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•6d

Hi, I am looking to buy an EV for around Rs 20 lakh and am planning to go with the new Kia Syros EV X Line. I love its ride quality, space, features and interiors. However, at Rs 23 lakh, it is a bit pricey. I've now been reading about the imminent launch of the Hyundai H1 EV sometime in early 2027. Is that car worth the hype and the wait, or would buying the Syros EV right away be a better choice?

•1h

If you have already driven the Kia Syros EV and like its space, ride quality and interiors, there is little reason to wait for Hyundai’s upcoming EV purely on the strength of the hype. The Hyundai is expected to be a smaller, more affordable electric SUV, positioned closer to the Tata Punch EV or Nexon EV rather than as a direct rival to the Syros EV.That said, Hyundai has confirmed a compact EV for India, expected to debut in early 2027, with standard range and long-range versions. Battery capacities and prices are not confirmed, so it is too early to assume it will be significantly cheaper or have a shorter range.Since you are stretching your budget for the Syros EV X Line, waiting a few months to see the Hyundai’s pricing and real-world range is sensible. But if the Syros already meets your needs and you are comfortable with the price, there is no compelling reason to delay your purchase for an unlaunched car.

We are planning to buy a Hyundai Exter HX8, but we are confused about whether we should buy a petrol automatic or a CNG manual, as our daily running is about 38 to 42 km. And my wife also wants to drive, but she is not confident with a manual car. Also, for the daily commute, we mostly use our scooty, and we mostly use our car in the rainy season and on special occasions.

•11h

Your average daily running of 40km and a monthly running of 1200km isn't much to justify the premium you would pay for a Hyundai Exter CNG over the petrol-manual version. On the other hand, the AMT gets you the convenience of an automatic without compromising fuel efficiency significantly (compared to the manual version), so it is certainly worth paying for; even more so, since your wife isn't comfortable driving a manual. If you're open to other options and absolutely want CNG along with the convenience of an automatic, consider the Tata Punch CNG AMT or the Maruti Baleno CNG AMT.

Dear Autocar team, I am looking to purchase a two-wheeler for my daily office commute, roughly 95km per day (a mix of both highway (40%) and city traffic (60%) - Chennai). My height is 5.3 feet, and I am looking for a bike to suit my height; the preferred options are Pulsar 150, Apache 160 4V and Royal Enfield Hunter. Also, looking at the budget and features, the new Pulsar 150 make more sense to me. Need experts' suggestions on this. Thank you.

•12h

If your priority is fuel economy, you're better off with either the Bajaj Pulsar 150 or the TVS Apache RTR 160 4V. These bikes are proven workhorses which will last you a long time and deliver good fuel economy, which will be an important factor in your purchase decision given your near-100km daily commute. If, instead, you want a more premium and polished machine with better performance, build quality, design and ride quality, then the more expensive Royal Enfield Hunter 350 is surely a good option. It all boils down to whether or not you can manage the stretch and what sort of experience you are after.

Bajaj Pulsar 150

TVS Apache RTR 160 4V

•1w

Hi, I am a 3rd-year student and am confused between two bikes, the Meteor 350 and the Hunter 350. I am 5'6 and 64 kg. I am a beginner, just learning to ride a bike from my father on his Splendor. I would like to use it in cities and on highways.

•13h

Given the fact that you are a beginner, the more affordable, lighter and smaller RE Hunter 350 will be a better fit than the heavier Meteor. Another factor working in the Hunter's favour is that its riding position is very neutral and its suspension is supple, which will make it adept at tackling bad roads without passing on the jolt to the rider's back. The Meteor, with its feet-forward riding position, will transmit more of the road imperfections to your back.

Mahindra Thar (2025-2026)

Royal Enfield Meteor 350

•6d

Hi, We are planning to buy a new car/suv which is having 6-7 seats. We travel once every 2-3 months with family, consisting of our parents. The priority is travel comfort and spacious seats, with a good, powerful petrol/diesel engine, comparatively good fuel efficiency and features. ADAS is not a factor we are looking for. Which cars can we check out? Please let me know.

•14h

For your requirements, the Kia Carens Clavis would be the first car to consider, especially if comfort and usable space across all three rows are priorities when travelling with your parents. Choose the petrol or diesel based on your annual running. If you do a lot of highway driving, the diesel automatic makes sense, although it is not offered in the higher variants.If you want more performance and are willing to compromise on third-row comfort, the Mahindra XUV 7XO is worth considering. Its turbo petrol and diesel engines offer stronger performance, and it feels more like a traditional SUV, but the third row is not as accommodating as the Carens Clavis for adults on longer journeys. With your parents travelling regularly, test the ease of getting into the second row and the comfort of all seats before deciding.

