I am a person who drives a Maruti 800 which my father bought 15 years back, so you can imagine how outdated I might be when it comes to modern day cars.
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Hey BHPians,
Hope you all are doing well.
This has been a long pending item in my list to share with you all my first car buying experience. Will be extremely happy if this article helps at least 1 person with his/her car buying.
Owning a luxury car at some point in life will be for sure a milestone that everyone dreams about. When I started my research , I only had intention to buy something in the entry level luxury segment and I wanted an SUV as it’s the market trend right now and all car manufacturers are investing more on that. Hence even I did not want to be left out of the trend.
But before I started reaching out to the dealerships to schedule test drives of the luxury cars I wanted to get a taste of the cars which are priced below this segment . I am a person who drives a Maruti 800 which my father bought 15 years back, so you can imagine how outdated I might be when it comes to modern day cars.
I have hardly got any opportunities to get a taste of what modern day cars deliver. I wanted to check the quality and performance of the ones which are offered by the companies nowadays so that I can get a clear picture of what to expect in a luxury car and evaluate whether it is worth the money we spend. With that I started test driving the below, will just give a high level picture of what I felt about each as enough detailed reviews of these are already out there.
1. MG Hector (Diesel top end)- Unfortunately the diesel top end had only a manual variant. The car looked spacious and as we all know tech-laden. A bit of soft touch materials at a few touch points. Not expecting much in a car of this segment. The manual gear shift was not smooth and I did not quite like the driving experience. Maybe it’s because they did not maintain the test drive car well? Not sure. There was enough power delivered for a common man by the 2.0L Turbocharged diesel engine producing a max power of approx. 167 BHP and 350 nm of peak torque.
2. Kia Seltos and Hyundai Creta – The moment I got into these cars after the MG Hector , I felt like the whole world had shrunk on me. There was very little space being offered. I could not find any soft touch materials used. Tech-laden just like Hector . Has a slight edge over the Hector with the availability of an automatic gearbox. Also some will find the compactness of the cars to its advantage.
3. Tata Harrier – Over all a good car. Has adequate power from the Fiat engine. Good job with the design. Better looking than most of the SUVs out there. Definitely lags behind in terms of tech to its rivals. Lots of scope for improvement when it comes to fit and finish and attention to detail. When you look closer you will see what I am talking about in the exterior. Did not test drive the Safari as its just the matter of some more space and connected tech. And personally I prefer the design of the Harrier over the Safari.
4. Jeep Compass – Jeep has nailed the interiors of Compass this time. It was high time that the car needed an upgrade. Good to see the use of soft touch materials. Lots of connected tech. Same Fiat engine mated to a 9 speed automatic. You won’t find much space inside. The steering felt heavy and the gearbox was not slick. I was not impressed with the driving experience delivered especially because it’s a car with a hefty price tag compared to the rest.
5. Mahindra Thar – Felt nice to be seated in such a commanding position. Great job Mahindra with both the petrol and diesel engines. Very well refined engines and the automatic gearbox combination also works well. But definitely not a first car and you compromise heavily on the comfort and practicality front. I was sure that was not what I wanted.
6. Skoda Kushaq – First offering from Skoda in their India 2.0 programme with heavy localization. VW groups bread and butter 1.5L engine mated to 7 speed DSG version of the Kushaq performs well and is definitely a fun to drive car. It is compact. Full of hard plastics and felt like it was priced a bit high. Another downside is the absence of diesel engines with the whole Volkswagen group.
7. Volkswagen T-Roc – Really liked the car. Compact and highlights the German standards of quality. Typical VW design and it looked better than Kushaq for me from all angles. It is overpriced as it comes as a CBU, but the performance, ride and handling you get in the car is exceptional. The 1.5L engine mated to 7 speed DSG is a treat. For that price point, you might get disappointed with the usage of soft touch materials inside. Another downside is the absence of diesel engines with the whole Volkswagen group.
