Mumbai

Ankur

•1d

I am planning to buy a second car for around Rs. 20 lakhs. It will be used 40% for city driving and the rest for highways. My office round trip is around 35 km, twice a week. I have shortlisted the Skoda Kushaq, Hyundai Creta, and Kia Seltos, all petrol variants. Could you suggest which would be better in terms of maintenance, ease of driving, and space for a tall family?

Autocar India

•11m

With your mix of city and highway use, a Rs. 20 lakh cap, and a tall family, the Kia Seltos 1.5 petrol IVT in a mid variant fits best. It will be the easiest to live with, and it suits both slow traffic and weekend drives.

Kia and Hyundai’s service is the simplest here: costs are usually lower, parts are easy to find, and the dealer network is wide. In traffic the Seltos feels light to steer, the automatic moves off smoothly, and visibility is good, so parking and tight gaps are easy. For tall passengers, the back seat in the Seltos has the most knee room and cabin width among these three, and the seat is comfortable on long trips.

A trade-off to note: the 1.5 petrol is smooth but not as quick as the 1.5 turbo options in the Skoda or Kia if you push hard on the highway.

If you want stronger highway pull and a more connected drive, the Skoda Kushaq 1.5 petrol automatic is the driver’s choice, but service costs can be higher, and the cabin is bit tighter. Overall, the Seltos lines up best with your brief.

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More questions on similar cars

Jai Datta

•6h

I have a budget of Rs. 25-30 lakh. I currently own a 2025 MG Windsor EV and a 2022 Kia Seltos GTX+ Diesel AT. Since getting the EV, my running with the Seltos has reduced significantly. Its extended warranty will expire in August 2027. I am now planning to replace the Seltos with either the new Kia Seltos Turbo Petrol or the Hyundai Alcazar Turbo Petrol. We are a family of four, and whichever car I buy will be the top-end variant only.

Autocar India

•1h

The biggest advantage of Hyundai Alcazar in your use case is the captain seat configuration. Since you are a family of four, it can actually work beautifully as a comfortable four seater, with the second row offering noticeably better individual comfort than the Seltos. With the third row folded down, you also get a genuinely large boot, which makes it a very practical long distance family car.That said, the new Seltos feels like the more premium and more contemporary product overall. It is larger and more spacious than the Seltos you currently own, the cabin feels richer, the ride is comfortable and because it is the newer product, it will naturally feel fresher for longer. Importantly, both the Alcazar and the Seltos use the same 1.5 turbo petrol engine paired to a DCT, so outright performance and drivetrain character are broadly similar.The real question is what role this second ICE car will play. If it is primarily a comfortable family tourer and rear seat comfort matters most, the Alcazar makes a very strong case. But if you want something that feels like more premium, modern without stepping into a larger three row SUV format, the new Seltos is the better fit.

Hyundai Alcazar

Kia Seltos

Srujanansh Das

•21h

Hello Autocar India Team, I am planning to buy a new family car with a maximum on-road budget of ₹13-14.5 lakh and would love your recommendation. My requirements include strong engine performance, good features, ample cabin space, 5-star safety, good fuel efficiency, comfortable ride quality, and solid build quality. I currently own a Renault Kwid and am looking for a car that would be a significant upgrade in every aspect, including performance, comfort, safety, and overall driving experience. My usage will be approximately 65% on rural roads and 35% in city driving, so ride comfort, ground clearance, and durability are especially important to me. I am particularly interested in the new Renault Duster Techno 1.0 variant and would like to know whether it would be a suitable choice for my needs. If not, please suggest other cars within this budget that you believe offer a better overall package. Thank you for your guidance.

