Autocar India
VI

Vijay

•25w

I am planning to buy my first new car with an automatic transmission and expect to drive around 20,000 km annually for the next 10 years. It will be mainly used in Mumbai’s bumper-to-bumper traffic with daily office commutes of about 80 km, weekly family outings, and occasional long trips. I am also considering the future risk of diesel restrictions like those in Delhi NCR. While I like the Victoris' strong hybrid top trim, the rear seat comfort is a concern for my family. Although I find the Syros, Kylaq, and 3XO top trims comfortable. I am unsure about their long-term cost effectiveness - which option would be the right choice for me?

Autocar India team

Autocar India

Verified
•24w

Firstly, we don’t think you should worry about diesel restrictions on new cars in Mumbai. The current diesel engines are quite clean, and if there is a ban in the future, it will only be the older diesels that will be taken off the road. 

The Maruti Suzuki Victoris hybrid would have been a good choice. But as you said and we have pointed out too in our tests, the boot space is compromised because of the hybrid batteries, and the rear seats are not very spacious. 

The other cars you have listed are all turbo-petrol petrol, so they won’t be economical and will burn a hole in your pocket if you drive 80km every day. Since you have shortlisted some compact SUVs, we suggest you look at the Hyundai Venue diesel. It has just been launched, so it's very fresh and will age well over a 10-year lifecycle, and the diesel engine is very efficient and keeps your running costs under control.
 

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SA

Sahil

•4d

I am still confused between Victoris and Vitara. Please help me to buy a car

Autocar India team

Autocar India

Verified
•3d

The Grand Vitara and Victoris are essentially the same car - they share the same platform, powertrain options, feature-set, and several other components. What differentiates them is their styling, both inside and out. The Victoris gets lighter interiors, while the Grand Vitara petrol gets a relatively darker cabin. Also, while the Grand Vitara is sold through the Nexa sales network, the Victoris is sold via the more widespread Arena channel. At the end of the day, pick the car whose design and interior colour appeals to you more. You could also consider the better deal and choose the one that's giving you more value for money. Whichever option you pick, you won't go wrong.

VehicleMaruti Suzuki Grand Vitara
VehicleMaruti Suzuki Victoris
RA

Raju

•2d

I am planning to buy an automatic car within a budget of Rs.10-11 lakh. I am a beginner driver, and most of my usage will be within the city. Which between Hyundai Exter and Honda Amaze would be the better choice for my needs?

Autocar India team

Autocar India

Verified
•22h

The Honda Amaze CVT would be the recommendation here. For a beginner driver with predominantly city usage, the Amaze's CVT automatic is a major advantage. It is smoother, more refined and easier to drive in stop-start traffic than the AMT offered in the Exter. The sedan also offers a more comfortable ride, a larger boot and a mature driving experience that will remain satisfying even as your driving skills improve.The Hyundai Exter counters with its higher seating position, which some new drivers find reassuring, along with better ground clearance for rough roads and speed breakers. However, its AMT gearbox is not as seamless as the Honda's CVT.

VehicleHonda Amaze
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BK

Bhanu Kiran

•1w

My father is 58 years old and is going to buy a new CNG vehicle in Hyderabad. We are looking at Maruti, as we would like to use it for 10-15 years. We previously had a Verna 3rd gen. My dad's requirements are less maintenance and good mileage in the city and on highways, and this vehicle will be used mostly in the city and occasionally on highways with luggage and not exceeding 15k -20k kms annually. We are confused between Vitara and Victoris initial budget for Victoris was 12lacs on road, and my father is okay to stretch till 15lacs after visiting the showroom. Please suggest the best one, and is Grand Vitara good from the above 2 products and suggest what the add-on we should choose, which will help us in the long term, and can we add the add-on outside the showroom.

Autocar India team

Autocar India

Verified
•4d

Pick the Maruti Victoris CNG over the Grand Vitara CNG. For your Rs. 15 lakh on-road budget and mostly city running, the Victoris VXi fits comfortably within budget, and it gets a dual underfloor CNG tank setup, which gives it a much more usable boot than the Grand Vitara.The downside is that the Victoris does not come with a spare tyre. However, you can buy one as a dealer accessory and carry it in the boot on longer journeys if needed.If you need other accessories, Maruti usually offers a long list of dealer-fit options. These are definitely preferable to aftermarket parts, which can sometimes affect your warranty coverage.

