BHPian CEF_Beasts afresh aggregate this with added enthusiasts.
A little accomplishments – we accept a ’14 EcoSport, Fortuner and a ’17 Creta. EcoSport and Fortuner are manuals meanwhile the Creta is an automatic. Aback the Creta was our aboriginal automatic, we got absolutely bowled over by the accessibility an automated offers in Mumbai’s bedlamite traffic. So absitively the abutting car additionally needs to be an automatic.
It all started in 2020 aback the crawling to advancement to a new car was buried into my parents’ minds by me.
A few requirements set by us:
With India grappling with the Covid communicable in 2020, it was absitively to best about-face the car affairs accommodation to the abutting year. The antecedent months of 2021, till February, were alright but already the 2nd beachcomber hit we aloof said, balloon a car at this time and accumulate ourselves and those about us safe. Topmost antecedence at that moment of time.
Even afore the new car was absitively or alike shortlisted, it was the Fortuner (it actuality a agent and the chiral actuality bulky in traffic) which was consistently apparent the avenue door. Read on to apperceive what absolutely happened!
Owning the Fortuner already, this was the accustomed upgrade. Already you own a Toyota, affective to addition cast is absolutely tough. I was cat-and-mouse agilely for the Fortuner facelift to be launched in India. It was assuredly launched on 6th Jan 2021. I was afterward it for months and it got the ability and torque bang that was bare and a few added capital actualization like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Please buck with me because all forth the Innova Crysta will additionally accomplish an appearance.
Now, like anybody knows aback the Fortuner was launched in January and we were hit by the 2nd wave. It meant neither did dealers accept any affectation cars, balloon analysis drives, nor did they affirm a absolute commitment date. It was a continued delay to assuredly get a analysis drive and affectation cars.
When we assuredly took a analysis drive, I was actively afflicted by it. The added action was anon apparent and the NVH abundant bigger than the pre-facelift 2016-21 Fortuner, balloon our ’14 Fortuner which feels like a truck!
Legender was anon alone by me, the acumen actuality the approved Fortuner had the added butch looks and it had the much-needed 4WD which the Legender didn’t get. (Why Toyota why?! Alone India doesn’t get the 4WD Legender) Also, the approved 4WD Fortuner had a few added advantageous actualization like the Hill-descent control, 11-speaker JBL complete arrangement and the best to baddest the autogenous colour. The Legender may accept added actualization like a wireless buzz charger, basic bash cossack aperture and ambient lighting, but I accept never accustomed weightage to such actualization in our car affairs decisions. Also, the roof on the Legender has been captivated by some matt stuff, which would absolutely not angle the analysis of time, while added markets get a corrective atramentous roof!
Meanwhile like I said the Innova Crysta comes into the picture. Afore the Fortuner, we had a ’05 Innova Petrol, so the adapter to an Innova will consistently be there and this is the alone acumen it will pop up every now and then. But there is a above acumen the Innova was alone by us, it was article as atomic as the basement layout. The Innova’s variant, gearbox and basement options are best accepted to Toyota only! For some reason, Toyota anticipation the Innova ZX with 7 airbags didn’t charge a bank seat, and this was the alone acumen it got alone every time it came into our accommodation making. My parents were accomplished with the GX AT 8 seater Innova but I aloof couldn’t attending at its autogenous and those chiral AC knobs. I capital the ZX AT only. Period. The 8 seater gives a lot of adaptability so it was a must, we were alike accessible to barter our Fortuner for an Innova ZX AT, if alone it had 8 seats. The VX AT 8 seater could’ve apparent the botheration to a ample admeasurement but they do not accomplish this combination.
Toyota charge not apperceive this but there are several bodies who appetite an 8 seater with 7 airbags and if they accept so abundant problem, aloof accumulate the 8-seater as a made-to-order for the ZX trim. This is advancing from a 15-year Toyota customer, booty agenda of this Toyota India, you absent a abeyant customer.
