Hi, I had almost finalised the Kia Seltos IVT as the car I wanted to buy, but after reading reviews of the new Renault Duster, I am now slightly confused. My driving will be 90% city usage. While considering the naturally aspirated Seltos IVT, I came across feedback suggesting that its mid-range performance may feel weak even for city driving. So my confusion is between the Seltos and the new Duster, as well as between turbo and naturally aspirated engine options. Given my usage—mostly city driving with an occasional 250 km highway trip once every six months—which car and configuration would you recommend?

Autocar India

•1h

For your usage, which is daily commuting in Delhi along with occasional trips, the Kia Seltos IVT is a great choice, and the decision between HTK(O), HTX and HTX(A) really comes down to how much you value the additional safety tech.The HTX IVT is the sweet spot in the range. It offers most of the features you will use every day, along with the smooth, easy nature of the IVT automatic, making it well-suited to stop-and-go city traffic. It feels like a complete package without stretching your budget unnecessarily.The HTX(A), on the other hand, adds ADAS features like blind-spot monitoring, lane assist and additional safety tech. These can be useful, especially on highways and in certain city situations, but in dense traffic like Delhi, they can sometimes feel intrusive, and many users tend to switch them off over time. So while they are nice to have, they are not essential for everyone.So the decision is simple. If you specifically value the added safety layer and are comfortable stretching your budget, the HTX(A) is worth considering. But from a pure value-for-money perspective, the HTX IVT remains the better balanced choice.The HTK(O) makes sense only if you are trying to save money, but it does miss out on a few important features that you would appreciate over time.

Autocar India

•57m

Go for the Kia Seltos with the 1.5-litre engine and IVT automatic. Your budget will get you the second-from-top HTX trim, which comes very well equipped. In terms of fuel efficiency, in our real-world tests, the Seltos IVT delivered 10.3kpl in the city and 14.22kpl on the highway, which is respectable for a vehicle in this class. It is also refined, easy to drive and has enough performance for most scenarios. Kia’s aftersales is generally regarded to be very good, and reliability is strong too.One thing to be aware of: if you push hard for quick highway overtakes, the IVT is not as quick as the turbo versions. If performance is a priority, then opt for the turbo-petrol Seltos instead.On your test drives, spend 10 minutes in slow traffic and do a quick highway run; feel how the automatic responds in both situations. That will make the choice clear.

Autocar India

•1d

Without knowing any further requirements, or your budget, it's hard to make a definitive recommendation. However, all things considered, the Renault Duster 1.3 turbo petrol MT is the better overall package than the Skoda Kushaq 1.0 TSI MT. For one, just the power alone is considerably higher in the Duster 1.3, and in fact, it's more than even the Kushaq's larger 1.5 TSI has on offer. Thereafter, the two SUVs are closely matched - both have excellent handling, both offer good space and comfort in the front seat, though it's only average in the rear seat, and both are now well equipped. However, the Duster edges ahead in two areas - the first being boot space, which is a massive 518 litres, compared to about 385 in the Skoda. And the other is ride comfort - while the Kushaq is good, the Duster is even better, delivering a ride that is comfortable, stable and solid feeling, all at once. Thus, overall, the Duster 1.3 Turbo is the better choice.

Renault Duster

Skoda Kushaq