Jhansi

•3h

I’m considering the Kodiaq as an upgrade. Most of my driving is on good roads, so I’m wondering whether the extra ground clearance of an SUV actually makes a significant difference in everyday use.

•1h

If most of your driving is on good roads, the Skoda Kodiaq's extra ground clearance is not the main reason to buy it. The real reason to buy the Kodiaq is the overall package. It is a genuinely premium family SUV with a spacious and comfortable cabin, a strong turbo petrol engine and a well-balanced ride and handling setup. It feels solid and planted on the highway, offers a commanding driving position and is a very comfortable long-distance car. The third row is best suited to occasional use, but as a 5+2 family SUV, it works very well.

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Skoda

Kodiaq

from ₹42.73 Lakh

•53m•

Consider the Octavia

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•8h

Hi Autocar, I am planning to buy a new car and have test-driven several models. I have narrowed my choice down to the Skoda Kushaq 1.5 Monte Carlo and have already booked one. I currently own a Hyundai Venue 1.0 Turbo manual. Most of my driving is within Chennai city, and I will primarily use the car for my office commute, around 25km each way. Both the morning and evening drives involve moderate to heavy traffic, with frequent crawling movement. My main concern is the DSG gearbox and its behaviour in heavy traffic. I have read about potential heating issues with DSG transmissions during prolonged stop-and-go driving, and I am wondering whether this should be a significant concern for my usage. Should I reconsider the Kushaq 1.5 DSG and look at another car instead? I really like the performance of the 1.5-litre Kushaq, and it feels like a genuine upgrade over my current Venue. However, the concerns around the DSG in heavy city traffic are making me hesitant about going ahead with the purchase. Could you please advise whether the Kushaq 1.5 DSG would be suitable for my usage, particularly from a long-term ownership perspective?

•3h

The Skoda Kushaq Monte Carlo 1.5 TSI DCT is a genuine upgrade from the Hyundai Venue, particularly in performance, and the Kushaq is an excellent highway car. However, the concern about the DSG is relevant for your specific usage. Your 50km daily commute involves moderate to heavy Chennai traffic, 3–4 days a week, so the gearbox will regularly spend time at very low speeds. The current 7-speed DSG is considerably more robust than earlier generations, but it is still a dry-clutch unit and repeated crawling places more heat and wear on the clutches.If the priority is peace of mind in Chennai traffic, the Kushaq 1.0 TSI AT is the better fit. The newer 8-speed torque-converter automatic is smoother and more relaxed at crawling speeds, while the 1.0 TSI remains adequate for city use and occasional highway trips. The trade-off is clear: it will not deliver the effortless 150hp performance that makes the 1.5 feel like a substantial upgrade from the Venue.If the 1.5 DSG is the reason for buying the Kushaq, keep the booking. If avoiding any gearbox-related worry is more important, switch to the 1.0 TSI AT. The 1.5 DSG is not a deal-breaker, but the 1.0 AT is better suited to your Chennai commute.

Skoda Kushaq

Hyundai Venue

•20h

I am looking for an automatic SUV under Rs 14 lakh, preferably with a torque-converter or CVT gearbox. The car will primarily be used for city driving, with occasional highway trips and long-distance journeys. I am leaning towards a petrol model rather than an EV, as I feel EV charging infrastructure is still not widely available. My main priorities are mileage and long-term reliability. I have shortlisted the Maruti Suzuki Brezza, Skoda Kylaq, Hyundai Venue and Mahindra XUV 3XO.

•1h

Go for the Maruti Suzuki Brezza automatic. Your priorities are mileage, reliability and predominantly city driving, and the Brezza lines up perfectly with that brief. The 1.5-litre petrol engine is proven, the 6-speed torque converter automatic is smooth and reliable, and Maruti's service network and low maintenance costs make it a very easy car to own long-term. It is also one of the more fuel-efficient naturally aspirated petrol SUVs in the segment, which matters given your usage pattern.The Skoda Kylaq and Mahindra XUV 3XO are both excellent cars, but they are turbo petrols and will not be as fuel efficient in city conditions. The Hyundai Venue is a good all-rounder, but it comes with a DCT automatic that is nowhere as smooth as a CVT or torque converter. The Brezza is not the most exciting car to drive, but it is the most sensible choice for your requirements.

I am interested in the Citroen C5 Aircross and currently have an opportunity to buy a 2024/2025 model that is still unsold and available at a substantial discount. I am aware of the car’s strengths, which is why I am considering owning one. However, I have some concerns about long-term ownership. The new-generation C5 Aircross is already available in Europe, while the current-generation model sold in India has been discontinued. I am looking at keeping the car for 10 years or more, so my main concern is whether Citroen will be able to provide parts and after-sales support for the C5 Aircross over the long term, especially since it is a CKD model. Citroen already has a relatively small service network in India, and not all technicians may have experience working on the C5 Aircross. If parts are no longer available locally, will Citroen India be able to source them from France or other markets in the long term? I am willing to bear a higher cost for parts if necessary, but I would not want the car to eventually become unusable simply because essential parts are no longer available. I am quite confused about whether to go ahead with this purchase. I would appreciate your advice based on the current facts and Stellantis’ plans for Citroen in India, particularly regarding long-term parts availability and support for discontinued models.

