Latest questions answered by experts

Hi. I have been driving an i20 diesel for the last 8 years, and it has covered 1.15 lakh km. The car has been maintained well. I recently moved to Bengaluru, and the urge to upgrade has come up. I looked at the Skoda Kylaq and even booked the Signature Plus Automatic, with my i20 valued at Rs. 4.6 lakh in exchange. However, after a test drive, my family now wants me to buy the Slavia 1.0 Automatic instead. I am also concerned about the ethanol-blending issue. Should I go ahead with the purchase or continue using the i20 for a few more years? I am getting the Slavia Prestige at Rs. 18 lakh on-road.

•12m

Go ahead with the Skoda Slavia 1.0 automatic. For Bengaluru traffic and family use, it will be nicer daily, and the current car is E20-compliant too.The Slavia’s 6‑speed automatic is smooth in stop‑go, the cabin and boot are a clear step up from your i20, and its high ground clearance for a sedan handles bad roads and speed humps without drama. Skoda’s 1.0 TSI is built to run on E20, so you won’t harm the engine or void the warranty. You may see a small dip in mileage with higher ethanol and, versus your diesel, expect higher fuel bills.Since you’d booked the Kylaq, know this: it drives almost similarly to the Slavia with the 1.0 automatic. Pick it only if you really want the higher seating and compact dimensions. If your running is mostly in the city and if your family prefers a sedan, the Slavia makes sense.Rs. 18 lakh on road for Prestige is fair in Bengaluru, and Rs. 4.6 lakh for your i20 diesel at 1.15 lakh km is about par. Unless you’re happy to keep the i20 another year just to save cash, there’s no strong reason to wait.

Skoda Slavia

Skoda Kylaq

•2w

I previously owned a 110hp, 6-speed diesel Renault Duster, which I have since sold. I am now looking to buy a new diesel SUV and am currently managing with a Maruti Celerio. My daily running is around 60-70km, mostly in and around the city, although I do travel outside the city regularly. I have shortlisted the Tata Sierra 1.5 Diesel Automatic and the 2026 Kia Seltos Diesel Automatic. Which one would you recommend? I have also been told that the Sierra diesel does not require AdBlue. I would appreciate your advice as I need to make a decision soon.

•38m

The Kia Seltos Diesel Automatic would be the recommendation here. Coming from a Duster diesel, both the Seltos and Sierra will feel like significant upgrades, but the Seltos is the more rounded package today. The 1.5-litre diesel is refined, proven and very efficient, while the automatic gearbox is smooth and well-suited to your 60-70km daily running. It also offers a premium cabin, good ride comfort and a strong ownership experience.The Tata Sierra Diesel Automatic is certainly appealing. It offers more road presence, a spacious cabin and should be an excellent long-distance cruiser. One advantage is that its diesel engine does not require AdBlue, as Tata has achieved the latest emission norms using a different emissions control strategy. However, it is important to remember that the Sierra still has a DPF, so it isn't completely free of modern diesel emissions hardware. Fortunately, your usage pattern of 60-70km a day with regular out-of-town driving is well-suited to a modern diesel and should help keep the DPF healthy.

Kia Seltos

Tata Sierra

•21h

I am considering buying a Toyota Innova HyCross ZX(O) Hybrid as my second car. My current car is a 2020 Toyota Glanza MT, which I plan to retain and continue using for city needs in Bangalore. The HyCross will mainly be used for weekend road trips and long-distance family travel, with annual usage of around 8,000-10,000 km (between both the car) Given the reports about a possible flex-fuel HyCross, should I buy the current Hybrid now or wait a few months?(I have booked the car already and has a two month waiting period, I will get full refund if I cancel ) Do you expect a flex-fuel version to launch within the next 6-12 months, and would it offer any significant advantage over the existing strong hybrid in terms of ownership costs, practicality, or resale value?

•1h

There is no reason to cancel your booking and wait for a potential flex-fuel version. For your usage pattern, the Toyota Innova HyCross Hybrid ZX (O) already makes a lot of sense. It will primarily be used for weekend trips and long-distance family travel, while the Glanza continues to handle city duties.More importantly, there is no certainty that a flex-fuel Hycross will launch within the next 6-12 months. Even if Toyota does introduce one, the current strong hybrid is likely to remain the more efficient and refined option, especially in mixed driving conditions. The hybrid system is already proven, offers excellent fuel efficiency for a vehicle of this size and should continue to be highly desirable in the used car market.

