Hello, Dear Team, Please suggest a car for my family - I’m very confused. We are four members, and everyone is above 6 ft tall. My budget is ₹9-12 lakh. My priorities are space and fuel economy of at least 20 km/l. My driving will be 50 % city and 50 % highway. We have considered cars like the Exter CNG, Syros diesel manual (but we’re concerned about DPF issues), Brezza CNG (but no boot space), and Victoris CNG (above budget). Please suggest suitable options.

Autocar India

•14h

While there are quite a few options within your budget, the Mahindra XUV 3XO and Maruti Suzuki Brezza come closest to meeting your requirements. The Mahindra XUV 3XO offers comfortable seating at the back and does well to offer the safety of a rear centre headrest. The XUV 3XO's turbo-petrol engine also delivers class-best power, and you really experience the performance advantage out on highway drives. There's also a tough feel to the XUV 3XO backed by an absorbent suspension. You could stretch a bit and get the AX5 that packs in reasonable features for the money. However, a 360-degree camera is not part of the package. The Maruti Suzuki Brezza is a more level-headed choice. Power and performance are significantly down on the XUV 3XO. The Brezza is more about an easy-going drive experience. Ride comfort is a highlight, and the well-cushioned seats are very comfortable too. Like the XUV 3XO, the Brezza is among the few compact SUVs that are comfortable for five passengers. The Brezza will prove to be more fuel-efficient than the Mahindra, though. There's also the hassle-free ownership experience that you get with buying a Maruti. The ZXI is worth a look, but again, misses the 360-degree camera you need.

Mahindra XUV 3XO

Maruti Suzuki Brezza

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Autocar India

•15h

We are not sure of the exact timelines for the launch of the facelifted Maruti Suzuki Brezza. But looking at the spy pictures floating around, we can assume it should be towards the end of next year. What you can expect from the facelift are minor cosmetic changes and some feature enhancements, but no changes to the powertrain.The Brezza’s naturally aspirated petrol engine is fairly refined as long as you don’t rev it too hard. Under hard acceleration, it can sound a bit loud, but in regular driving, it remains smooth and comfortable. You are right in choosing the Brezza for its automatic transmission - it uses a traditional torque converter, which is smoother than both AMTs and DCTs. And yes, DCTs can feel jerky in heavy traffic.The Maruti Suzuki Victoris is a bigger car but comes with the same engine and transmission options. Both the Victoris and Brezza are good in the city but can feel a bit lethargic on the highway. If you don’t need the extra space, the current Brezza is good enough. It’s a proven and reliable product for long-term ownership.

Maruti Suzuki Victoris

Maruti Suzuki Brezza

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Autocar India

•16h

For your needs, the Volkswagen Virtus and Skoda Slavia are good options. Both cars are mechanically identical, so it ultimately comes down to which one you prefer in terms of styling and interiors, and which brand has a service centre closer to you. Performance from the 1.0-litre TSI engine is more than adequate for your highway trips, and fuel efficiency is respectable on the highway as well. The six-speed torque converter is excellent; however, in your case, since most of your driving is on the highway, the slick 6-speed manual is a fine choice.Volkswagen and Skoda have had a reputation for higher maintenance costs in the past. But both brands have improved things significantly with their INDIA 2.0 cars, which include the Virtus and Slavia. One thing to note, however, is that facelifts for both models are expected shortly. While these are likely to be relatively minor updates, similar to the one the Skoda Kushaq recently received. The 6-speed automatic is expected to be phased out and replaced by a new 8-speed unit, as seen on the Kushaq. Do consider this in your purchase decision.

Volkswagen Virtus

Skoda Slavia

Skoda Kushaq facelift

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