8. Hyundai Tucson – A good allrounder. A proper sized practical SUV . Hyundai has launched the 4th generation of the SUV outside of India. And it is expected to launch in India by the end of 2022. The fourth generation Tucson looks radically different from the ongoing model. Both the interior and exterior look futuristic. Hence I found it wise to wait for the new model to arrive rather than buying the old one if you are not in a hurry.
9. MG Gloster – The biggest of the lot. Even I found reasonable space in the third row. The interior looked premium and neatly laid out. Feature packed car with ADAS Level 1. Good amount of soft touch materials used. The twin turbo diesel engine felt powerful. Overall a nice package for a big family. Unfortunately I was not out there for a 7 seater.
Note : Mahindra XUV700 was not launched back then and I was not interested in Toyota Fortuner and Innova for various reasons. So I did not bother to check them out.
And with that I was ready to check out the luxury segment and I started test driving the cars one by one.
1. Mercedes Benz GLA 220d – I was most excited to see this car. In the back of my mind I already decided that I am going to buy this. The new generation has given it a more SUVish look, and looks better than the previous generation model. They had upped the game with the interiors. The new infotainment system with MBUX definitely feels attractive. I felt like the 220d has the most beautiful alloys of all cars in that segment. The sales guy was trying to sell the car highlighting the ambient lighting and voice control. That is when I realized that most of the people usually will fall for that. But after being in the backseat of the car is when we started finding issues. The car had no arm rest in the back. Really? Not sure if any one of you have noticed it before or not, the GLA they give to the media drives has an arm rest but the production model does not. After raising the concern to MB, I came to know that they removed it as part of cost cutting. Adding to that , with the sloping roof , the passenger door windows were small and the front seats were massive blocking the rear passengers’ views. Altogether there was no sense of airiness inside the cabin for passengers and with no arm rest the backseat experience was pathetic. And MB says passenger comfort is their USP which I really found hard to believe. The performance of the car was also not that exciting and the engine was going through so much stress even when the car was idle. I was totally disappointed with the whole experience.
2. BMW X1 – The car definitely felt like it had space inside when compared to GLA. But it is of no match to the GLA when it comes to Tech and the looks. The alloys of the car looked as if it’s from the stone age. But definitely has an edge over GLA when it comes to driving experience.
3. Lexus NX – A lot costlier than any other car in this segment because it comes as a CBU. With that kind of price tag , its rivals should be the X3, GLC and XC60 . But it’s a small car. Sharp Lexus design language made it look appealing. The car has not seen an upgrade for years and yet it felt more modern with the features inside. More practical car and felt premium with the high quality of materials used inside. The infotainment system is really old and hard to use. The back camera was not that great. Even Lexus knows that and good that they moved to touch screens now. They do give a full sized spare wheel which is great. It felt so easy to get in and out of the car. The Mark Levinson sound system is something out of this world. The Hybrid system works well as Toyota are pioneers in the technology. But there is always a limit to which you can push the car. I did not find the car exciting to drive. But you do get the reliability and peace of mind when it comes to maintaining the car.
4. Volvo XC40 – This car is a complete package. The interior quality , the fit and finish and the minimalism really elevates the elegance. No need to explain how well a Volvo is built. Good seating position and rides well. The downsides were the absence of a diesel engine and the service provided by Volvo in Tamilnadu and Kerala . From the information I gathered , they did not have a good reputation when it comes to service. I heard they are working towards improving that , but not sure where they are now with it. If you are someone looking for an entry level luxury SUV and you are okay with a petrol engine, then I felt like this should definitely be your choice as of now, because X1 is still awaiting a major upgrade and the new Audi Q3 is also not available .
By this time we increased our budget and decided to check out the offerings above this segment,
1. GLC & GLC Coupe – The cars looked big from the outside but felt cramped on the inside. The same feeling of absence of airiness was there in these cars as well. The artico leather felt so hard and stiff. Okay to drive. I would not say it’s exciting. The only excitement is that you are sitting inside a Mercedes Benz.
