Autocar India
•2d

I own a Maruti Suzuki Ritz and want to replace it with a sedan. Should I choose the Hyundai Verna or the Honda City? I am looking for a car that is smooth and easy to drive.

Verified
•4h

Pick the Honda City, ideally the petrol automatic, because it is the smoothest and easiest to drive in traffic. Its engine is very calm at low speeds and the automatic glides along without fuss, the steering is light, and the big glass area makes it simple to place in tight streets. Coming from a Ritz, the driving position and light controls will feel natural, and the cabin is roomier, so family runs are easier too.The Verna is a strong second option if you want a sharper look and extra features. The 1.5 petrol with the automatic is smooth enough, but the turbo with the automatic can feel a bit snappy in stop-go, which takes away from that easy driving you want.If your priority is a relaxed, fuss-free sedan for city use with occasional highway trips, go City. It just feels effortless.

VehicleHonda City
VehicleHyundai Verna
Honda City
Honda City
•4d

Which automatic 7-seater variant would be the best choice for my family between Mahindra XUV 7XO or Kia Carens Clavis? My usage pattern is mainly city driving in Bangalore with regular long-distance drives with family trips around twice a year. I am looking for a comfortable and practical 7-seater for family use. It should have good fuel efficiency, reliability, ride comfort, safety, and luggage space. My main concern is the uncertainty about the future of E20/E30 petrol fuel policies, although I am also comfortable buying a diesel vehicle. Please suggest the best automatic variant in either the Kia Carens Clavis or Mahindra XUV 7XO, considering long-term ownership, running costs, maintenance, resale value, and suitability for Bangalore traffic. My current vehicle is a Ford EcoSport.

Verified
•5h

Go for the Kia Carens Clavis diesel automatic, because it suits Bangalore traffic better and still handles your long drives with more usable luggage space. The Carens is easier to park and thread through city gaps than the larger XUV 7XO, its diesel automatic is smooth and far more efficient in stop-go Bangalore, and with all three rows up you still get a meaningful boot for a family trip.Your ethanol worry is a non-issue with the diesel. The 1.5 diesel is proven, service costs are reasonable, and Kia’s network in and around Bangalore is strong, which helps long-term ownership and resale. Ride comfort is calm enough for the highway, the third row is friendlier for adults than most, and the cabin is very family focused.One drawback is that it does not feel as powerful as the XUV 7XO. If you regularly cruise very fast or want the extra tech, the XUV 7XO diesel automatic is the alternate, but expect higher fuel bills and tighter boot and third row.

VehicleKia Carens Clavis
VehicleMahindra XUV 7XO
•4d

I want to buy my first car and am looking for a CNG option, as my daily travel is around 50 km. My budget is between Rs. 10 lakh and 11 lakh. I am quite confused between the Tata Punch CNG, Hyundai Exter CNG, and Tata Nexon CNG (if I stretch my budget a bit), as I do not want to compromise on boot space. Kindly suggest the best car in this segment. I have also heard that the Maruti Suzuki Brezza may come with a dual-cylinder setup similar to the Maruti Suzuki Victoris. Should I wait for it as I am planning to purchase the car by August 2026.

Verified
•6h

If you can stretch your budget, go for the Nexon CNG, as it has two key advantages. For one, as you mentioned, it has the bigger boot, and thanks to the dual-cylinder setup (as in the Punch and Exter too) lets you use most of the space effectively. Secondly, it uses a turbocharged engine, which addresses a big complaint with CNG cars, namely a lack of power. It also has far more space in the cabin which makes it a proper five seater, whereas the Exter and Punch will not be as comfy for rear passengers. The disadvantage, of course, is that even with a small budget stretch, you will still only get a mid-range variant of the Nexon CNG, but you should still get all the essentials. The Punch and Exter CNG will be available in their top-spec variants in your budget, and the Punch even gets an AMT option. However, this being your first car, we feel the bigger Nexon will feel like more of a statement while still keeping running costs in check. Yes, it's likely the Brezza facelift will get a dual-cylinder CNG setup, and it should launch before August, but how it will be priced remains unknown.

VehicleTata Nexon
VehicleTata Punch
VehicleHyundai Exter
•4d

I am a first-time car buyer, and my budget is Rs. 13 lakh. I am confused between the Hyundai Creta 2026 Base E Petrol and the Kia Seltos HTE Petrol base model. I am getting Hyundai Creta E Petrol with an infotainment system package with 2-year extended warranty, Shield of Trust package, coating, and a basic accessories package. At the same price, I am getting Kia Seltos HTE Petrol with a 2-year extended warranty and a basic accessories package. Which one should I choose?

