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•42w

I plan to purchase a car next June with a budget of up to ₹17 lakh on-road. Should I choose the Maruti Suzuki Victoris, Tata Sierra, or the new Kia Seltos?

•42w

Without knowing further requirements, it is hard to recommend the ideal pick for you. However, we feel the New Kia Seltos will be the best pick in your budget.

Prices will only be announced on January 2, but assuming a reasonable increase over current model prices, you should be able to get a decently equipped model within Rs 17 lakh. The Seltos has the edge over the other two with a far superior naturally-aspirated petrol engine. The Seltos also scores for space.

The Maruti Suzuki Victoris is a sensible package and is good value. However, the dull engine and relatively small cabin mark it down. Tata's Sierra is the roomiest of the three options, but versions within your budget miss many features that you'd expect.

The bigger issue is that the Sierra's 1.5-litre naturally-aspirated petrol engine feels underpowered, and performance is disappointing.

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Maruti Suzuki

Victoris

from ₹12.18 Lakh

Tata

Sierra

from ₹13.33 Lakh

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•3d

I own Toyota Etios and now want to purchase a new car under the budget of Rs. 20 to 25 lakh. I am planning to get a 7-seater as sometimes I need it (around 10% of the times). I am considering XUV 7XO (diesel). Please suggest a suitable vehicle.

•1d

Given your usage pattern, where only about 10 percent of your driving genuinely requires a third row, the Mahindra XUV 7XO diesel is a sensible choice. It is one of the most complete 7-seaters in the segment, offering a strong diesel engine, good highway manners and a genuinely usable third row when needed. The diesel engine is particularly well suited to long-distance touring and occasional heavy loads, which aligns with your requirement for a car that can comfortably accommodate seven passengers on demand. Alternatively, consider the Kia Carens Clavis diesel if you want a seven seater with a smaller footprint. However, it is worth considering whether a 7-seater is truly the best fit for your needs. If 90 percent of your usage is as a 5-seater, you may be better served by a more spacious and comfortable 5-seater SUV, such as the Kia Seltos or the Tata Sierra, both of which offer excellent comfort and practicality.If you genuinely need the third row even 10 percent of the time, the XUV 7XO diesel is a strong recommendation. If those occasions are rare and can be managed with alternative arrangements, a 5-seater may actually deliver a better ownership experience over the long term.

Hi team, I currently drive a Honda City (2009 model) and have been pretty satisfied with the riding experience. I am now planning to upgrade to a car under a budget of Rs. 25 lakh. Since it would be my primary car for now, please suggest whether I should go with an EV or an ICE. Given my limited highway travel (surely it will happen during trips), and daily city travel of 30-50 km, please suggest the car type and model. I am looking for am economical car with good road presence.

•4d

Given your usage pattern of 30-50km daily city driving with occasional highway trips, an EV is a very strong option. The running cost savings will be significant, and modern EVs are now genuinely usable for highway trips as long as you have home charging. The key is to choose an EV with a realistic range and a comfortable, spacious cabin, since this will be your primary car.The Tata Sierra EV 75kWh is the recommendation here. It offers a spacious, premium-feeling cabin, a comfortable ride and a usable real-world range that makes both city driving and occasional highway trips easy to manage. It also has good road presence and feels like a proper upgrade from a Honda City in terms of comfort and overall ownership experience.If you are still on the fence about EVs, the Maruti Suzuki Victoris Hybrid is the best ICE alternative. It is extremely efficient in the city, reliable and easy to live with, and the hybrid system keeps running costs low without any charging dependency.The decision comes down to your comfort with home charging. If you have it, the Sierra EV is the better long-term ownership proposition. If not, the Victoris Hybrid is the safer choice.

Tata Sierra EV

Honda City

Maruti Suzuki Victoris

•4d

I am planning to buy a car and am confused between the Tata Nexon CNG and Kia Sonet. My running is irregular and does not exceed around 500km a month. Which would be the better choice?

