BHPian virajmore03 recently shared this with other enthusiasts: Hello everyone, With the latest GST benefits being passed on to buyers, I’m actively looking to upgrade to a new SUV. I currently own a 2015 Polo Petrol Highline (38k km, kept at my hometown and barely used) and a 2015 Honda City VMT (48k km, my daily drive). Since I’m the only driver, the Polo just sits idle. My earlier plan was to keep alternating between the City and Polo for a few more years before buying new, but these GST discounts have made upgrading much more tempting. So, planning to sell both current cars and buy one SUV.My requirements:Budget: 22L OTR Chennai (can stretch to 25L but not beyond)Type: Need more ground clearance, so looking only at crossovers or SUVs (no sedans)Fuel: Petrol, hybrid, or diesel (I’ve never had a diesel, open to suggestions, aware of DPF issues in city usage); not interested in electricUse: Daily 25 km office commute in moderate to heavy traffic, with occasional highway trips (90% city use)Must-haves:Comfortable and spacious (I am 6′ tall; should have decent legroom at the back with the driver seat set to my height. Also, the rear should comfortably seat 3. However, the car will be used with only 2 occupants most of the time.Automatic transmissionMust be reliableDecent to good mileageDecent boot spaceNice to Have:Cruise controlVentilated seatsCars I’m considering (yet to test drive):Maruti Victoris Hybrid/AllGrip (waiting to see it in person)Hyundai Alcazar Petrol DCTToyota Hyryder HybridMaruti Grand Vitara HybridTata Harrier Pure X ATHonda ElevateJeep Compass Sport MT (tempted by recent forum reviews, even though it’s MT)My questions:Is it wise to buy now due to GST discounts, or would waiting be smarter?For heavy city use, is a diesel AT (like Harrier) practical or is DPF a deal-breaker?Any other models I should look at (within my budget)?Looking forward to your inputs. Thanks in advance for your help! Here’s what BHPian shancz replied:Wait for the festive offers, not that far, and the GST changes are here to stay.For 90% city usage, I wouldn’t recommend a diesel or even a turbo petrol.IMO Victoris is the closest that comes to your needs. Check the boot space in person and I would suggest the hybrid based on your usage. Others are the Creta/Seltos NA + CVT transmission. Of which the Creta seems to have a better feature spread. Point is to stick to the naturally aspirated engines, as the turbos, even the 1.0Ls aren’t very efficient in city traffic. Here’s my example.IMO, the hybrid works best for your use case,e followed by NA.Here’s what BHPian peterasn replied:Good to see you planning an upgrade at the right time. Sharing my thoughts based on your usage and the current market situation. 1. Buy now or wait? The GST benefit is real – manufacturers like Tata, Toyota, Hyundai, etc. have already started passing on price cuts of 1-1.5 lakh. Combine that with festival-season discounts and you are unlikely to get a better deal in the next few months. The only reason to wait would be if you are eyeing a specific facelift that’s due soon. Otherwise, if you like what you see in test drives, I’d say go ahead and buy now. 2. Diesel AT practicality for your usage With 90% city driving, a diesel AT is not the best fit. Modern diesels with DPFs need regular highway runs for regeneration. In stop-go traffic, you’ll eventually face warning lights, forced regens, and higher maintenance. Unless you’re okay with taking the car out on the highway every week or so, it’s better to avoid diesel in your case. A hybrid or petrol AT will be far more hassle-free. 3. Shortlist observationsHyundai Alcazar Petrol AT – Well-rounded package, good features, strong Hyundai service network. Rear seat space is decent, boot is usable. Do test how the DCT behaves in your commute traffic.Toyota Hyryder Hybrid / Maruti Grand Vitara Hybrid – Perfect for your city use case. Smooth automatic, excellent mileage, and you’ll avoid the DPF headache. Interiors are conservative, but reliability and efficiency make up for it.Tata Harrier Pure X AT – Spacious, great road presence, much improved after the facelift. But since it’s only a diesel, the DPF issue remains a concern in your driving pattern.Honda Elevate CVT – Reliable, simple, proven CVT gearbox. Good for city drives, but mileage is just average and rear space isn’t class-leading.4. Other models to add to your test drive listKia Seltos / Hyundai Creta Turbo-petrol AT – Both are proven, comfortable, and offer a great balance of features and reliability.MG Hector Petrol CVT – Very spacious, comfortable, and feature-loaded. Mileage is average, but city convenience is strong.Kia Carens Petrol AT – If you want extra space and flexibility with occasional family use, worth a look.Verdict With your budget, city-heavy usage, and need for reliability, I would put the Toyota Hyryder Hybrid / Maruti Grand Vitara Hybrid at the top of the list, followed by the Hyundai Alcazar Petrol AT and Kia Seltos Turbo-petrol AT. These will serve you well for the next 8-10 years without headaches.Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.Which automatic SUV/crossover to buy under 25 lakh after GST price cut
