steering profile, though it’s quite peppy.
Safety to an extent. Definitely don’t want a 1 or 0-star NCAP-rated car like the Swift! May not need a 5-star rated car as we won’t be using it on the highways.
What we have looked at and what we don’t like
Though I would like to support Indian brands like Tata and Mahindra, I do not like their lack of attention to detail or perhaps their Indian “Chalta Hai, adjust Karo” attitude. A lot of stuff on them is wrong – like panels both interior and exterior not sitting snugly and fitting properly, loads of gaps everywhere and the such.
Test drives taken / cars viewed
Tata Nexon EV
Loads of stuff wrong with it when it comes to panel gaps and details. And I am not sure with the average 750 KM/month runs, an EV makes sense. Found it to have quite a lot of blind spots and not really a good city drive especially when taking a U turn – not because of the turning radius, but because of the A pillar obstructing the view. Have also driven an Altroz, and hated the same lack of attention to detail.
Citroen C3 EV
Again, not sure if EV makes sense. Plus, I found the C3 to be way too basic for the price. Dull interiors and very basic instrument cluster. At least all the panels sit well and no gaps!
MG Comet
Did not test drive it, but both of us disliked its looks and small tyres. I don’t think I want to support a fully Chinese company or one that’s predominately owned by the Chinese. So no MGs, even if they would like us to believe it’s a British brand.
And so…
And that’s the story so far. What do you guys think we should look at? The Amaze? I had an Amaze I bought in 2013, an iDtec, and later a WRV. Was reasonably happy with Hondas, though they can throw very expensive periodic service bills at you.
What Toyotas can I check out I wonder! Nothing much in their stable for us, except the Glanza, but the Baleno boasts of a 0-star NCAP rating.
Hyundais – what can they offer us? The i20? My father has an i20 that he bought in 2011 which is now much abused, left on the street under rain and sun right next to the sea, but is still doing fine – that’s quite a good selling (or buying) point! Or wait for the Exter? Is there a clear picture on when it’s due out?
The Magnite?
Or perhaps just get a Virtus 1.0? It’s a tad pricey for our needs, though, but I may take it out on my runs!
Or should we just keep the Ignis? The wife doesn’t mind it and likes it, but we will save on tax – close to 15 Lakhs in 5 years if we keep into account yearly pay rises!
Here’s what BHPian bijims had to say about the matter:
If you are indeed planning to replace it, the upcoming Hyundai Exter launching on July 10 would be a good choice, safety is probably not going to be greater than 3-stars though considering its siblings and the platform it is based on, however, Hyundai AMTs are the best AMTs you can get and the Exter is feature loaded too and should fit in your budget. You have already tried out the EV options worth checking out, so the next best options for a proper automatic with commendable safety ratings are the Magnite CVT and the Amaze CVT.
However, in my opinion, unless the benefits from taxes saved are not exactly as above, or unless you really hate the Ignis, you should keep the Ignis for a couple of years longer.
Here’s what BHPian androdev had to say about the matter:
Had your current car been an MT car, it would have made sense to replace it. For the kind of usage this car is likely to see, a bigger car would be a disadvantage in my opinion. I would prefer a super small AT car for city errands and a bigger comfortable car for road trips, etc. Ignis AT is good enough for the former. Bigger the better when it comes to the latter. If your math is compelling in terms of savings and if you have surplus funds, I would consider replacing the Taigun.
Here’s what BHPian shancz had to say about the matter:
I don’t see any reason to replace the Ignis as it’s a tough one to replace.
For an 8-10 lakh budget :
- i10 : like you said, not really an upgrade or very different
- Swift/Other Maruti : Ignis is better for city use
- Tiago : will feel different and heavier to drive but I doubt you’ll like it
Honestly, the only changes/upgrades I can mention are :
- i20
- Tiago EV
Since everything else will either not feel like an upgrade, won’t be much different or will be very similar to your Taigun.
Here’s what BHPian 07CR had to say about the matter:
Considering your budget is 12 L on road price, I would consider the following –
- Upcoming Exter
- Amaze diesel/petrol CVT
- N Line i20
- Magnite (last option considering the sorry state of after-sales, since you already have a VW you need a reliable second car)
If you are open to pre-owned-
- A 2-3-year-old Yaris CVT can be the best option. Not sure if your wife would be comfortable with the size though.
Keyword: Car to replace my wife's Ignis AT for city commutes under Rs 10 lakh