Jayashankar Bhupalpally

•9h

Hi, I’m planning to buy my first car under 15 lakh. I am a new driver and am still learning to drive. I’m confused between Creta S(O) IVT and Seltos HTK(O) IVT. I will be mostly driving within Mumbai city with occasional weekend trips. I am planning to keep the car for next 8-10 years so I want a reliable car with low maintenance. I went to different dealers and got final quotation of Rs. 15.8 lakh for Creta S(O) and 17 lakh for Seltos HTK(O). The features offered by Seltos are hard to ignore. So, now I am confused between these two cars. Seltos offers leather upholstery, ventilated front seat, driver power seat, front parking sensors and a big infotainment screen. These features are missing in Creta S(O) model. Please help and suggest whether I should spend 1.2 lakh more for these additional features.

•4m

Go for the Seltos HTK(O) IVT and spend the extra Rs 1.2 lakh. For a first-time driver who will predominantly drive in Mumbai and plans to keep the car for 8-10 years, the 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol with IVT is a very sensible combination. The IVT is smooth and easy to drive in stop-go traffic, while the engine is refined and well suited to relaxed city driving.

The extra equipment on the Seltos is also more than just a list of gimmicks. Ventilated seats, powered driver's seat and front parking sensors are features you can genuinely appreciate over a long ownership period, particularly in Mumbai. The larger infotainment screen and leatherette upholstery add to the everyday experience as well. The Seltos also has a slightly more spacious cabin and more premium feel.

The Creta S(O) IVT remains a very good choice and saves Rs 1.2 lakh, but the price difference isn't large enough to justify choosing the lower-equipped car if you already value these features.

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•1d

Hello, I want to buy an SUV, and my first preference is the Honda Elevate top-end automatic variant, as I have been driving Honda City automatics for almost 16 years across two cars. Kindly let me know whether a new facelift is expected in the next one or two months. If so, what changes are expected? Also, what are the other options in this segment that would be better than the Honda Elevate, excluding Tata and Mahindra? Regards, Harikumar

•6h

Wait for the Honda Elevate facelift if you are not in a hurry, as it is expected in the first week of October. The mechanical package is expected to remain unchanged - the proven 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine with a CVT automatic. The important additions are likely to be a 360-degree camera, ventilated front seats, a larger 10.25-inch touchscreen, revised styling and some ADAS updates.Given that you have owned Honda City automatics for 16 years, the Elevate is a natural choice. Its simple 1.5-litre petrol-CVT combination, comfortable ride, good visibility and proven mechanicals make it particularly well suited to long-term ownership.If you want to consider alternatives, the Toyota Hyryder/Maruti Victoris are worth looking at, particularly if fuel efficiency is important. The Kia Seltos is more spacious and feels more premium, while the Skoda Kushaq is the better choice if driving enjoyment matters.However, for your priorities and your long association with Honda, the Elevate remains one of the strongest choices.

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•2d

My budget is Rs 15-18 lakh, and I am currently considering three options: the Kia Seltos HTK(O) IVT, Hyundai Creta S(O) IVT and Tata Sierra Adventure DCT, mainly because it offers a 360-degree camera. I am a relatively new driver, so ease of driving, visibility, parking convenience and overall practicality are important to me. At the same time, I want good real-world mileage because most of my driving will be in the city. I have already test-driven the Creta S(O) IVT and really liked how it drove. However, I have heard that its real-world mileage may not be particularly impressive. Considering my requirements, which of these three would you recommend as the best overall choice? My priorities are: easy and confidence-inspiring for a new driver, good real-world mileage, reliable automatic transmission, 360-degree camera or good parking assistance, comfortable for city driving, and good long-term ownership experience. I am particularly confused between the Creta and Seltos IVT, while the Sierra DCT is tempting mainly because of the 360-degree camera. Which one would you choose in my situation, and why?

•12h

Go for the Hyundai Creta S (O) IVT. It is the best fit for your requirements as a new driver. The IVT automatic is smooth, reliable and easy to drive in the city, and the Hyundai Creta offers good visibility, a comfortable driving position and a well-balanced ownership experience.The Kia Seltos HTK (O) IVT is mechanically very similar, but the Creta is the better value package. Moreover, the Creta is slightly smaller and offers better visibility, making it easier to drive and manage for a relatively new driver.The Tata Sierra Adventure DCT is tempting with its 360° camera, but the DCT gearbox is not as well suited to city driving as the IVT, nor is it as efficient. Between the Creta and Seltos, it's quite close, but we'd recommend the Hyundai for its slight advantage in ease of driving.

I'm confused between the Skoda Kushaq, Kia Seltos and Honda Elevate. I have a budget of Rs 21 lakh ex-showroom. I am hesitant about the Kushaq because the general opinion online is that German cars are expensive to maintain and lose resale value rapidly. It also does not have a factory-fitted 360-degree camera and lacks ADAS features. The Seltos has pretty much everything, but I have observed poor build quality in Kia cars in the past. The Elevate seems like a very attractive car from all angles, but the lack of a 360-degree camera and poor reviews of its ADAS have left me undecided. I am not sure if I need to worry about these features while buying a car, given that my wife and I are both new drivers. She has just learnt, while I have been driving since 2012 but have not driven much and lack experience. Our commute is primarily in the city in Bengaluru, mostly on weekends, with a 70:30 city-highway split. I am planning to keep the car for 10-15 years for a family of four. I have previously driven an 800 (manual), Brio (manual) and Kwid (AMT), and I love the Brio's driving quality.