VehicleMaruti Suzuki Victoris
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AS

•4d

I am confused between buying Skoda Kylaq and Kia Seltos. Please suggest.

Autocar India team

Autocar India

Verified
•4d

Buy the Kia Seltos. It is simply easier to live with for most buyers, thanks to a much wider service network and many more variant and powertrain choices, including good automatics across a wider price range. For daily city runs with the odd highway trip, the Seltos will feel like the more complete package and it has a more spacious and premium cabin. The Skoda Kylaq will suit you only if you really enjoy driving. It feels tighter and more confidence inspiring on the move, and the steering has more feel. If you plan long, frequent road trips and care more about how it drives than gadgets, that’s where the Kylaq shines. The flip side is fewer dealers and fewer variant choices.

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Vaibhav Vats

•6d

I own a Hyundai Venue Turbo Petrol, which is driven around 4,000 km per year and is occasionally used by my parents. I have been considering to upgrade it, as I am tired of spending money on maintenance. The car has been problematic since its second year of ownership. I am currently considering the Kia Syros HTK (EX) manual and HTK+ (DCT). However, some automobile enthusiasts have advised me against buying a DCT if I am looking for a hassle-free ownership experience, especially since the car will mostly be driven in Delhi’s office-hour traffic and the overall running is quite low. Could you please suggest whether I should opt for the DCT, stick with a manual, or consider a diesel automatic instead? Alternatively, if there are better options within a budget of Rs. 15 lakh, I would be open to considering them. I can also wait if there are any promising new launches expected this year within my budget. I am not interested in an EV at the moment. Thanks in advance.

Autocar India team

Autocar India

Verified
•5d

Given your low annual running and predominantly city use in Delhi, a diesel does not make sense. Modern diesels are happiest when regularly driven on longer runs, and with just 4,000km a year, the higher purchase cost and potential emission system issues are difficult to justify.As for DCTs, they have become far more reliable than early examples, but if the priority is a smooth, stress-free ownership experience in heavy urban traffic, a torque-converter automatic is still the safer bet. It is generally smoother at low speeds and better suited to constant stop-start driving.Rather than moving to a Syros DCT, it would be worth considering the Skoda Kylaq automatic or the Mahindra XUV 3XO automatic. Both use torque-converter gearboxes and offer a more relaxed driving experience in city conditions. The Kylaq feels particularly polished to drive, while the 3XO counters with a richer feature list and a more spacious cabin.If you like the Syros, the manual remains a sensible choice given your limited annual usage, but if an automatic is preferred, a torque-converter-equipped rival would be a better fit than a DCT.

VehicleKia Syros
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Sachin kumar gupta

•4d

As we all know, the Mahindra XUV 7XO AX5 diesel still has a long waiting period. In that case, how does the Tata Safari Adventure X Plus Automatic Diesel compare to it? Since it is available for quicker delivery, would it be a good alternative to the XUV 7XO AX5 Diesel?

Autocar India team

Autocar India

Verified
•3d

The Tata Safari Adventure X Plus Automatic Diesel is a good alternative if the waiting period for the XUV 7XO is proving too long.The Safari's biggest strengths are its comfortable ride, spacious cabin and excellent second-row seating. It is a very capable long-distance cruiser and feels premium. The diesel automatic powertrain is well suited to highway use and delivers relaxed performance for family touring.That said, the XUV 7XO still has the edge as an overall package. Its diesel engine feels stronger and more refined, the automatic gearbox is better calibrated, and it offers a more modern feature set in comparable variants. It is also the more engaging SUV to drive.If immediate delivery is important, the Safari is not a compromise that will leave you disappointed. In fact, buyers who prioritize rear-seat comfort and long-distance travel may even prefer it to the Mahindra car.

VehicleTata Safari
VehicleMahindra XUV 7XO

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Posted on: 22 Dec 2025