Best Car (prefer SUV) for Indian Roads

I need your recommendations for buying a new car; first car to own.

Budget:  upto 10 Lakhs

Usage profile: Aspire to drive to site seeing places in weekends atleast twice a month. May be atleast twice a year on 1000 km+ drives. As well as drive to work 5 km away from home

Now in My Mind: Scorpio. Tata Safari looks big. Xylo feels like Scorpio with cut down looks. Considering Sumo Grande - but not seen enough on roads.

What I look for: I sense of comfort and safety even on highways. Should be handy/ fashionable enough to drive alone as well.

Doubts: Is ABS a helpful feature?

Features I have sort of decided I need in the car: Tubeless tyres, power steering, power windows, central locking, good music system etc

Driving Knowledge/ experience: Used 4/5 year old Alto 1.1 Vxi for 2 years 40 kms daily; 3/4 180 km drives; have had hands on a very old Maruti 800 for a week or so.

Location: Pune

Hi

I would say Innova is the one u should go with

Considering, Innova might get replaced by a new model very soon,i think better to wait and watch for 2010,New Mahindra SUV is also expected soon,what say Bhardwaj?

I feel 10-12 lakh is a pretty decent investment,dont feel Innova suits[although a very good deal for money] his requirements...

I think whole focus for these manufacturers has always been small,midsize cars...Wanna see SUV segment revved up in this price tag...

All these suvs we are talking about starts at a price close to figure of 10,but real pleasure of an suv starts somewhere with 15lakhs up...???

Although dont wanna confuse you Boopathy,i would suggest you wait for a while before you invest that much money...Wish toyota offers something new in this segment...

If your budget stretches to 20 lakh,i would straight away recommend you Toyota fortuner...[Wish had one] A clear winner by one of the most reputed brands and a leading company as far as SUVs are concerned....

Hi Aby

Innova wont be replace with a new model.A new Innova is 3 to 4 years away.

To meet the BS4 norms a tubo intercooler will be added so it is not worth the wait.As some of percentage will be reduced.

@Boopathy: So Innova will his ideal choice at that budget.As it will provide the best comfort and safety at that price tag.

Hand down Innova is the winner

hi

you can think of the scorpio if you want a more muscular look..the ride quality and performance of innova is better and i am not sure about the fuel economy and the resale

Toyota innova meets all requirements...The current upgraded model adds to its glory,Mahindras upcoming SUV is something to wait and watch for... 

Rest is all clear to you i guess...

Do give your feedback...

Hi

Comparision

Do have a look at Sume grande GX mate.

Innova - mostly I see them used as a corporate chaffeur driven car. If a car is more seen with yellow boards than in White boards, it sort of gives me image issue.

My dream car would be something of the shape of Honda CRV or Hyundai tucson; as small as possible. Even if it can seat only 5 people it should be fine. But it should be big enough to give a sense of safety feeling on high ways. Is my notion of Big cars safer than small cars in high ways correct?

I can't really think of spending more than 10 lakhs on car at present.

Innova doesn't seem to have tubeless tyres. Why do you think Toyota has decided so? Is tubeless tyres not a safety feature?