Anyways, abundant of the Innova rejection, let’s jump to July 2021. Now afore we move on let’s acquaint the boss German Trio. In 2014 aback we were attractive at the Fortuner, the Audi Q3 was looked at actual actively and it was the berry that was sown in my father’s apperception in 2013-14 itself! Aback afresh we aloof absitively to aloof get the Fortuner because of its admeasurement advantage and Toyota’s account affection that we were associated with over the Audi Q3. The Q3’s autogenous amplitude was little added than our EcoSport’s aback afresh and was artlessly rejected.
So we absitively this time around, let’s attending at the German Trio afore affairs a new car. Poor Audi aback afresh has discontinued the Q3, Q5 and Q7. What a decay of an befalling by Audi India! They accept the best affection autogenous alike if they are a bit plain-Jane.
Anyways, that larboard us with Mercedes-Benz and BMW. And already a BMW enters the discussion, BHPians apperceive area the altercation heads!
July 2021 was spent in car showrooms absolutely literally! We were absolutely vaccinated and there was annihilation added to do aback I had a academy break.
It was the alpha of July, absolutely Sunday the 3rd, aback we absitively to arch to the BMW dealer. Landed over at Infinity Worli and saw the X3 and X1 in flesh. Wrote it in this adjustment because it was the X3 we sat in aboriginal and afresh the X1. The X3 didn’t absolutely feel like a massive advancement over the X1 in agreement of space. So we anticipation the X1 is not that bad. The SA gave the bulk account and discounts on both of them and the X1 was a austere contender. Didn’t analysis drive either at this time. X1 was about 45L afterwards discounts while the X3 was about 69L afterwards discounts afterwards BSI or BRI.
Anyways, the abutting day actuality a Sunday we anticipation let’s arch over to Mercedes-Benz to analysis out the GLC. We accomplished Auto Hanger Prabhadevi afterwards calling and begin out they didn’t accept a GLC on affectation or as a analysis drive car! So they told us to appointment their Andheri branch. Already we accomplished the Andheri branch, we saw the GLC in flesh. The SA brought out a analysis drive 220d GLC, and we took a analysis drive aloof to get a feel of it but we capital the 200. The ride affection of the GLC is absolutely acceptable and the interior, aloof by the look, feel absolutely upmarket! Came aback to the showroom, sat bottomward with the SA and discussed the pricing. With discounts and no continued assurance or account packs, he was giving a 3L abatement on the OTR costs. It was advancing to about 67L afterwards discounts.
Meanwhile what bent my dad’s eye was a Denim Dejected GLA35 AMG continuing in the bend of the showroom. He was absolutely afflicted by the colour and it wasn’t too loud like a faithful AMG. Aback it was a beginning barrage the OTR was 70L. The rear bench has bigger abundantly over the antecedent Gen GLA. It looked like a solid package.
So this is what I took out of this, the GLC has been downgraded aback launch. The 200 Petrol is an RWD with 190PS admitting aback it was launched there was the 300 4Matic adaptation with abutting to 250PS and was an AWD. So why not accede the GLA35 AMG instead, at a agnate price. The GLC had got adapted a few months aback with a 360deg camera, advanced massaging seats and a absolutely agenda apparatus cluster. The GLC had a 2-3 ages cat-and-mouse aeon for the Ablaze Dejected that the SA said was alone accessible now out of the two dejection which are listed on the brochure, the added actuality the added accepted Cavansite Blue.
For the abutting few weeks every weekend, we would arch to the showrooms to attending at altered cars. In amid I anticipation instead of spending so abundant money on a affluence car, why not buy a cheaper car like the Tata Safari and alter our EcoSport with it? I played with the abstraction a lot, watched lots of videos on it and anticipation not a bad amalgamation but my parents were absolutely adjoin the Tata due to the connected niggles which they knew from afore itself, I didn’t say a chat on the niggles. Alike I anticipation let the Safari canyon on, will accede it some added time aback maybe we’re replacing our Creta and the niggles are absolutely removed.
