Looking For An Automatic Transmission Sedan Edit: Bought Sunny CVT!

[rafian]

Re: Looking For An Automatic Transmission Sedan!

Check out this link for a list of CVT cars:
List of automobiles with continuously variable transmissions - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[rafian]

Re: Looking For An Automatic Transmission Sedan!

@rafian

Thank you for detailed reply, between the following which one is your pick

Vento/Rapid/Sunny/Altis/Laura

I would go for either Altis or Sunny.
Altis if you want the good old robust, proven mechanics.
Sunny if you want the CVT based mechanics, smoother ride, better mileage.
I would also check the VFM (based on all the features)

There's one thing that could make the buyer pick Altis and not even look at any other car, i.e Toyota Service.

Tell the prospective buyer to test drive both Altis and Sunny. I am sure that would make it easy for him to decide.

 

[TSIVipul]

Re: Looking For An Automatic Transmission Sedan!

@Gurrala sirji:

Being the owner of a Corolla(D) and I know very well how much are the spares of Toyota priced. Though Toyota Corolla A/T is a brilliant car(c'mon, it has got 1.8l vvt-i engine) but THIS CAR IS OVERPRICED. 18 lac is some amount sirji.
And yes, last night, petrol price is hiked by 1.55 bucks more.
Same is with Laura A/T, price is high and the car is going to be phased off any day(maybe in an year or two). If the person is ready to jump his budget so easily then why not wait for new Octavia?

MY CHOICE: Honda City A/T, if you will recommend this car to the person I can bet that he will be praising you for lifetime. It has got a brilliant 5 speed auto box and above all...IT HAS GOT PADDLE SHIFT. Plenty of performance and FE with exceptional driving comfort and not to forget the dynamics and the 1.5 i-vtec engine.

LAST AND MOST IMPORTANT: There is a car called Skoda Laura 1.8 TSi(yes, the road rocket which is in my porch). Now this car comes equipped with a 7 speed(not the 6 speed like diesel A/T or petrol M/T) dual clutch or say DSG gearbox and claims a FE higher than Corolla and comparable to City but price is lower than the Corolla thing. What say? Go and TD one car and see what a gem of a car it is, and yes, the performance is same as that of it's M/T sibling.

@Rafian:
Who needs a nonsense CVT in his car when he can get a proper automatic? CVT IMO is a feminine gearbox which is meant just for those puny scootys. Oh c'mon yaar, it can't even give that boost in speed when needed but feels like some elastic thing trying to rise the revs slowly. A proper A/T is a proper A/T. I have driven some cars with CVT(older City) and one day by mistake TDed a Kizashi and I was like .where is downshift? What happens in a CVT when one does pedal to metal? Eh, the car moves like an Activa . Yes, right you are - The CVTs have smoothness, but the issue is that they have nothing else

 

[rafian]

Re: Looking For An Automatic Transmission Sedan!

@Gurrala sirji:

MY CHOICE: Honda City A/T, if you will recommend this car to the person I can bet that he will be praising you for lifetime.

If Honda is also an option, yes go for Honda City (proven to the core).

@Gurrala sirji:
@Rafian:
Who needs a nonsense CVT in his car when he can get a proper automatic? CVT IMO is a feminine gearbox which is meant just for those puny scootys. Oh c'mon yaar, it can't even give that boost in speed when needed but feels like some elastic thing trying to rise the revs slowly. A proper A/T is a proper A/T. I have driven some cars with CVT(older City) and one day by mistake TDed a Kizashi and I was like .where is downshift? What happens in a CVT when one does pedal to metal? Eh, the car moves like an Activa . Yes, right you are - The CVTs have smoothness, but the issue is that they have nothing else

I am not a fan of CVT. I am yet to own a CVT. I am just creating awareness here about the availability of CVTs. Don't be surprised if in the next few years you see less geared-automatics than CVTs. High speed / powerful german cars now have CVTs. They are not stupid. In fact CVT is banned in race cars (can you beat that?). It proved several seconds faster than the geared-automatics. Yes it races without that jerky, manly, powery feeling that we all love. If you read my post, I clearly suggested that the prospective buyer must test drive. You never know. You don't want to deprive a potential CVT lover (there are many in the US and Europe - not that they are any less macho than us) from trying it out.

 

[Gurrala74]

Re: Looking For An Automatic Transmission Sedan!

@Vipul

I agree with you that Altis and Laura might be overpriced, but they are in different segment than these Honda city,Rapid and vento. So need to think about that pricing

About Honda city no doubt it is an excellent car, but the buyer is not happy with its GC issue on speed breakers. Thank you for your suggestions here

Rafian and Vipul, your discussion has really put me in little confusion here and what is your take on Rapid/Vento

 

[rafian]

Re: Looking For An Automatic Transmission Sedan!

@Vipul
Rafian and Vipul, your discussion has really put me in little confusion here and what is your take on Rapid/Vento

I won't buy VW or Skoda. I am skeptical about their service especially the availability and cost of parts. I heard the VW outsources their service and the escalation point is the dealership.

In the non-high-end category I prefer japanese because most of them follow Innovation and continuous refinement (part of Kaizan) with fairly good after sales service.

There are few exceptions like Renault and Fiat who have managed to build great small cost effective engines and maintained their standards.

 

[TSIVipul]

Re: Looking For An Automatic Transmission Sedan!

I am not a fan of CVT. I am yet to own a CVT. I am just creating awareness here about the availability of CVTs. Don't be surprised if in the next few years you see less geared-automatics than CVTs. High speed / powerful german cars now have CVTs. They are not stupid. In fact CVT is banned in race cars (can you beat that?). It proved several seconds faster than the geared-automatics. Yes it races without that jerky, manly, powery feeling that we all love. If you read my post, I clearly suggested that the prospective buyer must test drive. You never know. You don't want to deprive a potential CVT lover (there are many in the US and Europe - not that they are any less macho than us) from trying it out.

