Respected members, we are a family of five, and I want to buy an SUV. My driving will be about 70% city and 30% highway. I am looking for a car with good fuel economy and an automatic transmission. Which one should I buy, considering both 5-seater and 7-seater options?

autocar.india

•31m

At 10,000km a year, buy the Hyundai Creta petrol. A diesel only pays off at much higher mileage, and its higher price would take many years to recover. The petrol’s fuel bill will be higher, but at your running, the difference is only around Rs 2,000-2,500 a month.To answer your DPF questions: No, you don’t have to drive a diesel every day. Soot only forms while the engine is running, so a car parked for two weeks builds up nothing. The bigger risk then is a flat battery. The filter cleans itself by burning off the soot, but it needs heat to do it. That takes 15-20 minutes of steady driving at highway speeds. Short city trips never get it hot enough, so the soot keeps building until a warning light comes on.Your pattern is the risk. Two weeks parked does no harm, but two weeks of only city driving is exactly what fills the filter. A diesel car owner in your position would need a proper highway run every couple of weeks and avoid switching off midway through a cleaning cycle.None of this is difficult, but it’s a routine you have to keep up, and with a petrol car you don’t have to think about it.

Hyundai Creta

autocar.india

•2h

With a budget of around Rs 11.5 lakh on-road, your requirements are quite clear: a sunroof, 60:40 split rear seats, rear AC vents, good torque for hills, a rear camera, and ideally push-button start or an automatic transmission. Your monthly running of 700-800 km with occasional 1000 km hill trips points towards a petrol car, as a diesel would not justify itself at this usage level.The Mahindra XUV 3XO is the best fit here. It offers a strong turbo petrol engine with good low-end torque, which will help on hilly roads, and it comes with a sunroof, rear AC vents, 60:40 split rear seats and a rear camera in the mid variants. The automatic gearbox is also available within your budget, and the car is well equipped for the price.The Maruti Suzuki Brezza is another solid choice. You have the choice of a naturally aspirated or a turbo petrol, but only the former comes with an automatic. It also offers a sunroof, rear AC vents and a rear camera, and Maruti's service network is a big advantage.The Hyundai Venue is another option, but the turbo petrol automatic variants are likely to stretch your budget. The naturally aspirated petrol is available within your budget, but it will not feel as strong on hills.Overall, the XUV 3XO is the best fit for your requirements. It offers the right combination of features, performance and value for money. The Brezza is the more sensible alternative if you prioritise reliability and ease of ownership over performance.

Maruti Suzuki Brezza

Hyundai Venue

Mahindra XUV 3XO

autocar.india

•6h

The FTA with the UK has certainly reduced import duties on cars like the Mini Cooper S, but the price reduction is not as straightforward as it might seem. The FTA only applies to cars that are manufactured in the UK and imported into India, and the duty reduction is being phased in over several years rather than coming into effect immediately. Mini India has also recently launched the new generation Cooper S, which is a significantly updated car with a new interior, more technology and a higher level of standard equipment. That has naturally pushed the price up, and the FTA savings have essentially been offset by the higher cost of the new model and the weakening rupee as a currency against the EuroIf you are keen on a Mini Cooper S, there is no strong reason to wait. The new generation car is already on sale, and the FTA duty reductions will continue to be phased in gradually over the next few years rather than resulting in a sudden price drop. If you are happy with the current price and specification, it makes sense to go ahead now rather than waiting indefinitely for a further reduction that may not be significant in the short term.

Mini 3-Door