Kia Carens Clavis

Mahindra XUV 7XO

•14h

Same budget, different body styles. What would you pick?

POLL

Hi Autocar team, I am looking to find a clarification on purchasing a car. I am a 28-year-old man who enjoys driving, especially a sedan. Now, I am confused about choosing which car to buy. My options are Virtus 1.5 DSG Chrome (because of Roomy interior rather full blacked out) vs Facelifted Slavia Prestige 1.5 DSG. In terms of price, the Virtus offers 21.5L, and the Slavia offers 22.80L. I have received feedback such as Slavia's interior is flimsy and creates squeaking noise, and on the highway the suspension feels bouncy, due to which body roll occurs. Whereas in the Virtus, the only complaint is its gonna be outdated soon due to the Virtus facelift. Help me choose!

•14h

The Virtus and Slavia are nearly identical, so the build quality, driving dynamics and even performance will be largely similar. As a result, the feedback you've received for the Slavia will hold true for the Virtus as well. That said, both the cars feel rock-solid at highway speeds and body roll is well contained too, despite their almost SUV-like 179mm ground clearance. Their 1.5 TSI engine is entertaining, and if you love to drive, both cars will certainly appeal to you.Between the two cars, you're likely to get higher discounts on the VW Virtus GT, as an updated one will be launched in a few weeks. Besides some cosmetic upgrades, the 2026 Virtus GT will get an updated air-con (available in the 2026 Slavia), which will be more effective in cooling the cabin. Hence, if you like the Virtus for its styling, we'll suggest you wait for that instead.However, if you can't wait, we'll suggest you go for the 2026 Skoda Slavia.

Creta vs Seltos. Same segment, similar prices, but which one do you guys actually like? Which would you pick and what makes it better??

•15h

Which SUV would you trust for 8-10 years of ownership?

POLL

Maruti Suzuki Brezza

Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder

Hyundai Creta

Kia Seltos

•1d

Hi Autocar India, I am looking to buy a motorcycle up to around 2.5 Lakh. My usage will be quite limited. I do short drives of 500 meters, 6 times a day for 6 days a week. I also might do a 15km trip like 3 times a month. Most of the driving will be on really bad pothole-filled roads. So I don't want the vibration to be felt in my back. I want good suspension for bad roads. My height is 5 feet 8 inches and 75 kg. I want a vehicle which can be managed well by me.

•15h

Since you have an extremely short daily commute where fuel economy won't play a big role & you have a reasonably comfortable budget too, we'd recommend you look at the Royal Enfield Hunter 350. The Hunter is not a large motorcycle and will be easy to manage for someone of average build like yourself, and it has supple suspension as well as neutral ergonomics, which will make it comfortable over bad roads.Take a test ride of the Hunter, and if you find it comfy, go for it.

Hero MotoCorp Xtreme 160R 4V

•16h

Defender will be now assembled in India. This will reduce prices by 34 lakhs. I feel this will attract more buyers.

•21h

Hi Autocar Team, I currently own a 2021 Hero Super Splendor. The most annoying aspect of my bike is its gearbox, which frequently experiences missed shifts and false neutrals. A few months ago, I decided to upgrade to a 160cc motorcycle. However, my neighbour recently bought a Hero Xtreme 125R, and it seems to have similar gearbox issues. Why has Hero been unable to provide a consistently smooth gearbox experience? If I upgrade to the Hero Xtreme 160R, am I likely to face the same issues? Please advise.

•16h

On most Hero motorcycles, as you've pointed out, the gearbox is quite notchy & lacks a snick, precise feel. While we can't comment on why the company has been unable to solve this issue, we can say that the latest Xtreme 160R 4V doesn't seem to suffer from this issue - at least our experience from the first ride event tells us that it doesn't. We'd recommend you get an extended test ride of the bike to properly try it out before going ahead with your purchase, or look at alternatives like the Bajaj Pulsar N160 or TVS Apache RTR 160 4V.

Bajaj Pulsar N160

TVS Apache RTR 160 4V

BYD's luxury brand Denza is coming to India next month! Will it be able to compete with BMW and Mercedes?

