Changlang

•35w

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.

•34w

The Tata Sierra's that we reviewed were well put together for the most part, with just a few niggles around. However, Tata Motors is known to have many issues with its cars, especially in the initial period. Thus, if you are in doubt about the quality, we would suggest you wait for a few months.

As for the other options, we would rule out the Mahindra Thar as it is tilted more towards performance. Also, it will not meet your requirement of a balance of power and efficiency.

You can expect the Mahindra Thar Mileage to be around 9 to 11 kpl in the city and 13 to 15 kpl on the highway.

What would meet this requirement would be the diesel Kia Seltos.

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Tata

Sierra

from ₹12.59 Lakh

Mahindra

Thar

from ₹11.31 Lakh

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•5d

I am a retired person living in Bangalore and am 6 ft tall. I am planning to buy a midsize/compact SUV in 2027. My car usage will be around 40-50 km per week, with long-distance travel once every three months. I am not concerned about mileage. My priorities are comfort, easy ingress and egress to the driver’s seat, a good music system, safety, good high-speed handling, and a boot space of more than 450 litres. Please suggest a suitable vehicle.

•1d

With your low weekly running, infrequent long trips, and no mileage concerns, a petrol automatic is the right choice. At 6ft tall, you will also appreciate a car with good headroom and a comfortable driving position.The Tata Sierra turbo-petrol automatic is the best fit. It has a high seating position and wide-opening doors that make getting in and out very easy, and the cabin is spacious with good headroom and legroom. However, it's easy to bump your knee on the dashboard, which sticks out quite a bit, so be careful of that. The ride is comfortable, and the car feels stable at highway speeds. The 450-litre boot (622 litres when filled to the roof) is large enough for your requirements, and the Sierra also comes with a good sound system and a strong safety package.The Kia Seltos petrol automatic is the alternative. It is a very comfortable and refined SUV with a large boot and a premium feel. It is also easy to get in and out of, and it has a good safety package. This Tata car is the better choice if you prioritise space and comfort, while this Kia car is the more premium and refined option. There's also the Renault Duster, which has the largest boot in the class, but passenger space isn't as good as the others.

Hi, I am planning to buy the XUV 3XO EV AX7L but am a little confused, as many people are saying that it uses an older NMC battery pack. I am also considering the Tata Punch EV top-spec variant, but overall, I prefer the XUV 3XO EV. Please suggest which one would be a better choice and also explain the NMC battery technology.

•1h

The NMC battery chemistry is not a reason to avoid the car. NMC (Nickel Manganese Cobalt) batteries are widely used in EVs and are proven technology here in India and globally. They offer good energy density and performance, but need proper thermal management, which is what every manufacturer, including Mahindra, has engineered the battery pack for. The concerns around NMC are often overstated – the key is how the battery is managed, not just the chemistry. The Mahindra XUV 3XO EV is also a more spacious car and offers better performance; however, the overall powertrain calibration in terms of throttle response, easy drivability and power efficiency is better in the Tata Punch EV. So, keeping that in mind, if you are ok with the smaller size, we would lean towards the Punch EV. A good alternative would be the Kia Syros EV, which will offer you a very well calibrated and tuned powertrain, excellent reliability and a lot of interior space too.

Hi all, Myself Girish from Kochi, looking to buy a new car, especially for my parents; who are both 70+ and have knee issues. I like the Creta and Seltos. My priorities are comfort and easy entry and exit. I’m specifically looking for a diesel variant with a manual transmission. I’d love to hear your suggestions or recommendations. My budget is around Rs. 16 lakh.

•7h

For your requirement, the Hyundai Creta diesel manual would be our first recommendation. The Creta has a slightly softer suspension setup than the Kia Seltos, which translates to a more comfortable ride over broken roads and speed breakers – something your parents will appreciate. The seat height is also well-judged, making entry and exit relatively easy without being too high off the ground. The diesel car is refined, fuel-efficient and well-suited to highway runs, while the manual gearbox is light and easy to operate.The Kia Seltos diesel manual is also a strong contender, offering a slightly more premium cabin feel and a marginally roomier rear seat. However, the ride is a touch firmer than this Hyundai car, which may not be ideal given your parents' knee issues.If your budget is strictly around Rs 16 lakh, you will be looking at the lower to mid variants of both cars. In that case, the Creta's focus on comfort makes it the better fit for your needs. If you are open to stretching the budget slightly, the Kia Seltos HTK+ diesel manual is worth considering for its additional features and more premium cabin.Overall, the Creta diesel manual strikes the best balance between comfort, ease of entry/exit, and long-term ownership experience.

