I have been driving a Hyundai Santro (AMT) for the last six years, and now I am planning to upgrade with a budget of ₹12-13 lakh. My current car has done only 15,000 km in six years, so my usage is relatively low. In my next car, I am looking for features like a reverse camera, Android Auto, and voice commands to make driving easier. I am interested in the Kia Seltos, Kia Sonet, and Tata Nexon, but I am open to other suggestions as well. Which car would you recommend?

Autocar India

•13m

The Hyundai Venue will feel like a big upgrade from your Hyundai Santro AMT. The turbo petrol engine paired with the DCT gearbox offers strong performance and smooth shifts, which makes driving in the city effortless. It also gets features like a reverse camera, Android Auto connectivity and voice commands that you are specifically looking for. Overall, it will be a noticeable step up in terms of power, features, space and overall comfort.

Among the other cars you mentioned, the Kia Sonet is also a good option. However, the Venue is the newer car and is more spacious. Also, a replacement for the Sonet is expected next year, which means it may feel dated sooner.

The Tata Nexon petrol is another option that offers good space and a comfortable ride, but the Venue feels more refined and easier to drive and is the newer car as well.

As for the Kia Seltos, it is a good SUV, but it belongs to a higher segment and will stretch well beyond your ₹12-13 lakh budget in comparable variants.

Explore cars mentioned

Hyundai

Venue

from ₹9.07 Lakh

Kia

New Seltos

Tata

Nexon

from ₹8.32 Lakh

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Latest questions in the community

Yogesh Gautam Kamble

•1d

I need a car for my daily commute, and my travel will be around 50-60 km every day. Most of my driving will be within the city, along with occasional highway drives on weekends. My budget should allow for an EMI of less than ₹20,000 per month. Considering my usage, should I go for a diesel or a CNG car, and which option would you recommend?

Autocar India

•58m

With your daily running of around 50-60 km, your monthly usage will easily cross 1,500 km, so choosing a fuel with low running costs makes sense. In this case, CNG is generally a better fit than diesel, especially since most of your driving is in the city.One of the better options to consider is the Tata Nexon CNG. Unlike most CNG cars, the Nexon uses a turbo-petrol engine, which means it still feels reasonably strong and comfortable even on the highway. The turbo engine produces good torque, which helps maintain performance despite running on CNG. This makes the Nexon CNG a good balance between low running costs for the city and decent highway performance for weekend drives.Another practical option is the Maruti Suzuki Brezza CNG, particularly the LXi or VXi variants. The Brezza uses a 1.5-litre engine with factory-fitted CNG. It is known for being smooth and reliable while still offering good mileage and reasonable performance.

Tata Nexon

Maruti Suzuki Brezza

•3d

I currently own a Hyundai Grand i10 petrol manual and am planning to upgrade to a mid-size SUV. I am considering the Honda Elevate, Skoda Kushaq, and Kia Seltos. My driving pattern is 80% city and 20% highway (occasional trips). My priorities are safety, driving comfort, co-passenger comfort, rear-seat space, and good mileage. Also, does it make sense to wait for the Honda Elevate Hybrid, which is expected to launch in the second half of this year, or should I go ahead with one of the current options?

Autocar India

•3h

Of the options you've listed, you should consider the Kia Seltos, given that it is the best all-rounder that fits your wide range of requirements. You can pick from one of three engines that suit your needs best. The turbo petrol has the strongest performance, the diesel has the best fuel efficiency, and the naturally aspirated petrol is the best compromise between the two. It's also the most spacious and comfortable of the three, and though it hasn't been awarded a safety rating yet, its new K3 platform is engineered for a high score, and it has all the necessary safety features. Sadly, it is highly unlikely that Honda will launch the Elevate Hybrid, as the company has stated it is moving straight to an EV, which should be here in 2027.

Kia New Seltos

Dinesh Kotwani

•6w

Hello Autocar Team, I currently own a Honda City 4th-gen CVT V (2016) and am planning to upgrade to a new car. My monthly running will be around 500–800 km, and I am looking for a comfortable and solid-built automatic car. I have taken long test drives of the Škoda Kushaq 1.0, Skoda Kushaq 1.5, Kia Sonet 1.0 DCT, Honda Elevate CVT, and Skoda Slavia 1.0 AT. Out of these, I enjoyed driving the Slavia 1.0 AT the most, while I did not like driving the Elevate and Sonet at all. However, I am concerned about the long-term reliability of the Slavia 1.0 AT for city usage, as I plan to keep the car for around 15 years. Do you think I should also test drive the Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos IVT? Also, could my preference for sedans be influencing my bias against SUVs? Please advise whether I should stick with the Slavia AT or seriously consider the Creta/Seltos IVT. My maximum budget is ₹20 lakh on-road in Mumbai.

Autocar India

•4h

SUVs, no matter how well honed and engineered, are unlikely to be as enjoyable to drive as their sedan counterparts, simply because of their higher centre of gravity and relatively greater mass. That said, Skoda and Volkswagen have knocked it out of the park with their India 2.0 cars, whether sedans or SUVs, and all are exceptional to drive. If you enjoyed the Skoda Slavia, go for it. You should have no issues if you drive and maintain it properly, and Skoda's service has improved significantly in recent years, both in quality and cost. You could try the Kia Seltos and Hyundai Creta, which are better all-rounders than the Slavia, but given that you enjoy the Skoda sedan, we think you should go for it.

Skoda Slavia

Kia New Seltos

Hyundai Creta

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