2. X3 & X4 – Face lifts or LCI as BMW says it, was on its way for both the cars but there were no tentative dates. They had launched the X4 last week and the X3 a couple of months back. But the cars did feel roomier and were way better to drive than GLC. Not sure if that’s because of the choice of interior colors.
3. Volvo XC60 – Had the diesel version before the upgrade a few months back. The cabin is an awesome place to be in. They had removed the adaptive suspension and head up display as part of cost cutting. Yet the car had so much to offer. The seats were super comfy with ventilated seats and massaging function. Practicality at its best with a huge trunk. The elegance in Volvo interiors will never go unnoticed. Ingress and egress to the car was easy. Thumbs up to the Bowers and Wilkins sound system. Some features like park assist were not up to the mark and I felt it easier to park manually than to use the feature. Still I shortlisted the car because it scored high when it comes to practicality and there was a diesel engine available at that time. Now they have only a hybrid powertrain.
Then came a major turning point in our car buying preferences. Out of curiosity and to get a taste of how luxury sedans are to drive, I took a test drive of Volvo S60 and that changed the whole game. The smoothness and the comfort delivered by the sedan through the corners, turns and on straight roads left the SUV’s far behind. And with that we started off to test the sedans. Ground clearance was our primary concern with sedans , so we wanted to see if the sedans are that bad when it comes to ground clearance.
1. Volvo S60 – There was only a petrol option. Refined and smooth engine. The comfort delivered was amazing . After driving all those SUVs , I did not feel any body roll on this car over the corners. Great comfort for the passengers. The only downside like I highlighted before , absence of diesel engine and Volvo service. But driving this car made us revisit our preferences , that good it was.
2. Toyota Camry – The most affordable luxury sedan. Powered by the hybrid engine . Interiors felt nice with lots of soft touch materials. The reliability and ease of maintenance provided by Toyota is unmatched. Best if it’s going to be chauffeur driven and delivers good comfort at the back seat. Can expect great efficiency with the hybrid engine . The car has its limit to excite you when driven. The ground clearance is very less and you should always worry about the bottom getting scraped. And not available with a diesel engine.
3. Lexus ES 300h – More stylish than a Camry and has a bit more of expensive bits inside like the Mark Levinson sound system. Feature wise , the ES is the same as the Camry with even the same powertrain. Has a low slung stance which makes it hard to carry weight. Adding to that is a softer suspension which always keeps us worrying about the bottom getting scraped. You can expect the same reliability, ease of maintenance and high efficiency from this car as well. It has all the bells and whistles which makes it attractive to own.
4. BMW 3 Series Gran Limousine 320Ld- Sheer driving pleasure it is. No doubt about that. The smile that it puts on your face when you push the car is something you need to experience. The car brings out the child in you. And the kind of confidence you get behind the wheels is amazing. Of all the cars I test drove , I did not find any other car which delivered anything closer to what this car did. The gear box was snappy and you hardly notice when the shift happens. I don’t think I need to elaborate more on what a BMW is capable of delivering. The ground clearance is a concern but with a bit more stiffer suspension compared to the ES , it gives more confidence to go over bad patches. The car was feature packed but many features were missing in the car. BMW has this habit of giving certain features in the first few numbers alone and then it would be removed as part of cost cutting. Sometimes a feature that is there in a 3 won’t be there in a 5 . They have this ridiculous way of deciding which feature should go to which car. But overall I liked the car. It is a worthy alternative for a 5 series.
5. BMW 5 Series 520d- Feature richer and more luxurious than a 3 Gran Limo . An option of a more powerful 3.0 L engine. It is a total beast. Back seat space and boot space are not that great. Even the 530d missed out on an automatic tailgate closing feature which was hard to believe. Not sure if this was there earlier and got removed later. Might not be a deal breaker for many. Ground clearance might become a concern for some depending on where you drive mostly.