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•6d

I am getting the Venue HX8 Turbo automatic for Rs. 15.40 lakh on-road, the Creta SX(O) automatic for Rs. 18.14 lakh on-road, with a discount of more than Rs. 1 lakh, and the Seltos HTK(O) IVT for Rs. 18.50 lakh on-road. My budget is Rs. 19 lakh. Which one should I buy for driving in Bangalore and occasional trips?

•5d

Go for the Kia Seltos HTK (O) IVT at Rs 18.14 lakh on-road. Your budget of Rs 19 lakh gives you enough room to get a large, spacious and well-equipped midsize SUV, and the Seltos is the sweet spot. The IVT gearbox is smooth and well-suited to Bangalore traffic, while the 1.5 petrol is refined and reliable. The HTK (O) trim is feature-rich, so you are not compromising on equipment. The Seltos also offers better rear seat space and comfort than the others, making it a better choice for occasional family trips. The Creta SX (O) might sound like better value with a few more features, but the Seltos's larger size, better quality and new-age tech push it ahead overall. The Venue HX8 turbo automatic at Rs 15.4 lakh is a good deal, but it is a segment below, and you would be compromising on space and comfort.

Hello, given the DPF concerns and upcoming CAFE III regulations, with my driving pattern being 60% highway and 40% city and covering around 15,000 km annually, would a 1.5L diesel (automatic or manual) still be a worthwhile choice?

•4d

Yes, a 1.5-litre diesel is still a worthwhile choice for your usage. At 15,000 km a year with 60% highway driving, you are well within the sweet spot for diesel ownership. The DPF concerns are often overstated - modern diesels are designed to regenerate the filter during sustained highway runs, and your usage pattern is ideal for that. CAFE III regulations are pushing manufacturers towards cleaner engines, but they are not making diesels obsolete; they are simply making them more efficient and cleaner. The bigger question is whether diesel still makes financial sense. With the narrowing price gap between petrol and diesel, the payback period is longer than it used to be, but at your mileage and highway bias, it still adds up. If you are keeping the car for 5-7 years, you will see the benefit. As for automatic versus manual, go automatic if you want ease of use in city traffic; modern torque converter automatics on diesels are smooth and reliable in cars like the Kia Seltos and the Hyundai Creta. Overall, diesel is still the right choice for your usage.

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•4d

Suggest a car Requirements: Daily city driving in Bangalore, with lots of potholes. I am open to either an SUV or a sedan. My budget is Rs. 25-30 lakh on-road. ADAS, cruise control, and hill assist are must-have features. I want a car that offers a comfortable drive, feels luxurious, and is fun to drive. An automatic transmission is a must.

•3d

Go for the Kia Seltos 1.5 T-GDi DCT. It is the best fit for your requirements. The Seltos turbo is genuinely fun to drive, with strong performance and a well-sorted chassis that makes it enjoyable on both city roads and highways. The 1.5 T-GDi engine paired with the DCT automatic is a highlight, offering quick shifts and a responsive driving experience. At the same time, this Kia car is comfortable over broken roads and potholes, with a suspension setup that strikes a good balance between ride comfort and handling. It also feels premium inside, with a well-built cabin and a solid feature set that includes ADAS, cruise control and hill assist. The only thing to be aware of is that the DCT gearbox can feel a bit clunky in stop-and-go traffic, but overall it is a well-rounded package that delivers exactly what you are looking for. If you want something a bit larger, the Mahindra XUV 7XO turbo-petrol is a good alternative, but it will feel large and cumbersome in Bangalore city traffic, and its fuel economy is very poor.

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