Driving grandi10 from past 7 years. Planning to upgrade. Budget - 20-25L. Family of 3, including a 1-year-old. 80% city driving in Bangalore. Requirement - Fun to drive, easy for the kid to travel in, comfortable for long trips.

Autocar India

•22h

Given your requirements, you should consider the Skoda Kushaq 1.5 turbo petrol automatic. The Skoda's punchy 150hp engine paired with a quick-shifting 7-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox makes it great fun to drive. It's also small enough, so driving in the city and parking will not be an issue, and it stays stable and planted at highway speeds, which you'll appreciate. The Kushaq also strikes a great balance between ride comfort and handling. The rear seat, though not as spacious as some rivals, will easily be comfy enough for your kid and rather uniquely, the top-spec Kushaq also comes with a rear seat massaging function, which just adds to the comfort factor. So for your mix, the Kushaq 1.5 TSI DSG lines up best.

Skoda Kushaq

Autocar India

•1d

The new Renault Duster 1.3 DCT feels like the most natural upgrade. You already know and appreciate the Duster formula, but this new one moves the game on significantly. The big advantage is the wet clutch DCT, which is smoother and better suited to Indian traffic than the dry clutch DSGs in the VW and Skoda. Ride comfort is another big strength, and if you do long-distance touring, the Duster’s absorbent suspension and SUV character will feel instantly familiar, just in a far more polished package. The only real downside is that rear seat space is not class-leading.The Volkswagen Taigun GT and Skoda Kushaq Monte Carlo are both excellent cars to drive. That 1.5 TSI is a strong engine, and both feel quick, polished and in some ways more sophisticated than the Duster. Between the two, the choice largely comes down to taste because mechanically, they are nearly identical. The Taigun has a more understated personality, while the Kushaq Monte Carlo feels a touch sportier. The caveat is the dry clutch DSG, which is brilliant once on the move, but not as naturally comfortable in heavy stop-and-go traffic as the Renault’s wet clutch setup.

Renault Duster

Volkswagen Taigun

Skoda Kushaq

Autocar India

•3h

For your priorities, we would suggest the Renault Duster 1.3 turbo DCT. Coming from an Ignis AMT, this will feel like a massive upgrade in every meaningful way. The wet clutch DCT is a big advantage in Bangalore traffic because it is smoother and less prone to overheating than the dry clutch DCT setups used in rivals like the Seltos and Creta, while still delivering quick responses when you want to drive enthusiastically.More importantly, the Duster is genuinely enjoyable from behind the wheel. It feels involving to drive, has strong performance from the 1.3 turbo petrol and the ride quality is very absorbent and comfortable, which matters on Bangalore’s mixed road conditions. The one trade off is rear seat space, which is not as generous as some rivals in this segment.If rear seat space matters more, the new Tata Sierra 1.5 turbo petrol automatic is also worth considering. It is practical, spacious and still nice to drive, though it is not quite as driver focused as the Duster.If your absolute priority is playing it safe from an ownership familiarity perspective, the Kia Seltos turbo DCT is the safer mainstream pick.

Renault Duster

Tata Sierra

Hyundai Creta

Maruti Suzuki Ignis

Kia Seltos