6. BMW 6 Series GT 620d- Built on the wheelbase of 7 series, this felt massive on the road. The design is polarising for many but it is like nothing out there. I liked the design personally. It has got the space that no other car can match. It has got all the bells and whistles, you name it and it’s there. Has neatly laid and very premium interiors. Soft touch materials everywhere. There is a centre tunnel like any other BMWs because of the rear wheel drive setup. Ride quality is great. The back seat comfort is also delivered. 600+ litres of boot space. Adaptive air suspension which helps to raise the car by 20mm. Apart from the 2.0L engine there is also an option for a 3.0L more powerful engine. The most practical yet fun to drive car I must say.
After driving all the sedans and comparing them with the SUVs , it made us revisit or I would rather say understand clearly what we need from a car and how we are going to use it. Rather than just going behind the market trend of buying SUVs , we thought it would make sense if we buy a car which would be a best fit for our use. We needed a car to drive to native occasionally which is like a 550kms. And then for frequent multiple days spanning road trips. Hence comfort takes preference above rest. And since I am going to be driving the car, I needed a car which is fun to drive. And also for road trips it is obvious that we will have luggage to carry around, so a car with a decent boot space would be a perfect fit. And last but not the least who would not like a car which is full of tech. And also I had no intention to drive this in the city , for that I have a bike and it is work from home now.
Ground clearance was my concern with the sedans. I took the sedans over the bad patches of the service roads and I must say that most of them were able to handle the patches very well without getting scraped at the bottom. Also drove over the speed breakers which were built without any logic and I was able to surpass them as well. I knew that I had reached the end of my search for my first car and I decided that it should definitely be a sedan.
Note : I did not test drive the Audi because of the lack of diesel engines and Jaguar as I was very much concerned about the service and maintenance. Very less service centres and absence of maintenance packages. Well , please correct me if my understanding is wrong in that matter. If these are not an issue with Jaguar then I would happily try out their cars next time. And with Mercedes , I think you get the best of Mercedes only when you go for an E-Class or a S-Class. That too is just my thought.
And with that I am really happy to introduce my first car which is a BMW 6 GT 630d M Sport- Bernina Grey . Being the top end variant in the 6 series, it has got all the bells and whistles in it. Funny part is, I did not even test drive this car. I test drove the 2.0L 620d and I was impressed with it. Hence I was confident about what the 3.0L inline straight six can deliver. It churns out 262 BHP and a massive 620 nms of peak torque. BMW has taken the engine refinement to the next level. And now I can say that I was super happy with my choice.
What stole my heart the first time I saw it is the color, the car looks stunning in Bernina Grey- Amber effect. The car with its sheer size, the polarising design and the special color has been a head turner everywhere
How is it to drive?
The car never ceases to amaze me. Every time I get into the car, it feels like it’s the first time. In the past 3 months I have driven more than 6K kms and there are more roads trips in the pipeline for me. Me and my wife have enjoyed every bit of it. And the car just elevates our desire to be on the road. I find it extremely difficult to stop the car once I begin the journey. It is that exciting and my wife hates me for that as I refuse to pull over when she is desperate to take a bio break.
Power – It is delivered in abundance and right when you need it. Found it extremely useful when on the highways. The car never leaves me in doubt when I want to overtake. The same is the case when climbing hills. Hairpin bends were like piece of cake for this beast. There was no stress for the engine even when I was driving in the Eco Pro mode which is the most efficient mode when it comes to fuel consumption. And even in the most efficient mode, I could see other cars are no match for this one.
Handling – The confidence given to the driver behind the wheels is something that cannot be explained. At any speed, the car just stays on the road when we cut corners . And it stops or slows down when applying the brakes right the way the driver expects it to. Well I don’t think there is much to explain about the BMW DNA.
