Raigad

•19w

I am planning to buy my first car with an on-road budget of around ₹12 lakh. I work as a seafarer and will be away for 6-7 months at a stretch, during which the car’s usage will be very low. My driving pattern will be around 70% city and 30% highway. I am currently considering the Skoda Kylaq, Nissan Magnite, and Maruti Brezza, all in automatic variants. Could you please suggest which would be the best option for my needs?

•18w

Go for the Maruti Suzuki Brezza automatic. Since you are going to be away for 6 to 7 months at a stretch and the car will see low running during that time, the Brezza makes the most sense because it is the easiest and most stress-free car to own long term, with proven reliability, fuss-free maintenance and a naturally aspirated petrol engine that generally handles irregular usage better than small turbo petrols. This petrol car also has a smooth torque converter automatic, a comfortable ride and enough space and practicality to work well as your first car for many years.

The Skoda Kylaq is the most enjoyable to drive of the three and feels more solid and premium inside, while the turbo petrol engine gives it stronger performance and better highway manners.

However, for your usage pattern with long idle periods, a simpler naturally aspirated setup like the Brezza feels like the safer long-term bet. The Nissan Magnite CVT turbo offers strong value for money and a good feature set. But overall, this Nissan car does not feel as polished or premium as the other two. The Nissan Magnite price starts at 5.65 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi).

Explore cars mentioned

Maruti Suzuki

Brezza

from ₹8.55 Lakh

Skoda

Kylaq

from ₹8.77 Lakh

Nissan

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from ₹6.53 Lakh

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•2d

I am first time car buyer planning to buy an SUV considering family needs. I will be driving mostly in Bangalore city traffic and plan to drive longer distances every few months, up to 500 kms including ghat roads. I would like to have good service support, automatic option (not decided), front visibility for city traffic. My budget is upto 12L. Can you suggest suitable options?

•10h

For your requirements, the Mahindra XUV 3XO is the best fit. It offers a strong balance of city-friendly dimensions, good front visibility and a comfortable ride, which is important for Bangalore traffic. This Mahindra car is also one of the most spacious compact SUVs in the segment, making it a genuinely comfortable family car. It handles highway runs and ghat sections well, with a stable and confident feel. Mahindra’s service network is strong, and the car is well-priced within your budget. The automatic option is a proper torque converter, which is smooth and reliable in city conditions.The Maruti Suzuki Brezza 1.5-litre is a good alternative, offering lower running costs and better efficiency. Its new turbo petrol will offer better highway performance, but it only comes with a manual. It is not as spacious as the 3XO, but it is comfortable, easy to drive and backed by Maruti’s extensive service network.Overall, the 3XO is the more complete package for your needs. It combines space, comfort, city usability and highway capability better than most rivals in this price range.

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•2d

Hi, I am planning to buy a sub compact SUV. I have a family of 5 adults and my usage is majorly in the city with occasional driving on the highway. I prefer manual gearbox. Please suggest.

•10h

For a family of five adults with predominantly city use and occasional highway runs, the Mahindra XUV 3XO is a solid choice. It is one of the widest cars in the segment, which makes it genuinely usable as a five-seater, and the rear seat is comfortable enough for three adults on city journeys. The 1.2 turbo petrol engine is punchy and well suited to both city driving and highway overtakes, while the manual gearbox is smooth and easy to use. The 3XO also offers excellent value for money, a strong safety package and a good feature set. The only real compromise is the boot, which is on the smaller side, but for your usage pattern that is a reasonable trade-off. The Maruti Suzuki Brezza is a good alternative, but the 3XO is the better all-round package for a family of five.

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•20h

I need help choosing between the Victoris LXI MT and Brezza ZXI MT (1.5-litre petrol). I would appreciate some suggestions. We had decided to get the Brezza ZXI MT with the 1.5-litre petrol engine. The dealer quoted an on-road price of Rs. 13,32,491. When we asked for a discount, they offered us the Victoris LXI MT instead. The price quoted for the Victoris after the discount is Rs. 13,00,000 on-road, along with a free Rs. 6,000 reverse parking camera and Rs. 40,000 worth of diamond-cut alloy wheels. Now I am a bit confused about which one to get. The car is for my dad, who drives around 50 km daily. We currently have a 2014 Hyundai Grand i10.

•13h

The Victoris and Brezza are based on the same platform and share several bits, including their 1.5 petrol powertrain. The Brezza is sub-4-meters in length, whereas the Victoris is a bit longer. The Victoris has a more appealing two-tone interior, and even in LXI guise, it covers the basics well. If you're getting the Victoris at a lower price than the Brezza, it is certainly something that you must seriously consider.Alternatively, you could consider the Brezza turbo version, which is more affordable than the 1.5 version, with more performance while the controls are still light and easy. The ZXI turbo will increase the price gap with the Victoris and is better value. However, if the turbo isn't something that you want, then the Victoris is the one to go for.

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•4d

I am planning to buy a naturally aspirated petrol automatic car and have shortlisted the Toyota Hyryder mild hybrid and Honda Elevate. Which one would be the better choice?

•4d

Go for the Honda Elevate CVT. Both the Elevate and the Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder mild hybrid use naturally aspirated petrol engines, but the Elevate’s 1.5-litre engine is more refined, and the CVT gearbox is silky smooth, making it a more relaxed car to drive in everyday conditions. The Elevate also benefits from Honda’s strong reputation for long-term reliability and low maintenance costs, which is exactly what you want from a naturally aspirated petrol automatic. The Hyryder is still a good car, but the Elevate is the more complete package for this brief.

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•1w

I am new to driving and am looking for a sub-4-metre petrol SUV with a torque converter automatic gearbox. My budget is around Rs 12-13 lakh on-road. I have shortlisted two options: the Skoda Kylaq Signature automatic and the Mahindra XUV 3XO MX2 Pro automatic. We are a family of five. My current usage is mostly within the city, but based on my future work requirements, it could shift to an 80:20 mix of city and highway driving.

•6d

Go for the Skoda Kylaq Signature AT. For a new driver with predominantly city use, its 1.0 TSI with a 6-speed torque-converter automatic is smooth and easy to drive, while the compact dimensions make it relatively easy to manage in traffic. It also has a more mature, planted feel on the highway.The Mahindra XUV 3XO MX2 Pro AT is the better choice if rear-seat space is the priority. Its cabin is wider and more accommodating for a family of five, and its 1.2 turbo-petrol makes 200Nm, giving it stronger low-end and mid-range performance than the Kylaq.However, the 3XO's boot is also one of its compromises, while the Kylaq offers a better balance of driving dynamics, boot space and highway manners. With your usage potentially becoming 80:20 city/highway, the Kylaq's combination works particularly well.

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•6d

Which car should I buy among Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara Petrol base or Kia Seltos petrol base? And also tell me if anyone has faced power issue or pickup issue while overtaking as I want the car for long term.

•6d

Between the two, the Seltos is the better choice, especially if you are looking at the base variant. It feels more premium, is the newer product and offers a more complete package even in its lower variants.The 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol makes 115hp and 144Nm. It isn't a particularly powerful engine, but it is smooth and refined and is perfectly adequate for normal city driving.For overtaking, it won't have the punch of the Seltos turbo, but it isn't underpowered either. With a full load and during quick highway overtakes, you may need to plan ahead and use higher revs. The Grand Vitara's 1.5 petrol is also a smooth, simple powertrain, but its performance is more relaxed and the base variant is quite sparsely equipped.

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