Mumbai

•34w

Hi Team Autocar, Firstly, I wish to thank you for the advice you rendered earlier. Based on your advice, I have booked the Toyota Taisor. I now wish to ask for advice for my father, who is looking to replace his 2015 Skoda Octavia with something more compact and easy to drive. His daily commute isn't much, and he mostly drives around the city in Lucknow. His budget is Rs. 15-16 lakh on-road. I really liked the new Hyundai Venue. Is that a good choice? Could you also suggest some other vehicles in this price range?

•3m

Since your father has been driving an Octavia for a while, a good replacement would be within the family. The Skoda Kylaq is what we would recommend. The Hyundai Venue is also good, but the DCT gearbox isn't as smooth in the city. The Kylaq is compact, making it easy to manoeuvre in tight spaces and easy to park and it gets a strong 1.0-litre TSI engine with a 6-speed torque converter automatic gearbox. The seat position too is comfortable, and getting in and out is rather easy. The steering is light, visibility is good, and within your budget you can get the top-spec Prestige+ trim with all the bells and whistles.

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•2d

Kylaq Automatic vs Mahindra 3XO vs Brezza Automatic for a lady driver mainly driving in the city. Which would be the best recommended option?

•2d

For a predominantly city car, the Maruti Suzuki Brezza automatic is the best recommendation. The Brezza’s naturally aspirated petrol engine paired with a torque converter automatic is smooth, predictable and easy to drive in stop-and-go traffic, which is exactly what you want in a city car. This Maruti Suzuki car also has a comfortable ride, good visibility and Maruti’s unmatched service reach, making long-term ownership hassle-free. Fuel efficiency from the naturally aspirated engine will also be better than the turbo petrol rivals in the city. The Skoda Kylaq automatic is the driver’s choice with a more engaging turbo petrol engine, but the Brezza’s simplicity and ease of use make it the better city car. The Mahindra XUV 3XO is feature-rich, but the Brezza’s ease of use and lower running costs give it the edge for a city-focused car.

I want to buy a new automatic car mainly for city driving (80% in city and occasional outstation trips once in every two months). I am confused between Mahindra XUV 3XO AX5L and Skoda Kylaq Prestige for a family of 3 members. My budget is not more than Rs. 15 lakh. Please suggest.

•2d

Go for the Skoda Kylaq Prestige automatic. The 1.0 TSI engine paired with the 6-speed torque converter automatic is a proven, reliable combination that is well-suited to stop-start city traffic and occasional highway runs. The Kylaq also offers a more engaging driving experience, which will make those outstation trips more enjoyable and it has a larger boot too. The XUV 3XO AX5L is a strong value proposition with more features, but the Kylaq feels more solid. For a family of three, the Kylaq's cabin and boot space are adequate, and Skoda's service network has improved significantly in recent years. Overall, the Kylaq Prestige strikes the right balance between performance, comfort and long-term ownership satisfaction within your budget.

Skoda Kylaq

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•6d

My current vehicle is a 2018 Swift VXi hatchback. I drive around 22km daily, about 20km on weekends, and around 100km on long drives once a month. My budget is Rs 12-13 lakh, and my options are the Brezza ZXi, Hyundai Venue, and Tata Nexon. Which car should I prefer?

•1d

Go for the Maruti Suzuki Brezza ZXi. With your daily running of around 22km and a monthly long drive, a petrol compact SUV is the right choice, and the Brezza is the most sensible upgrade from your Swift. It offers a comfortable ride, good ground clearance for bad roads, a reliable and efficient petrol engine, and Maruti’s strong service network, which keeps ownership simple and affordable.This Maruti Suzuki car also now gets the Boosterjet engine, though it is only paired with the manual. The ZXi variant is well equipped and fits your budget comfortably.The Hyundai Venue is a good alternative with a more premium cabin feel, but the Brezza is the more practical and dependable long-term choice. The Tata Nexon is also a strong contender, but Maruti’s ownership experience edges it out for your usage.

Maruti Suzuki Brezza

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Popular discussions right now

•4d

I am a lady driver and drive around 65 km every day on the expressway. Twice a month, I also drive in the city and traffic. I am currently driving a Celerio, but it is 9 years old, so I am looking for a change. My budget is Rs. 10-12 lakh.

•3d

For your usage, the Skoda Kylaq is a good upgrade. Your 65 km daily expressway run means you need a car that is stable at speed and comfortable over long distances. The Kylaq delivers that very well. At your budget, you could get a lower-spec automatic, which would make it easy to drive in city traffic, which matters for your twice-a-month urban runs. The automatic gearbox is a torque converter, so its shifts are very smooth and it is very reliable too. The only possible downside is that fuel efficiency is not going to be very high, and given your high daily running, this is something that might bother you. If so, opt for the Maruti Suzuki Fronx 1.2L, which is also good at higher speeds and would be more fuel efficient. The auto box in this case is an AMT, which would not be as smooth, but this would only be a bit of a bother in city traffic and not on steady highway cruising.

Skoda Kylaq

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•6d

Hey, We are planning to buy a sub-4-metre SUV, and our main requirement is good suspension for Bengaluru’s pothole-filled roads, especially as my wife is pregnant. We have shortlisted the Maruti Suzuki Brezza, Mahindra XUV 3XO, and Tata Nexon. Which one would you recommend for our requirements? I was also considering a larger SUV like the Honda Elevate, but a well-equipped variant costs around Rs. 18 lakh on-road, which is beyond my budget. Could you suggest some good options in both categories? I can stretch my budget up to around Rs. 15 lakh on-road if required.

•4d

Given your priorities, the Mahindra XUV 3XO is the best fit. It has the most comfortable ride in the segment, with a suspension that deals with broken roads and potholes better than the Brezza or Nexon. The wide rear seat and good cabin space will also make a difference for your wife and family. The Brezza is the more reliable long-term ownership proposition, but its ride is not as plush as the 3XO. The Nexon is a good all-rounder, but the 3XO has the edge on ride comfort and rear seat space.On the Honda Elevate, it is a solid, reliable SUV with a comfortable ride, but at Rs 18 lakh on-road for the well-equipped variants, it is not worth stretching your budget for. The 3XO gives you a better ride and more features for less money.Overall, the 3XO is the best balance of ride comfort, space and value for your requirements. Go for the petrol automatic variant for the smoothest city driving experience.

I have been using Honda City manual for the last 21 years. Now, I want a car with automatic transmission for city running mostly. My average running is around 1000km a month. Can you suggest whether I should buy Seltos, Creta, Kushaq or Elevate?

•3d

Given your usage of around 1,000 km a month, mostly in the city, the priority should be a smooth and reliable automatic transmission, good ride comfort and ease of ownership. The Kia Seltos IVT is the most natural recommendation here. The IVT gearbox is also very smooth, and the Seltos feels more premium and feature-rich than the competition. Alternatively, consider the Honda Elevate. The CVT is exceptionally smooth in stop-start traffic, Honda’s ownership experience is proven, and the car is simple, reliable and easy to live with.The Skoda Kushaq is the driver’s choice, with a more engaging driving experience, but in city running, that doesn't matter much. The Hyundai Creta is a good all-rounder, but it is due for a full model change in 2027, which makes the Seltos and Elevate stronger recommendations at this point.

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