Latest questions answered by experts

Saran s

I currently own a 2019 Maruti Suzuki Dzire ZXi Plus, which has covered 85,000 km. I have received an exchange valuation of Rs 4.85 lakh against a new Hyundai Venue or Maruti Brezza. Considering my monthly usage has now decreased to just 600 km, would it be financially prudent to proceed with the exchange, or would it be wiser to retain my current car for another few years?

Autocar India

•22m

Since your usage has reduced, it makes sense to retain your Maruti Suzuki Dzire if it is serving you without any issues. Even if you have a major service coming up which involves changing its suspension, tyres, brakes, clutch, etc., the total cost to keep your car in top shape will only be a fraction of what you'll otherwise have to spend to purchase an all-new car.And being a Maruti car, it is likely to hold its value, and even if you decide to sell a few years down the line, its resale price is not likely to drop too sharply.

Maruti Suzuki Dzire

Akshay

•6h

Asking on behalf of a colleague. He plans to buy an EV for regular use, which includes weekly office work (3-4 days), weekend trips with his small family, all within the Bangalore city area. He has booked the Mahindra XEV 9S. Should we wait for the launch of Sierra EV, as it is a bit smaller in size, which may be useful for his city usage? Also, since the Sierra petrol and diesel are still not visible on Bangalore roads as of mid-May 2026, despite having a huge hype during launch, would waiting for the Sierra EV be a wise decision or just a waste of time? Can the increasing petrol price lead to an increase in the cost of EVs? The Bangalore government has already removed the road tax discount on EVs.

Autocar India

•52m

The Mahindra XEV 9S is the more sensible choice rather than waiting for the Tata Sierra EV. With no firm launch date for the Sierra EV and uncertain delivery timelines, it makes more sense to opt for the XEV 9S, which is already on sale.Yes, the XEV 9S is a bit larger than the Tata; however, its light steering, tight turning radius, good visibility and driving aids make it surprisingly easy to drive and live with.Coming to the second part of your question, Karnataka has introduced new slabs for EV road tax from May 1, 2026, so on-road prices are higher than before, but still running costs remain much lower than petrol. Since your colleague is buying the car now, it will save him from any potential price hikes due to the higher battery import cost or any new taxes.

Mahindra XEV 9S

Tata Sierra EV

ronak Lalwani

•5h

Which car should I buy with an Rs 8-9.5 lakh budget and 15,000km annual running? My highway-to-city usage is 70:30. I am posted in Maharashtra, and my hometown is approximately 1,100km away. I need good boot space and mileage, and the car will be registered under the BH series. Should I go for petrol, diesel or EV? I have looked at the Tata Altroz diesel, Tata Nexon diesel and Maruti Dzire petrol.

Autocar India

•1h

The entry-level Tata Altroz diesel-manual fits your budget. It is spacious, fuel-efficient, and has a decent-sized boot by hatchback standards, too. The Tata's highway stability is excellent, refinement isn't one of its strengths, and it does get quite noisy.Alternatively, you could consider the mid-spec Maruti Suzuki Dzire. Even though it is only petrol-powered, its 3-cylinder engine is extremely fuel-efficient. The clutch, gearbox and steering are light, the car is very spacious, and its boot is large. While the Dzire is a very comfortable car, engine performance on the highway is a bit dull. However, if you are a sedate driver, this is the one to go for.

Tata Altroz

Maruti Suzuki Dzire

Gowtham M

•8h

Hi, I am planning to buy an electric car under a 10 lakh budget. Unable to decide on the car. Mostly for city (Hyderabad) purposes, with daily usage of 10-20 km. Did test drive Punch, Curvv, e-Vitara, Windsor - I thought Punch better, some people are saying Tata service is not good. Kindly help me select an EV car.

Autocar India

•1h

For your daily running of 10-20 km in Hyderabad and with a budget of Rs. 10 lakh, you should consider the base Tata Punch EV Smart variant. It suits short city use best because it is small and easy to park, feels smooth at low speeds, and has enough range to do your commute multiple times on one charge. The tall seat gives you a good view out, and the good ground clearance makes dealing with speed breakers and broken patches easy.Meanwhile, the Tata Curvv EV, Maruti Suzuki e-Vitara and MG Windsor are larger and pricier, and will go well past your budget. As for your concerns, Tata's service quality varies by outlet. In Hyderabad, the EV network is among the widest, but pick a dealer with strong Google reviews, choose their bigger workshop, and take an extended warranty to keep peace of mind.Alternatively, you could even consider the MG Comet EV as an urban runabout.

Tata Punch EV

Tata Curvv EV

Maruti Suzuki e Vitara

MG Windsor

MG Comet

Harishankar

•19h

I currently own a 2020 Tata Tiago AMT, which has served me well. Now, I'm looking for a replacement for it, something under 15 lakhs, suitable for 60% city use. I'm not currently looking to switch to EVs, and preferably not a Mahindra or Tata product, since my experience with them has not served me well. So kindly suggest an apt replacement.

Autocar India

•2h

Given your use case and considering your budget of Rs. 15 lakh, you should take a closer look at the Hyundai i20 IVT Asta (O). It is easy to drive in traffic, the CVT automatic is smooth at low speeds, and the steering is light, so city commutes will be far less tiring than in your Tata Tiago. The cabin will feel like a clear step up too: it is quieter, seats are more comfortable, and the car feels more premium overall, which you will notice on your daily runs and the odd weekend drive.Do note, it is not a tall car, so if your roads have very high speed breakers or you like a high seating view, an SUV may suit you better. If so, take a look at the Hyundai Venue HX6 turbo petrol DCT. Overall, for your city-heavy use, the i20 automatic lines up best.

Sesha sai

Planning to buy a car with adaptive cruise control, stop-and-go function and automatic transmission for a stress-free commute and less exertion on legs. Budget, preferably under 15 lakhs. Which car would you suggest?

Autocar India

•2h

If you can stretch your budget slightly, the Kia Sonet GTX+ DCT is an excellent option with a really well-calibrated ADAS suite as per our road and driving conditions. The turbo-petrol engine is strong, the dual-clutch automatic gearbox is quite smooth, the interior quality is top-notch, and it is loaded with features too. Alternatively, you could also consider a Mahindra XUV 3XO AX5L TGDI AT, which will have fewer features than the Sonet, but feels more spacious, has a stronger turbo-petrol engine, and its ride quality is better than the Kia's.

Kia Sonet

Mahindra XUV 3XO