Only one German car right now on sale in India has CVT, which one: Audi A4 2.0 TDI and that car also suffers with the made-for-each-other issue of CVT and that issue is of responsiveness under hard acceleration after a point like you can feel in those Activas and all.
You are doing 80 kph and try to do pedal to metal in a CVT and see how it first of all hesitates, then it starts moving ahead and then slowly it catches the speed. Look at the rev needle, no matter where in the rev range true power lies, the CVT will simply rise the revs as per the need of those 2 belt connected wheels which can change their size in a number of steps
Yups for an engine like a turbo petrol or a supercharged petrol the CVT can also be fun as the engine has a very wide torque spread in fact for turbo diesels also it can be fine as the engine has a good lower end and mid range but in case of a N/A petrol, the CVT makes it just difficult to churn out all the power available. Yes I know that with CVT it is easy to keep the engine at a 4-6k mark quite easily from the instant you start but the way it delivers power puts me off. Still once the revs fell, the CVT is again that slow to react gearbox in which the revs do rise suddenly to the redline but since the pulleys keep on changing their size slowly, the vehicle never feels like it is moving ahead like a proper automatic gearbox and adding to it is the sound the vehicle makes
BTW, CVT was banned in formula 1 because there was no room in the set of rules for the unlimited gear ratio combos that the CVT offers as the cars do need to have a specific number of gear ratios also manufacturing a belt that could handle so much power would have been an issue.

@Vipul

I agree with you that Altis and Laura might be overpriced, but they are in different segment than these Honda city,Rapid and vento. So need to think about that pricing

It is the Altis which is overpriced, Laura is priced correctly and TSi is simply priced lower than what this car deserves. If your colleague can go upto 17 lac(like for Altis) then why not check the Laura TSi A/T. The 7 speed DSG offers better and more refined performance as well as fantastic FE too as compared to the M/T variant. There are no GC issues with this car, it has got a BIG boot, ride and handling are exceptionally good, steering response is fantastic and engine is better less said, everyone knows what a brutal force the TSi comes packed with.

About Honda city no doubt it is an excellent car, but the buyer is not happy with its GC issue on speed breakers. Thank you for your suggestions here

Buddy wait for a moment, with the new variant the GC has been increased a bit and hence the GC issues are quite sorted out now.

Rafian and Vipul, your discussion has really put me in little confusion here and what is your take on Rapid/Vento

Naa, the auto box isn't as much good. If you need an auto box in this category then look at Honda or maybe Fiesta A/T(if your friend can agree by any ways) else rise the bar and think of Fluence or Corolla or Laura.

 

[maranprashanth]

Re: Looking For An Automatic Transmission Sedan!

@Gurala Ji: Hyundai Elantra the New one is equipped with features of 5 series BMW and is very comfortable on Road automatic comes to 20L you can confirm with your city dealer.

Vehicle is reliable best in handling and there are no single problem.
Great pick-up solar glasses Best car according to me consider that too.

 

[Gurrala74]

Re: Looking For An Automatic Transmission Sedan!

@Prasanth,

Actual budget is 10L only and since he was looking at Altis, hence I said 15L. Big NO to Hyundai cars, they will eat you away with service and spares. TATA is better than Hyundai

 

[maranprashanth]

Re: Looking For An Automatic Transmission Sedan!

@Gurrala : Hyndai is not like the previous generation once and trust me maintance of Verna is 35% cheaper than MAnza. Hyndai is changed a Lot and this Elantra is reliable.

You can check cruze also cheapest in maintenance and highest warranty in its class comfortabe too.

Altis Diesel is total waste of money

 

[Gurrala74]

Re: Looking For An Automatic Transmission Sedan!

@Prasanth and others

My friends is sticking down to a in the range of 10-11L max, so his options are Vento/Rapid/Sunny/Scala/City and out of these I suggested him to test drive Honda City and take a decision

 

[vijay]

Re: Looking For An Automatic Transmission Sedan!

Petrol AT and nothing can beat honda city RK, for the price you are asking for.
Get the deal for AT from honda and he would love his ownership for a long long period.

 

[Gurrala74]

Re: Looking For An Automatic Transmission Sedan!

Yeah, Vijay I have suggested him the same this morning as it comes well in his budget and a proven reliable car than trying with a new bee. Also told him to start a dialogue with Honda people now itself and negotiate to get some good discounts as the Auto sales on very low right now

 

[maranprashanth]

Re: Looking For An Automatic Transmission Sedan!

@Gurrala JI: Petrol or diesel? If your friend is more than 5'7" in height its tough to get in and out of Honda City.
Nissan Sunny and Renault Scala is good only with diesel.
Practically Skoda Rapid very ahead to Vento in term of specifications and comfort. but here in this segment also Verna is the best.

 

[TSIVipul]

Re: Looking For An Automatic Transmission Sedan!

Vehicle is reliable best in handling and there are no single problem.

Hyundai Elantra and best handling!!??!!??

Altis Diesel is total waste of money

Altis diesel don't come with A/T buddy.

My friends is sticking down to a in the range of 10-11L max, so his options are Vento/Rapid/Sunny/Scala/City and out of these I suggested him to test drive Honda City and take a decision

Good suggestion buddy, City is miles ahead of the competition at the said price.

@Gurrala JI: Petrol or diesel? If your friend is more than 5'7" in height its tough to get in and out of Honda City.

I am between 5'10" and 5'11" but yet to face any such problem till date.