I’m planning to buy an SUV in the ₹25 lakh price range. I have shortlisted the Tata Sierra, Thar Roxx, and the facelifted Kia Seltos. I have seen a Sierra demo car without PDI and have concerns about uneven panel gaps, the plastic quality on the lower dashboard and doors, and the durability of the white soft-touch material on the dashboard. Can you please recommend whether I should wait for the Sierra’s production car or go with an alternative? I prefer a balance of power and efficiency.

Autocar India

•21h

For you, we think the Kia Seltos would be a better option. The Seltos is a much newer car compared to the Hyundai Creta. Since you intend to sell your car about 8 years from now, the Seltos should be able to get you a better price. As for your other queries, yes, you would get used to the dimensions of your car. If you can easily manage the budget for the versions with a 360 deg camera, it's a nice-to-have feature as seeing the immediate surroundings comes in handy in some odd parking situations like placing a car over a pothole, or lining it up against a kerb.As for ADAS, yes, in Mumbai city traffic, it can often be an issue; thus, it's best to keep it only on highway drives. Coming to the BH plate, it makes sense if you are likely to be transferred and would live in another state, plus you do not have to pay the entire road tax upfront. However, you do have to make the effort to pay it every two years online and selling to non-eligible buyers does involve a bit more paperwork.

Kia New Seltos

Hyundai Creta

Autocar India

•2d

The Hyundai Creta IVT is the best pick of the three models on your shortlist. It's got the smoothest gearbox, and engine performance is also significantly better than the Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara AT and Victoris AT. Fuel economy is decent too, and should not pinch over your 5000-6000km of annual usage.What also strengthens the Creta's case is that it's more spacious than the Maruti Suzuki models.However, we'd also recommend checking the Kia Seltos IVT. As you may know, the Seltos and Creta are closely related products. The recently-launched second-gen Seltos is built on the Hyundai Group's latest platform (the Creta continues on the last-gen platform). IIt comes with better tech as well as the promise of better safety. The new Seltos is also roomier than the Creta, making it better suited to family use.

Hyundai Creta

Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara

Maruti Suzuki Victoris

Kia New Seltos

Autocar India

•24m

Considering your requirements, the Hyundai Venue in HX5 trim would suit your needs the best. The HX5 variant offers good value for money with the necessary features and even a sunroof. The Venue is the newest car in the segment and feels modern and up to date. The cabin is well-appointed, the quality of materials is a lot better, and overall, it impresses with its ease of use.The diesel engine is refined and frugal and unlike most of the competition, it gets a torque converter automatic gearbox instead of an AMT, which is nicer to perform and smoother too. The Venue HX5 with the diesel-auto combination would be our recommendation.

Hyundai Venue