Autocar India

•2h

If strong performance is high on your priority list, we would be cautious about the Renault Duster 1.0 Techno. While we have experienced this 1.0 turbo petrol engine in the Magnite, where it feels punchy and capable, the Duster is a significantly larger and heavier SUV, so we do not expect it to feel particularly quick or effortless, especially if you are looking for a meaningful upgrade from a Kwid in outright performance.If your heart is set on the Duster, the smarter move would be to stretch slightly for the 1.3 turbo petrol, which sits only a little above your budget and will feel substantially stronger and more satisfying to drive, especially on rural roads where effortless overtaking and usable performance matter.If you are open to alternatives, the Skoda Kushaq Classic+ 1.0 TSI is a very strong option. The turbo petrol engine feels punchy, the Kushaq is genuinely nice to drive, has good rear seat space, solid build and safety credentials that you are looking for.If fuel efficiency matters more than outright performance, then the Kia Seltos 1.5 petrol HTE(O) is worth considering as well. It will not feel as punchy as the turbo petrol options, but it is the most premium feeling of the lot, more efficient in everyday use and a very sorted family SUV overall.

Sukumar

Hi, I am planning to buy a new car, as my monthly running is around 3,000 km, with approximately 80% highway driving and 20% city/rural road usage. I am currently considering the following options: Volkswagen Virtus 1.0 Topline Manual Mahindra XUV 7XO AX7 Diesel Kia Seltos HTK(O) Diesel Manual Could you please suggest which of these would be the best option?

Autocar India

•1d

Given 3,000 km a month with 80% highway and some rough rural stretches, the Mahindra XUV 7XO AX7T diesel fits your use best. It feels steady at speed and soaks up broken patches well, which helps on long runs and village roads. The diesel has a strong pull, so overtaking needs less effort even with family and luggage. You also get more space and a higher driving position than either of the other cars, which makes it more practical and easier to drive.Two things to note: it is big in traffic and tight parking, and in the city it will use a more fuel than the smaller Kia. If you want something easier to manage daily, the Kia Seltos HTK(O) diesel MT is the smarter second choice. It’s lighter to drive and still stable on the highway, but you will feel bumps more than in the Mahindra, and rear space is smaller.The Volkswagen Virtus 1.0 Topline MT is nice to drive, but for this much highway running, the petrol will cost more to run and needs more gear changes for quick passes. Overall, pick the XUV 7XO diesel for your usage.

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Soumith Uppu

•6d

I am looking for a family car and am currently confused between the Tata Punch Accomplished AMT, Maruti Fronx Delta Plus AMT, and Hyundai Exter HX6 AMT. Could you please help me choose the best option?

Autocar India

•5d

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.

My wife and I earn around ₹4.5 lakh per month. We are planning to buy our first car, and we prefer the EMI to be around ₹15,000-₹20,000. What car would you suggest we should buy?

Autocar India

•2d

It really depends on how much down payment you are comfortable putting in, because your EMI target of Rs 15,000 to 20,000 can get you very different cars depending on the loan tenure and upfront payment.That said, for a first car that is easy to drive, safe, comfortable and still feels special, one of the strongest picks today is the Skoda Kylaq Signature automatic. Skoda’s official pricing puts the Signature automatic in a range where, with roughly Rs 2.3 down payment and a 7 year loan, your EMI can sit broadly in your target bracket. The turbo petrol engine feels punchy without being intimidating, the torque converter automatic is smooth and fuss free, and the size is just right for a first time buyer.If you want to spend less and prioritise maximum ease of use, the Hyundai i20 IVT is another excellent first car. It is easier to drive than most SUVs, the IVT automatic is extremely smooth in traffic, and ownership is straightforward. You give up the higher seating position of an SUV, but for urban use, it is arguably an even easier first car.

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Nirmil Shah

•1d

I am interested in the BYD Seal, but I’m concerned about its low ground clearance of the car. Is this a serious issue on Indian roads, speed breakers, and basement ramps?

Autocar India

•1d

The low ground clearance of BYD Seal is something you can live with, especially if you're used to driving sedans. Its nose sits low and the distance between the wheels is long, so tall, badly built breakers and sharp ramp crests can make it touch, especially with four or five people and luggage. However on regular speed breakers, it is likely to clear if you slow right down, and you don't necessarily need to take them at a slight angle.The underbody and battery are protected, so even if it scrapes a few times, it should not be a cause of concern, however, it will feel gut-wrenching to hear the underbody scrape over the unscientifically-built speed humps.Before finalizing, if your daily route has extra-tall breakers or a tricky ramp, take a test drive on that exact path. If it clears there, you’ll be fine in regular use.

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