I need some help in choosing my first car. I live in Hyderabad, in the IT area. My usage might be 60:40 city and highway. I’m looking for a top petrol automatic variant. I have evaluated the Kia Seltos, Hyundai Creta, and Tata Sierra, and narrowed it down to the Kia Seltos GTX(A) DCT variant. Recently, I saw the new Renault Duster and Skoda Kushaq as well. Can you suggest what I should do?

Autocar India

•2d

In your case, we would suggest going for the Renault Duster 1.3 turbo petrol DCT as the first choice. It suits your needs very well because it offers a strong turbo petrol engine, which makes driving in the hills much easier, especially during climbs and overtakes. At the same time, the Duster has excellent ride quality, which handles broken mountain roads and highways with equal ease. It also feels stable and confidence-inspiring at speed, which is important for your long trips to cities like Delhi and Kanpur. Overall, it will feel like a proper upgrade from your Baleno.If you are looking for something that is easier to live with, you can also consider the Hyundai Creta. It offers a very comfortable ride, a smooth driving experience and strong reliability, making it a great all-rounder.

Renault Duster

Hyundai Creta

Autocar India

•2d

Among the automatic options in your budget, here's a shortlist of models well-suited to Bangalore city driving, as well as a tall driver. 1) Kia Seltos IVT - Very smooth engine and gearbox, roomy cabin, high-quality interior2) Tata Sierra 1.5 NA DCT - Smooth gearbox, most spacious interior, great ride comfort. Performance is dull, though3) Renault Duster 1.3 DCT - Smooth gearbox, punchy engine, great ride comfort. Not as spacious as rivals4) Kia Syros 1.0 DCT - Spacious interior, feature-packed. Negatives include firm ride comfort, and the gearbox can feel jerky at times

Tata Sierra

Renault Duster

Kia Syros

Autocar India

•18h

Consider going for the new Renault Duster 1.3 turbo petrol. The new Duster's 1.3-litre, four-cylinder engine puts out a punchy 160hp/280Nm, and it can be had with either a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox. Renault claims a mileage of 17.75kpl for the manual and 18.45kpl for the DCT auto, but expect real-world figures to be around 8-14kpl for both versions, depending on the traffic and your driving style. The India-spec Duster is 50mm taller than the overseas one to account for the panoramic sunroof, and as such, you shouldn't have any problem with your 6ft 2inch frame. The Duster also gets a segment-best 518 litre boot, and that, coupled with its composed ride quality make it a great road trip companion.

Renault Duster