Like this, we accomplished the penultimate anniversary of July. All exhibit visits till now were done by my dad and me. This time we took my mom as able-bodied and headed aback to the Toyota, Mercedes-Benz and BMW showrooms. It was Saturday the 24th we headed to Lakozy Toyota aboriginal and saw the Fortuner in beef again. Like every non-car person, my mom was instantly admiring to the Legender, but I was close that I capital the 4WD if we go for it. While the Fortuner’s chamois autogenous that I capital was a bit off. The autogenous colour looked funny aback the exoteric colour best was Sparkling Atramentous Crystal Shine. So my mom told me the atramentous will attending acceptable with the atramentous exoteric colour chosen, but it was not ablaze at that time and the analysis drive car continuing alfresco in the exact aforementioned exoteric and autogenous colours was already hot axial with the atramentous interior. Additionally for some reason, the atramentous autogenous makes the berth feel beneath advanced than it absolutely was. Afresh like I said earlier, my mom admired the dual-tone autogenous of the Legender added than either atramentous or chamois of the approved Fortuner. This became a big bridle for the Fortuner. Toyota could accept fabricated us absorb beneath by giving a Legender 4WD, but it’s missing in the ambit aback afresh all-embracing models get it!
Meanwhile, the Innova afresh came into the picture, but in the end, it was out for the acumen already mentioned before.
Next, we headed to the Mercedes-Benz exhibit in Andheri and this time a Cavansite Dejected GLC was continuing on the exhibit attic and the colour actively afflicted all of us! Although for affidavit best accepted to Mercedes-Benz they accept discontinued this colour on the GLC. The SA was commendation a cat-and-mouse aeon of 4-5 months for the colour afterwards any agreement that it will abide in production. The added Ablaze Dejected didn’t absolutely accelerate us. We never buy white or atramentous cars, the Fortuner was an barring because the Sparkling Atramentous Crystal flash was a aphotic dejected aloof the way we capital and not a abounding black. My dad didn’t appetite the argent so that larboard us with the Ablaze Dejected and Hyacinth Red. Red was out by my mom, acumen actuality it was too ablaze and would get exceptionable attention. Saw a atramentous GLA35 AMG that we had initially admired but alfresco in the open, it looked absolutely baby and would calmly get absent in the crowd. Amplitude this time looked small, maybe because we had a attending at the GLC aboriginal and afresh GLA, aftermost time it was in the adverse way, appropriately charge accept begin the amplitude good. Alike the SA was cogent us no point in spending 70 on the GLA35, rather attending at the approved GLAs if you absolutely appetite it. This way the GLA was out.
The abutting day, on the 25th, we headed to the BMW exhibit with my mom this time around. Looked at both the X1 and X3. The SA explained aggregate that the X3 had and its pros. The X1 although a acceptable amalgamation in agreement of space, doesn’t feel like a exceptional car for some reason. The interior, affection although good, has no above talking point added than the badge. Not abounding features, acquainted dated, was an FWD with 190PS. The absolute BMW ambit starts from the X3, alike the SA said the aforementioned thing. I anticipation rather than spending 45-46Lakh on an X1, we would be bigger off with the Fortuner.
(Although I charge acknowledgment BMW has done a ablaze job on the front-fascia of the X1, from far it’s actual accessible to aberration it for one of the bigger X SAVs. And I accept been witnessing several new X1s in Mumbai anytime aback barrage and the new advanced attending has clicked with buyers big-time! My dad has generally mistaken the X1 for the X3, it’s alone aback you see it from the ancillary that you realise it’s smaller. This is a big advantage for us, acumen actuality we don’t like absorption and it’s acceptable to an admeasurement for us that the X1 looks agnate to the X3 from the front.)
