I’m a 21-year-old college student, and my family already owns a 2020 Fortuner. I’m looking for a second car for college use and outings. Should I go with the Thar, as per my father's choice, or the new-generation 2026 Hilux, which I like? Or is there any other good option? It must be a diesel SUV.

autocar.india

•4h

Between the Tata Punch and Tata Altroz, the Altroz petrol is the better fit for your needs. With a family of five and very low monthly running, a petrol car is the right choice - CNG cars only make sense when running is high to justify the extra cost. The Altroz is the better family car here: it offers a more comfortable ride, a wider rear seat and a more spacious cabin than the Punch, which matters on longer journeys with three at the back. On ethanol blending, there is no need to worry. Modern petrol cars are engineered to handle E20, and there is no official roadmap for E25 or E30 in the near future. Go ahead with the Altroz petrol.

Tata Altroz

Tata Punch

autocar.india

•5h

Both the Skoda Slavia and Volkswagen Virtus are mechanically identical, so you get the same strong 1.5 TSI engine, the same DSG gearbox and the same excellent highway stability. The differences are purely cosmetic. The 2026 Slavia will be launched soon, and we'd recommend you to consider it simply because it comes with an upgraded air-con unit which is more powerful and more effective than the outgoing unit - something you will appreciate in the summer. The Virtus with the same updates will follow a few months later.

Skoda Slavia

Volkswagen Virtus

autocar.india

•6h

Based on your requirements our suggestion would be the Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara in its Zeta Automatic Mild Hybrid, guys. Since the car will not be driven a lot, it is a good option to consider. Given your preference for mileage, reliability, and maintenance costs, a Maruti is always better.The real-world efficiency of both these cars is not too different. The Maruti gives you an average of 13.4 km/L. The Hyundai Creta is slightly less at 13.1 but maintenance costs and service, on the whole, are going to be slightly cheaper with Maruti. In terms of performance, this Hyundai car is definitely better; however, you will not really experience a lot of difference driving in everyday city traffic. Even on the highway the Grand Vitara has enough grunt to overtake so it is not an absolute dealbreaker. The gearbox on the Grand Vitara is a torque converter automatic, which is a bit smoother and offers better highway performance. The Creta comes mated with a CVT, which is good in the city (it is nice and smooth) but not exactly perfect on the highway. If you do a lot of occasional highway trips, then the Maruti will be better there as well. My overall recommendation would be the Grand Vitara, given your preferences.

Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara

Hyundai Creta