I am looking for a car with a budget of ₹15 lakh. I drive about 500 km per month within the city and take long trips twice a year (~2,000 km each). I need a responsive engine, good boot space, and driving comfort for both city and highway driving. I have shortlisted Basalt X, Skoda Kushaq and the new Hyundai Venue. Your inputs will help me decide.

Autocar India

•11w

The Citroen Basalt meets your three requirements very well. It has the largest boot of the lot and has a responsive engine, and is very pleasing to drive with the most comfy ride too.

The only issue is that the company's dealer network is very small; if, however, this is not an issue for you, the Basalt would do just fine.

If this is a deal breaker, then look towards the Skoda Kylaq, the boot is larger, and in general, it is more enjoyable to drive when compared to the Hyundai Venue.

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Citroen

Basalt

from ₹9.24 Lakh

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Advait

•2d

Hello, firstly thanks to Autocar for guiding and helping common folk over the years! Kudos! I was planning to buy a car for City use (Mumbai), car to be primarily driven by parents, daily drive would be maximum 10km, need an automatic. Constraints - Parking space is tight, so planned to go with sub 4m cars, since it'll be for parents needed easier ingress and egress without pressure on knees. Narrowed to Brezza. Is it a good choice? If not what alternate cars can be considered? Furthermore, when is the facelift for Brezza due? There is no urgency as such to buy, what do you suggest should we go ahead now, or wait out for the facelift? Thanks!

Autocar India

•1h

The Maruti Suzuki Brezza is a good choice for your requirements. It is a spacious, practical, and compact SUV that is easy to drive in the city. The 1.5-litre petrol engine lacks punch and delivers mediocre performance. But it's smooth and refined and, coupled with a fairly responsive automatic gearbox, does the job for city driving quite well. More importantly, the Brezza is easy to get in and out of thanks to wide-opening doors and a comfortable step-in height. The Brezza is also a very reliable car, and Maruti's service network is very strong, so you won't go wrong there. The facelifted Brezza is expected to be launched later this year, though we are not aware of an exact timeline. The other alternative cars you could consider are the new Hyundai Venue, which is today the best overall compact SUV, or the Kia Syros, which is extremely spacious, especially in the back seat.

Pulakesh Chakraborty

Hi Autocar Team, I am considering the MG Windsor EV (38 kWh) as my primary car and would appreciate your expert opinion. Based on your real-world testing, would this be a good long-term choice for someone with the following driving pattern? Daily commute: 52 km (home to office) Occasional weekly drives: around 150 km Variant under consideration: mid-spec version Could you also share your observations on the real-world range, efficiency in different drive modes, and any potential limitations I should keep in mind before making a purchase decision?

Autocar India

•2h

In our tests conducted in Eco mode, with the climate control set to 22 degrees in full automatic mode, the MG Windsor delivered an efficiency of 8.6km/kWh in the city and 7.6km/kWh on the highway, averaging 8.1km/kWh, which extrapolates to an average real-world range of 308 kilometres. In ‘Normal’ mode, however, under mixed conditions, its efficiency drops noticeably, but you can still expect approximately 230-250 kilometres on one charge.Given your 52km daily usage, you will need to charge the 38kWh battery version twice a week, and even your highway drives of approximately 150km should be doable in a single charge, without any range anxiety. Overall, the Windsor is a practical and spacious car. Its touchscreen is slow to boot up, and all the functions (for mirrors, lights, etc) are embedded in it; however, with time, you will get used to it.

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Aswin R

•2d

I have a budget of ₹22 lakhs and am looking for an automatic petrol car, either a proper 5-seater or a 7-seater. Suspension and performance are my top priorities. I am confused between the Mahindra XUV 7XO, the 2026 Renault Duster 1.3 L Turbo (as I do not have clear information on its suspension), and the Volkswagen Taigun GT Sport (which feels cramped for 5 people). Please suggest the best option.

Autocar India

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The Mahindra XUV 7XO is the best option for you. It has a spacious and comfortable cabin with three rows of seats, though it's worth noting that the third row is a bit cramped for adults. The Mahindra XUV 7XO is powered by a 203hp/380Nm, 2.0-litre, four-cylinder turbo petrol engine paired with a 6-speed torque converter automatic gearbox, delivering strong performance. The XUV 7XO also features new 'DaVinci' dampers and hydraulic bump stops in the suspension setup. As a result, this SUV feels plush and comfortable at low speeds and composed at highway speeds. Mahindra XUV 7XO petrol-auto prices range from Rs 17.47 lakh to Rs 23.64 lakh (ex-showroom, India).

Mahindra XUV 7XO

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