•13h

Go for the Honda Elevate CVT, as it is the most sensible choice. The naturally aspirated petrol engine paired with the CVT is smooth, reliable and easy to drive, which is exactly what you need as relatively new drivers. Honda’s reputation for long-term reliability and low maintenance costs also aligns perfectly with your needs, and you liked the Brio that you drove, so this feels like a logical upgrade.The Skoda Kushaq is a great driver’s car, but your concerns about higher maintenance costs and resale value are not entirely unfounded. Its turbocharged engines do require a bit of a learning curve to drive smoothly and efficiently compared to the naturally aspirated petrol engines of the others. The Kia Seltos is feature-rich, and while build quality issues aren't really an issue, what might be is its size, which could be a bit too large for urban Bengaluru use, considering you are both new drivers.The Honda car mentioned above may not have a 360-degree camera, but that is not a deal-breaker. The most important thing is that the Elevate offers a stress-free ownership experience, which is far more valuable over 10-15 years than a few extra features. The Elevate is also a comfortable family car with a spacious cabin and good ride quality, which makes it well-suited for a family of four and will be easy to drive for relative novices.

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•1d

I currently drive a Grand i10 Manual petrol and am now planning to buy a new compact SUV that is comfortable, fuel efficient and has low maintenance. My usage is 35km of daily office commute in Delhi-NCR traffic. Please advice which option is best fit amongst Hyundai Venue HX 6T, SONET HTK+O and XUV 3XO.

•1d

Go for the Hyundai Venue. With your daily 35km commute in Delhi NCR traffic, comfort and low maintenance are key, and the Venue delivers on both. The 1.2 NA petrol is smooth, refined and easy to drive in stop-start conditions, while Hyundai’s service network and ownership experience are among the best in the segment. The HX6T variant also gives you a good balance of features without pushing the budget too far.The Sonet HTK+O is mechanically very similar, but the Venue is a newer model and offers a more spacious cabin. The XUV 3XO is also a good option, but its turbo petrol engine won't be as efficient as the Hyundai’s.Overall, the Venue is the most sensible upgrade from your Grand i10 for daily city use.

I am planning to buy a new car under 20-25 lakh for the next ten years. I have considered two cars Seltos DCT GTX(A) and Kushaq 1.5 Monte Carlo DSG but am afraid of the mileage and if I go with an EV, I am afraid that infrastructure will not be that good. I drive daily for 10-15 km and take 2-3 trips in a year on highway. Should I buy the car now or wait for Seltos Hybrid? Will it cost an additional 2-3 lakh or will it be value for money for my driving. Should I consider another car?

•4d

With a daily running of just 10-15 km and only a few highway trips a year, fuel efficiency and long-term reliability should be your top priorities. The Seltos DCT GTX+ and Kushaq 1.5 DSG Monte Carlo are both excellent cars, but their turbo-petrol engines and dual-clutch gearboxes are not the most efficient or the most stress-free choices for predominantly short city runs. The DCT/DSG gearboxes are at their best on open roads, and in stop-start city traffic they can feel a bit jerky and are not as smooth or as durable as a torque converter automatic over the long term.The Seltos hybrid is worth waiting for if you are not in a hurry. It is expected to be priced roughly Rs. 2-3 lakh above the equivalent petrol variant, and for your usage pattern it will make more sense than the turbo-petrol DCT. Hybrids deliver their biggest efficiency gains in city driving, and over a 10-year ownership period the fuel savings and smoother driving experience will more than justify the premium.If you want to buy now, the Kia Seltos IVT (naturally aspirated petrol with CVT) is the better choice for your usage. It is smooth, reliable and well suited to city driving, and you will not be paying a premium for performance you will rarely use. The Skoda Kushaq 1.0 TSI with the torque converter automatic is another good option if you prefer a more engaging driving experience, but the Seltos IVT is the more refined and hassle-free choice.EVs are not the right fit for you at the moment given your concerns about charging infrastructure and your low daily running. The savings are not significant enough to justify the compromises.

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•5d

I’m planning to buy my first car and would appreciate some suggestions. My budget is around Rs. 13-15 lakh ex-showroom, and I’m planning to register the car under the BH series. Safety is my top priority, so I strongly prefer a car with a 5-star safety rating, preferably from Global NCAP. An automatic transmission is a must. The car will mainly be used for weekend family trips and highway drives rather than daily commuting. Since it will be a family car, I’d prefer something that looks classy and elegant while offering good comfort. A premium-looking interior would be a plus, and features such as leather/leatherette upholstery and ventilated seats would be nice to have, but they aren't deal-breakers. At the same time, I don’t want a car that is purely comfort-oriented. I enjoy driving, so I’d like something with a good engine, enjoyable handling, and a fun-to-drive character. Good rear-seat comfort and reasonable luggage space for family trips would also be appreciated.

•4d

Based on your requirements, the Skoda Kushaq 1.0 TSI automatic is the recommendation. It strikes the right balance between safety, driving enjoyment and family usability. The 1.0 TSI engine is strong, the handling is engaging, and the car feels solid and confidence-inspiring on the highway. The interior feels premium, and while it may not be the largest in its segment, overall comfort is quite good. If you prefer the look of the VW Taigun, it offers largely the same experience as the Kushaq. The Renault Duster 1.3 DCT is also a strong alternative, offering excellent driving dynamics and a larger cabin. Overall, though, the Kushaq 1.0 TSI automatic is the car that best aligns with your requirements.

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