Autocar India
1m

Hi team, I come from a tier 3 city and planning to purchase first car but want a bigger suv for long term ownership. The drive would mostly be on the highway to jaipur as my city itself is too small. Consider an average running of 500km per month . What could be my best option. I am inclined for kia seltos for it's overall look ,ownership reviews and premium cabin experience. In the seltos as well what can be a better option just go with the base hte as i am thinking of taking a manual as the overall montly km are not large in the city l. So what should i choose - hte with all the basic feature and save 3 lacs for future modification or go with the htk manual . It has a lot of imp features but is it justified to spend extra 3 lacs

2s

HTK manual is a better choice for just a bit more investment. The added features like better safety tech and a more premium feel make a big difference, especially for highway drives. The base HTE is fine, but you might miss those extras in the long run. Plus, the Seltos has great mileage, so your fuel costs won’t be high. Good luck!

More questions on similar cars

23h

Hi, I currently drive a 2014 Maruti Suzuki Dzire Petrol and am planning to upgrade to a new SUV. My shortlisted options are the Kia Seltos HTX(A) DCT and the Mahindra XUV 7XO Petrol Automatic. My biggest concern with the XUV 7XO is its low fuel efficiency. My monthly running is less than 1,000 km, as I work from home, with a 60:40 city-to-highway split in the NCR. I also plan to use the new car for trips to the mountains, so it should offer strong performance, sufficient torque, and confident handling. I also test-drove the new Renault Duster and loved the driving experience, but I wasn't impressed by Renault's showroom and after-sales experience. Which of these would you recommend for my requirements?

Verified
2h

Given your usage of less than 1,000km a month with a 60:40 city-highway mix in NCR, the Kia Seltos HTX(A) DCT is the better fit. The Seltos turbo petrol DCT is a strong performer with good mid-range torque, making it well-suited for mountain drives and highway overtakes. It also offers a more polished ownership experience with Kia’s wider service network and better dealership consistency, which is important for long-term peace of mind.The Mahindra XUV 7XO petrol automatic is a more powerful and larger SUV, but it is also heavier and less efficient, which is a concern given your low running. The Seltos strikes a better balance between performance, efficiency and ease of ownership. The new Duster is a genuinely enjoyable driver’s car, but as a package does not score well against the Seltos in terms of equipment and space.The Seltos HTX(A) DCT is the most sensible choice here.

VehicleKia Seltos
VehicleMahindra XUV 7XO
VehicleRenault Duster

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Posted on: 5 Aug 2026