Delhi

Gokul Subramanian

•2w

I currently own two cars: a 2025 XUV700 and a 2012 Tata Vista. The Vista is now having AC issues and brake failures, so it’s time to replace it with a 5-seater. While searching for cars under ₹10 lakh, I found many petrol options, but both my dad and I are diesel engine lovers, so we decided to increase our budget to ₹12 lakh. In that range, we considered: Tata Nexon - high-end model (but we’ve had customer and service issues with Tata before) Mahindra XUV 3X0 - MX2 Pro variant or base variant Hyundai Venue - 1.5 MT diesel variant Kia Sonet - base diesel variant Finally, my dad and I had a dramatic idea to get a Mahindra Thar RWD. Is that okay for comfortable city use and short-range driving, or should I consider other diesel cars under ₹12 lakh? Please suggest.

Autocar India

•1w

Yes, you are correct, there are very few diesel options in the lower segment today. From your shortlist, we would recommend the Hyundai Venue. The diesel engine is refined and smooth, and is coupled to a torque convertor gearbox, which is the smoothest type of autobox to have, thus you will appreciate this in the city traffic. The powertrain also delivers a good balance of performance and efficiency.

As for the Mahindra Thar, we would not recommend this for you, as you are primarily looking for a comfortable city car, and the Thar ride is far too bumpy over bad city streets, and refinement levels will also not be as good as the Venue.

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Hyundai

Venue

from ₹9.07 Lakh

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Latest questions people are discussing

Sidhant Singh Chandel

•18h

I am currently driving a Maruti Suzuki WagonR (2017), and I now feel the need to upgrade as my monthly running is around 1,500-2,000 km. What car should I buy within a budget of ₹14 lakh?

Autocar India

•1h

Since your monthly running is on the higher side, a diesel SUV would make sense. The newly updated Hyundai Venue in HX 5 trim would fit in your budget and is a big upgrade from the WagonR. The engine is refined, frugal and tried and tested, and should you get the manual gearbox, it has a light clutch that makes it easy in traffic. The HX 5 also gets a good level of kit, like a sunroof, cruise control, touchscreen, reversing sensors, TPMS, etc. The ride quality is good too, and it has a decent-sized boot for outstation trips. Hyundai's after-sales network is also one of the best, and it would be a hassle-free ownership experience.

Hyundai Venue

JAYAPRAKASH

•3d

I currently own a 2018 Honda WR-V diesel manual (6-speed), which has run about 50,000 km, along with a Tata EV purchased in 2023, which has covered around 20,000 km. I have now decided to replace my WR-V with a BS6 diesel automatic car. Could you please suggest which diesel automatic model would be the best choice according to Autocar?

Autocar India

•3h

Without knowing your budget and more requirements, we can't recommend the ideal choice for you. We have shortlisted models that you should consider, and why they are of interest. Compact SUVs- Hyundai Venue: (+) Smooth diesel engine and auto gearbox combo, good interior space, upmarket interior | (-) Expensive for its size- Kia Sonet: (+) Smooth diesel engine and auto gearbox combo, upmarket interior, good value | (-) Rear seat space is limited, due to be replaced in the coming year Midsize SUVs- Kia Seltos: (+) Spacious interior, well equipped, good ride comfort | (-) Performance is adequate only- Tata Sierra: (+) Class-best space, feature-packed, tough build, ride comfort | (-) Engine feels noisy, road noise- Hyundai Creta: (+) Well equipped, decent performance | (-) Due to be replaced in the coming year

Krishnav

I have been looking for a secondary car, primarily to be driven in the city. A petrol automatic would be preferred. Mileage is not a very big criterion. Good engine performance, features and a hassle-free ownership experience are on the must-have list. We are looking for something compact and easy to maneuver in the city and park in tight spaces. Budget is around ₹15 lakh, plus or minus a lakh. A lack of dealerships in the city we reside in restricts us to only a few brands: Maruti Suzuki (Nexa too), Kia, Hyundai, Mahindra, Toyota and Tata. We test drove the Hyundai Venue (new gen), Kia Sonet and also looked at the Toyota Fronx and Nexon. Which car would you kindly suggest?

Autocar India

•9h

The Hyundai Venue is a good option to consider. It is compact, has a good feature list, and the 1.0-litre turbo-petrol engine is punchy and fun to drive. The DCT automatic gearbox is also smooth and quick to respond. Being the newest entrant to the compact SUV segment, it gets a modern cabin that is well-equipped and gets all the features you would want.This Hyundai car also has decent space at the rear, and the ride comfort and sales and service experience is good, too. Overall, it is a well-rounded package that does everything the way you'd want it to. The HX 8 trim is one shy of the top-spec, but it will fit in your budget and offer a long equipment list.

Hyundai Venue

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Posted on: 4 Mar 2026

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