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•44w

I need advice on buying an automatic car for a 68-year-old self-driving female. The car will be used mainly in the city and very sparingly. I would like all the fancy ADAS benefits, but do not want a sunroof. Fuel efficiency is not important since the car will not be driven much, but it should offer a comfortable ride. I currently own an automatic Honda City and am very happy with it, but my main issue is its low ground clearance. Please suggest the best options within Rs 14 lakh.

•43w

The third-gen City you have did have ground clearance issues, but Honda has addressed that with all its models. Since you drive yourself, we would suggest you consider the Honda Amaze.

It may seem a step down from the City and the performance certainly won’t be as good, but since the car will be sparingly used and only in the city, performance isn’t that critical. Importantly, the Amaze has an excellent CVT auto transmission, which is well-suited for stop-and-go city driving. It also comes with ADAS features, which work quite well.

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Amaze

from ₹8.54 Lakh

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•4d

I am 34 years old and I currently own a Honda Amaze. I am planning to get a new car. My annual running is around 7000 km and 85% of the running is out of Mumbai. I wanted a sedan but that is not mandatory. I want to buy a car that I plan to keep for the next 10 years. I need a safe automatic car that has front ventilated seats with good after sales support. I like Hyundai Verna and Creta but I do not want to go for a Maruti or Tata car. My budget is 15 lakh that can be extended up to 19 lakh if the car is value for money. Which car do you suggest?

•3d

Go for the Hyundai Verna 1.5 petrol IVT. It is the best fit for your requirements. You are coming from a Honda Amaze, so you already appreciate the comfort and ease of a sedan. The Verna is a significant step up in terms of refinement, space and features, and it offers a genuinely premium ownership experience. The IVT automatic is smooth and well suited to your driving pattern, especially with 85 percent of your running outside Mumbai. The Verna also offers front ventilated seats, strong safety credentials and a comfortable ride, making it a great long-term ownership proposition. Hyundai's aftersales support is strong, and the car is known for its reliability and low maintenance costs. Your annual running of 7,000 km does not justify a diesel, and the petrol IVT strikes the right balance between performance and efficiency. The Creta is a good alternative if you specifically want an SUV, but the Verna is the more value-for-money option and better suited to your preferences.

Hi, I own Volkswagen Virtus. Previously, I strictly used XP95 to meet the car's 95 RON requirement. However, with the introduction of E20 fuel, standard petrol now has a 95 RON rating, meaning the only distinction in XP95 now is its additive package. Are the these additives really helpful for TSI engines and is it worth spending extra money for XP95? Could you rank the top 3 petrol for VW TSI engines?

•1d

You’ve got it right, and our own testing backs you up. When we lab-tested fuels last year, regular E20 petrol measured 98.2 RON and XP95 98.8, almost no difference. XP95 is also an E20 blend, so the two are now much the same fuel.Are the additives worth it? Only marginally. Premium fuels carry extra detergents, but the ethanol in all E20 petrol is already a strong solvent that helps keep deposits down. Your TSI is also a direct-injection engine. The fuel goes straight into the cylinders and never passes over the intake valves, so no fuel additive can keep those clean. Regular servicing, the correct oil and the odd long highway run matter far more. Filling XP95 occasionally won’t hurt, but you don’t need it every time.Ranking the top three petrols. We haven’t tested fuel brands against each other, so we can’t fairly rank them, and the gap between them is small anyway. Pick a busy pump from a major oil company, where the fuel is fresh and the tanks are well kept, and stick with it.

•6d

I am planning to upgrade my dad’s car. He currently drives a 2014 Honda Amaze petrol, which has clocked over 70,000km. My dad is satisfied with its comfort and driving experience. I am planning to buy a new petrol car, with ride quality and comfort as the top priorities, followed by fuel efficiency. The car will be driven on bumpy village roads and semi-hilly roads in Kerala, with occasional trips on state highways. My maximum budget is Rs 13-14 lakh on-road. Reliability and service quality are also important, as my dad is not very knowledgeable about automobiles. So far, we have been happy with the Honda Amaze’s service costs and quality, and the car has not had any major issues. Could you please suggest a suitable car that meets these requirements?

•5d

Based on your father’s priorities and usage, we’d recommend the Honda Elevate SV manual as the most sensible upgrade, provided you can stretch your budget a wee bit. It’s currently around Rs 14.2 lakh on road in Kerala, though the final quote will depend on your location, insurance and any dealer offers.It builds on the Honda qualities your father already appreciates in his Honda Amaze, while adding a higher seating position, more ground clearance and a comfortable suspension that copes well with broken roads. That makes it well suited to his village-road driving, with the caveat that bigger potholes still need to be taken slowly The 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine is smooth, responsive and straightforward to drive. On steeper climbs, he may need to downshift rather than expect strong pulling power in a high gear. The cabin is comfortable, visibility is good and the boot is generous. Overall, it offers the fuss-free driving experience he’s enjoyed in the Amaze, in a more spacious package. Given his positive experience with the local Honda workshop, staying with the same service setup is another practical advantage.If Rs14 lakh is a firm ceiling, we’d look at the Maruti Suzuki Brezza 1.0 turbo-petrol. Its punchy engine should suit the uphill stretches, and your budget could allow a higher variant with more features. This Maruti Suzuki car also offers a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol, which is worth trying if he prefers smoother, more linear responses over outright punchWe’d favour the Elevate for comfort and familiarity, but have your father test-drive both on the kind of roads he actually uses before deciding.

Honda Elevate

Maruti Suzuki Brezza

Honda Amaze

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•1w

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.

•1w

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 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.

•4d

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

•1w

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.

•4d

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.

Skoda Kylaq

Maruti Suzuki Brezza

Tata Nexon

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