Mumbai

•2d

Hi, My name is Praveen Kumar. I am a little confused about buying an EV for my daily commute. I travel around 50-80 km every day, and my budget is around Rs. 15-20 lakh. Should I go for a diesel automatic or an EV? If I choose an EV, which one should I buy? Can I consider the Syros EV? Also, please shed some light on battery degradation and its impact on long-term ownership.

•3m

With a daily commute of 50–80km and a budget of Rs 15-20 lakh, an EV is a very sensible choice, provided you have access to home charging. At this level of usage, the running cost savings over a diesel can be significant, and you will not need to charge every day. Battery degradation is also not a major concern with modern EVs. Most manufacturers offer an 8-year warranty on the battery, and available real-world data suggests that degradation is typically in the range of 10-15 percent over that period, depending on usage and charging habits.

The Kia Syros EV is a good option within your budget. This Kia car offers a spacious, premium cabin and a well-rounded ownership experience. If you are looking for alternatives, the Maruti Suzuki e Vitara is worth considering as well. It offers similar range and performance, while Maruti’s extensive service reach is a big advantage.

A diesel makes sense if you cannot install a home charger and most of your commute is on the highway. In that case, look at the Kia Seltos diesel automatic. If your commute is largely in the city and home charging is not an option, then a hybrid like the Victoris is a better fit.

Explore cars mentioned

Kia

Syros EV

from ₹14.31 Lakh

Kia

Seltos

from ₹12.98 Lakh

Maruti Suzuki

e Vitara

from ₹17.17 Lakh

Maruti Suzuki

Victoris

from ₹12.39 Lakh

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•1d

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•1h

Based on your requirements, the Skoda Slavia facelift is the better fit. This Skoda car is a family car with good comfort, a large boot, decent mileage and is properly fun to drive. The 1.0 TSI engine is punchy, the 6-speed manual gearbox is slick, and the car feels planted and stable at speed. The Seltos is a very good all-rounder, but at your budget you will be looking at a lower variant, and the Slavia simply offers a more complete package for your needs. The Syros EV is worth considering only if you have home charging and predominantly city usage. For your requirements, the Slavia 1.0 TSI manual is the best choice.

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Given your requirements, the Kia Seltos IVT is the best fit. It has a spacious and premium cabin, a comfy rear seat and a refined naturally aspirated petrol engine that is well suited to both city driving and highway runs. The CVT automatic gearbox is smooth and easy to live with in traffic, and the packs in a lot of features too. It also gets a large boot which will be useful for you on those occasional highway runs. Overall, the Seltos IVT strikes the best balance between space, performance, comfort and value for your needs.

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