Honda City or Optra Magnum

Hi,

Can anyone help me as I am planning to buy a car. My max budget is 10L and would like to go in either for optra magnum petrol or the honda city but very confused and thus seeking your help. Personally I like the interiors of Optra Magnum but then I would like advice and thus seeking help. I am looking for driving comfort and which car would be good on Pune/Bangalore roads....mostly full of potholes.

Thanks

Hi Gaurav

If you want petrol car than it has to be honda city.Its way better than optra.But the diesel version of optra is awesome, the power will blow you off.

As your run/usage seems to be more on highway (Pune-Bangalore), go for Optra Magnum Diesel.  It will give better driving pleasure & comfort.

Optra Magnum is a great car and as per your need, prefer this Powerful Diesel car instead of Petrol.

Hi,

First of all I would like to thank you all for posting and my apologies for not being very clear in my posts....as I have a transferable job ( Bangalorre, Pune, Delhi) and 90% of my driving would be city say about almost 20-25kms max and once in a month on the highway for weekend trips. The reason I seek help is I have never driven a diesel vehicle and I was told it is high on maintainance. To be frank after all corporate discounts I am getting the Magnum 1.6LT at 9.5L, though I have not yet heard from Honda. Also I am being told that the diesel version is approx 2L expensive than the Petrol.....vis a vis I heard that Honda has more plastics etc etc in reviews....I am not interested in the SX4 as my wife does not like the exteriors etc and alread own a Maruti. I would want somthing which is comfortable to drive, when inside the car reduces the outside noise and is smooth over bad roads..... I mean can absorb as much pothle shock as it can.....

Also what are the pros and cons of petrol vs diesel....Like I said before have never driven a diesel so ver apprehensive.

Thanks a lot for reading and sparing your precious time

Although Optra may look attractive with discounts and everything(makes prices even with the City), you will face a huge and i mean H.U.G.E issue in selling the car at a good price, resale is very poor for the optra in general. On the other side,City commands very good value in the used carmarket.

Honda  City is not a practical car for the bad roads that is the norm in India.It has poor ground clearance with long wheel base and soft suspension,it all adds to hitting speed braekers in the belly of the car.Between the two,go for Optra but it has very poor resale,so better buy a two yr old car and save huge money.Still better go for the SX4 which is the best suited car for Indian highways with best ground clearance

Optra magnum deisel is normally 1.5 lakhs more expensive than NHC. However assuming you get good discounts on it and it comes at comparable price for HNC, I would say go for Optra only.

• Deisel will save you running costs.
• Optra magnum has more power than than the NHC petorl too!!!
• I personally find Optra interiors to be better
• Optra is more spacious and comfortable than NHC
• HNC will have better resale than optra, if that is a major consideration for you
• In terms of driving there is no significant difference, though slight difference will always be there. Optra has a very refined deisel enging so that should not be a concern at all. Having said that I personally don't think that any amount of refinement in deisel can ever match that of corrosponding petrol engine.
• Being a heavier car, optra should be more sturdy and safer at higher speeds.

In my opinion if you or wife don't have any peculiar problem with deisel engines, go for Optra. It will be a better performing car, and the savings would more than offset the lower resale you would get.

Thanks Himanshu, have just got to know from the dealer that there is a new version of the AVEO as well which is 1.6LT ABS.....with so many options available in the market, I think I will buy a bike as it is so confusing....but the best part is that I have now stopped looking at Honda City and now just down to final two Optra vs SX4, have not heard any reviews about the AVEO so will give it a miss

You have not heard much of Aveo because you started the discussion saying you are considering City vs. Optra magnum.

For SX4, you said, "my wife deos not like the looks of it". And That is THE most important parameter.

And by way, I would not advice you to go for Aveo. The SX4, NHC and Optra are all better cars. Chose either one.

And since you are open to new suggestions, Do check out Fiat Linea. If you can wait a bit, I have heard that new versions are coming of the same. Do read about it in various forums here and Also take a TD of it. Of course, only if your wife is not against "Fiat".