Latest questions answered by experts

Prakash R

Hi, I am looking to buy my first car with a budget of ₹10 lakh. I have taken test drives of the Skoda Kylaq, Tata Punch, and Honda Amaze. I understand that all these cars are from different segments. I did not like the driving experience of the Tata Punch. Based on your consideration, which car should I choose between the Honda Amaze VX and the Skoda Kylaq?

Autocar India

•3h

Go for the Skoda Kylaq. It feels like a bigger, more future-proof upgrade as your first car, with a stronger engine, more engaging driving experience and a solid, confidence-inspiring feel on both city roads and highways. The Kylaq stands out because it gives you that SUV stance along with a more enjoyable drive, which you will appreciate as your driving experience grows over time. This Skoda car feels more modern and substantial overall, making it a better long-term choice.The Honda Amaze VX is the easier and more straightforward option. It is smooth, comfortable and very easy to drive in the city, but it is more focused on practicality than excitement.

Skoda Kylaq

Honda Amaze

test

•4d

I currently own a 2014 Swift Dzire, which has been driven 96,000 km, and I am planning to upgrade to an SUV. My driving will mostly be in the city, with an average monthly run of around 200 to 250 km. I take 2 to 3 long trips a year, covering 500 to 1,000 km. I have three kids. I have taken test drives of the Duster, Elevate, Kushaq, Taigun, Seltos, and Creta. I initially booked the Duster but cancelled it due to limited rear-seat space. I have now booked the Elevate, but it feels lacking in performance. Should I go ahead with a car now, or wait for some time considering the current geopolitical conflicts and rising oil prices, and explore hybrid 7-seater options in the future?

Autocar India

•4h

Go ahead with the Honda Elevate, there is no strong reason to wait. With your low monthly running and occasional long trips, what matters most is space, comfort and ease of ownership, and the Elevate delivers that well with a roomy cabin and a relaxed, fuss-free driving experience.Waiting for a 7 seater hybrid sounds logical, but realistically, apart from the Toyota Innova HyCross and Maruti Suzuki Invicto, there are no real options today, and new ones will take time to arrive, so you may end up waiting without a clear benefit.If you do want a 7 seater right now, the Kia Carens Clavis petrol is a strong alternative. This Kia car offers flexible seating for your family and is comfortable for both city use and occasional long trips.

Honda Elevate

Toyota Innova HyCross

Maruti Suzuki Invicto

Kia Carens Clavis

Avi Bansal

•4d

I am 22 years old, shifting to Gurgaon, and frequently travel to Chandigarh. I have shortlisted the Toyota Hyryder strong hybrid base variant. Any other options and your advice?

Autocar India

•5h

Opt for the Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder strong hybrid if your priority is low running cost and stress-free ownership, but there are a couple of alternatives depending on what you value more. At your age and usage, frequent Gurgaon to Chandigarh runs plus city driving, the Hyryder makes a lot of sense because it is extremely efficient and very easy to live with. The strong hybrid system can deliver excellent real-world efficiency and even run a significant portion on electric power in traffic, which keeps costs low, and it is smooth, comfortable and reliable over long distances.That said, it is not a very exciting car to drive. The focus is on comfort and efficiency rather than performance, so if you enjoy driving, it may feel a bit dull on highways.If you want something more fun and engaging, look at the Skoda Kushaq or Volkswagen Taigun. Both are great to drive on highways like Gurgaon to Chandigarh and feel more solid at high speeds, but they will be less efficient and slightly higher to maintain.If you want a more premium and feature-rich option, the Kia Seltos or Hyundai Creta are strong alternatives. They offer better interiors, more features and a more modern feel, but again, fuel efficiency will not match the hybrid.

Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder

Selvam

I want to buy a small car with AMT. My budget is 6 lakh. Please advise.

Autocar India

•6h

City use on a tight Rs 6 lakh cap, and you want an automatic that shifts on its own, in that case, the Maruti Alto K10 VXi (O) AT is the one that fits best. The automatic is smooth as far as AMTs go, and it makes stop-start traffic easy without pushing the price too high. The engine feels lively at city speeds, so you do not have to work it hard to keep up. It also uses less fuel in daily use, and Maruti’s wide service network keeps upkeep simple and affordable.As for the trade-offs, the back seat and boot are small, so it is best for one or two people. Also, the AMT has a brief pause when it changes gears, so shifts are not as smooth as a costlier full automatic, though you get used to it quickly.If you prefer a higher driving position and can stretch a bit, check the Maruti S-Presso VXi (O). In some cities, it may cross Rs 6 lakh on-road, so confirm local prices. Overall, for mostly city driving at this budget, the Alto lines up best with what you want.

Maruti Suzuki Alto K10

Maruti Suzuki S-Presso

Chintan

•3d

I had purchased a Tata Punch AMT petrol. It has been almost 4 months, and the car has run very little so far, around 1,500 km. The average is quite low. The second service has already been done. I asked the service center, and they told me that in the city, it will give around 8kpl, which surprised me. I am also not very knowledgeable about cars, so please guide. Thanks.

Autocar India

•7h

Your Tata Punch AMT showing low mileage right now is not unusual at this stage, but it is on the lower side. With just 1,500 km on the clock, the engine is still new, and efficiency typically improves as it settles over the next few thousand kilometres.That said, there are a few common factors that can further reduce mileage. Very short drives where the engine does not fully warm up, dense stop-and-go traffic, frequent idling and driving style can all bring efficiency down, especially on an AMT. The use of E20 fuel compared to earlier tests can also have a small impact.For context, in Autocar’s real-world testing, the Punch AMT returned 10.7kpl in city conditions on the pre-facelift car with the same engine and transmission, before E20 fuel was introduced.

Tata Punch

Aditya Gupta

•1d

I am looking for a mid-size SUV with a diesel engine and an automatic transmission. I am confused between the Hyundai Creta and the new Kia Seltos. My running is mostly in the city, about 10 to 20 km daily. Please help.

Autocar India

•8h

Go for the Kia Seltos diesel automatic. It is essentially a more evolved version of the same package, using the same proven engine and gearbox as the Creta , but offering more space, a bigger boot and a noticeably more premium interior along with a longer feature list.Importantly, unlike the older Seltos, the new one has a much more pliant and comfortable ride, so that is no longer a drawback. This makes it just as usable for your daily 10 to 20 km city driving while still being better overall.The Hyundai Creta is still a solid, no-nonsense option with a comfortable cabin and proven track record, but it now feels like the more conservative choice rather than the best one, until the new Creta comes early next year.

Kia Seltos

Hyundai Creta