I have extensively driven an Ignis AMT and a Punch AMT, so I am sure I’ll not be recommending AMTs to anyone.
BHPian cludflare recently shared this with other enthusiasts.
Lately, too many people in my circle are buying or evaluating their first cars and have reached out to me for recommendations. Most of them, being in Bangalore, are looking for automatics. I was in the same boat 3 years ago when my wife convinced me after intense arguments to buy an automatic (Jazz CVT) over a manual (the Ford Freestyle). Interestingly, both of my final options have been discontinued so looks like I am not the right person for car advice (more on that later). Anyway, I count my blessings each day in Bangalore traffic that I chose an automatic over the manual. I later upgraded to City CVT after worshipping the Jazz for roughly 2 years.
So here’s the deal. Most of my friends are looking for the most affordable automatics with a seamless ownership experience. I have extensively driven an Ignis AMT and a Punch AMT, so I am sure I’ll not be recommending AMTs to anyone.
Three of the most affordable true automatics and only options within the sub 10 lakh ex-showroom buckets are:
- Honda Amaze CVT – Absolutely no-nonsense car. My love for Honda having owned both the Jazz and City makes me extremely inclined to suggest this to my friends. Acceptable safety too.
- Hyundai i20 IVT – Never been a fan of Hyundais and the design language of the newer cars is not going down well with me. But still, they have refined engines and I am guessing hassle-free ownerships. Safety remains questionable though.
- Tata Altroz DCA – Now this is an interesting one. I recently drove the DCA and found the power output/performance very similar to my Jazz CVT. I could not differentiate between the DCA and CVT, to be honest. However, the suspension seemed very well tuned – softer than my Jazz and the steering feedback was better. 5-star safety, but always a risky ownership experience with TATA.
I am purposely not including Magnite or Kiger in the list as I think they have done a lot of cost-cutting and quality compromise in the name of giving an SUV-ish look and ground clearance in this price range. Am I missing any other option?
For me, it’s clearly the Amaze on top. However, I’ll honestly suggest others try all these three and decide for themselves – at times it’s the feel. All three are decent automatics with 1.2L NA engines, good enough for requirements of 75% city and 25% highway runs. These engines develop reasonable power for a reasonable number of reasonable people.
While the top-end Amaze VX CVT is priced at Rs. 9.66 lakhs ex-showroom, the Altroz XZA DCA, which is one below the top and almost has all bells and whistles, is priced at Rs. 9.60 lakhs. Interestingly, only the i20 IVT Sportz is priced in this range which is Rs. 9.1 lakhs ex-showroom. The Asta Optional IVT is priced at a whopping Rs. 10.8 lakhs ex-showroom.
Again, I am excluding the Fronx 1L Turbo TC as it is priced higher and I hate Maruti for taking a step back and replacing the CVT with an AMT in the Baleno.
Here’s what GTO had to say on the matter:
Nice list! Some thoughts:
- Am in agreement that AMTs are a strict no-no. Too jerky, too slow, and has poor long-term reliability. The only AMTs that are somewhat acceptable are the Hyundai AMTs.
- You can also add the Tiago EV to the list. Smoother than any ICE AT car, and can work as a great city ride.
- Don’t overlook the Ciaz AT! Smooth AT, spacious, comfortable, value-for-money, robust & reliable. Though an outdated car now. Starting with the Brezza AT variant isn’t too far away either.
- Sucks that the Baleno lost its smooth CVT.
- I love the powertrain of the Magnite / Kiger Turbo CVTs, but buying a Nissan is too risky today. If I had to pick between the two, I’d go for the Renault Kiger. Am a fan of its styling too. In many months, Renault sells twice as many cars as Nissan.
Here’s what BHPian VWAllstar had to say on the matter:
Looks like everyone is moving towards Automatic Transmission now. Glad I got to live in an era where we had few choices which made us appreciate the manual transmissions. Though, in cities like Bangalore, Mumbai and Pune, Automatics are now imperative, I would not completely rule out AMTs. People intending to go towards Automatic Transmissions are looking for convenience so AMT, apart from it’s slight jerks serves the purpose too. For an enthusiast, only DCT / DSG will satiate so CVTs and AMTs almost serve the same purpose. Today’s AMTs are better configured to reduce the jerk however CVTs’ rubber band feeling remains the same. AMTs also give you an option to manually operate the gears (same as IVT)
For under 10 lakhs, I would recommend the below:
- Altroz DCA
- Amaze CVT
- Kiger CVT
- Baleno / Glanza AMT
- Preowned City CVT
- Preowned VW DSG – Polo, Ameo & Vento
- Tiago EV (if it is a 2nd car)
Here’s what BHP’s Saanil had to say on the matter:
Some time back, I looked at the prices of entry-level cars (i.e. hatchbacks) which were offered with an automatic transmission. I believe the cheapest option was Alto / S-Presso i.e. a person who is buying his first automatic car will probably have to spend a minimum of 7 lakh today and will only get the AMT transmission.
I am pasting below the prices I had collected through Google for Mumbai – this is just to give an idea of the cost of an entry-level automatic car. Apologies in advance for any errors. For getting on-road prices, I just increased the ex-showroom price by 18%.
Here’s what BHPian bravo82in had to say on the matter:
Surprisingly, the options for automatic transmissions in the hatchback segment are quite limited, let’s not call AMT an Automatic.
Personally, I own two automatic cars priced under 10 lakhs, and there’s one within my extended family.
Last year, I purchased a Honda Amaze with a CVT for my 80-year-old father, who had been driving manual transmissions for the past 60 years. Initially, he was resistant to the change, but now he’s quite content with the car. He finds it incredibly convenient for city driving.
Four years ago, I bought a Jazz CVT for my wife as her first car. Despite resistance from the in-laws who questioned why an automatic, I insisted it was my decision. She thoroughly enjoyed the convenience of driving in the bustling NCR, and her sister, who was previously hesitant to drive in the city, ended up purchasing a Jazz CVT in the same colour and variant.
It’s unfortunate that Jazz has been discontinued. I can’t fathom why Indians prioritize features over comfort and safety.
The Hyundai i20 appears to be an excellent choice. It’s feature-rich, boasts a reliable engine and gearbox, and Hyundai’s service is commendable. For city driving, safety might not be a top concern.
On the other hand, I’d recommend steering clear of the Tata Altroz and Tiago EV due to Tata’s subpar service experiences and reliability.
Whenever someone seeks my opinion on hatchbacks, I take them on a long drive in one of my CVTs, and they usually end up convinced of its merits.
Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.
