Mumbai

sarvajith

•2d

Hi, I am planning to upgrade from my 2016 Maruti Suzuki Ignis AMT to an automatic SUV. My budget is Rs. 20-22 lakh. The usage will mostly be in Bangalore city, along with occasional highway trips. My priorities are safety, a fun-to-drive experience, and then comfort. Please suggest suitable options.

Autocar India

•23m

For your priorities, we would suggest the Renault Duster 1.3 turbo DCT. Coming from an Ignis AMT, this will feel like a massive upgrade in every meaningful way. The wet clutch DCT is a big advantage in Bangalore traffic because it is smoother and less prone to overheating than the dry clutch DCT setups used in rivals like the Seltos and Creta, while still delivering quick responses when you want to drive enthusiastically.

More importantly, the Duster is genuinely enjoyable from behind the wheel. It feels involving to drive, has strong performance from the 1.3 turbo petrol and the ride quality is very absorbent and comfortable, which matters on Bangalore’s mixed road conditions. The one trade off is rear seat space, which is not as generous as some rivals in this segment.

If rear seat space matters more, the new Tata Sierra 1.5 turbo petrol automatic is also worth considering. It is practical, spacious and still nice to drive, though it is not quite as driver focused as the Duster.

If your absolute priority is playing it safe from an ownership familiarity perspective, the Kia Seltos turbo DCT is the safer mainstream pick.

Explore cars mentioned

Renault

Duster

from ₹12.43 Lakh

Tata

Sierra

from ₹13.60 Lakh

Hyundai

Creta

from ₹12.78 Lakh

Maruti Suzuki

Ignis

from ₹6.34 Lakh

Kia

Seltos

from ₹13.01 Lakh

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More questions on similar cars

Vivek

•5d

I currently own a 2016 Renault Duster Diesel 110PS AMT and am now planning to upgrade to a new car. I have shortlisted the following options: Renault Duster 1.3L Iconic DCT (2026) Volkswagen Taigun 1.5L DSG GT (2026) Skoda Kushaq 1.5L DSG Monte Carlo (2026)

Autocar India

•21h

The new Renault Duster 1.3 DCT feels like the most natural upgrade. You already know and appreciate the Duster formula, but this new one moves the game on significantly. The big advantage is the wet clutch DCT, which is smoother and better suited to Indian traffic than the dry clutch DSGs in the VW and Skoda. Ride comfort is another big strength, and if you do long-distance touring, the Duster’s absorbent suspension and SUV character will feel instantly familiar, just in a far more polished package. The only real downside is that rear seat space is not class-leading.The Volkswagen Taigun GT and Skoda Kushaq Monte Carlo are both excellent cars to drive. That 1.5 TSI is a strong engine, and both feel quick, polished and in some ways more sophisticated than the Duster. Between the two, the choice largely comes down to taste because mechanically, they are nearly identical. The Taigun has a more understated personality, while the Kushaq Monte Carlo feels a touch sportier. The caveat is the dry clutch DSG, which is brilliant once on the move, but not as naturally comfortable in heavy stop-and-go traffic as the Renault’s wet clutch setup.

Akanksha Jha

My fiancée and I are planning to buy our first car together. We are both in the 24-26 age group and have a combined monthly income of around ₹2.2 lakh. We are considering a budget of approximately ₹16 lakh, with a planned down payment of around ₹4 lakh. My fiancé is keen on buying the Renault Duster 1.3L Turbo Manual, while I am more inclined towards options like the Kia Seltos or Toyota Hyryder. I am mainly concerned about the Duster’s long-term resale value, service experience, and maintenance costs compared to the other options.

Autocar India

•20h

The new Renault Duster 1.3 turbo manual is the enthusiast’s choice. It will be the most enjoyable to drive of the lot, feels robust, rides very well and has that proper SUV character many buyers still love. If your fiancé enjoys driving, we completely understand the appeal. Your concern is valid, though. Resale value is unlikely to be as strong as a Kia, Toyota or Maruti-backed product, and Renault’s aftersales network is not as wide or as confidence-inspiring as Kia or Toyota.The Kia Seltos is the balanced all-rounder here. It feels more premium inside, is easier to recommend from a resale and ownership confidence perspective, comes with a richer feature set and is simply a very polished product overall. It may not have the same rugged SUV flavour as the Duster, but as a first car for a young couple, it is probably the easiest to live with.The Toyota Hyryder takes a different route. If long-term ownership, reliability and fuel efficiency are high on your priority list, it makes a lot of sense. But if you are comparing the naturally aspirated petrol against the turbo Duster or even the Seltos turbo, it will not feel nearly as exciting or as effortless from behind the wheel.

