I am planning to buy a compact SUV with a budget of ₹12-13 lakh. Which one should I go for? 90% city driving in Mumbai. I am worried about after-sales service and software issues.

Autocar India

•8m

While there's a whole host of compact SUV options within your budget, it's the Maruti Suzuki Brezza that fits your needs best. Sure, it's not an exciting choice, but it is a very sensible one.

Comfort is a highlight. The suspension setup and the soft seat cushioning come together to deliver good comfort, something you'll appreciate over Mumbai's pothole-laden roads. The easy-going 1.5-litre petrol engine is also well-suited to city use with smooth power delivery and ready power at low speeds. Since the bulk of your usage is in the city, you should consider the Brezza automatic. The 6-speed automatic transmission isn't sporty by any means, but it is smooth and adds greatly to convenience in chock-a-block city driving.

The Brezza is also known to be a very reliable product without irritating software glitches that plague some rival models. Of course, there's also Maruti's widespread service network, which comes with the promise of a stress-free ownership experience. Our suggestion would be to choose between the Brezza VXi AT or ZXi AT.

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Maruti Suzuki

Brezza

from ₹9.70 Lakh

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AMLAN PANDA

•5d

I was initially planning to buy the Maruti Suzuki Dzire VXI, but after reconsidering my priorities, mainly ground clearance, I’m now leaning towards the Maruti Suzuki Brezza LXI with the Urbano kit (~₹10k). My budget is very tight, capped at around ₹9 lakh on-road. However, I’ve recently heard about an upcoming Brezza facelift. Since I’ve already been waiting for a month due to Dzire delivery delays, should I continue waiting for the facelift or go ahead with the current model? Also, my key priorities are good mileage, low maintenance cost, and long-term reliability, so which option would make more practical sense?

Autocar India

•1d

Given your priorities and a tight Rs 9 lakh on-road cap, the Maruti Suzuki Brezza LXi (current model) is the sensible choice right now. With 198 mm of ground clearance, it’s far better suited to bad roads, tall speed breakers and occasional rough use than the Dzire, which has about 163 mm of clearance. There is a Brezza facelift on the way, but updates are expected to be mainly cosmetic and feature-related, with the possibility of a price increase when it launches. So, to avoid further delay and likely price hikes, it’s better to buy the current Brezza now; with the facelift around the corner, you can even negotiate harder on the outgoing car as dealers will gradually be looking to clear stock.With your Rs 9 lakh on-road ceiling, the Brezza LXi is right on the edge but still realistically achievable in many cities, especially if you push for discounts. Just confirm the exact on-road price and the cost of the Urbano kit (~Rs 10k) with your local dealer. Compared with the Maruti Suzuki Dzire VXi, you gain roughly 30-35 mm of extra ground clearance (around 163 mm vs 198 mm), which directly addresses your main concern of scraping on speed breakers and broken roads. Maintenance remains straightforward for both cars, with typical Maruti service intervals of 10,000 km or 12 months, and parts and labour are among the most affordable in the segment. In terms of fuel efficiency, you can expect the Brezza 1.5 MT to deliver around 13-15 km/l in the city and 17-19 km/l on the highway in real-world use. The lighter Dzire is more efficient overall, but the Brezza still offers a good balance of mileage, robustness and long-term reliability.

Maruti Suzuki Brezza

Maruti Suzuki Dzire

Deepak Keshan

•20h

I have booked the Mahindra XUV 7XO AX7L AWD diesel automatic. My running will be very low, with drives only on weekends for about 150 km. Should I buy it, as AWD is only available in diesel?

Autocar India

•2h

The choice of an AWD or 2WD car really comes down to the kind of terrain you intend to drive on, and not really the distance. If you will venture off onto some trails and rough off-road areas, the AWD makes sense.The AWD system in the Mahindra XUV 7XO is a torque-on-demand system that automatically delivers torque to the rear wheels in loose and slippery conditions, such as muck and snow. There is also a 'LOCK' mode, which ensures that power is always going to the rear wheels. This can be used when driving over a continuously slippery terrain. If you are in this mode, remember to keep speeds low as this system is not designed for on-road high speeds and automatically switches to 'AUTO' mode at speeds above 80kph. Thus, if you are not really going to benefit from the AWD system, its best avoided and opt for the regular two-wheel drive model instead.Also, since your driving is limited, the petrol AT suits occasional use better as short trips under 10-15km often don’t let a BS6 diesel fully warm up, which can make DPF regeneration inconsistent. However, if your 150 km weekend drives involve a highway run, like with a continuous stretch of about 80km and speeds around 60kph then you should not have a problem with the DPF.

Mahindra XUV 7XO

Parth Mewada

•20h

I am currently driving a Hyundai i10 Era 2012 model with 61k on the odometer. I am the first owner, and these days my monthly driving is a maximum of 400 km. Now I am planning to purchase a new car. I mostly drive with family in 80% of cases, with 4 adults and 1 child, along with a fully loaded boot. My priorities are safety, mileage, and a good infotainment system. I drive 70% on highways and 30% in the city. I am open to both sub-4 metre and above-4 metre cars, and I prefer an SUV. Which car is best?

Autocar India

•3h

Since you will be travelling with four passengers, a child and luggage on most journeys, space is going to be a priority. In the sub-4 metre segment, nothing matches the interior volume of the Kia Syros. It comfortably seats five, and the rear seat in particular is roomy enough to rival some larger SUVs. The rear bench also slides, allowing you to balance passenger space and boot capacity as required.Since you currently own a Hyundai, the Kia experience will feel familiar. Given your limited running, we would suggest opting for the 1.0-litre turbo-petrol engine, which offers sufficient performance to haul your family and luggage.If you are able to stretch to a midsize SUV, the Hyundai Creta or the Kia Seltos with their 1.5-litre naturally aspirated engines would also be good fits.

Kia Syros

Kia Seltos

Hyundai Creta

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