Autocar India
RM

Rajneesh Morey

•18w

I can’t decide between the Maruti Suzuki Victoris and the all-new Kia Seltos. My budget is ₹20-24 lakh, and I am looking to upgrade to an SUV.

Autocar India team

Autocar India

Verified
•18w
Both the Maruti Suzuki Victoris and the Kia new Seltos have their own strengths and are accomplished products.
If you want something that feels premium, has a refined engine, is comfortable for four adults, and offers a large boot, the Seltos is a good option. However, if your running is high and efficiency is a priority, it is hard to beat the Victoris Hybrid within your budget.
Not just on the highway but even in the city, you can expect over 20 kpl. If you are okay with the compromised boot space due to the hybrid battery, the Victoris will serve you well. While the Seltos does offer a refined diesel option, its efficiency does not come close to the Victoris Hybrid, especially with the torque converter automatic, which impacts fuel economy. Most modern diesel cars are also not as efficient as they used to be due to tightening emission norms.
Kia New Seltos

Kia New Seltos

Explore cars mentioned

Maruti Suzuki Victoris

Maruti Suzuki

Victoris

from ₹12.23 Lakh

Kia Seltos

Kia

Seltos

from ₹12.79 Lakh

More questions on similar cars

KU

Kumar

•2d

I own an Alto LXI 2011 and now want to upgrade to a new car. My requirements are mainly for family trips with senior citizens and kids, ranging from 250 km to 1200 km per trip. My usage is around 70% highway and hill driving, and 30% city driving. I live in a tier-3 city and am looking for a strong, safe, and comfortable family car that is also comfortable to drive. I am 5 feet tall. Please suggest a good car within a budget of ₹15-23 lakh. I am open to ICE, hybrid, or EV options.

Autocar India team

Autocar India

Verified
•17h

On a Rs 15-23 lakh budget, the Kia Carens Clavis diesel automatic fits your use best. It rides comfortably on long trips, the low step-in makes it easy for elders, and the third row lets you carry six or seven or fold it to free up a big boot. The diesel pulls well on hills with a full load, and the automatic keeps driving effortless in traffic. For you at 5 feet, the high seat, wide glass area and light controls help with confidence in a tier-3 city, and Kia’s service reach outside big metros is a plus.Know that, compared to your Alto, it is a long car, so tight parking needs a bit more care. With all three rows up, boot space is small, so plan to fold one side when needed. If five seats are enough and you want a sportier feel on hills, look at the Skoda Kushaq 1.5 automatic. If smooth city running and lower fuel use matter more, you can go for Maruti Suzuki Victoris strong hybrid. Given your affinity for long family road trips, we would not recommend an EV at this stage. Overall, the Carens suits your family-first brief best.

VehicleKia Carens Clavis
VehicleMaruti Suzuki Victoris
VehicleSkoda Kushaq
AT

Ambuj Tripathi

•5d

Hello, I am planning to buy a new car. My daily running is around 40 km, with 40% city driving and 60% highway use. I am confused between petrol and diesel, and am looking for an SUV. I am considering the Victoris Petrol, Nexon CNG, and Nexon Diesel. You may also suggest any other car that would suit my needs. My priorities are good mileage, long-term reliability, and low maintenance. Also, is the Nexon CNG a good option to own for 10 years?

Autocar India team

Autocar India

Verified
•1d

With 40 km a day and mostly highway, from your list, the Tata Nexon diesel fits best. It will use less fuel on long runs, feel more relaxed at 80-100 kph, and give easier overtakes with family and luggage. Your mix has enough highway, so the diesel’s exhaust filter should stay healthy. As a fuel type, CNG is cheap to run, but for 60% highway, it can feel slow, and needs more planning for refills. Better for mostly city use.Maruti Suzuki Victoris petrol will be simpler to own and should be reliable, but on highways with a full load, it will use more fuel than the Nexon diesel. Also consider the Hyundai Venue diesel, which is available with a smooth 6-speed auto. Overall, from your choices, the Nexon diesel lines up best.

VehicleTata Nexon
VehicleMaruti Suzuki Victoris
VehicleHyundai Venue
VS

Vipul Saini

•1w

Hi, thanks in advance. I am looking for a midsize SUV with a budget of Rs 12 lakh on-road in Ludhiana, Punjab. I am confused between the Victoris LXI and the Kia Seltos HTE. My driving will mostly be in the city, with one or two occasional weekend outstation trips. I am confused whether I should prioritise looks and features or reliability and ease of use.

Autocar India team

Autocar India

Verified
•2d

Given your mostly city use, opt for the Kia Seltos over the Maruti Suzuki Victoris. For a base model, the Seltos HTE is rather well equipped and generally feels more premium than the Victoris LXI.The Seltos might be slightly more expensive, but it feels more modern and comes with more standard features than the Victoris. In terms of ease of use, the Seltos is just as friendly to drive, with light controls and good drivability from the engine. Maruti’s service reach in Punjab is generally wider than Kia’s, but if you have a Kia dealer and service centre nearby, the ownership experience should be comparable.The downside is that the Seltos may cross your Rs 12 lakh budget. If you can stretch a bit, though, the Seltos is a good choice for your needs.

VehicleKia Seltos
VehicleMaruti Suzuki Victoris

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SU

Soumith Uppu

•5d

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 team

Autocar India

Verified
•4d

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.

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AVINASH PARWANI

•5d

I have booked the Kia Seltos turbo DCT. My monthly running is around 900 km, mostly in Chennai traffic. Should I wait for the hybrid version? Is it expected soon? Also, how much price difference can be expected between the turbo-petrol and the hybrid?

Autocar India team

Autocar India

Verified
•4d

The Kia Seltos hybrid, as well as the new-generation Hyundai Creta with the hybrid tech, are both expected to arrive next year. If you can wait until then, it would be better to do so, as the hybrid would be far more fuel-efficient. As for the price difference, it's hard to pinpoint right now, but expect to pay about Rs. 50,000 extra over a turbo-petrol automatic.Thus, if the wait time and the premium are not ok with you, stick with the Kia Seltos. However, given that you are mostly driving in traffic, remember that a turbo petrol would not be very efficient, and for heavy, slow traffic, the DCT can feel a bit hesitant at crawling speeds and can run warm in long jams. The Seltos with the naturally aspirated 1.5-litre petrol with CVT is better suited to your use, as its smoother in the city, would be more fuel-efficient and would potentially be more reliable too.

VehicleKia Seltos
SS

SS

•3d

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 team

Autocar India

Verified
•19h

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.

VehicleSkoda Kylaq
VehicleHyundai i20

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Posted on: 6 Jan 2026