I am planning to buy a sedan. My annual driving is less than 10,000 km, with around 80% highway usage consisting of short trips of about 30-50 km. Would it be a good decision to buy the 1.0-litre Volkswagen Virtus or Skoda Slavia? I am especially concerned about after-sales service and long-term maintenance costs.

autocar.india

•1d

Go for the Volkswagen Virtus GT with the 1.5 TSI engine and DSG gearbox. Since you are upgrading from a Hyundai Aura 1.2 Petrol and find it boring to drive, it's clear that driving experience matters to you. Among your shortlisted cars, the Virtus is the most engaging to drive, with a strong turbo petrol engine and a genuinely enjoyable chassis.It would also be worth waiting a few months for the facelift. It is expected to bring more features, sharper look and an improved air-conditioning system.The Renault Duster is quite engaging too, while offering the practicality and ground clearance of an SUV. However, it is not spacious for its size and nor is it very fuel efficient. The Honda Elevate is the most sensible long-term ownership choice, but it is not as exciting to drive as the Virtus and is due to receive a facelift soon.As for E20 fuel, do not wait. All three cars are E20 compliant, and there is no confirmed official roadmap beyond E20 at the moment. Modern engines are designed to run on E20 fuel, and the impact is limited to lower fuel efficiency, regardless of the model.Regarding a new versus pre-owned car, your budget is sufficient to buy a top-spec Virtus or a well-equipped Duster. There is little reason to compromise on a used car. Moreover, there are not too many engaging options in the segment above that make a compelling used-car buy within your budget. Buying new gives you the full warranty, and an ownership experience that is likely to be more satisfying in the long run.

Volkswagen Virtus

Renault Duster

Honda Elevate

autocar.india

•37m

The best all-rounder when it comes to EVs at the Rs 30 lakh price range is the Mahindra XEV 9S. For one, it's a large vehicle with three rows of seats, giving you maximum space at this price. You also get plenty of choice in the form of three battery pack options, depending on your requirement, and on top of it all, it's loaded with features. For Cars Under 30 lakhs, you could get one of the top two variants - Pack Three or Pack Three Above - with all the bells and whistles and the largest battery pack. It also packs in strong performance, with a 286hp motor mounted on the rear axle, as well as good range from the large battery - around 480km in real-world usage. Another strong option is the newly launched Tata Sierra EV. While not as large as the XEV 9S and without the third row of seats, its front and second row are incredibly spacious and comfortable, and it has a large boot too. The better news is that you get the top variant at around Rs 28 lakh, on road, and this not only gets you a similar feature set to the Mahindra, but also a battery and range figure that's almost as good. Moreover, this also gets you a dual-motor AWD setup with even greater performance. In outright terms, the seven-seat XEV is a better value, but if you have no need for the third row, the Sierra might work better for you.Resale value on any EV at present is not going to be as good as an equivalent petrol car, due to various factors, such as uncertainty around the condition and quality of the battery after several years of use. With that in mind, a strong brand and popular model are likely to give a better resale value, and both these are popular models from popular brands, so they should be as good as it can get.

Mahindra XEV 9S

Tata Sierra EV

autocar.india

•3h

The Kia Syros is a great option for tall occupants. It's got a relatively high roof and will make you feel immediately comfortable. The large glass area also helps, and you can adjust the steering and seats to find a comfortable driving position. Space at the back is also more than adequate for tall individuals. This Kia car also has other plus points like a well-finished cabin, a good feature set and peppy turbo-petrol and efficient diesel engines. Ride comfort is on the firmer side, though.

Kia Syros