My daily running is around 20 km in the city. I travel to my native place every alternate month, covering around 800 km on the highway for the round trip. Please suggest a 5-seater automatic car within a budget of Rs. 16 lakh (ex-showroom). I have shortlisted the Toyota Urban Cruiser, Kia Seltos, Renault Duster, and Maruti Suzuki Victoris.

autocar.india

•9h

For your usage, the Mahindra XUV 7XO AX5 diesel manual is the best fit. Your running is high, the route is highway-heavy, and you are doing this regularly. The 7XO diesel is built for exactly this kind of use. The 2.2-litre diesel engine is strong, efficient and relaxed at highway speeds, and the car feels stable and planted on long runs. This Mahindra car is also spacious and comfortable, which matters when you are doing this distance five times a month. The petrol version is also good, but at this kind of running, diesel makes more sense financially and in terms of driving experience. The only thing to keep in mind is that the 7XO is a big car, so if your city driving is genuinely very limited, that is not a problem. If you want something smaller, the Kia Seltos 1.5 diesel is the alternative. It is more compact and still very good on the highway, but when you're running, the diesel 7XO is the more sensible choice.

Mahindra XUV 7XO

Kia Seltos

autocar.india

•22h

The width of your parking space is 8ft, which is about 2.44 metres. That is quite tight for most modern cars, especially with the mirrors open. For example, a typical midsize SUV like the Kia Seltos or Hyundai Creta is around 1.8 metres wide without mirrors, and with mirrors open, the width can go up to around 2.1 metres. With an 8ft width, you'll have very little clearance on either side, especially if you need to open the doors, so you'll need to park close to the passenger-side wall to have enough space for the driver to open the door and enter/exit. The good news is that most modern cars have electrically folding mirrors, so you can fold them in before entering the parking space. With mirrors folded, the width drops back to the body width, which is usually around 1.8 metres for most SUVs and 1.7 metres for smaller hatchbacks and sedans. If you want a car that is genuinely easy to park in an 8ft space, you should look at smaller hatchbacks like the Maruti Suzuki Swift, Hyundai Grand i10 Nios or Tata Tiago. These are around 1.7 metres wide with mirrors folded and will give you more breathing room. The key is to make sure the car you choose has electrically folding mirrors and to get into the habit of folding them before entering the parking space.

Kia Seltos

Tata Tiago

Hyundai Grand i10 Nios

Maruti Suzuki Swift

autocar.india

•23h

With a daily city running of around 50km, the ideal choice is a petrol automatic SUV with a smooth gearbox and low running costs. In the Rs. 20-25 lakh range, the Kia Seltos petrol IVT is the most balanced option. The IVT gearbox is very smooth in stop-start traffic, it is easy to drive in the city thanks to the light controls, and Kia’s service network is strong. The Seltos also offers a comfortable cabin, good features and a premium feel.If you want something more driver-focused, the Skoda Kushaq 1.0 TSI automatic is a good alternative. This Skoda car is more engaging to drive and feels more solid on the highway, but the Seltos is the better all-rounder for city use. You can also consider the Maruti Suzuki Victoris strong hybrid if you want more fuel efficiency and even lower running costs, but it won't feel as premium as the Kia. The Seltos petrol IVT strikes the right balance between comfort, reliability and ease of ownership for your usage.

Kia Seltos

Maruti Suzuki Victoris

Skoda Kushaq