Renault Duster

Kia Seltos

Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder

Soumil

•4d

I’m on the hunt for a car with a budget of around ₹22 lakh on the road (Bh registration). I’m open to stretching the budget a bit if I find a truly amazing car or one with cutting-edge tech. Right now, I have an R-Pass booking for the Duster Hybrid. I took the Duster 1.3L DCT for a spin and absolutely loved the driving feel and the engine. The front cabin was also quite nice. However, my family felt the rear was a bit cramped and congested. It’s usually just my wife and me travelling; my family rarely joins us for long trips. So, we’re still deciding whether to stick with the hybrid or explore other options because of the cramped space at the rear. Also, if they launch it at ₹24-25L starting, it would make it overpriced for the quality and experience it offers. I also test-drove a Seltos Diesel Automatic. Everyone enjoyed it equally. The only thing it didn’t quite have was the performance of the VW or Duster 1.3. But overall, it’s a good, stable car with good comfort and a smooth drive. I’m a bit worried about the ethanol mixing updates without proper planning by the government, and how it would affect our petrol cars since they support E20 only. Hence, Diesel feels safer, especially since I can do weekly or bi-weekly highway trips through the Atal-Setu/Palm Beach Road to get the right amount of highway running to avoid DPF troubles. I don’t have a home charger for an EV for at least a year until I shift into our new apartment, so I’m not sure if I should consider them. Also, there aren’t any reliable EVs within my budget except for the Hyundai Creta EV. It’s a nice car, but it feels a bit outdated and isn’t rated as safe as a 5-star vehicle. Staying away from Tata cars. Any suggestions welcome.

Autocar India

•1d

Your observations are quite right, and given your requirements, the Kia Seltos diesel automatic seems to be the best fit. It takes care of your ethanol worry because diesel avoids that issue entirely, and your regular highway trips will keep the diesel particulate filter (DPF) healthy. Your family already likes its comfort and smooth, steady feel, and on the highway, it has strong enough pull for quick passes. As you have noted, it won’t feel as eager as the Renault Duster or the VW turbo petrols when you floor it, and the 1.5 diesel - though refined amongst rivals - is a bit louder than a petrol overall. Also, higher tech features come on costlier trims, so a top-spec trim could push that Rs 22 lakh limit on the on-road price.If driving fun is the top priority and you rarely use the back seat, the Renault Duster 1.3 turbo automatic still makes sense over the hybrid, which is as yet untested, but will likely sacrifice some punchiness given its naturally aspirated Atkinson-cycle petrol engine. If the hybrid lands around Rs 24-25 lakh, it may not add enough value for your use. As for the rear seat, the Duster doesn't offer as much as rivals despite its grown dimensions (it seems to have gone into the boot), and the hybrid's battery could even hamper this further. Overall, for your requirements, the Seltos diesel auto still feels the better choice.

Kia Seltos

Renault Duster

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Popular discussions right now

lakkhan

•4d

Is it worth considering buying an Audi in India at the moment over rivals like Mercedes-Benz or BMW? Could you please explain whether there are any risks associated with purchasing an Audi currently?

Autocar India

•3d

From a pure product perspective, Audi’s cars like the A4, Q3 and the Q7 remain genuinely strong. Cabin quality is excellent, refinement is top-notch, quattro-equipped models are hugely capable, and the overall ownership experience can be perfectly satisfying. Where Mercedes and BMW currently have the edge is brand momentum, product freshness and showroom pull. Mercedes has the broadest luxury portfolio, while BMW arguably has the more engaging cars to drive in several segments. Audi, by comparison, has felt quieter in recent years, with fewer headline launches and slightly less buzz.Audi India remains committed, and service support for existing owners is not a concern in the way people sometimes fear.

My wife and I earn around ₹4.5 lakh per month. We are planning to buy our first car, and we prefer the EMI to be around ₹15,000-₹20,000. What car would you suggest we should buy?

Autocar India

•6d

It really depends on how much down payment you are comfortable putting in, because your EMI target of Rs 15,000 to 20,000 can get you very different cars depending on the loan tenure and upfront payment.That said, for a first car that is easy to drive, safe, comfortable and still feels special, one of the strongest picks today is the Skoda Kylaq Signature automatic. Skoda’s official pricing puts the Signature automatic in a range where, with roughly Rs 2.3 down payment and a 7 year loan, your EMI can sit broadly in your target bracket. The turbo petrol engine feels punchy without being intimidating, the torque converter automatic is smooth and fuss free, and the size is just right for a first time buyer.If you want to spend less and prioritise maximum ease of use, the Hyundai i20 IVT is another excellent first car. It is easier to drive than most SUVs, the IVT automatic is extremely smooth in traffic, and ownership is straightforward. You give up the higher seating position of an SUV, but for urban use, it is arguably an even easier first car.

Skoda Kylaq

Hyundai i20

Udit

•5d

I currently drive a petrol Baleno that is about 8 years old. My monthly running has increased to around 2,500-3,000km. Should I install a CNG kit or look for a used BS6 diesel car? My maximum budget is Rs 6 lakh.

Autocar India

•5d

At your kind of running, moving away from petrol does make financial sense, but we would first look at how that 2,500 to 3,000 km a month is split between city and highway use.If a large chunk of it is on a highway, a well-maintained used BS6 diesel can make sense because the fuel savings will be meaningful, and the usage pattern suits modern diesel engines far better. If, however, this mileage is mostly city traffic, we would avoid a BS6 diesel because DPF-related issues can become a headache with repeated stop-and-go use.Installing an authorised aftermarket CNG kit on your Maruti Baleno is absolutely legal, provided it is a government-approved kit, fitted by an authorised installer and the RC and insurance are updated accordingly. Financially, this is the lower-risk route if your Baleno is otherwise mechanically healthy, because you will recover the conversion cost relatively quickly with your kind of running. The trade-off is some loss of boot space and a drop in performance.

Maruti Suzuki Baleno

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