Mumbai

Max

•14w

Hello Autocar Team, I am in urgent need of a new car but am unsure whether I should buy an EV now or wait for 4-5 years for the EV market to mature. My total running would be around 80,000 km over 5 years, with approximately 60% of my driving on highways. Given my usage pattern, should I go for an EV, CNG, or petrol car? What would be the best choice for me at this point?

Autocar India

•12w

Given that the majority of your driving is on highways, we'd advise you against an EV and even a CNG. The EV charging network isn't very dense on highways, and many of the functional charging stations aren't very reliable. The long charging times will add hours to any long journey, and there's also the worst-case scenario of being stranded with no charge. EVs are ideal for city use but not as highway cars.

It's a similar story with CNGs. The CNG network is centred around cities but is sparse on highways. CNGs do offer the flexibility to switch to petrol mode when you run low on gas. What also works against CNGs is the drop in performance on CNG mode, and this is most noticeable on highway drives. Further, CNG tanks eat into luggage space, making them less suitable for driving holidays.

Petrol is the most sensible choice in the current scenario. A petrol will be more expensive to tank up than a CNG (or charge an EV), but there are a few other negatives. There's also the widest choice of cars as well as filling stations.

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More questions on similar cars

Shaadab

•3d

I want to purchase a car for my daily commute on village roads, as well as for highway driving. My monthly running is around 3,000 km, and once every quarter, I travel to a city that is approximately 350 km away from my town. Considering my usage pattern, would an EV be a suitable choice? Please suggest the best options within a budget of Rs. 20-30 lakh.

Autocar India

•5h

If you can install a charger at home and have charging stations on the route to your destination, an EV does make sense for your heavy use. Under Rs. 20 lakh, consider the Tata Curvv EV with the 55kWh battery pack. In our real world tests, it managed 352km on the highway which means your 350km journey is possible with a quick stop in between to top up. It also has good ground clearance and rides well, so it will deal with village roads nicely.For under Rs. 30 lakh, consider the Mahindra XEV 9e with the 79kWh battery pack. In our tests, it managed 488km on the highway meaning with some care, your 350km journey is possible in one go. You will need to charge at your destination though. EVs are less efficient on the highway and particularly with a full load require care to ensure the battery doesn't deplete too quickly. Your charging stops will also need to be planned in advance and there is possibility that you will have to wait at a stop for charge to become available. If this seems like too much work, then stick to a diesel. Under Rs. 20 lakh, consider the Kia Seltos diesel or the Hyundai Creta diesel. Under 30 lakh, you could consider the Mahindra XUV 7XO or the Scorpio N. All of these will comfortably manage village roads and do long highway stints without worries.

S Kumar

I’m buying my first car and would appreciate your recommendations. Usage: Mostly self-driven, usually with 1-4 occupants, with occasional trips carrying 5 people. Around 70% city driving in Mumbai, with the rest being highway and weekend trips. Priorities: fun-to-drive and engaging, reliable and easy to own, strong safety, comfortable seats for a 6-foot driver, effective AC for Mumbai weather, good city ride quality, and decent factory audio system. I’m not looking for the most feature-packed car. I would prefer a well-engineered, enjoyable, safe, and comfortable car with a good long-term ownership experience. My budget is below Rs 15 lakh.

Autocar India

•8h

Pick the Volkswagen Taigun or its sister car, the Skoda Kushaq. They are fun-to-drive cars, are genuinely safe, and have secured a 5-star crash rating in Global NCAP tests. Since you said you want a fun-to-drive and engaging experience, you could consider the manual versions however the automatics too and very enjoyable to drive.For a 6-foot driver, the driving position would be fine thanks to good seat travel and adjustable steering, though make sure you check this yourself, too. The AC system was recently updated and copes much better with Mumbai heat, not the coldest in class, but effective enough. The factory audio is decent on mid trims, and they have all the basic features you would need.

Volkswagen Taigun

Skoda Kushaq

Gaurav

•5d

Hi, I currently own a Hyundai i20 Asta Optional Diesel (2018 model). I am looking to upgrade to an SUV that is powerful, capable of handling different terrains and offers a strong road presence. Please suggest suitable options within a budget of Rs. 25 lakh.

