I’ve been driving a 2019 Dzire ZXi AMT (BS6) with 66,000 km on the clock. The engine is smooth but not peppy, and the AMT feels jerky. I’m looking to upgrade to an automatic non-AMT car under ₹10 lakh (used is fine). My monthly driving is about 1,200 km in the city, with one annual 1,500 km outstation trip. I prefer good suspension and handling, and a city mileage of around 12-14 km/l. Please suggest options.

autocar.india

•1h

Our suggestion would be to keep it in the Skoda family and pick the Kushaq. Your 600km highway runs will feel the easiest in this one, thanks to the TSI engine's strong pull and a stable, confident high-speed feel. Coming from a Fabia, you will also like the familiar solid build, but it's still compact enough for your weekend city drives. For your usage, the 1.5 TSI with the DSG gearbox is honestly the better bet, as it has the stronger yet smoother engine, snappier gearbox and almost no fuel economy penalty thanks to clever cylinder deactivation tech.However, these variants are several lakhs outside your budget, so you might have to choose the 1.0 TSI, which is also very good. The Kylaq with the 1.0 TSI is also a good bet, but it won't feel as significant an update from your Fabia in terms of size.The Honda Elevate hybrid, sadly, does not look like it will see the light of day, as Honda is focused on bringing out its midsize EV first, and other all-new models thereafter. You could look at the Elevate petrol, however, which is plenty efficient enough on its own. However, we still think the Kushaq is the best option for you.

Skoda Kushaq

Skoda Kylaq

autocar.india

•2h

Of your shortlist, it comes down to the Honda Elevate, Maruti Suzuki Victoris/Grand Vitara, or Toyota Hyryder, and finally the Kia Seltos.The Maruti Suzuki Jimny is simply not practical enough for the money, and its ride isn't suitable for touring. The Sierra's 1.5 NA petrol is its weakest engine, and the diesel is expensive, and between the Creta and Seltos, we'd pick the newer Seltos as it is more modern, larger and more spacious. And though we would recommend using the official service outlets, if you are interested in servicing the vehicle yourself, the naturally aspirated petrol manual is the best bet. The good news is that all these cars will fall comfortably within your budget, too.The Maruti and Toyota SUVs are superbly reliable and incredibly efficient, though rear-seat space is not as good as the others. The power figure is not great either, and though sufficient in the city, for your highway touring use, you might feel it wanting slightly.The Kia Seltos' 1.5-litre petrol engine produces slightly more power, but the vehicle is also heavier, so it does not feel dramatically quicker on the highway. It is larger than the others, though, offering noticeably more cabin space, better interior quality and a stronger feature list. While it costs roughly Rs 1.5 lakh more in higher trims, you do get more for your money.In terms of outright value, though, the Honda Elevate strikes the best balance. It is more spacious than the Maruti/Toyota, cheaper than the Seltos, and has the most powerful engine, which is also fuel-efficient and legendarily reliable. The 1.5-litre i-VTEC remains tractable at low speeds as well as strong enough on the highway. It is also backed by solid ride and handling dynamics. Downsides are that refinement isn't as good as the others, and even in top-spec guise, the feature set is not as good, though you do get the essentials. We would recommend the Honda over the others for your needs.

Honda Elevate

Maruti Suzuki Jimny

Maruti Suzuki Victoris

Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara

Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder

Kia Seltos

autocar.india

•6h

You won’t face issues in the NA + torque-converter Grand Vitara/Victoris in normal use, but the extra weight and the auto do blunt response, so with five on board or on steep hills it will feel lazy. The 1.5 petrol makes its torque higher up the revs, and the torque converter slips a bit at low speed, so the car needs a downshift and revs to move smartly. That is why city crawl and gentle cruising are smooth, but sudden gaps or uphill overtakes need a heavier right foot and some patience.Front-wheel drive is not a problem on tarmac. It will climb most ghats fine, but expect frequent downshifts and more engine noise when loaded or at altitude. Use the manual mode or S/L on climbs to hold a lower gear, and it feels stronger.The engine is built to take the load and will not show any abnormal signs of wear, in case that's a concern for you.

Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara

Maruti Suzuki Victoris