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•19w

Hi, I am planing to buy either creta or alcazar, but want to know which fuel will be good. My total running is around 1300-1500Km monthly, out of this 5-7 times in a month travel to noida to gurgaon and two times in a month to out of city, approx 500Km per trip. Please advice suitable fue variant for me.

•19w

Go for the diesel engine in the Hyundai Creta or the Alcazar. With 1,300-1,500km a month and two 500km highway trips, the diesel will save you a good amount of money on fuel and feel more relaxed at highway speeds, especially with family and bags. Your regular long runs will also keep the DPF clean, so the time you spend in Noida-Gurgaon traffic should not be an issue.

The only catch is Delhi-NCR’s 10-year cap on diesel cars and the odd winter clampdown on diesel models. If you plan to keep the car beyond 8-10 years or want zero risk of restrictions, petrol is the safer bet.

Between the two SUVs, pick the Alcazar diesel only if you actually need the third row; otherwise, the Creta diesel is lighter, a bit more efficient, and cheaper to buy. If you must go petrol, the Creta 1.5 petrol suits calm city use and will drink less than the turbo; the turbo petrols are quicker but thirstier in traffic.

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Hyundai

Creta

from ₹12.66 Lakh

Hyundai

Alcazar

from ₹16.83 Lakh

•18w•

Hi, I use a Diesel Alcazar, top end. 4 years and 80k complete. No issues till date. Gives a very decent mileage on the highways. Even with full load I used to get a mileage of 20kms on Bengaluru Coimbatore highway.

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•1d

Hi Autocar Team, I am interested in buying a Hyundai Creta, but I am confused between the petrol and diesel variants. I drive around 10,000 km per year, with a mix of short trips, long trips, and city driving. I am concerned about DPF issues with the diesel engine and the mileage of the petrol engine. Q1. How often do we need to drive a diesel car? Is there any rule that we need to start and drive it daily? Q2. If we don't drive the car, will soot still form in the DPF? Q3. If I don't drive the car for two weeks and then drive it only in the city for the next two weeks, how would DPF clogging occur? Basically, how should we maintain these diesel engines? Please guide me in understanding this.

•23h

At 10,000km a year, buy the Hyundai Creta petrol. A diesel only pays off at much higher mileage, and its higher price would take many years to recover. The petrol’s fuel bill will be higher, but at your running, the difference is only around Rs 2,000-2,500 a month.To answer your DPF questions: No, you don’t have to drive a diesel every day. Soot only forms while the engine is running, so a car parked for two weeks builds up nothing. The bigger risk then is a flat battery. The filter cleans itself by burning off the soot, but it needs heat to do it. That takes 15-20 minutes of steady driving at highway speeds. Short city trips never get it hot enough, so the soot keeps building until a warning light comes on.Your pattern is the risk. Two weeks parked does no harm, but two weeks of only city driving is exactly what fills the filter. A diesel car owner in your position would need a proper highway run every couple of weeks and avoid switching off midway through a cleaning cycle.None of this is difficult, but it’s a routine you have to keep up, and with a petrol car you don’t have to think about it.

Hyundai Creta

•2d

Hi, kindly advise me on choosing between the Tata Safari and the Mahindra XUV 7XO diesel automatic. My annual driving is around 25,000 to 30,000 km, with a mix of city and highway travel. I am not interested in a hybrid or an electric vehicle. Which of these two SUVs would be the better choice for my usage? Please advise. Thanks in advance.

•10h

Go for the Mahindra XUV 7XO diesel automatic. At 25,000- 30,000 km a year, you’ll spend a lot of hours behind the wheel, and that’s where the Mahindra pulls ahead. Its 2.2 diesel is noticeably stronger than the Tata Safari’s diesel, so overtaking on the highway takes far less effort. It’s also more refined. The Safari’s diesel gets gruff, especially at low speeds in town. The 7XO’s ride is excellent too, soft over bad roads and flat and composed at high speed. If you ever drive on poor roads or in the hills, it also offers all-wheel drive on the top versions, which the Safari doesn’t.The one area where the Safari wins is the third row. It’s easier to get into and roomier, while the 7XO’s last row really only suits kids or short trips. So if you’ll regularly fill all seven seats with adults, the Safari deserves a serious look.Otherwise, the 7XO is the better car to live with every day.

Tata Safari

Mahindra XUV 7XO

•6d

Elevate facelift looks better equipped now. With these added features, do you think it can give Creta and Seltos a tougher fight?

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•6d

I am a 6 ft driver who loves driving. I've driven the Swift 2013 petrol, Creta 1.6 Diesel Auto and the XUV500 the most on long trips. Now that I am planning to buy a car with a strict budget, do you think the 3XO AX5 TCMPFI petrol variant will be a wise decision to make, as I will be travelling once a month for short trips from Bangalore to Coorg, Pondicherry, GOA, and Mangalore? Which other car can be a perfect match for me, keeping a budget of 12 lakhs max? Also, the 3XO AX5 I'm getting from a friend who has hardly driven 6k km for 10 lakhs.

•5d

Go for the Mahindra XUV 3XO AX5 TCMPFI petrol from your friend for Rs 10 lakh. At that price, it is a very good deal and a sensible upgrade from your Creta 1.6 diesel automatic. The 3XO is one of the most spacious compact SUVs in the segment, with a wide cabin and good rear seat comfort, which will make your long drives to Coorg, Pondicherry, Goa and Mangalore more comfortable. The turbo petrol engine is smooth and is well suited to both city driving and highway cruising. At Rs 10 lakh for a car with only 6,000 km on the clock, you are getting a nearly new car at a significant discount, which makes it a far better value proposition than buying new.If you are looking for alternatives under Rs 12 lakh, the Skoda Kylaq 1.0 TSI manual is the best option for an enthusiast driver. The new Brezza turbo-petrol could also be a good choice. Overall, the 3XO from your friend is the most sensible choice. It offers a good balance of comfort, reliability and value, and will serve you well on your monthly road trips.

I’ve almost finalised the Skoda Kylaq Signature Automatic, and I really like the car. However, I’m a little worried about Skoda’s long-term service and maintenance costs, especially after the warranty period. I’m planning to keep the car for around 7–8 years. Would you recommend taking the Service Maintenance Package (SMP) along with the car? Is it worth the additional cost considering regular servicing and potential maintenance expenses? Also, compared with the Brezza and Nexon, how is the Kylaq Signature Automatic in terms of long-term reliability, service costs and parts replacement? Would really appreciate your advice before I make the final purchase decision.

•1d

If you like the Skoda Kylaq Signature Automatic, go ahead and buy it. It is a genuinely good car and one of the best driver’s cars in the segment. The 1.0 TSI engine paired with the 6-speed torque converter automatic is a proven combination, and Skoda’s reliability has improved significantly in recent years. The bigger concern is not reliability but long-term maintenance costs, which can be higher than Maruti or Tata once the car is out of warranty.This is where the Service Maintenance Package (SMP) makes sense. It locks in your service costs for the first 4-5 years, covers all scheduled maintenance and gives you peace of mind during the most expensive ownership period. If you are planning to keep the car for 7-8 years, it is worth the additional cost because it protects you from unexpected bills and helps you budget ownership costs more accurately.Compared to the Brezza and Nexon, the Kylaq is the better driver’s car with a more engaging driving experience and a stronger engine. The Brezza is the benchmark for long-term reliability and low maintenance costs, while the Nexon sits somewhere in between. The Kylaq is not unreliable, but parts and service can be more expensive once you are out of warranty.If you are buying the Kylaq, take the SMP and enjoy the car. If long-term ownership costs are your absolute priority, the Brezza is the safer financial choice.

I currently own a Jeep Compass and want to get an additional car for my father, with good reliability, unlike the Jeep. My father still drives a 2008 Honda City, and I am torn between a few choices: the Honda City, Skoda Slavia, Nissan Tekton and Toyota Hyryder. Or should I wait for the Virtus facelift or the new-generation Creta? His usage is low, at almost 500 km per month. Please suggest.

•1d

With just 500km a month, petrol is the clear choice, and reliability and ease of ownership become the most important factors. The Honda City is the safest recommendation here. It is a proven product with a strong reliability record, a comfortable ride and a familiar ownership experience that your father will appreciate, especially coming from a 2008 City. The Skoda Slavia and Volkswagen Virtus are both excellent to drive, but the 1.0 TSI engine can feel a bit laggy at low speeds, and the 1.5 TSI is overkill for this kind of usage. The Nissan Tekton is a good value proposition, but engines are not responsive at low speeds and Nissan's service network is not as strong as Honda's, which matters more for a low-running, long-term ownership scenario. The Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder is a solid option if you specifically want an SUV, but the hybrid premium does not make financial sense at this running, and the naturally aspirated petrol is not as refined as the City's engine. The new-generation Hyundai Creta is worth waiting for only if your father specifically wants an SUV; otherwise, the City remains the more sensible choice. Overall, the Honda City is the most reliable, comfortable and hassle-free option for your father's usage.

Honda City

Skoda Slavia

Volkswagen Virtus

Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder

Nissan Tekton

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