Latest questions answered by experts

I am going to buy my first car. I am a new learner and my daily commute is around 40km in village area road with occasional long trip that are around100-150 km during weekend. So, suggest me a 4m car with decent mileage and safety rating. My monthly running is between 1000 and 1300 km. I prefer automatic. Also what will be the budget range. I am currently earning 10 lpa in a government job and I stay at home.

siddharth_menon_1698

•1h

Got ceramic coating on my Honda City last year and the shine has held up pretty well. But honestly, regular washing and maintenance seem to matter just as much.

I am currently driving Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire VDi (2013) diesel manual. I want to decide between Tata Harrier Adventure X Plus DK and Tata Sierra accomplished (both diesel). On Harrier, I am getting discount of approximately 1.6 lakh and on Sierra, I am getting approximately 70,000 discount. Which one should I prefer? My daily driving is approximately 70km with 80% driving on state highway and 20% in city. There is no budget constraint.

aman_chopra_915

•2h

The new Sierra looks much more distinctive than most SUVs in this segment, but looks aside, I'm curious about everyday practicality. Between Sierra and Creta, which one would make more sense for a family doing mostly city driving with occasional highway trips?

Considering a used Mercedes-Benz GLC instead of buying a new mainstream SUV. For people who've actually owned a luxury car, what surprised you most about the running and maintenance costs?

Hi, I’m from Tamil Nadu and currently drive a 2007 Hyundai Santro Xing, which has served me well for many years and is still running. I am now planning to buy a new car with a maximum on-road budget of Rs 13 lakh. My driving will be about 75% on highways and 25% in the city. I intend to keep the car for around 10 years, so I am looking for a model that prioritises safety, offers decent mileage and provides reliable service for long-term ownership. Could you suggest some cars that would suit my needs?

Didn't really care about cruise control when buying the car. After a couple of long highway trips, ended up using it almost every time the road opened up.

I currently drive a Kia Carens iMT diesel, with monthly running of around 1,000km. About 820km, or 82%, is in the city, while the remaining 180km is on the highway. Most of my city trips are short, often just 2-4 km, with speeds generally below 40-50kph. The car is chauffeur-driven six days a week and usually carries my family of five: my wife, mother, son and daughter. My priorities are clear: excellent ride comfort over Chennai's potholes and broken roads, very comfortable seating for five adults, especially in the second row, minimal lateral and fore-aft body movement over bad roads, good low-speed manoeuvrability, a quiet and smooth drivetrain, low running and total ownership costs over five years, and enough boot space for shopping and family luggage. My son is already 5'7" at 14 and is still growing, so I don't want to compromise on his seating comfort. My maximum budget is Rs 27 lakh on-road in Chennai. I don't particularly value ADAS, sunroofs or touchscreen-heavy controls and prefer physical controls and a car that is fundamentally comfortable rather than gadget-heavy. I am not really looking for a seven-seater. I want a car that can carry five people in genuine, long-term comfort, with the flexibility of a seven-seater when required. Given that 82% of my usage is short-distance urban driving, ride quality, low-speed comfort, easy manoeuvrability, second-row space and low running costs matter more to me than outright performance or highway dynamics. Which car would suit me best?

EcoSport owner · 55,000 km

Hi Team Autocar, I currently drive a Ford EcoSport 1.0 EcoBoost and am looking to upgrade to a petrol automatic, either a sedan or SUV, with a budget of Rs 20 lakh on-road. Since I am coming from a punchy turbo-petrol, performance and driving engagement are my top priorities. I plan to keep the car for at least eight years, so long-term reliability and a strong manufacturer commitment to India are also important. My driving split is roughly 70% city and 30% highway. Given my priorities, which car would offer the best blend of performance, strong build quality and long-term peace of mind?

aman_chopra_915

•20h

The new Sierra Legend Series has added a bunch of variants and features across the range. But with so many trims now, is choosing the right Sierra getting unnecessarily confusing? Which variant actually makes sense without going overboard?

I am almost a beginner driver and planning to buy a used automatic car under a budget of around Rs. 8.5 lakh. My usage will be roughly 70% city and 30% highway driving. My main priorities are a decent automatic and good safety. I have ended up considering a 2023 Tata Punch AMT, but I’ve heard that it can feel underpowered and may not inspire much confidence while overtaking on highways. I have also heard about the AMT being jerky. Would love to hear from anyone who has owned or regularly driven a Punch AMT. How has your experience been, especially with highway driving?

Started checking my FASTag transaction history more closely after noticing a toll deduction I didn't immediately recognise. Do you guys regularly check your FASTag statements?

I have taken a test drive of both Sierra and the 9s. I have a few observations with my perspective. 1. I have been using a Baleno for 10 years and when I sat in the sierra it was a significant upgrade but I felt it a lot cluttered. It dint feel spacious in the front. The rear was good at space and would be comfortable then most of the cars in its segment. 2. The car was good to drive be it the pick up, handling and ride. It was good. 3. When I returned to the show room it was parked next to a harrier ev. If you observe harrier ev is one of the wildest cars with in the 30 lakhs bracket and is even wider than the ICE versions. This made the Sierra look very small and this was a deal breaker for me where I was looking for presence when I spend this budget. I took a test drive of the 9s and it has ticked all the boxes interms of performance, premium appeal, felt spacious both the rows. Has been practical with a spacious frunk and felt I was driving a big car for the money spent. I have finally booked a 9s pack 3. Thank you for the inputs shared and this has been my buying experience.

sanjaypandey

•21h

For someone planning to keep the car for a really long time, does a hybrid actually make more sense than a regular petrol? Not talking about just mileage, but curious about maintenance, battery life and resale as well.

Hi, I’m planning to buy a new bike during Dussehra and am confused between the R15 and Xtreme. I really like both R15 and Xtreme and feel that either could be used for touring. However, I’m hesitant about the R15 because I’ve seen reviews mentioning that its light weight can affect highway handling and that it may not be ideal on steep inclines. At the same time, we know the R15 can be taken on tours, whereas I’m not sure whether the Xtreme would be equally suitable for touring. We also know that Splendor is reliable. I had also shortlisted the XMR 210 and really liked it, but it is out of production. So, should I go for the R15 or Xtreme?

iyerr_rahull

•22h

With Tata updating the Tigor as Aeris, wondering how many people would actually consider a compact sedan today.

Apache RTR 180 owner · 75,000 km

Which bike should I choose to replace my CB350 for weekend rides, with 80-120 kph cruising ability, peppy performance and good refinement for fatigue-free riding? I have taken the test drive of V-Storm SX but didn't like it. I’m considering the KTM Adv 390 (350cc), KTM Adv 398cc, Himalayan 450, Tuono 457 and Versys X300. Off-road usage will be minimal and refinement will be an added advantage for fatigue free riding under Rs. 3-5 lakh budget. Among these bikes, which one will you suggest?

Hi, I am 35 years old. I have a sitting job in IT. Could you please suggest most comfortable bike in suspension considering I suffer from back and neck pain at work that increases while riding in city as well as my height (169 cm) and weight (68 kg) on city roads in India. Please consider city potholes. I will have to travel 20km daily in weekdays till Friday and on weekends, it will be 200 km. Earlier, I had Yamaha FZ S FI but I no longer own it. Now I own my father's Hero Super Splendor XTEC only. I was checking out Royal Enfield Classic 350, Meteor 350, Honda CB350 H'ness, Triumph Speed 400, etc. I had taken the test drive of Royal Enfield Classic 350 BS6 (2024 Model), but for my weight, during road bumping, it directly transfers shock and and vibration to my back. Please suggest your valuable feedback.