I live in the hills of Shillong and need an automatic SUV for steep, narrow roads. Traffic is often bumper-to-bumper (1 km can take up to 1 hour). I drive 36 km one way (10 km in city traffic, 26 km on the highway), so 72 km per day total. My home is situated on a 45-degree inclined road. I want an automatic SUV under ₹15 lakh and will buy from either Hyundai or Maruti. Please suggest the right vehicle.

A car with a torque converter automatic will suit your usage best, as it builds power smoothly at low speeds and feels the most responsive. It also crawls easily off the throttle and offers strong hill-hold behaviour. Unlike a DCT, it does not overheat in slow uphill traffic.

In the Maruti Suzuki car, you have two options with this transmission: the Brezza and the Fronx turbo automatic. Between the two, we suggest the Brezza as its naturally aspirated engine delivers smoother power, which is ideal for hilly regions, and it feels nicer to drive around corners.

In a Hyundai car, the only torque converter option in your budget is the Venue diesel. You can get the Venue HX 5 variant if you are comfortable with a diesel engine.