First New Car Dilemma: Tata Safari vs Mahindra XUV700 vs Mahindra Scorpio N
Bhpian arayan5614 recently shared this with other enthusiasts:
I have been driving a spacious hatchback (SAIL UVA) for 4 years, bought it from Spinny around the Covid lockdown.
It has been a reliable companion, but my knees have recently started complaining, pressing the clutch 245 times to drive 6-7 km in Bangalore traffic is no joke.
Also, potholes don’t seem to be leaving Bangalore anytime soon, and driving a small car through them feels like sitting in Chandrayaan, gradually cruising through craters.
To cut it short, we want to buy an SUV.
My employer has a tempting car lease program, and we are seriously considering going for it.
Now, we are torn between these 3 cars:
1. Tata Safari (Accomplished Plus AT)
Love the road presence, muscular feel, and space inside
Everything about it seems great except the hard steering and the fear of poor post-sales service
Heard enough horror stories about Tata’s service, if it happens to me, I and Tata Motors might end up spending some time in consumer court
2. XUV 700 Diesel (AX7 7 STR / AX7 L STR)
Love the smooth driving experience, steering feels as light as a new sedan
Everything seems perfect except the leaner body and slightly weaker road presence
For some reason, we felt the suspension wasn’t as good as the Safari (could be the quality of the TD car)
3. Scorpio N (Z8 Diesel AT)
Love the high driving position and solid road presence
But the last row, side-opening back door, and overall comfort make it a bit tricky
Most importantly, my wife doesn’t like it, doesn’t seem like this one will get approval, but I’m still trying my best to explain the goodness of this car
Use Case:
1. 90% city driving in Bangalore where traffic is crazy, so an SUV seem to make sense to handle the worst roads
2. 10% highway use for weekend getaways and long drives, and, NCAP rating is non-negotiable
3. Diesel because of fuel economy, and we are not looking to keep the car for 10 years
4. Need space, we are a small family but frequently travel with friends and extended family, so a big car would be useful
Now, our questions:
1. If budget isn’t a constraint and reliability, driving experience, known niggles, and post-sales service are key factors, which car should we opt for?
2. Anyone with 1st-hand or 2nd-hand ownership experience of both Safari & XUV700, what’s your preference and why?
3. Mahindra is offering a 45k-75k discount on AX7-AX7L diesel, any way to push for additional discounts?
4. What are effective ways to negotiate on ex-showroom price without getting looted on insurance?
5. Any other pointers that we should consider?
This is going to be our first new car purchase, so any help is appreciated!
Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.