•1d

With a monthly running of around 500km, a CNG car like the Tata Nexon CNG does not make financial sense. The fuel savings from CNG are only meaningful when running is significantly higher, and at your usage level, the additional cost and inconvenience of CNG ownership are not justified. The Kia Sonet is the better choice here. It is a more refined and well-rounded product, with a smoother petrol engine, better overall ownership experience and no compromises on boot space or convenience. The Nexon is a good product in its own right, but CNG only makes sense when running is high enough to offset the additional cost and inconvenience. At 500km a month, petrol is the sensible choice.

Tata Nexon

Kia Sonet

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•1w

I am a 6 ft driver who loves driving. I've driven the Swift 2013 petrol, Creta 1.6 Diesel Auto and the XUV500 the most on long trips. Now that I am planning to buy a car with a strict budget, do you think the 3XO AX5 TCMPFI petrol variant will be a wise decision to make, as I will be travelling once a month for short trips from Bangalore to Coorg, Pondicherry, GOA, and Mangalore? Which other car can be a perfect match for me, keeping a budget of 12 lakhs max? Also, the 3XO AX5 I'm getting from a friend who has hardly driven 6k km for 10 lakhs.

•1w

Go for the Mahindra XUV 3XO AX5 TCMPFI petrol from your friend for Rs 10 lakh. At that price, it is a very good deal and a sensible upgrade from your Creta 1.6 diesel automatic. The 3XO is one of the most spacious compact SUVs in the segment, with a wide cabin and good rear seat comfort, which will make your long drives to Coorg, Pondicherry, Goa and Mangalore more comfortable. The turbo petrol engine is smooth and is well suited to both city driving and highway cruising. At Rs 10 lakh for a car with only 6,000 km on the clock, you are getting a nearly new car at a significant discount, which makes it a far better value proposition than buying new.If you are looking for alternatives under Rs 12 lakh, the Skoda Kylaq 1.0 TSI manual is the best option for an enthusiast driver. The new Brezza turbo-petrol could also be a good choice. Overall, the 3XO from your friend is the most sensible choice. It offers a good balance of comfort, reliability and value, and will serve you well on your monthly road trips.

I currently own a Jeep Compass and want to get an additional car for my father, with good reliability, unlike the Jeep. My father still drives a 2008 Honda City, and I am torn between a few choices: the Honda City, Skoda Slavia, Nissan Tekton and Toyota Hyryder. Or should I wait for the Virtus facelift or the new-generation Creta? His usage is low, at almost 500 km per month. Please suggest.

•4d

With just 500km a month, petrol is the clear choice, and reliability and ease of ownership become the most important factors. The Honda City is the safest recommendation here. It is a proven product with a strong reliability record, a comfortable ride and a familiar ownership experience that your father will appreciate, especially coming from a 2008 City. The Skoda Slavia and Volkswagen Virtus are both excellent to drive, but the 1.0 TSI engine can feel a bit laggy at low speeds, and the 1.5 TSI is overkill for this kind of usage. The Nissan Tekton is a good value proposition, but engines are not responsive at low speeds and Nissan's service network is not as strong as Honda's, which matters more for a low-running, long-term ownership scenario. The Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder is a solid option if you specifically want an SUV, but the hybrid premium does not make financial sense at this running, and the naturally aspirated petrol is not as refined as the City's engine. The new-generation Hyundai Creta is worth waiting for only if your father specifically wants an SUV; otherwise, the City remains the more sensible choice. Overall, the Honda City is the most reliable, comfortable and hassle-free option for your father's usage.

Honda City

Skoda Slavia

Volkswagen Virtus

Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder

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•5d

Hi, I am planning to buy a new car and am confused between the Kia Seltos HTX (A) DCT and the Tata Safari Adventure Plus. I liked the interior quality of the Seltos, while the Safari’s road presence is impressive. My annual running is around 15,000km, including both city driving and highway trips. Could you please guide me on which car would be the better choice for my needs?

•5d

Go for the Kia Seltos HTX(A) DCT. At 15,000 km a year with a mix of city and highway driving, the Seltos is the more sensible choice. This Kia car is easier to drive in the city, more efficient and still comfortable on long trips. The DCT gearbox is quick but a bit jerky in traffic, but the car feels premium inside, which you already like. The Tata Safari has great road presence and more space, but this Tata car is a much bigger car to live with every day and does not feel as well-finished inside. The Seltos is the better all-rounder for your usage.

Kia Seltos

Tata Safari

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