BHPian Amsdoc recently shared this with other enthusiasts: Need some advice: My working pattern has changed significantly. That means travelling a lot in the city for significant distances in heavy traffic and sometimes on roads that are in poor condition with lots of potholes. Plus a high pressure job means I need to be well rested when I get to my destination. So I have employed a driver. I sit on the rear seat and forget about the drive itself. I am 5ft 10 inch tall. Current drive is my 1st gen Creta petrol auto which has served me well till now. But, it has a few issues. The mileage is seldom over 10 kmpl and the rear seat experience isn’t the greatest, especially over bad roads where it tends to bounce around a lot. So I am looking for a new car. The factors to consider are:Comfortable rear seat experience, leg room and rideEconomical to driveUnder 25L priceReliableGiven above criteria, that brings mainly electric and hybrid cars as options. I was looking at:Toyota Hyryder Hybrid: questionable rear seat experienceHyundai Creta Electric: same as above, especially knees up seating and comparatively expensiveMG Windsor: seems best package and pricing is very tempting but looks are off putting and not sure my driver can manage the complex buttonless controls. Also outside noise suppression is supposed to be not greatestTata and Mahindra Evs: Cant get over the glitchy electronics of both and rear seats aren’t great. The big mahindra ev is too big, harrier just being released.Toyota Camry Hybrid used: love this car, but finding a good used example in budget is challengingHonda city Hybrid: Not a lot of love for this car for some reason. Some good deals going on. Under thigh support at rear is a bit less but ok. Ground clearance though same as Camry seems to have more issues with bottoming out, probably due to suspension setup.What do you you guys think? Any suggestions? Anything option I have missed? I know I have to go and test drive or a test ride for all contenders. But which should I prioritise, as finding time even to go to the showroom is a challenge. Here’s what BHPian Sanidhya mukund replied:In my view, the most comfortable rear seats on the market these days are offered on MPVs. Thus, the following would be my suggestions: 1. Innova Hycross: The VX Hybrid with captain seats would be the ideal car for you, but you’d have to stretch your budget by quite a bit. You could get the GX (o) Petrol variant as well, but that wouldn’t be as efficient. 2. Kia Carens Clavis: Diesel or EV. VFM choice, well equipped, refined, comfortable and economical to run. 3. XL6/Ertiga: Though not as upmarket, the Ertiga and XL6 are excellent chauffeur driven cars. Being Marutis, they are quite economical and even come with the option of factory fitted CNG. They’re known to be super reliable and durable. You could keep your Creta for whenever you’d want to drive on your own and add one of these for your commute. The XL6 with its captain seats matches the Hycross in terms of comfort. 4. Honda City Hybrid: If the MPVs aren’t your thing, this is the best bet. Ticks all your boxes and falls well within your budget after discounts. 5. Camry Hybrid: Another excellent balance of all the factors, though spares might be a little more expensive than the others. Most Camrys are well kept, so finding a used one shouldn’t be that difficult. The 2017+ models can be found within this budget, but they may have some significant numbers on the odo.Here’s what BHPian Axe77 replied:I would suggest taking a close look at the Hycross equivalent from Maruti – the Invicto. There are some lower variants and it should serve well as a long term economical and comfortable chauffeur driven car. A used Camry is a great option too as long as you don’t think the road conditions you typically traverse don’t make a sedan a deal breaker.Here’s what BHPian 100Kmphormore replied:Would say to take a longer test ride of the Hyryder again. I sat and drove the Maruti equivalent (Grand Vitara) and it was quite comfortable, the suspension felt surprisingly European. With our roads, driver or not, peace of mind is paramount and a crossover is just about great in ground clearance and length, in case you have to drive and park it yourself. The Hycross would simply be too big for the city, though no 2 ways about seating comfort and ride quality.Here’s what BHPian Love4Cars replied:Not a crowd favorite but, I would suggest you to check out XUV400 EV. As per the reviews it has got a very compliant ride (Windsor only loses this else would have suggested the same) and spacious at the back. You should get the top end below 16-17L! The only shortcoming is the NMC battery but that also is something that cars like Creta/Clavis have. These have been getting good reviews for the efficiency. You will get cheap running costs and a Driver friendly front interior. It does have good boot space and for will make for an excellent choice for City or close intercity drives. Clavis is the next best suggestion if you are ok with the large size.Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.