Toyota Innova HyCross

•1d

Suggest to me between the Tata Nexon Diesel Automatic and the Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara Petrol Mild Hybrid Automatic. My running is 30 to 50 kilometres a day.

•12h

The Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara Petrol Mild Hybrid Automatic would be the recommendation here.With a monthly running of just over 1000km, you're right on the cusp where a diesel's fuel-efficiency advantage starts becoming less compelling, especially if a significant portion of that driving is in the city. The Grand Vitara's naturally aspirated petrol engine and torque-converter automatic are smooth, refined and easy to live with, while the mild-hybrid system helps improve fuel efficiency in urban conditions. It also offers a more spacious cabin, better ride comfort and a more premium overall experience than the Nexon.The Tata Nexon Diesel Automatic will undoubtedly be more fuel efficient on longer journeys and offers strong low-end torque. However, it is still a modern diesel with a DPF, and if your driving includes frequent short trips or heavy city traffic, it may not be the ideal fit over the long term.

Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara

Tata Nexon

•1d

Hi, My height is 5 feet 3 inches. Now, I am planning to buy a bike. Should I buy the Meteor 350 or another bike? Just looking for a comfortable bike for a city drive. The budget is around 5 lakhs. Can u suggest plz thnks.

•13h

The Royal Enfield Meteor 350 you have shortlisted would be the best machine within your budget for your use case. It has a charming, torque-rich engine with a heart-tugging soundtrack, a low seat height and pretty decent comfort (for a cruiser). You could also look at the Goan Classic 350, which has very distinctive styling and bright colours with similar strengths to the Meteor, like a low seat and a comfortable (ish) ride. We'd advise sticking with the RE 350s and not stepping up to the 650cc models because the bigger ones, which a shorter person like you will consider, aren't very comfortable and also they are quite heavy.Take test rides of both the Meteor and the Goan Classic before you make your decision.

Royal Enfield Meteor 350

Royal Enfield Goan Classic 350

•1d

Hi, I am looking to buy the Guerilla 450 apex variant, but current fuel norms have got me worried about E30 petrol, as I believe current bikes are not compatible with the same. Should I halt my purchase or go ahead with it?

•13h

For the short to mid-term, E20 will be the current baseline blend of petrol available on a nationwide scale. Speaking strictly about material compatibility, E20 machines should be able to handle higher blends with the fuel tank, rubber seals, gaskets and hoses all ready to support the higher blend. What will need recalibration is the ECU to handle the higher ethanol content in the fuel, which is something that will have to come from the manufacturer. Be prepared for a drop in fuel economy because ethanol's energy density is much lower than petrol, although ECU recalibration will mitigate this to some extent.

•18h

I am comparing the Hyundai Creta King petrol IVT, Kia Seltos petrol GTX A IVT and Tata Sierra petrol accomplished turbo. The car will be required for long ownership, expected annual mileage of around 8-10000 kilometres with almost 70-80% in Delhi NCR limits. Please suggest which one is a better option.

•14h

The Kia Seltos GTX+ IVT would be the recommendation here. Given your annual running of 8,000-10,000km and predominantly city-based usage in Delhi NCR, a naturally aspirated petrol automatic is the right choice. That's why we'd suggest narrowing your decision down to the Creta IVT and Seltos IVT, rather than the Tata Sierra Turbo AT. While the Sierra is an impressive package, the turbo-petrol powertrain is likely to be less efficient and more expensive to run over the long term than the Hyundai-Kia 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol.Between the Creta and Seltos, the nod goes to the Seltos. It is the newer product, feels more premium inside, offers a slightly more spacious cabin and remains one of the most feature-rich SUVs in the segment. Ride comfort is also very good, and the IVT automatic is exceptionally well-suited to urban driving.Another factor worth considering is that the next-generation Creta is expected within the next year or so, whereas the Seltos has a longer lifecycle ahead of it, making it the safer long-term bet.

Kia Seltos

Hyundai Creta

Tata Sierra