BHPian virajmore03 recently shared this with other enthusiasts: Hello everyone, With the latest GST benefits being passed on to buyers, I’m actively looking to upgrade to a new SUV. I currently own a 2015 Polo Petrol Highline (38k km, kept at my hometown and barely used) and a 2015 Honda City VMT (48k km, my daily drive). Since I’m the only driver, the Polo just sits idle. My earlier plan was to keep alternating between the City and Polo for a few more years before buying new, but these GST discounts have made upgrading much more tempting. So, planning to sell both current cars and buy one SUV.My requirements:Budget: 22L OTR Chennai (can stretch to 25L but not beyond)Type: Need more ground clearance, so looking only at crossovers or SUVs (no sedans)Fuel: Petrol, hybrid, or diesel (I’ve never had a diesel, open to suggestions, aware of DPF issues in city usage); not interested in electricUse: Daily 25 km office commute in moderate to heavy traffic, with occasional highway trips (90% city use)Must-haves:Comfortable and spacious (I am 6′ tall; should have decent legroom at the back with the driver seat set to my height. Also, the rear should comfortably seat 3. However, the car will be used with only 2 occupants most of the time.Automatic transmissionMust be reliableDecent to good mileageDecent boot spaceNice to Have:Cruise controlVentilated seatsCars I’m considering (yet to test drive):Maruti Victoris Hybrid/AllGrip (waiting to see it in person)Hyundai Alcazar Petrol DCTToyota Hyryder HybridMaruti Grand Vitara HybridTata Harrier Pure X ATHonda ElevateJeep Compass Sport MT (tempted by recent forum reviews, even though it’s MT)My questions:Is it wise to buy now due to GST discounts, or would waiting be smarter?For heavy city use, is a diesel AT (like Harrier) practical or is DPF a deal-breaker?Any other models I should look at (within my budget)?Looking forward to your inputs. Thanks in advance for your help! Here’s what BHPian shancz replied:Wait for the festive offers, not that far, and the GST changes are here to stay.For 90% city usage, I wouldn’t recommend a diesel or even a turbo petrol.IMO Victoris is the closest that comes to your needs. Check the boot space in person and I would suggest the hybrid based on your usage. Others are the Creta/Seltos NA + CVT transmission. Of which the Creta seems to have a better feature spread. Point is to stick to the naturally aspirated engines, as the turbos, even the 1.0Ls aren’t very efficient in city traffic. Here’s my example.IMO, the hybrid works best for your use case,e followed by NA.Here’s what BHPian peterasn replied:Good to see you planning an upgrade at the right time. Sharing my thoughts based on your usage and the current market situation. 1. Buy now or wait? The GST benefit is real – manufacturers like Tata, Toyota, Hyundai, etc. have already started passing on price cuts of 1-1.5 lakh. Combine that with festival-season discounts and you are unlikely to get a better deal in the next few months. The only reason to wait would be if you are eyeing a specific facelift that’s due soon. Otherwise, if you like what you see in test drives, I’d say go ahead and buy now. 2. Diesel AT practicality for your usage With 90% city driving, a diesel AT is not the best fit. Modern diesels with DPFs need regular highway runs for regeneration. In stop-go traffic, you’ll eventually face warning lights, forced regens, and higher maintenance. Unless you’re okay with taking the car out on the highway every week or so, it’s better to avoid diesel in your case. A hybrid or petrol AT will be far more hassle-free. 3. Shortlist observationsHyundai Alcazar Petrol AT – Well-rounded package, good features, strong Hyundai service network. Rear seat space is decent, boot is usable. Do test how the DCT behaves in your commute traffic.Toyota Hyryder Hybrid / Maruti Grand Vitara Hybrid – Perfect for your city use case. Smooth automatic, excellent mileage, and you’ll avoid the DPF headache. Interiors are conservative, but reliability and efficiency make up for it.Tata Harrier Pure X AT – Spacious, great road presence, much improved after the facelift. But since it’s only a diesel, the DPF issue remains a concern in your driving pattern.Honda Elevate CVT – Reliable, simple, proven CVT gearbox. Good for city drives, but mileage is just average and rear space isn’t class-leading.4. Other models to add to your test drive listKia Seltos / Hyundai Creta Turbo-petrol AT – Both are proven, comfortable, and offer a great balance of features and reliability.MG Hector Petrol CVT – Very spacious, comfortable, and feature-loaded. Mileage is average, but city convenience is strong.Kia Carens Petrol AT – If you want extra space and flexibility with occasional family use, worth a look.Verdict With your budget, city-heavy usage, and need for reliability, I would put the Toyota Hyryder Hybrid / Maruti Grand Vitara Hybrid at the top of the list, followed by the Hyundai Alcazar Petrol AT and Kia Seltos Turbo-petrol AT. These will serve you well for the next 8-10 years without headaches.Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.
