Sir, I need a suggestion for a new car. My daily usage is 140 km (20 km city + 120 km highway). I’m currently using an i20 diesel manual. I want to buy a new automatic car with high mileage. Should I go for an EV or a diesel automatic?

autocar.india

•2d

Your understanding is mostly right, but it has two major real-world catches. First, the Supreme Court explicitly protected BS-IV and newer vehicles from automatic age-based seizures, meaning your 2017 Endeavour is legally safe to run past its 10th birthday in 2027, subject to passing routine fitness and emission tests. This provides great relief, but it only applies on regular days. The bigger immediate hurdle is that you cannot wait until GRAP Stage 4 to park your car. Under current regulations, BS-IV diesel private cars are banned from plying starting right from GRAP Stage 3. Because Delhi-NCR regularly hits Stage 3 during the winter months, your SUV will be legally grounded for long stretches of the season, and if caught driving, it will face a hefty Rs. 20,000 fine. In short, you can absolutely enjoy your Endeavour past 10 years on clear days, but you will definitely need a backup vehicle for the winter smog.

autocar.india

•2d

Go ahead with it. The Kia Syros’ low-set vertical headlamps aren’t especially vulnerable in city use. They sit behind a chunky bumper lip and cladding, so in slow nudges, the bumper usually takes the hit first.For daily city driving, the real risk is parking scrapes and two-wheeler footrests brushing past in traffic. Because the lamps are lower, they can pick up cosmetic scuffs sooner than a high-mounted setup. If you do manage a hard knock, LED modules are pricey to replace as a whole unit, so the bill can sting, but that needs a proper impact, not a gentle tap.Simple habits help. Leave a little gap to high kerbs while nose-in parking, avoid squeezing past auto-rickshaw corners, and make the most of the front sensors or camera if your variant has them.

Kia Syros

autocar.india

•2h

While hybrids are a great option and do deliver maximum mileage, in your budget of Rs 20 lakh, you will only get a base model variant of the three hybrids in this price range, namely the Maruti Suzuki Victoris and Grand Vitara, and the Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder. Hence, we would recommend going with a diesel, of which there are many options within your budget.If you want a larger vehicle, we would recommend the Kia Seltos diesel, which you will get in the mid-spec HTK (O) and HTX variants within your budget. It's a modern SUV with great space and comfort, and a lot of the latest features and tech. Its diesel engine is not the strongest, but it is very smooth and efficient, and can be had with a stutter-free torque converter automatic gearbox.If you don't mind a smaller car, go for the Mahindra XUV 3XO, whose diesel engine is even more powerful than the one in the Seltos. It will feel stronger out on the highway, helped by its smaller size and lighter weight. It's got a spacious cabin and a comfortable and stable ride that feels like an SUV from a segment above. Do note, however, that its boot is not that large, in case you travel with luggage frequently, and it uses an AMT-type automatic, which isn't very smooth. Best of all, however, you can get a fully loaded version within your budget.

Maruti Suzuki Victoris

Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara

Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder

Kia Seltos

Mahindra XUV 3XO