I am planning to buy a hybrid car, as my monthly running is around 1,500 km. I really like the front grille design of the Grand Vitara. In 2026, should I buy the hybrid from Suzuki or should I opt for the Hyryder just because it uses a Toyota-developed engine? Thanks in advance.

autocar.india

•2d

At Rs 8-10 lakh, there are no hybrid cars available in India. The only options in this price range are mild hybrids, which offer a small efficiency boost but do not provide the fuel savings or electric-only driving of a proper strong hybrid system. If you are specifically looking for a hybrid with a sunroof, you will need to increase your budget to around Rs 20 lakh or more, where cars like the Maruti Suzuki Victoris Hybrid, Grand Vitara Hybrid and Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder Hybrid become available. These are proper strong hybrids and are among the most efficient cars in India today.If your budget is fixed at Rs 8-10 lakh, the best approach is to focus on a good mild hybrid car with a sunroof, such as the Maruti Suzuki Fronx or Brezza. If space is not the highest priority, get the Fronx, as it is better value for money, giving you more features for your money. The Brezza, however, has more interior space, more powerful engines and a 5-star Bharat NCAP crash test rating, so it could be the better choice.But then your other requirement - a sunroof - will not be met by either of these, as Maruti only offers this feature in higher variants. So if that is of the highest priority, check out a petrol car like the Hyundai i20, Tata Punch or Kia Sonet. Overall, our recommendation is to go for one of the mild-hybrid Maruti models and forego the sunroof. It's the better decision in the long run.

Maruti Suzuki Victoris

Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara

Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder

Maruti Suzuki Fronx

Maruti Suzuki Brezza

Hyundai i20

Tata Punch

Kia Sonet

autocar.india

•9h

Go for the Maruti Suzuki Brezza ZXi+ turbo MT petrol. For a first car with a 10+ year ownership plan, the Brezza works well. Maruti’s service network, proven reliability and lower long-term maintenance costs make it a stress-free ownership proposition. The Brezza’s turbo petrol engine is also well-suited to Indian conditions, offering good drivability and efficiency without being overly complex. The Mahindra XUV 3XO RevX A MT petrol does make sense too, but we would lean towards it more if a peppy and lively drive feel is what you are after. Overall, the ride and handling balance is better with the 3XO, which has a good mix of city comfort and high-speed stability. The Brezza, however, leans towards the city with a much more pliant ride at low speeds. Thus for you keeping in mind a long ownership period, we would lean towards the Brezza.

Maruti Suzuki Brezza

Mahindra XUV 3XO

autocar.india

•10h

The Renault Duster 1.3 turbo DCT is a good car, with its biggest strength being its ride quality and handling. It feels planted on bad roads, absorbs bumps well and is genuinely enjoyable to drive. The 1.3 turbo petrol is punchy, and the DCT is quick, which makes it fun on open roads. But for your running of 800-900 km a month, mainly in the city, the 1.3 turbo-DCT isn't going to be very efficient.In comparison, the Hyundai Creta is more suited to your needs. Its interior feels airier and brighter, and overall it is a proven product with a stronger ownership track record. Sure, the Duster is the better driver’s car and feels more robust on rough roads, but the Creta will be more fuel efficient and is a better urban SUV, especially in its 1.5 Petrol IVT avatar, which is smooth and very seamless. A new Creta is expected to be launched early next year, so if you can wait, that could be worth getting.

Hyundai Creta

Renault Duster