Sonet diesel AT or Nexon EV Prime for daily commuting in traffic

Should I go for an electric vehicle now or wait for 3-4 years as there will be many new entrants?

BHPian nikhil.sikka recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hi All!

I’m confused between Sonet Diesel AT & Nexon EV Prime. The HTX variant of Sonet is around 14 Lakh OTR in Haryana & XZ+ variant of Nexon EV prime is 16.8-17 Lakh OTR in Delhi.

My main priority is Auto Transmission which is present in both. Daily commute is around 60-70 kms which includes heavy traffic too.

Since the OTR cost difference is around 3 lakh, the break-even cost will be around the 3-year mark.

My main question is whether to go for EV now or wait for 3-4 years as there will be many new entrants in the same.

I’ll be having the option to replace the diesel vehicle in 3.5-4 years which will go to my dad & I can shift to EV. If I buy an EV now, it’ll be with me till its lifespan say 10-12 years.

Previously I have driven Fiat Punto MJD for close to 1.25 lakh kms, Skoda Yeti for close to 1.7 lakh kms & currently driving Skoda Rapid having 1.75 lakh kms on odo. Have driven 85% mileage of Punto & Yeti by myself & 40% of Rapid’s.

Petrol won’t be feasible IMO as I’ll drive 25k km in a year.

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

Your use case is perfect for an EV, as long as you have a charging spot (even 15A will do) in your home parking spot. I would suggest the Nexon EV Prime. Reasons:

• Ample range for your daily running.
• Forget anything else, for bumper-to-bumper traffic, an EV is superior. It’s butter-smooth & refined. However much torque converter ATs try to evolve, they can never be as smooth as an EV (no gearbox, instant torque, zero noise).
• You are in Delhi. Do a tiny bit for the horrible AQI there & improve your karma.
• No need to sell your car for peanuts at the 9 – 10 year mark.

I love the Sonet Diesel AT too & consider it to be the best Diesel AT crossover in the market. But I think the Nexon EV Prime is a better choice for you.

Also consider the XUV400 EV, although Mahindra is way behind Tata on the EV learning curve and I’d expect more bugs & niggles from the XUV400 in the initial years.

Here’s what BHPian Shreyans_Jain had to say about the matter:

Pls understand that in Delhi NCR, the resale value of diesel cars just plummets after 5-6 years. Even if the vehicle is to go to your dad, the math will work only if your dad resides outside the NCR, that is, the vehicle gets transferred into a different state. Otherwise, you’ll be in for a rude shock when you’ll try to sell the diesel Sonet after 8-9 years of use in your family.

This is the harsh reality of buying a diesel car in Delhi NCR today. You either buy it with a clear-cut plan to sell it off within 5 years. Or, you forgo the resale part and own it for the full 10 years. There is no middle ground anymore. This, along with your high running directs you towards the greener options.

I will suggest you consider the Hyryder strong hybrid. This is the perfect car for urban commutes and with none of the compromises associated with the EVs of today. 22-25kmpl efficiency, convenience of automatic, refined city drive and zero range anxiety or daily charging headache. Most importantly, it is totally future-proof with no Delhi NCR limitations whatsoever. You will also retail the option to wholeheartedly hand it over to your father after 3-4 years if you want to look for an EV then.

Here’s what BHPian epiccross had to say about the matter:

I would honestly recommend Diesel. I was agonizing over EV vs Diesel and ultimately the better “sorted” EV is out of my price range and I’m not sold on Tata’s reliability. Recent incident of quick battery drain and shifting to neutral does not inspire confidence. So booked Sonet that I aim to keep at least for 5-6 years. Fingers crossed!

PS: If worried about NCR/Resale, then EV is the only option I guess. I would recommend upping the budget and going for ZS EV personally.

Here’s what BHPian OpenRoads had to say about the matter:

Based on your scenario EV makes a lot of sense. However, Sonet AT has a 6-speed TC mated with a refined diesel engine is just wonderful.

If my running was 25K/year, then I would have gone for SONET. In my opinion, it would cost lower in terms of maintenance fees in the longer run (say 5-6 years) in comparison to TATA EV.

You can do an experiment. Rent the vehicle for a day and check it out. You will know.

Keyword: Sonet diesel AT or Nexon EV Prime for daily commuting in traffic