I am planning to buy a car with a budget of around ₹13 lakh. I am a new driver, and my usage will be mostly in Delhi NCR with occasional highway trips. I am confused between the Skoda Kylaq Signature Plus AT and the Kia Sonet HTX DCT. I intend to keep the car for at least 10 years. Could you please suggest which would be the better choice for long-term ownership, considering reliability, ease of driving, comfort, and maintenance?

Autocar India

•11m

We would suggest you go ahead with the Skoda Kylaq. The Kylaq comes with a torque convertor gearbox, which is the smoothest type of autobox around, you will really appreciate this in heavy city traffic. Moreover, in city conditions, a torque convertor gearbox is also likely to give you a better and more reliable long-term service experience than a dual clutch transmission.

The Kylaq is also newer than the Kia Sonet, and since you are keeping the car for a longer period of time, this could help retain value better. The Sonet will also be updated in about a year, so you will very soon have an older car.

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Skoda

Kylaq

from ₹8.92 Lakh

Kia

Sonet

from ₹8.59 Lakh

More questions on similar cars

Shruti

•3d

Which of the following is the best option, considering mainly city driving, daily 30km, once-a-month highway drives, and a family of four: Skoda Kylaq, Venue, Citroen Basalt, Maruti Jimny, and Kia Sonet.

Autocar India

•2d

For your usage of mainly city driving (30km daily) with occasional highway trips and a family of four, we would suggest going for the Skoda Kylaq.The Kylaq offers a comfortable ride, a spacious cabin for four adults, and the torque converter automatic is smooth, which makes it very easy to drive in city traffic. It is also compact enough, so parking and manoeuvring in tight spaces won’t be an issue. On highways, too, it feels stable and enjoyable to drive.The Kia Sonet and Hyundai Venue are good options for the city as well, but both use a DCT automatic, which is not as smooth at low speeds as a torque converter, especially in stop-and-go traffic.The Citroen Basalt is actually great value for money and offers excellent cabin space, making it very comfortable for a family. However, it is a larger car, so it won’t be as easy to park and manoeuvre in the city. If you prioritise space and comfort over ease of driving, it is definitely worth considering.The Maruti Suzuki Jimny is not suitable for your needs. It is primarily an off-roader, has heavier steering, and is not as easy to drive in the city. The ride is also bouncy, and overall, practicality is limited for family use.

Shyam

Hello Experts, I’m looking for an automatic car up to ₹12 lakh for a newly licensed driver. 80% of the driving will be in the city. Will an electric car make sense? There is a charging facility available. Long drives will be 350 km, one way. Please suggest a petrol automatic, or electric. Brand is not an issue.

Autocar India

•1d

Since your usage is 80% city driving and you have access to charging, an EV like the Tata Punch EV 40 kWh does make a lot of sense. Electric cars are very easy to drive, especially for a new driver. There are no gear shifts, power delivery is smooth and instant, and driving in traffic is extremely stress-free.Although we haven’t tested it yet, we expect the Punch EV facelift to deliver over 300 km per charge, which is more than enough for your daily usage. Charging at home or office will easily cover your routine driving, and running costs will be significantly lower than a petrol car. For your occasional 350 km highway trip, you will need to stop once for a quick charge, so some planning will be required.If you prefer to avoid the hassle of charging, you can also consider the Skoda Kylaq automatic. It comes with a smooth torque converter transmission, is easy to drive in the city, and will be more convenient for your longer highway trips.

Tata Punch EV

Skoda Kylaq

Sanjay Kapoor

•1d

I am planning to buy the Kia Sonet 1.0-litre turbo petrol HTK(O) DCT. My monthly running will be around 300 km, mostly within Delhi city. However, I have come across several videos mentioning issues with turbo engines and DCT transmissions. This has made me concerned about long-term reliability and suitability for city driving. Alternatively, I am considering the Maruti Suzuki Fronx AMT. Could you please advise whether the Sonet turbo DCT is a good choice for my usage, or if the Fronx AMT would be a better and more reliable option?

Autocar India

•8h

For your usage of around 300 km per month, purely in city conditions, it makes more sense to go for a simpler and more fuss-free setup rather than a turbo petrol with a DCT.The Kia Sonet 1.0 turbo DCT is a good car. But this combination is better suited for higher usage and mixed driving, where you can actually enjoy its performance. In heavy city traffic, especially in Delhi, DCT gearboxes can feel a bit sensitive in slow crawling conditions, and with your low running, you won’t really benefit from what it offers.In comparison, the Maruti Fronx 1.2 AMT is a simpler and more reliable option for your kind of usage. It is easier to live with in the long run, especially since your running is low and mostly in stop-go traffic. While the AMT is not as smooth as a DCT and performance is modest, it is perfectly adequate for daily city use.Overall, for your usage, the Fronx AMT is the more practical and stress-free choice. The Sonet turbo DCT makes sense only if you specifically want better performance and are comfortable with a more complex setup.

Kia Sonet

Maruti Suzuki Fronx

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