I am confused to buy between mahindra xuv 3xo ax5 diesel AMT and kia new seltos hte optional petrol ivt. If considering 1000 km per month running, yearly 02 drives for 600 km round trip, if looking for good mileage, comfort level, performance and road presence. Which car should I buy considering 10 years ownership.

Autocar India

•3h

With a 50-50 city-highway mix, some 5-person trips, and a Rs. 16 lakh cap, the Kia Seltos HTK 1.5 petrol manual is the stronger fit than the Hyundai Venue 1.0 turbo with the automatic (DCT). It gives you more space for people and bags, and the smooth, linear power works well with your habit of downshifting for quick overtakes.Will the Seltos 1.5 manual feel underpowered when loaded? Yes, but this can be overcome by using the gears. At 70-100 kph, a shift to 4th gives enough pull for safe passes. It won’t jump forward like a turbo, so start the move a little earlier on hills or when fully loaded.Is the Seltos IVT capable? Yes for cruising and single-car passes, but with five on board, it will hold high revs and sound loud. It does the job, but responses are softer than the manual, so you may miss that direct control and pickup you enjoy.Over the long run, the Seltos 1.5 manual suits your use better. It avoids the low-speed lag you felt in the Venue, is less fussy in traffic than a DCT, and is simply the better 5-person car.

Kia Seltos

Hyundai Venue

Autocar India

•1d

For your usage of around 70 km daily, running costs become very important, and since you are also hesitant about diesel due to future regulations, it makes more sense to go for the Maruti Suzuki Victoris CNG.With this kind of running, CNG will be significantly more efficient and cost-effective compared to a modern diesel. Due to stricter emission norms, diesel cars are not as efficient as they used to be, so the cost advantage over CNG is no longer as strong as before. The Victoris CNG will help you keep running costs low while still offering a smooth and reliable ownership experience.One of the usual drawbacks of CNG cars is the loss of boot space, but in the case of the Victoris, this is less of a compromise. The CNG cylinder is smartly packaged under the boot floor, where the spare wheel would usually sit, so you still retain a usable boot. The only trade-off is that the car does not get a spare wheel, and instead comes with a puncture repair kit.The Kia Seltos diesel, on the other hand, is the better choice in terms of performance and driving experience, especially on highways. But given your hesitation towards diesel and the higher running costs compared to CNG, it may not be the most suitable option for your needs.

Maruti Suzuki Victoris

Kia Seltos

Autocar India

•1d

The reason is simple. Your driving is largely city traffic with occasional family use, and in that scenario, the Seltos’ naturally aspirated petrol with the IVT automatic is the more relaxing and long-term friendly package. The Venue’s 1.0 turbo DCT is peppier and quicker, but in heavy stop-and-go traffic like your 1-hour 15-minute office commute, a DCT is not the ideal transmission if smoothness and peace of mind matter. Hyundai itself positions the Venue turbo with the 7-speed DCT, while the Seltos IVT is Kia’s smoother CVT-style automatic option.The Rs 3 lakh premium is not just buying you a panoramic sunroof. You are also getting a significantly larger and more comfortable cabin, much better rear seat space for family use, a more substantial boot and a car that simply feels a segment above the Hyundai Venue. Since you already own a Tata Punch, the Venue will not feel like a dramatic step up in size or cabin experience, whereas the Seltos will.On the length concern, yes, the Kia Seltos is noticeably bigger than your Punch, and for the first few days in city traffic, you will be conscious of that. But, this is something most drivers adapt to very quickly, especially with a rear camera and parking sensors. It is not large enough to become a burden in everyday urban use.So the real question is whether you value the extra space, comfort, and smoother automatic enough to justify Rs 3 lakh. For your usage, especially with regular traffic and occasional full family trips, we would say yes, the Seltos is worth it. If your use was mostly solo city driving and budget mattered more, the Venue would make more sense.

Kia Seltos

Hyundai Venue

Tata Punch

Autocar India

•1d

It's really hard to suggest a car without knowing a bit more about your requirements, like rear space requirements and the distance driven per month. Thus, as a good all-rounder for a small family, the Maruti Suzuki Fronx Delta Plus AMT fits your brief best. Pick this variant because it gives you the most rear-seat space and a bigger, more useful boot than the other two, so adults sit more comfortably, and you pack more for trips. It also feels light and easy to drive in traffic, and the ride is calm over rough roads, which helps passengers, especially elders or kids.Two things to note: this automatic can feel a bit slow to pick up when you press the accelerator hard, and you will miss a few fancy features that sit on higher trims. If you drive with a full load on steep hills often, you may want to try it once to see if the response suits you.If you value tough build and the best ride on broken roads above all else, the Tata Punch Accomplished AMT is the second choice. It also has a smaller footprint for tight parking and a feature-rich cabin at a price like the Hyundai Exter HX6 AMT, too. Overall, for family comfort and everyday ease, go with the Fronx Delta Plus AMT.

Maruti Suzuki Fronx

Tata Punch

Hyundai Exter

Autocar India

•5d

If you are waiting for the Tata Sierra EV, the good news is that it does not seem too far away. Current indications suggest a launch could happen either later this month or in June.Expect it to slot below the Tata Harrier EV in Tata’s electric line-up, likely with multiple battery pack options and a more premium positioning than the Tata Curvv EV. Tata has also indicated that both Rear Wheel Drive and All Wheel Drive versions are planned, which should make it one of the more interesting mainstream electric SUVs in India.

Tata Sierra EV

Tata Harrier EV

Tata Curvv EV

Autocar India

•6d

With the kind of mileage you are already seeing from your 4th generation Honda City, I would not rush to fit a CNG kit. Around 16 kpl over 85,000 km is actually a healthy real world figure for a petrol sedan, and since the City is known for its smoothness and refinement, adding an aftermarket CNG kit will inevitably change the character of the car. Honda does not offer a factory CNG option for the City, so any retrofit will be third party, which means compromises in boot space, some loss in outright performance and the added variable of installation quality and long term reliability. Honda also recommends using fuel that meets the vehicle specifications, and aftermarket modifications can complicate warranty or support considerations on newer cars.A CNG conversion only starts making strong financial sense if your running is very high and you plan to keep the car for several more years to recover the kit cost. If your annual usage is moderate, the payback period can be longer than expected. The only real case for going CNG here is if fuel cost reduction is your absolute top priority. Otherwise, given how well your City is already performing, I would leave it as is and enjoy the refinement rather than fixing something that is not really broken.

Honda City