•4h

If you love the Citroen C5 Aircross and are getting a substantial discount, it can still be a good buy, but your concerns are valid. Citroen is legally required to support the car with parts for at least 10 years after production ends, and more complex parts can be sourced from France, even if it takes time; however, since the C5 is an SKD model assembled in India, most wear-and-tear parts should be available here. The bigger issue is Citroen's limited service network and inconsistent technician expertise, which can make ownership frustrating if you are not near a strong dealership. You are prepared for the extra costs, but it will also require a bit more patience, but if you're prepared for that, the C5 Aircross remains a genuinely comfortable and refined SUV. If you are worried about long-term support, a more mainstream alternative like the new Kia Sorento may be the safer long-term ownership bet.

Citroen C5 Aircross

Kia Sorento

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Popular discussions right now

•6d

Hi, I want to buy my last car as I am 66 years old. I have been driving a Honda City for the last 12 years without any major hiccup. The Honda City engine and its reliability is excellent although its ground clearance is an issue. I have looked at Elevate and given its ground clearance as an SUV, I am impressed although the issues on E20 and abrupt blending issues are surely technical issues. Windsor EV was a great test drive but all controls on screen could be a bottleneck for me at my age and am planning to move to an automatic. Please recommend as experts. My monthly running will not be more than 500 km. Should I also look at Seltos. I will appreciate a feedback from experts. I want a reliable, easy to drive car with low maintenance cost and good family value with. There won't be any great pick ups or many highway drives will not be there.

•5d

Given your 12 years of trouble free City ownership, the Elevate is the most natural replacement. It retains Honda’s simple 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine, adds substantially better ground clearance and gives you the easier ingress and SUV driving position you liked. The CVT is also very well suited to your low speed, low running usage and should make the transition to an automatic easy.On your E20 concern, we would not treat it as a reason to avoid the Elevate. Honda says all its cars manufactured in India since January 2009 are E20 material compatible, and the current Elevate is officially certified for E20. Honda also says E20 should not cause durability concerns or require any component changes. There can be a marginal reduction in fuel economy because ethanol contains less energy than petrol, but with your 500km monthly running, that is unlikely to be significant.The Seltos is worth a look, particularly if you want a more feature rich and premium cabin, but given your priorities of reliability, easy driving, low maintenance and long term ownership, the Elevate fits your requirements more naturally. The Windsor EV is also an interesting option, but at just 500km a month, there is little financial reason to move to an EV, especially when you have concerns about its touchscreen heavy interface.

I’m planning to buy my first car, and my primary goal is daily office commuting. The distance from home to office is 30 km one way in Mumbai, which is roughly 1,000 km a month. My requirement is an automatic car. Which fuel type should I choose - petrol or diesel? My budget is Rs. 10-15 lakh.

•3d

At around 1,000km a month, with a 30 km each-way commute in Mumbai traffic, petrol is the better choice. The running is not high enough to make a diesel automatic's higher purchase price and more complex emissions system worthwhile, particularly when much of the driving will be in stop-start traffic.For a first car under Rs 15 lakh, the Maruti Suzuki Brezza 1.5 AT would be a sensible choice. Its naturally aspirated petrol engine and torque converter automatic are smooth and well suited to Mumbai traffic, while Maruti's service network and generally low maintenance costs make it an easy car to live with. The automatic's certified efficiency is also a respectable 20.17kpl.If you want something more fun to drive, the Kylaq 1.0 TSI AT and XUV 3XO 1.2 turbo AT are worth considering, although their turbo petrol engines and overall ownership proposition are different from the Brezza.

Maruti Suzuki Brezza

Skoda Kylaq

•6d

As first time buyer, I want to ask which is the safest and most compact SUV? Is Punch the better choice for new drivers between Punch, Exter, 3XO and Kylaq?

•5d

Go for the Mahindra XUV 3XO. It is the safest compact SUV in your shortlist, and it is also the better choice for a first-time buyer. The 3XO has a 5-star Bharat NCAP safety rating, a wide cabin that makes it a genuinely comfortable 5-seater, and a compact footprint that makes it easy to drive and park. It also offers strong value for money with a good feature set and a proven ownership track record.The Tata Punch is a good car for new drivers, but it is a smaller SUV with lesser space, a less powerful engine and doesn't feel as premium as a package. The Hyundai Exter is also a good option, but it is not as spacious or as well-equipped as the 3XO. The Skoda Kylaq is a strong contender for driving enthusiasts, but the 3XO offers a better balance of safety, space and value for a first-time buyer.The 3XO is the most complete package out of all the options you're considering.

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