I am planning to buy a Kia Seltos automatic, primarily for city use (around 80%) with occasional highway drives. However, I am confused between the 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol with IVT (CVT) and the 1.5-litre turbo petrol with DCT.

Autocar India

•27s

With 80% city use and only some highway runs, the Kia Seltos 1.5 petrol CVT (Kia calls it IVT) is the better fit for you. The CVT is an automatic that varies the gear ratio steplessy and smoothly, so it feels calm and easy in stop-and-go traffic. It moves off the line gently; there is no shift shock, and it is usually a bit easier on fuel in the city. It is also simpler to live with day to day.

The 1.5 turbo petrol DCT is the one to pick only if you really value strong speed and quick overtakes. A DCT is an automatic with two clutches that shifts very fast, so it feels much quicker on an open road and with a full load. But in crawling traffic, it can feel a touch hesitant and jerky when you get on and off the throttle.

Two trade-offs to note with the CVT: if you often drive with five people and luggage, or if you like sudden highway bursts, the turbo DCT will feel stronger. And the 'rubber-band effect' of the CVT can make the engine sound noisy, though it settles once you’re cruising.

Given your mostly city pattern with only occasional highway trips, the 1.5 petrol CVT lines up best with what you need and will feel easier and calmer to use every day.

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Abhishek Ghorpade

•1d

Hi, I am planning to buy a new car and am confused between the Kia Seltos HTK (O) petrol IVT and the Mahindra Thar Roxx MX3. Feature-wise, I find the Seltos more appealing, while the Thar Roxx seems to have a stronger engine. My monthly running is not more than 800 km. Could you please suggest which would be a better choice in terms of maintenance, fuel efficiency, and overall ownership experience?

Autocar India

•1h

If you are choosing between the Kia Seltos HTK(O) Petrol IVT and the Mahindra Thar Roxx MX3 petrol, this really comes down to what you want your car to feel like in everyday life. The Seltos is the more sensible choice with a smooth automatic that is effortless in traffic, better suited to your kind of usage and far easier to live with daily, while also offering a more comfortable and premium cabin experience. The Thar Roxx, on the other hand, is all about character with its strong petrol engine, big road presence and that sense of occasion every time you drive it, but it is still a heavier, more lifestyle-oriented SUV that is not as convenient for daily city use.So the choice is quite simple in nature. If you want something that quietly does everything well and keeps life easy, the Seltos will feel like the right fit. If you want something that feels special and makes every drive more memorable, the Thar Roxx will appeal more.

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Tejaswini V

•23h

I currently own a Volkswagen Polo and have been using it for the past 8 years. I am now planning to upgrade my car with a budget of ₹25-30 lakh. My monthly running is around 600-1000 km, which can go up to 1500 km with regular highway trips. I am confused between the Kia Seltos 2026 HTX automatic (turbo petrol) and the Mahindra XUV 7XO AX7T diesel automatic. Could you please suggest which would be the better option, considering performance, mileage, comfort, and long-term ownership?

Autocar India

•3h

Choose the Mahindra XUV 7XO AX7 diesel. It feels like a proper upgrade from your Polo with a much stronger engine, bigger road presence and far better long-distance comfort, which suits your occasional highway trips and higher budget. The diesel also makes sense here as your running can go up to 1500 km with trips, giving you better efficiency and effortless cruising, while the XUV’s size, space and overall robustness make it feel like a true step up rather than just a lateral move.The Kia Seltos HTX turbo petrol is the easier car to drive daily with a smoother petrol engine and a more premium interior. It will feel more refined in city conditions, but it does not deliver the same sense of upgrade or long-distance ease as the XUV, especially when you start doing highway runs. The Mahindra also simply offers more performance and size, with a much more powerful engine and bigger footprint overall .The only real drawback with the XUV 7XO diesel is that it is a larger car to manage in the city and not as polished as the Seltos in terms of refinement.

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Mahesh

•4d

Planning to buy the Hyundai Creta N Line N10 (petrol manual). The N10 is the only turbo variant available with a manual transmission. I am looking for inputs from existing owners: is the N Line package worth the premium over the regular Creta 1.5 naturally aspirated manual? Does the improved driving feel justify the price difference in real-world use? Are there any trade-offs in comfort, mileage, or maintenance compared to the standard variant? I am also open to alternatives with a strong, powerful engine, manual transmission only, good safety, and solid build quality. I am not interested in features like a sunroof, a large touchscreen, or gimmicky tech. The objective is to evaluate whether the N10 delivers real value or if a simpler, driver-focused alternative makes more sense. I had also evaluated the Jeep Compass, but feedback on after-sales service is too bad.

Autocar India

•7h

The 150-160hp turbo-petrol manual midsize SUV is a dying breed due to limited demand, and more brands are offering only an auto, or, in the case of the Kia Seltos, an iMT. It's a shame Hyundai only offers it in the top-spec Creta N10 variant, because you end up paying for more features, and the N Line treatment, neither of which you may necessarily want.In terms of driving experience, it is a huge step up from the 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol manual, with punchier performance, better response, and a more engaging feel. The engine is punchier and even has a sportier sound. That said, the 1.5 NA is the better all-rounder, mixing decent performance with smoothness and fuel economy. The standard Hyundai Creta also rides noticeably softer than the N Line thanks to its smaller wheels, and yes, service costs could be slightly lower than for the more complex T-GDi engine.If you're a driving enthusiast, the N Line N10 is definitely worth the stretch as one of the last remaining powerful turbo manuals in the segment.However, there is one more, and that's the Renault Duster. Its 160hp 1.3-litre turbo petrol is more than a match for the Hyundai 1.5-litre T-GDi unit, and in fact makes a bit more torque. Better still, Renault offers this powertrain from a much lower variant, so you don't have to pay for extra features if you don't see any value in them. Ride quality is better than the Creta N Line, and there's more boot space too, and it imparts that typically European confidence when you're at the wheel. The only area in which the Creta edges ahead is with a better rear seat and a wider service network.

Hyundai Creta

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