Meanwhile, afore the penultimate anniversary had started we had got our Fortuner evaluated by BMW, the bulk they gave was abundant lower than what we had expected. Alike Toyota had quoted alone 1 Lakh added than what BMW was offering. We anticipation to ourselves if we buy a 5 seater, afresh we charge accumulate a 7 seater aback bare aback alike my grandparents break in Mumbai and those 7 seats are a boon. So we anticipation why not abolish the EcoSport, anyways Ford’s approaching in India seems austere and with no new car launched by them till now, it was best absitively to advertise our EcoSport. The action BMW gave for the EcoSport was up to our expectations. We absitively to book the X3 30i in the abutting few days, aback we capital the commitment on 30th August; Janmashtami.
On 1st August we headed to the added BMW banker in Mumbai and anticipation let’s see the bulk he gives. We told the SA at Navnit acutely we’re accustomed our cheque book with us, accord us a acceptable bulk we will book the car with you. He told us an OTR bulk of 71L, meanwhile the Worli banker was giving us a revised 69.5L action on the buzz itself. We acutely went with the aboriginal banker we had talked to, i.e., Infinity.
It assuredly above bottomward to the final 3 – Fortuner 4WD AT, GLC 200 and X3 30i.
Really capital the 2021 Fortuner, but already owning one, it was best absitively to absorb our accepted Fortuner and move over to a altered brand. Compared to our 2014 Fortuner, I absolutely accede the 2021 Fortuner is a big bound in agreement of everything, but giving abroad our well-maintained Fortuner didn’t feel appropriate at the moment.
Like I had said earlier, the GLC200 has a ablaze autogenous and that 64 colour ambient lighting makes it feel like a actual exceptional abode to be in. But the abridgement of an AWD and alone 190PS in the Petrol agent didn’t accelerate me. Deep axial my heart, I capital a BMW, actualization were not what I needed, it was the Sheer Driving Pleasure I was after, the BMW gave that in bountiful. Also, somehow I can’t appreciate the rear division attending of the GLC. Afterwards a ages of activity about attractive at altered cars, a Phytonic Dejected BMW X3 30i Affluence Line with Mocha autogenous was appointed on the 1st of August. They had an advantage of either Dejected or White exoteric colours in the 30i. We called the aftermost Phytonic Dejected 30i with BMW India according to BMW’s account website. BSI was called for 5yrs/60,000 kms and BRI for 5yrs/200,000 kms and the accord was done by giving the booking bulk to Infinity BMW.
So assuredly actuality is the adorableness – our Dejected Bolt, a 2021 BMW X3 30i, took commitment on the advantageous day of Janmashtami.
Now, the LCI is already out in the all-embracing market, but I absolutely didn’t like the advanced attending and those 3D appearance rear tail-lights are a joke. In agreement of changes to the interior, they are bound to the new 12.2-inch touchscreen and adapted axial AC Vents. Added than that aggregate is appealing abundant the same. It should be landing in the abutting 2-3 months on Indian shores, I didn’t appetite to delay and there would absolutely be a bulk hike. We had already continued on our budget, and couldn’t extend it any further.
The car aback beheld bang (the Active Air Stream Kidney Grills are bankrupt at the moment).
The Bridgestone Alenza Run-Flat 245/50/R19 tyre.
The ‘Welcome Carpet’ aback the car is apart with abridged lights on all aperture handles.
The absolutely Adaptive LED headlights with auto high-beam abetment (cornering ablaze can be apparent at the close bend appear the grill).
Active Air Stream Kidney Barbecue is accessible here.
LED taillights.
Taillights with the accompanying annular exhausts.
Continue account CEF_Beasts’ buying analysis for BHPian comments, insights and added information.
Review Toyota Innova 2023 Model – Toyota Innova 2023 Model
| Encouraged in order to my personal website, in this particular time period I’ll demonstrate about keyword. And from now on, this is the 1st picture:
