Mumbai

•19h

I am looking to buy a mid-size SUV with a diesel automatic powertrain and a budget of up to Rs. 20 lakh. I am currently confused between the Hyundai Creta and the Kia Seltos. Could you suggest the best variants, along with any other good options available in the market? I have also heard that the Creta facelift is expected in late 2026 or early 2027. Should I buy the current Creta, or go for the Seltos, which was launched 5-6 months ago? I currently own a 2017 Hyundai Creta Diesel Automatic and am looking for a worthwhile upgrade.

•13m

If you want a new car immediately, go for the Kia Seltos diesel automatic. Since you already own a 2017 Creta diesel automatic, the Seltos will feel like a proper upgrade with a more premium cabin, better feature set and a fresher overall package. The Seltos and Creta share the same 1.5 diesel engine and 6-speed torque converter automatic gearbox, so the driving experience will be familiar, but the Seltos feels more upmarket and better finished inside.

The Hyundai Creta is still a very good car, but with a new generation expected early 2027, it is not the best time to buy one. The Seltos was updated just a few months ago, so you are getting a much newer product. Of course, if you can wait, the new Creta will feature everything that the Seltos offers, and compared to the outgoing version, it'll feel far more modern.

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More questions on similar cars

•12h

Hello Team, could you please help me select a family car for two adults and two kids in the Rs. 15-20 lakh price range? I am new to the Indian car market and will be relocating from abroad. My current location is Bangalore and I only know how to drive an automatic transmission (AT) car and would prefer one. Please advise.

•9h

For a family of two adults and two kids in Bangalore with Rs. 15-20 lakh budget and preference for automatic, the Kia Seltos IVT is the most sensible recommendation. The IVT automatic is smooth and easy to drive in Bangalore traffic, the car is spacious enough for a family of four, and Kia’s service network is strong in the city. The Seltos also feels premium inside and offers a good balance of comfort and features without being overwhelming.If you want something slightly more affordable with a similar driving experience, the Hyundai Creta IVT is a very close alternative. It shares the same engine and gearbox, but the Kia car feels a bit more premium and spacious. If you want to maximise value, the Mahindra XUV 3XO automatic is worth considering as well. It is a very well-equipped car with a strong safety package, but it is smaller than the Seltos and Creta.Overall, the Seltos IVT strikes the best balance for your needs. It is easy to drive, comfortable for a family, and well-supported in Bangalore.

My monthly driving is around 3,000 km, so I'm planning to buy an EV. I'm looking for a car that can handle both city driving and highway trips comfortably. Please suggest the best EV options.

•1d

Did you mean 3,000 km a month? If it is 30,000 km a month, that means you are doing over 1,000 km a day, which is an exceptionally high usage pattern.In that case, even an EV is not the right solution. The best EVs currently on sale would require multiple charging stops every day, and the time spent charging would quickly outweigh any fuel savings. For this level of usage, a diesel car is still the most practical and cost-effective option.If you're looking for a multipurpose vehicle for both city and highway driving, a Kia Seltos diesel would be a much better fit. It is comfortable, spacious, and an efficient long-distance cruiser. Its refined diesel engine is well suited to covering high mileages without the charging constraints of an EV.EVs make the most sense for drivers with high annual running but predictable daily distances, where overnight or scheduled charging is practical. They are less suitable for extremely high daily usage, where charging time becomes a significant limitation.If you still prefer an EV, you could consider the upcoming Kia Syros EV, with a 51.4kWh battery and a claimed range of up to 526 km on a single charge. It is likely to be priced within your Rs 15-20 lakh budget. Despite its compact footprint, it offers a spacious cabin, with an extremely efficient powertrain, given that it is shared with the Kia Carens Clavis EV and Hyundai Creta Electric.

Kia Seltos

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•5d

What is the real-world mileage of the Tata Sierra NA engine? Is it a good choice? I am okay with its linear power delivery because I am used to it. I want a safe family car, decent mileage, and good road presence. I am confused between the Smart Plus Sierra and Kia Seltos HTK.

•3d

The Tata Sierra 1.5 NA is quite a heavy car and, despite being tuned for efficiency, that weight does affect fuel consumption. In real-world conditions, you can expect Sierra mileage to fall between 7 and 9 kpl in the city and about 12 and 14 kpl on the highway, depending on how and where you drive.The bigger issue is performance. The 1.5 NA engine feels very sluggish, and you will need to work the engine and gearbox hard, especially when overtaking or when you need a quick burst of speed in traffic.Where this Tata car scores strongly is in road presence, safety, and overall family appeal. It feels solid, has a commanding stance, and is well suited for comfortable, relaxed driving.The Kia Seltos HTK, on the other hand, is the easier car to live with day to day. Its 1.5 NA engine feels noticeably far more responsive and lighter on its feet, and it is also more fuel-efficient in real-world use.So, if your priority is a safe, solid family car with strong road presence and you’re okay with the poor performance and lower mileage, the Sierra works. But if you want better drivability, efficiency, and a more effortless experience behind the wheel, the Seltos is the more rounded choice.

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Popular discussions right now

•1w

I am confused between the Toyota Innova Crysta and the Mahindra XUV 7XO. I am looking for a comfortable 7-seater with good luggage space and a premium interior, including a high-quality music system. My usage will be mostly on highways, with occasional city driving. Which one would you recommend?

•6d

Go for the Toyota Innova Crysta. Your usage is highway-heavy with occasional city runs, and you want a proper 7-seater with good luggage space and a premium feel. The Crysta is still the benchmark for this kind of requirement. It is genuinely spacious in all three rows, has a large and usable boot even with all seats up, and is built for long-distance comfort and reliability. The diesel engine is strong, refined and well-suited to highway cruising, and Toyota’s ownership experience and long-term reliability are hard to beat. The Mahindra XUV 7XO is the more modern product with a more premium-looking interior and a better sound system, but it does not match the Crysta for outright space, practicality or long-term peace of mind. If your priority is a proper 7-seater that will serve you well for years, the Crysta is the safer and more sensible choice. If you want a more premium cabin and a richer feature set, the XUV 7XO is the alternative, but it is not as practical as the Crysta.

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•4d

Hi, I am a teacher and a first-time female driver with a budget of Rs. 11.5 lakh. I am looking for an automatic car that I plan to keep for the next 15 years, but I am confused about whether to buy a petrol AMT, CNG AMT, or an EV due to the uncertainty surrounding ethanol blending. My daily commute is 46 km, of which 22 km is on the highway, 18 km is on normal roads, and 6 km is on bumpy village roads in poor condition. Please recommend the most suitable fuel type that will keep my overall cost of ownership low.

•4d

We'd recommend a petrol automatic. With a daily running of around 46km and an ownership period of 15 years, it offers the best balance of low ownership costs, reliability and ease of use for a first-time driver.We wouldn't let E20 fuel influence your decision. Modern E20-compliant petrol cars are designed to run on it, and there is no official roadmap beyond E20. It isn't a reason to avoid buying a petrol car today. A CNG automatic will certainly reduce your fuel bills, but the higher purchase price, reduced boot space and limited automatic options make CNG car less attractive unless fuel savings are your overriding priority. An electric car will have the lowest running costs, but at your budget, you'll have to compromise on size or features, and recovering the higher upfront cost will take time.Given your budget and usage, we'd look at the Maruti Suzuki Brezza facelift automatic which will launch soon if you can stretch slightly, or the Maruti Suzuki Fronx Delta+ AGS if you want to stay within budget. Both are easy to drive, have good ground clearance for the 6km of rough village roads and come backed by Maruti Suzuki's extensive service network. If you prefer a smoother automatic, the Hyundai Exter SX AMT is also worth considering.

I am looking to upgrade from my Hyundai Creta to a 7-seater SUV. My annual running is only around 6,000 km, and my budget is up to Rs. 25 lakh. Is the Hyundai Alcazar a good option for my usage? I have also considered the Mahindra XUV 7XO and Tata Safari, but I am concerned about their relatively low fuel efficiency. Which 7-seater SUV would you recommend?

•3d

With a yearly running of just 6,000km, petrol is the sensible choice, and the Hyundai Alcazar is a good option. It is a comfortable, easy-to-drive family SUV with a hassle-free ownership experience, and the 1.5 turbo petrol engine paired with the 7-speed dual-clutch automatic is powerful enough and relatively efficient too. Plus, since you're coming from a Creta, you'll be familiar with the Hyundai network and could even ask for a loyalty discount. However, the Alcazar’s third row is not as spacious as some larger cars in the segment, so if you genuinely need a proper 7-seater, it may not be the ideal solution. What's more, if your Creta is the 2020 or newer model, you'll find the Alcazar perhaps a little too familiar on the inside.The Mahindra XUV 7XO, Tata Safari and MG Hector Plus are good options that offer more space. However, as you have noted, they're not fuel efficient at all, and moreover, in your budget, you will only get a low to mid-spec variant, whereas you will get a fully-loaded Alcazar. Another option to consider, though not an SUV, is the Kia Carens Clavis. Its MPV shape is more space-efficient, and you actually get more passenger and luggage room than the Alcazar, with the same efficient engines, for around the same price.

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Posted on: 27 Jul 2026