I want to buy an SUV (petrol or diesel, manual) with a budget of ₹18–20 lakh. My average running is 1,200–1,400 km per month, mostly in the city with occasional long drives. Mileage is important. I’m confused between the Tata Harrier, Mahindra XUV700, and Hyundai Creta — can you suggest which one to pick, or recommend better options?

Autocar India

•21w

Since good fuel economy is a key consideration for you, a diesel will fit your needs better.

Among your options, the Mahindra XUV700 diesel is the most well-rounded choice. Its diesel engine is smooth and powerful. The XUV700 mileage is 17kpl for the manual diesel engine, which is fair for an SUV of this size.

The Hyundai Creta is smaller, and its diesel engine is less powerful. Creta mileage is 21.8kpl for the manual diesel; therefore, fuel economy will be significantly better than the XUV700's in case your decision entirely hinges on fuel economy.

Explore cars mentioned

Mahindra

XUV700

from ₹16.14 Lakh

Hyundai

Creta

from ₹12.78 Lakh

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ravi sharma

•5d

I am replacing my 10-year-old manual transmission 1.5-litre diesel Creta, driven over 2 lakh km, due to the manual and the 10-year NCR policy. Which car should I buy? My driving is about 1,600 km per month, with 40 km daily in no-traffic city conditions and a long highway run of approximately 500 km per month. I am confused between the Creta petrol CVT and the Creta TC. I am also keen on the Kylaq, as most of the driving is done by a single person, with a 500 km run by me, my wife, and my 8-year, 3-year, and 3-month-old children.

Autocar India

•19h

The Hyundai Creta CVT is the pick of the vehicles on your shortlist. It has a very smooth engine and gearbox combination and is a full-size larger than the Skoda Kylaq. The larger cabin will prove to be more comfortable for your kids as they grow.You could also consider the new Kia Seltos CVT. It's more refined, comfortable and spacious than the Creta. However, it is also significantly longer than the Creta, in case that is a concern for you.

Atiqueul Islam

I have read the recent comments about the Duster on your website, and I am impressed by the overall rating of the Duster. I am planning to purchase the 1L turbo manual version of Duster and seeking advice on the power delivery and torque. Is it sufficient for city drives and, very occasionally, driving on highways?

Autocar India

•14h

For your requirement, the 1.0-litre turbo petrol Renault Duster should be adequate for your usage, but there are a few things to keep in mind. Although we haven’t driven this engine in the Duster yet, we have experienced it in cars like the Renault Kiger and Nissan Magnite. In those cars, the engine feels peppy and responsive, especially in city conditions.Now, the Duster is a larger and heavier car, so performance will take a slight hit compared to those smaller SUVs. However, for city driving, it should feel more than sufficient, and thanks to the turbo, it will still offer good low-end torque, making it easy to drive in traffic. On the highway, it should be able to keep up with fast-moving traffic comfortably, and overtaking should not feel stressful.That said, we strongly recommend that you test drive the 1.0-litre version before deciding. Since it is a 3-cylinder engine, you may notice some vibration at idle and hard acceleration, something we have experienced in the Kiger and Magnite.If your priority is smoothness and refinement, you can also consider options like the Tata Sierra, Hyundai Creta or Kia Seltos, which offer more refined petrol engines. However, in terms of outright punch and torque feel, the turbo Duster will still feel stronger.

Jagan Rama Mohan

Can you please help me choose between the Kia Seltos automatic petrol and the Creta automatic petrol? My usage is hardly below 10,000 km per year in city and highway. Please guide me.

Autocar India

•18h

The Kia Seltos and Hyundai Creta are closely related models and share much under the skin, such as engines, gearboxes and other key components. However, the new Seltos launched in 2026 is built on a new-gen platform, while the Hyundai Creta (that has been on sale since 2020) continues on the older platform.The Seltos' new platform comes with the promise of enhanced refinement, improved comfort and more tech. Further, the new Seltos is also larger than the Hyundai Creta and offers more space on the inside. Add it all up, and the Kia Seltos offers a more future-proof and complete package for similar money. Do note that the all-new Creta, built on the same new-gen platform as the Seltos, comes in early 2027.

Kia Seltos

Hyundai Creta

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