Ride quality and comfort – In the economy mode, the suspension becomes softer and the car just glides over the bad patches. The air suspension works so well. It feels so comfortable in the car , that even after clocking 600+ kms in a single day we feel fresh as we started the day. The sound insulation is awesome and the cabin feels so silent even when the doors are frameless. Even elders of my family found long distance travel in the car more comfortable. My wife has this habit of throwing up every time when she is on her way to any hill station. But on this car , she has not felt the sensation even once. She felt very comfortable inside with literally no body roll being experienced. The seats are really big and comfortable. The back seat even has recline option. The big windows and the panoramic sunroof adds airiness to the cabin. Availability of sun blinds at the rear which can be controlled electrically add to rear passenger comfort. 22 way electrically adjustable drive and co-passenger seats with memory function helps us find and manage our best seating position with ease.
Ground clearance – After driving more than 6K kms now, I can say that there was not even a single place where the car scrapped its bottom. May be I was being careful at places, but what matters is the ground clearance of the car does the job for me. And with the adaptive air suspension, I used to increase the height of the car at places where I am skeptical.
Night drive – BMW laser lights just lights up the road and you hardly find any difference between night and day. The auto dimming mirrors also helps during the night drives. The range is restricted to 650m.
Luggage compartment – Massing trunk with 600+ liters of boot space and you can also fold the rear seats to literally carry anything. No complains at all. And there are numerous ways to open and close the boot. Swipe gestures, buttons in the keys and also inside the car. Thanks to the adaptive air suspension which keeps the ground clearance even when there is heavy load.
Other highlights
- BMW iDrive system – So easy to use and one of the best out there.
- Parking and Reverse assistance – Useful when you are in tight spaces. And also the car can park in both parallel and perpendicular spaces with almost no assistance.
- 360 degree camera – Very useful feature when you are maneuvering such a big car. The camera quality is one of the best.
- 4 zone climate control
- 16 speaker Harmon Kardon sound system
- Wireless Android Auto and Apple Car Play
- 12.3 inches Infotainment system and instrument cluster
- MSport steering wheel and M Calipers.
- Frameless and soft closing doors
- Display screens for the rear passengers with screen mirroring functionality.
- Display key – To start the car remotely, preset the temperature inside and also can move the car in and out of tight spaces. It also gives information like distance to empty etc.
And the list goes on..
What I do not like?
- Spare wheel eats up a bit of boot space.
- Absence of a head up display which was there in the previous generation.
- The car is really big and the roads in my native are not built for these cars. Whenever I am in my native , I park this one and roam around in my Dad’s 800 which eases out the pressure. Also thorough research needs to be done with respect to the roads before setting off on a road trip. This car is not meant for bad roads and also you need to make sure you get enough parking space where ever you go.
Ownership experience
So far me and my wife are extremely happy. I have taken the service package for 3 years . My first service is due in another 2K kms which I will be clocking in mid April and then I plan to leave the car for service. There was an issue with the a rear sunblind during the time of delivery which BMW rectified for me at no cost.
The car has made us love road trips and we are looking forward to having memorable time with the car. It’s our first car and that makes it special.
I would like to call out a few names who have helped me a lot when it comes to buying my first car .
1. Vivek Venugopal – Editor , CEO of Quarter Mile magazine and co-presenter at Talking Cars. After having a fruitful discussion with him I went ahead and booked the car. Really appreciate him for taking time to speak with me and help me out with my car buying decision.
2. Rameez Basheer – A brother from another mother is what he is to me. He has been by my side throughout this process.
3. Rajshekar – Manager, KUN BMW , OMR Showroom chennai. Thanks to him for making the car delivery process smooth and a memorable one. He is the go to person and he always works hard to make your life easy. He was at the forefront to clear my doubts and solve my problems.
So that was my first car buying experience and also this is my first post I am writing. A big thanks to all of you for spending time reading through it. And I would like to stop here re-iterating on one thing that this is completely my experience and what I felt about each car. Your experience with the cars mentioned above might be different , that’s because we all are different people with different preferences and tastes. I hope that makes sense.
Thank you and drive safely
Keyword: From a Maruti 800 to a BMW 6-series GT | An unthinkable upgrade