•22h

Hi, I am planning to purchase the new Dominar 400 (350) but since Bajaj is rolling out a new 5-inch TFT, Golden USDs and new colors in the bike, I am waiting for its update. Do you think that it is worth waiting for? What could be the expected launch time for the updated Bajaj Dominar 400 with the new 5-inch TFT?

It is reasonable to expect that the latest slew of updates to Bajaj's motorcycles will eventually make their way to the 350cc Dominar 400, although the brand has made no indication towards this actually being the case. Its platform sibling, the Pulsar NS400Z, recently received this same update as well. If you are planning to purchase the Dominar, we'd recommend you go ahead with your decision because there's no confirmed information regarding when the bike will receive these features and you could potentially be looking at rather a long wait.

Bajaj Dominar 400

Bajaj Pulsar NS400Z

•1d

Hello, I've been looking to buy a new automatic petrol car with either a TC or a CVT transmission for a family of three. Our usage will mainly involve daily city driving in Bengaluru, with occasional highway trips of 100-500 km. So far, we have tested the Skoda Slavia 1.0 TC, Kylaq and Kushaq, Volkswagen Virtus 1.0 TC, Honda Elevate facelift (2026), Kia Sonet, Tata Punch AMT, Tata Sierra DCT and TC automatic options, and Punch EV. My wife is a beginner driver who currently drives a manual turbo sedan and a hatchback, so the car should also be suitable for her daily driving needs. Personally, I loved the Slavia for its punchy performance, handling, ride quality, softer suspension in the city and safety. However, I'm concerned about EPC errors and reliability issues. Since I already drive a turbo car, I enjoy the strong performance on highways, particularly the quick overtakes and punch. My wife, on the other hand, prefers sedate driving, although neither of us is particularly enthusiastic about driving. She preferred the Honda Elevate CVT over the Sonet. We're quite confused about which automatic to choose from these options. Please help us decide.

Based on your preferences, we'd advise you to narrow down your choice between the Honda Elevate 1.5 CVT and Skoda Slavia 1.0 TSI AT. The Honda Elevate will be a bit easier to drive for your wife, who is a new driver, given its higher seating position and more responsive naturally aspirated petrol engine without any turbo lag. Its CVT (automatic) is seamless, and its engine delivers strong performance to keep you entertained. Overall, the Elevate is a comfortable, practical, no-nonsense SUV with excellent ride comfort. Given Honda's reputation for reliability, you can look forward to a trouble-free ownership experience.The Skoda Slavia, being a sedan, will feel a bit nicer to drive given its low centre of gravity and relatively less body roll. The 1.0 TSI will also feel more effortless while making quick overtakes on the highway. Its 179mm ground clearance and large boot make it a very practical car for long family drives.In the initial year/s of its launch, some owners reported EPC errors, possibly due to poor fuel quality. However, the Slavia has been on the market for over four years now, and complaints of the same issue are extremely rare, indicating that it may have been resolved. If you loved the Slavia for what it offers, go for it. It'll leave you smiling every time you get behind the wheel.

Honda Elevate

Skoda Slavia

Which car do you think is most value-for-money?

I have been riding a RE Hunter 350 for the past 4 years and love its low-end torque and relaxed city character. However, I hope that it brings back the lightweight, punchy, "zingy" thrill of the old Yamaha RX 100/135. I have shortlisted KLX230 and have taken it test ride in Bengaluru on broken, waterlogged, pothole-filled roads and have thoroughly enjoyed it. The S variant wasn’t available for me to try. I enjoyed the deltabox/VVA engine of XSR155. Is it worth modding W175 to US LTD look? Dealer says it is off sale. SR250 fits my aesthetics, but I have doubts about its reliability and long-term ownership. Also, does a dual-sport or a light street bike like the XSR 155 make the ultimate garage companion to a Hunter 350? Is it worth holding out for/modding the W175 or trusting Keeway. Also, do the Yamaha/Kawasaki dual-sports beat them out-of-the-box for raw, lightweight fun?

Since you already have a Hunter, getting another road-oriented bike will give you largely the same experience and we'd recommend choosing a different form factor to broaden your horizons. From your shortlist, the Kawasaki KLX230 (and the lower seat height & suspension travel 'S' version) will be the best fit for your two-bike garage. In that same vein, we'd also recommend Honda's new XR300L & XR300 Rally because they will have similiar capability as the KLX but are far more affordable and will likely have a small performance edge owing to their larger-capacity motors. Once you're able to test ride the XR300s, pick between these & the KLX for your next purchase.

Kawasaki KLX230