Hi team, I am planning to buy a new car before March 2026. My budget is Rs 25 lakh. I have a family of four, and my monthly driving will be around 1,500km. The cars I currently have in mind are listed below. Please suggest the best option from these, or recommend an alternative if required. 1. Hyundai Creta Diesel AT (top-end) 2. Kia Seltos (should I wait for the facelift?) 3. Volkswagen Taigun (wait for facelift) 4. BYD Atto 3 (top model or wait for facelift) 5. Tata Sierra

Autocar India

•20w

Given your high usage of 1,500km per month, an electric car is not advisable, and thus we would rule out the BYD Atto 3, which, while an excellent vehicle, is also priced considerably higher than the others you have listed.

Of the remaining cars, we would recommend a diesel, given your usage. That would also rule out the Volkswagen Taigun facelift, which will continue with petrol engines only.

The Tata Sierra has a strong enough diesel engine, which comes with a smooth 6-speed torque converter automatic, but it's quite loud and lacks a strong punch.

While not enough is known about the new-generation Seltos yet, between it and the Hyundai Creta, the former is probably the better bet. It will likely use the same smooth, refined 1.5-litre diesel and 6-speed automatic gearbox, but on the whole, the Kia Seltos is expected to be larger and packed with even more tech. We think it is the one you should hold out for.

Explore cars mentioned

Tata

Sierra

from ₹13.37 Lakh

Hyundai

Creta

from ₹12.56 Lakh

Volkswagen

Taigun

from ₹12.80 Lakh

Kia

Seltos

from ₹12.79 Lakh

BYD

Atto 3

from ₹26.52 Lakh

More questions on similar cars

Sam

•1d

Could you please help me decide between the Tata Sierra Pure+ variant and the Mahindra XUV 3XO RevX A as my first car? My priorities are comfort, safety, a good power-to-weight ratio, and strong road presence.

Autocar India

•1d

As a first car, from your two shortlisted choices, we recommend the Mahindra XUV 3XO RevX A. While the larger Tata Sierra is certainly better on road presence, in every other aspect, the XUV is a better fit. Its more compact dimensions make it much easier to drive, which is a worthwhile consideration for your first car. It is very comfortable, including in the rear seat and being a 5-star Bharat NCAP rated car, safety is not an issue. It has a 131hp turbo-petrol engine that is the most powerful in any compact SUV. Overall, this Mahindra car has an excellent power-to-weight ratio and is fun to drive too. Moreover, its price is around Rs 3 lakh less than the Sierra Pure+. The Tata Sierra Pure+ comes with only the naturally aspirated 1.5-litre petrol engine. While it's smooth enough, thanks to the heavy Sierra kerb weight, its power-to-weight ratio is nowhere as good as the XUV 3XO's. Also, the Pure+ variant of the Sierra, aside from being more expensive, won't be as well equipped as the 3XO RevX A. Overall, for your needs, the Mahindra is the better be

Mahindra XUV 3XO

Tata Sierra

Abhijeet Desai

•2d

I am planning to buy the Tata Sierra (top-end variant) and need advice on choosing between the petrol and diesel options. My usage is as follows: Daily driving: 50-60 km Long trips: around 400 km once every 2–3 months Location: Shirala, Maharashtra (mix of city, highway, and ghat roads) Considering mileage, maintenance, and long-term ownership costs, which engine would be better suited for my usage - turbo petrol or diesel? I would also appreciate insights based on real user experiences and practical ownership.

Autocar India

•1d

With 50-60 km every day, a 400 km trip every couple of months, and a mix of city, highway and ghat roads around Shirala, the Tata Sierra diesel in the top trim will suit you better than the turbo petrol. Your running is high, so the diesel will use less fuel day to day and, over a few years, the lower fuel bills usually make up for the higher buying price. On hilly roads, the diesel’s stronger pull at low speeds makes life easy - fewer gear changes, cleaner overtakes, and it feels more relaxed when the car is full of people or luggage.There are a couple of points to know. A modern diesel has a soot filter in the exhaust - called a Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF). It needs regular warm runs to keep itself clean. Your daily 50-60 km should be enough, but those highway runs would be ideal for this. If you do many short, cold-start drives for a week or two, you may see a warning asking for a steady drive to clear it. The advantage of Tata's diesel is that it doesn't require AdBlue, as it uses a Lean NOx trap rather than a Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) system to manage NOx, so that's one less thing you'll have to keep in mind.Pick the turbo petrol only if you value refinement above all else, and performance, which is much stronger than the diesel's. However, its fuel economy is nowhere near as good, and in our tests, we managed just 6.49kpl in the city and 13.7kpl on the highway.

Tata Sierra

Chintan

•14h

I am confused between the Kia Seltos and the Skoda Slavia. My monthly running is under 1,000 km, with a usage split of 60% city and 40% highway. The car should comfortably accommodate five passengers and offer a practical boot space. My budget is under ₹16 lakh (on-road). Please suggest which option would be better, along with the most value-for-money and practical variant. Also, let me know if there are any other cars I should consider within this budget.

Autocar India

•7h

The Kia Seltos 1.5 petrol HTK (O) MT fits your brief best. In daily traffic, the Seltos will be easy to drive thanks to its smooth, naturally aspirated petrol engine and light gearshift and clutch, and the higher seat makes getting in and out easy. It also rides over bad roads and tall speed breakers without worry, which matters on mixed city-highway use. Space is good for four and fine for five for shorter trips, and the boot will take a family’s weekend bags.The HTK (O) MT is a good value for money as it offers quite a few features for the price. Just bear in mind that, on the highway, the engine will require a bit more effort to make easy overtakes. If your trips are often with four adults and lots of luggage, and you value a bigger boot and stronger pull on the highway, look at the Skoda Slavia 1.0 TSI Sportline MT. Its small turbo engine gives more punch. But it is a lower car, so entry is not as easy, and you have to be a bit more careful on rough roads. Compared to the Seltos' naturally aspirated 1.5, you'll also experience some turbo lag at city speeds, and at your budget, you won't get as many features. Overall, for your mix of city and highway and firm budget, the Seltos HTK is the most practical pick.

Kia Seltos

Skoda Slavia

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