Autocar India

•5h

Consider the Mahindra Thar Roxx AX5L 4x4 diesel; it’s a true all-terrain SUV with strong pull and serious road presence at around Rs. 25 lakh. Coming from an i20 diesel, you’ll like the step up in torque for easy highway overtakes, the tall driving position, and the space for family and luggage. The proper 4x4 with low-range, terrain modes and a tough ladder frame means bad roads, slush and rocky hill trails are a non-event.It isn’t perfect. The ride can feel busy in the city and you will notice its size in tight lanes. If you need a third row then the Scorpio N 4x4 is also an option.If your use is mostly city with only light trails, the 4x2 versions should also suit you just fine.

Mahindra Thar Roxx

Mahindra Scorpio N

Hyundai i20

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Popular discussions right now

Jayvir Deol

•1w

I want to buy an SUV, and my budget is around 20 lakh. I have seen the MG Hector, the Mahindra XUV and the Tharr Rox. Which car should I buy, and given the current scenarios on the govt policies, should I go for petrol or diesel?

Autocar India

•6d

Pick the Mahindra XUV 7XO. At around Rs. 20 lakh, it gives you the best mix of space, strong performance and safety, and it is far easier to live with every day than the Thar Roxx while being a better value than a low or mid Hector variant. You also get both petrol and diesel choices, so you can match it to your running.Fuel choice is simple. Go petrol if most of your use is in the city or your running is under about 1,200 km a month. It is quieter, has fewer policy worries, and resale stays safe even if some cities tighten diesel rules. Pick diesel only if you drive long highway distances often, want a longer tank range, or haul a full family with luggage regularly.The only real downside with the XUV 7XO is that the fanciest features push you beyond Rs. 20 lakh, and there may be a wait period. If you mainly want a rugged toy, the Thar Roxx is great, but for family life, the XUV 7XO fits better.

I am confused between buying Skoda Kylaq and Kia Seltos. Please suggest.

Autocar India

•3d

Buy the Kia Seltos. It is simply easier to live with for most buyers, thanks to a much wider service network and many more variant and powertrain choices, including good automatics across a wider price range. For daily city runs with the odd highway trip, the Seltos will feel like the more complete package and it has a more spacious and premium cabin. The Skoda Kylaq will suit you only if you really enjoy driving. It feels tighter and more confidence inspiring on the move, and the steering has more feel. If you plan long, frequent road trips and care more about how it drives than gadgets, that’s where the Kylaq shines. The flip side is fewer dealers and fewer variant choices.

Kia Seltos

Skoda Kylaq

Vaibhav Vats

•5d

I own a Hyundai Venue Turbo Petrol, which is driven around 4,000 km per year and is occasionally used by my parents. I have been considering to upgrade it, as I am tired of spending money on maintenance. The car has been problematic since its second year of ownership. I am currently considering the Kia Syros HTK (EX) manual and HTK+ (DCT). However, some automobile enthusiasts have advised me against buying a DCT if I am looking for a hassle-free ownership experience, especially since the car will mostly be driven in Delhi’s office-hour traffic and the overall running is quite low. Could you please suggest whether I should opt for the DCT, stick with a manual, or consider a diesel automatic instead? Alternatively, if there are better options within a budget of Rs. 15 lakh, I would be open to considering them. I can also wait if there are any promising new launches expected this year within my budget. I am not interested in an EV at the moment. Thanks in advance.

Autocar India

•4d

Given your low annual running and predominantly city use in Delhi, a diesel does not make sense. Modern diesels are happiest when regularly driven on longer runs, and with just 4,000km a year, the higher purchase cost and potential emission system issues are difficult to justify.As for DCTs, they have become far more reliable than early examples, but if the priority is a smooth, stress-free ownership experience in heavy urban traffic, a torque-converter automatic is still the safer bet. It is generally smoother at low speeds and better suited to constant stop-start driving.Rather than moving to a Syros DCT, it would be worth considering the Skoda Kylaq automatic or the Mahindra XUV 3XO automatic. Both use torque-converter gearboxes and offer a more relaxed driving experience in city conditions. The Kylaq feels particularly polished to drive, while the 3XO counters with a richer feature list and a more spacious cabin.If you like the Syros, the manual remains a sensible choice given your limited annual usage, but if an automatic is preferred, a torque-converter-equipped rival would be a better fit than a DCT.

Kia Syros

Skoda Kylaq

Mahindra XUV 3XO

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Posted on: 18 Mar 2026