We recently booked the Seltos HTE (O) NA MT. The price difference between the manual and IVT is close to a lakh in Bengaluru due to high road tax. Do you think it’s worth considering an upgrade to the IVT? We are price-conscious and already over our initial budget of ₹12 lakh. We did not like the back seat space or refinement levels on sub-compact SUVs like the 3XO. The four-cylinder Seltos feels so refined compared to three-cylinder turbos. But at the same time, the 3rd and 4th gears on the Seltos also feel slightly underpowered in our test drives, which might be a problem during overtakes. However, since 80-90% of our usage will be within Bengaluru city, we thought it might not bother us. Are we making the correct decision here? Is there a better way to drive the Seltos during such overtakes?

Autocar India

•5d

Pick the Mahindra XUV 7XO. At around Rs. 20 lakh, it gives you the best mix of space, strong performance and safety, and it is far easier to live with every day than the Thar Roxx while being a better value than a low or mid Hector variant. You also get both petrol and diesel choices, so you can match it to your running.Fuel choice is simple. Go petrol if most of your use is in the city or your running is under about 1,200 km a month. It is quieter, has fewer policy worries, and resale stays safe even if some cities tighten diesel rules. Pick diesel only if you drive long highway distances often, want a longer tank range, or haul a full family with luggage regularly.The only real downside with the XUV 7XO is that the fanciest features push you beyond Rs. 20 lakh, and there may be a wait period. If you mainly want a rugged toy, the Thar Roxx is great, but for family life, the XUV 7XO fits better.

Mahindra XUV 7XO

Mahindra Thar Roxx

MG Hector

Autocar India

•6d

Based on your requirement, we would recommend the Honda Amaze ZX CVT over the Skoda Kylaq Signature+ AT. The reason is that your priorities are not outright performance or driving excitement. You are looking for a car that will spend 90% of its life in city traffic, will also be driven by your 69-year-old father, and is expected to stay with the family for around 10 years. In that context, Amaze's strengths line up perfectly with your requirements. The CVT is smoother than the Kylaq's torque converter automatic in stop-and-go traffic, visibility is excellent, the car is easy to place on the road, ingress and egress are straightforward, and Honda's long-term reliability record is hard to fault. Coming from an Alto K10, it will already feel like a substantial upgrade in comfort, refinement and features.The Kylaq Signature Plus AT is the more desirable car from an enthusiast's perspective. The 1.0 TSI turbo petrol has more punch, the higher seating position is nice, and the overall package feels more substantial. However, it is also a larger vehicle to manoeuvre, and while the automatic is good, it is not quite as seamless in everyday traffic as Honda's CVT.Another point in Amaze's favour is that the ZX variant gets Honda Sensing ADAS, which adds useful safety features without making the car complicated to operate. Since your father will also be driving it, that extra layer of safety is a nice bonus.

Honda Amaze

Skoda Kylaq