With respect to my earlier query, I have booked the Maruti E Vitara Zeta variant, which is 61kW. Will this be a sensible buy, as I am replacing it with a 2016 Brezza diesel manual that has done 1.07 lakh km? The E Vitara would be automatic, as electric cars are. I plan to keep it for 10 years for city driving and occasional highway use, or would you suggest any other electric in this price band with the same battery pack and reliability as MS? Monthly run is 900km.

Autocar India

•2d

You're right to lean towards the Hyundai Creta Electric. Range, efficiency, performance and features aside, you'll mainly appreciate it for its comfort and practicality. Being a Hyundai, it will feel like a natural upgrade from your i10, and you're already integrated into the brand's wide ecosystem. The Creta EV's suspension takes bad patches of road well, so daily commutes are less tiring. It's as spacious as a regular Creta, which means a big boot, a wide rear seat and ample in-cabin storage; it even has a small frunk under the bonnet. As for the EV powertrain, it scores high on refinement, smoothness and progressive power delivery. It's incredibly efficient too, and can easily deliver upwards of 7km/kWh in city traffic. Plus, regen modes are easily accessible via the paddle shifters, and performance feels strong enough. Your next best bet is the Mahindra BE 6, which offers up much more performance and a funky and high-tech interior. Moreover, it looks futuristic, whereas many find the Creta too ordinary-looking for an EV. The trade-off is space, practicality and ergonomics, where the Creta scores much higher than the BE6.Interestingly, though the BE6 has a much larger battery (79kWh) than the Creta Electric (51.4kWh), their overall real-world range is very similar, as the Creta is significantly more efficient in city traffic. You should be advised that using any EV over long distances requires some planning, given the current state of charging infrastructure today.

Hyundai Creta Electric

Mahindra BE 6

Autocar India

•40m

City-heavy use in Bangalore with a few long Kochi-Kerala runs each year, and a Rs. 15-17 lakh cap, in that mix, the Kia Seltos 1.5 NA IVT is the strongest fit for you. The IVT is a smooth automatic that suits stop-and-go traffic very well. The tall seat and light steering make it easy to handle tight lanes and ramps, and it stays steady at highway speeds, so the 662 km run feels calm. Coming from an Alto, you will notice the big jump in ride comfort over bad roads, a far more solid feel on the highway, and far better cabin space for five plus luggage. Kia’s service reach in both Karnataka and Kerala is wide, and long-term reliability is a strong point.Trade-offs to note: the CVT is built for smoothness, not quick bursts, so hard acceleration makes the engine sound loud. If you want a bit more performance, then the Honda Elevate is a better bet.Overall, for your traffic-first use with yearly long drives, the Kia Seltos lines up best in terms of comfort, ease, and peace of mind.

Kia Seltos

Honda Elevate

Autocar India

•10m

For mostly highway trips with a family of five and a budget of Rs. 17-20 lakh, the Kia Seltos petrol with the IVT automatic is the one we would pick. It rides comfortably on long roads, the back seat is wide enough for three, and the boot takes family luggage without a fuss. The IVT, which is an automatic that does not shift gears in steps, feels very smooth in the city and keeps the engine calm on the highway. Kia’s service reach in Coimbatore is strong, which makes ownership easy.Two things to note. The top automatic trims can stretch the budget in some cities, so check local on-road prices. And while performance is adequate, highway overtakes with 5 onboard may require some planning. If you find that the performance is not enough, then consider the turbo petrol instead.Overall, for your family trips and mixed use, the Seltos IVT lines up best for comfort and ease.

Kia Seltos

Autocar India

•5d

If you're comparing ride comfort, the Skoda Kylaq is easily the better pick, particularly variants with 16-inch wheels. Skoda has got its suspension tune spot on, its relatively softer setup makes it more suited to our road conditions. It rounds off speed breakers and rough patches better at slow speeds. Furthermore, the Kylaq feels stable at speeds and is surprisingly nimble and fun-to-drive around corners, too.In contrast, the Kushaq’s suspension feels a little firm at low speeds, so sharp bumps and small potholes do come through more in the cabin.

Skoda Kylaq

Skoda Kushaq

Autocar India

•6d

With around 1,000 km a month, two young kids and a cap of ₹14 lakh on-road, the Mahindra XUV 3XO AX5 is the one that fits your brief best. It rides comfortably over broken city roads and speed breakers, and the rear seat is more than spacious enough for your kids. Safety is a strong point too, with a solid feel, good driver aids for this price, and mounts to fix child seats in the back. It also fits your budget in a well-equipped trim, so you are not forced into a bare-bones version. A trade-off to note: The boot is not the biggest in this price range, so if you often carry a full-size stroller plus luggage, do a quick fit check. If you prefer a more contemporary looking cabin, the Tata Nexon Creative Plus is your alternative from your list. It offers a slightly roomier boot and a very nice interior, and is easy to drive in the city, but the petrol engine feels a bit less smooth at low speeds and Tata service quality can vary by city. The Skoda Kushaq facelift would be a good pick, but only if you can stretch your budget, as within ₹14 lakh you’ll only get the base manual model, and Skoda’s service reach is smaller. Overall, for your family use and budget, the XUV 3XO AX5 lines up best.

Mahindra XUV 3XO

Tata Nexon

Skoda Kushaq

Autocar India

•2d

With a 70 km daily mix of traffic and highway use, we would lean towards the Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder strong-hybrid. Your usage is high, and the hybrid will use far less fuel in city traffic while staying calm and smooth. It pulls away on electric power at low speeds, so stop-go driving feels quiet and easy.You like the Seltos for its cabin and stronger shove, and that is fair. The Seltos diesel feels stronger when you press the throttle for quick passes, and its cabin does look and feel richer. If most of your 70 km is open highway and you really value that strong pull and the Kia car interior, the Seltos diesel automatic is still a solid pick.On a Kia Seltos hybrid: Kia does intend to introduce a hybrid, but timing is not yet decided as they are trying to localise components. We estimate it could arrive in 2027, but that could change. For your mix of city and highway, the Hyryder strong-hybrid lines up best with what you need right now.

Kia Seltos

Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder