Kia dealers are giving 40 thousand discounts on Seltos currently. Are you people getting more somewhere?

Hi team, I am planning to buy my first car and am looking forward to your recommendation. My budget is Rs. 20 lakh (on-road) that I can stretch slightly for clearly more value. I need a 5-seater that I can keep for more than 10 years. My running is around 8,000-10,000 km annually which is mostly within the city and I also travel occasionally on Ajmer-Noida highway (around 420 km one way). My hometown is Ajmer where I have my own parking and rooftop solar (6 kW sanctioned load). The car will stay there most of the time and will be registered in Rajasthan. But I have a doubt. I work in Noida where I have no parking or charging at home or at the office. I am not sure where my next job will be and I might have to take the car may move with me in a few years. My priorities are safety, reliability, low long-term ownership cost and good service support. Features come second in priority. I'm in no hurry to buy the car and can wait a few months. For this usage, which powertrain makes the most sense for an ownership of over 10 years among petrol, strong hybrid or EV? Which car and variant would you advise in this budget? Should I buy a car now, or is there an upcoming launch worth waiting for?

I owned a 2019 Maruti Vitara Brezza ZDi+ manual and sold it in 2024 to buy a Virtus GT DSG. I regret selling the Brezza, although the Virtus is a great car. I bought it because my wife wanted a sedan, and I chose the automatic partly for her, but she hardly drives it. The Virtus has covered nearly 60,000 km in two years. I’m planning to replace it with a new car. I drive at least 80% on the highway and 20% in the city. At least twice a month, I make a round trip of 640 km, and my annual mileage is at least 25,000 km. I’ve decided that my next car should be a diesel. I like the Tata Harrier, but I’m concerned about reliability and potential issues. I’m also considering the Kia Seltos, Mahindra XUV 7XO, and the upcoming Hyundai Creta. I’d choose a top-end variant and am open to either a manual or an automatic. If I go for an automatic, it must have a torque-converter gearbox. What would you recommend?

Current car: 2020 Kia Seltos HTX Budget: Rs 35 lakh, but I can stretch it, as I plan to keep the car for more than 13 years. Usage: About 80 percent city driving, and around 5,000 km a year for the first five years. I want a large family SUV that feels special, offers strong value and can be owned confidently for 12-15 years without becoming a maintenance headache. I’ll be driving it myself, not a chauffeur. Ventilated front seats and a 360-degree camera are must-haves. I don’t want a diesel because of Delhi’s 10-year rule, and the idea of an expensive EV still worries me. So I’m looking at a petrol or a petrol-based strong hybrid, in the hope that E30 fuel never arrives. I’m also avoiding German brands, because of their high purchase price and very high maintenance costs. Cars I like that are currently on sale: Mahindra XUV 7XO AX7L: the value king, but almost everyone has one, so it may not feel special. Kia Sorento HTK+ Black Line: a next-generation global model may launch next year, which could make it look dated within a year. Toyota Innova Hycross: its taxi image is a drawback. Upcoming models I might like: I’ll be watching the global launch of the new Toyota Fortuner this December, and I could stretch to Rs 45-50 lakh for it if you strongly recommend it. When will the Hyundai Santa Fe launch? Also, I’ve had an extremely good experience with my Honda Jazz. Is Honda launching any model that matches my requirements?