I am a 61-year-old retired person. I want to buy an automatic SUV or car for city driving of about 250 km a month and highway driving of about 1,000 km a month, as I enjoy travelling by road. My budget is around 15 lakhs. Most of the time, only my wife and I will be using the vehicle. Safety and comfort are priorities. Please suggest a suitable vehicle.

autocar.india

•9h

You should be fine in the Brezza 1.5 NA petrol automatic on your Ladakh trip. But do keep in mind that the naturally aspirated engine will lose some power at altitude, and won't feel as effortless to drive as some older turbo-diesels. That said, the Maruti 1.5 petrol is a proven, reliable unit and will still get the job done. You do not need to worry about the torque converter automatic either. On climbs, simply use the manual mode or paddle shifters to hold a lower gear and keep the engine in its power band. On descents too, use the same approach to hold a lower gear and use engine braking rather than riding the brakes. The Brezza is a robust, dependable car and you will not face any major issues if you drive sensibly. The only thing to keep in mind is that the car will feel a bit slower at altitude, so plan overtakes carefully and be patient on steep climbs. Otherwise, enjoy the drive - the Brezza should handle it without any drama.

Maruti Suzuki Brezza

autocar.india

•11h

Go for the Maruti Suzuki Brezza VXi. With your usage pattern which is very low running, mostly weekend city driving in Delhi traffic - a simple, naturally aspirated petrol engine is the better choice. It will be easier to live with, more predictable in stop-start conditions and generally lower maintenance over time. The Brezza is also a proven product with Maruti’s strong service network, which is a big advantage for long-term ownership.The Nissan Tekton is a good car, but the 1.0-litre turbo three-cylinder is not the ideal fit for your usage. Turbo petrol engines are at their best on highways, where the extra performance benefits come into play. In city driving with very low mileage, you are unlikely to see those benefits, and the engine can feel a bit laggy at low speeds.On your second question, the concerns around turbo petrol engines are often overstated. Modern turbo petrols are reliable, but they are more complex than naturally aspirated engines and can be more expensive to repair if something does go wrong. The key point is that they are not the ideal for low-mileage, city-only usage.The Brezza VXi is the safer, more sensible choice for your requirements.

Maruti Suzuki Brezza

Nissan Tekton

autocar.india

•1d

Go for the Maruti Suzuki Brezza automatic. It uses a 6-speed torque converter automatic, which is exactly what you are looking for, and it is one of the most reliable and easy-to-live-with cars in this price range. Your 40km daily commute and rural roads make reliability, comfort and low running costs far more important than outright performance or features, and the Brezza delivers on all three.Maruti’s service network is a big advantage in rural areas, and the car is known for its durability and low maintenance costs. The 1.5-litre petrol engine is smooth and efficient, and the torque converter automatic is well-suited to mixed driving conditions. This Maruti Suzuki car also has good ground clearance, which helps on rougher rural roads.If you want something a bit more premium and are willing to stretch your budget slightly, the Mahindra XUV 3XO automatic is also worth considering. It also uses a 6-speed torque converter automatic and offers a more powerful turbo petrol engine and a more feature-rich cabin. However, the Brezza remains the safer long-term ownership choice, especially for a first-time buyer in a rural area.

Maruti Suzuki Brezza

Mahindra XUV 3XO