Our 8-year-old Toyota is a diesel & we have to get a new car due to the NGT guidelines & also because our needs as a family have changed.
BHPian xantia recently shared this with other enthusiasts.
The NGT guidelines have put a spanner in the works for my long-term ownership of the indestructible silver T-Fort Diesel 4×2 and I am in the market for an alternative. The T-Fort has been amazing with several trips in and around Rajasthan, Himachal, Uttarakhand, Punjab and UP. It has been zero maintenance, exceptionally safe, resilient and with the Bridgestone Duellers, a really comfortable ride too. In spite of the driving experience that people like Jeremy Clarkson hate, I thoroughly enjoyed it from the front seat.
After 8 years of almost heavenly experience, our needs as a family have changed:
- We need a lower car. Women need to elegantly get into the car. Older people should not have to use a stepper / stool to get in.
- We need better ride quality all around, not just on the front seats.
- We need a 5-seater. The nest has emptied out, our nieces have grown up and there are fewer opportunities for all of us to be together. The 3rd row is being treated like a punishment posting. So, we don’t really need a 7-seater.
- Boot space: We still need boot space for our own travels as well as for the regular airport duty. However, the boot needs to be covered / safer than what the T-Fort has.
- I think I need a petrol.
- I would love an AWD / 4×4.
- No MPVs.
- Budget is anywhere between 30-40L as long as there is consensus on the car.
With basic research done on Team-BHP and Youtube, and reading through everything on this thread, I narrowed it down to Tucson. And yesterday, I test drove the Diesel AWD Silver. Bear in mind that I had not done a TD for my Accord, Superb or the T-Fort. So it was a new experience!
Observations after the test drive
- Very comfortable, smooth, well equipped, good looking (I am a Capricorn and the looks don’t scream “look at me” which is great!).
- I took it on a traditional route with the wife in the back seat, so she was able to compare it with the T-Fort. Tucson is much better with no roll-pitch-yaw.
- The test car had driven 11000 kms and felt fresh. No rattles etc.
- The seats are lower. The driver’s seat, at its lowest position, sits really low (I am 5’8″) and I had to move it to a mid-height. The rear seats are very low too. Maybe because we are coming from the T-Fort but a slightly higher base position would have been nice.
- Seats are comfortable enough. Rear seat thigh support was good for the wife, but I felt I need a couple of inches more of seat squab. Legroom is fine, due to the scooped out front seats, the legroom in the second row felt more than T-Fort, but less than the Altis. Slightly more than what we have on the Jazz as well.
- Music system is acceptable and I am sure I can get it to be better with a bit of tweaking.
- Boot space is good. The curtain cover ensures some safety.
- Boot lid has multiple height settings, which is a good thing.
- The big feature: Panoramic Sunroof. This is completely lost on both of us. We are not a fan. Delhi has 3 seasons: Summer, Winter, Monsoons and Pollution. All of them require air conditioning. We are not yet contesting elections and don’t need to wave at the crowds.
- Cost of the car: 32.99L without discounts.
- Delivery in 4 weeks (2 weeks to make, 2 weeks to transport).
- It is being “manufactured” in Chennai but is it a CKD assembly?
Decision
Yes, we are going with the Diesel AWD.
Next steps
A colleague’s son has a startup called GroupWe where they aggregate buyers and build some negotiating prowess for discounts and other benefits. I have known him since he was 8 years old and is now armed with an overseas degree and investment banking experience on top of his business family genetics. So far it has been quite seamless as they have agreements with Hyundai.
So, I will post an update on the final pricing and buying process. Especially, the T-Fort needs to be sold to fund part of this purchase.
Keyword: Finalised Hyundai Tucson as my Fortuner replacement after a test drive