Verified
•7h

Go with the Kia Seltos. It sits on the newer platform than the Creta, is roomier on the inside, and the base model is better equipped than the base Creta. While the dealer is offering to fit an infotainment screen, it won’t be as seamless to use as the factory-fit unit on the Seltos. The coating and Shield of Trust being offered are not enough to sway the decision in favour of the Creta.In terms of powertrains, both use the same engine, so they will drive similarly. However, the Creta rides a bit softer, the Seltos will feel a touch firmer. That said, the Seltos’ rear seat is comfier, and the cabin looks a touch more premium.Between the two, the Seltos is the better pick.

VehicleKia Seltos
VehicleHyundai Creta
Kia Seltos
Kia Seltos
•5d

Hi Autocar team, I need your help in choosing an automatic family car that is reliable, safe and builds confidence in a new driver. I am planning to replace my 2017 Maruti Baleno Alpha petrol as it feels flimsy and dents very easily. Further, it no longer inspire confidence on highways and its braking confidence is also not great. I would appreciate your recommendations for another car. I am currently based in Pune and have planned for BH registration because there is a reasonable possibility of moving to another state in the future (most likely among Madhya Pradesh, Bangalore or Delhi). I will be primarily using it for city driving (90%) with occasional highway trips that may be very long (up to 1,000 km) sometimes. I usually travel with 2 adults and 1 child. I am looking for a car that can comfortably accommodate 4 adults and 1 child whenever required. My annual running is currently under 8,000 km, but it could increase significantly because there will be two drivers and an automatic car is likely to be used more. There will be one experienced driver who is comfortable with car of any size. Second driver is relatively new and gets intimidated by judging front-left corner and vehicle dimensions. I am looking for features such as rear camera that can help in significantly building confidence. I want to first look for a car in Rs. 10 lakh on-road mark but am comfortable with spending around Rs. 14 to 16 lakh if the car offers more safety, confidence and better ownership experience. I am looking for the best overall fit rather than trying to maximize budget. My priorities are reliability and hassle-free ownership, safety, easy maneuverability and confidence in city traffic. I value predictable ownership, service quality and peace of mind more than outright performance. I am comfortable with either petrol, hybrid or EV car with automatic transmission. EV seems interesting because I have a dedicated parking and home charging is possible. My area has mostly good roads with occasional monsoon-related road damage. We have taken test-drives of a few hatchbacks and compact SUVs with automatic transmissions. One thing that has became clear to me is that commanding seating position and a clearer view of road ahead significantly increase confidence, especially for the newer driver. However, we are still unsure whether this benefit alone justifies moving up from a hatchback to an SUV. Initially I thought a small hatchback would be ideal because I could pass it on to my parents after 3-5 years. However, if a slightly larger vehicle offers better safety, comfort and confidence, I would rather keep it for 5-10 years and later buy my parents a separate car. Based on the above requirements, what would be your top 5 recommendations and in what order? More importantly, which body style would you choose among premium hatchback, compact SUV, midsize SUV, hybrid SUV or EV? Which popular models you will not choose despite their popularity, and why? How much importance should I give to reliability versus crash safety while choosing a family car that will mostly be driven in the city but I make take it occasionally for long highway trips? Also, will I regret staying with a hatchback, or moving a segment up, the more sensible long-term decision for my use case?

Verified
•8h

You could consider the Hyundai Venue Turbo-petrol DCT and the Skoda Kylaq Turbo-AT. Both these are sub-4-meter SUVs with high seating positions and light controls, making them compact and easy-to-judge for new drivers. Both of these options will feel like a proper upgrade over your outgoing car in terms of build, safety, fit-finish, as well as features. Also, while performance isn't something you're concerned much about, you'll be happy to know that their turbo-petrol engines pack in good punch, which will make them perform effortlessly during your highway drives with the family.Even though with a Rs. 16 lakh budget, you could get midsize SUV or sedan options, we'd suggest you stick to these compact SUV, that will make manoeuvring and parking easy.Between the options suggested, the Hyundai car has a slight edge, particularly due to Hyundai's widespread service network.If you're open to EVs, the Nexon EV with the 45kWh battery is worth considering. It is compact, smoother than any similarly priced ICE car, and with the large battery real-world range will be good too. You can easily get a variant well within your budget.

VehicleHyundai Venue
VehicleTata Nexon EV
VehicleSkoda Kylaq