Mumbai

•7h

This is on behalf of my friend. He owns an MG Astor, which was one of the first batches of Astors produced. It is a non-E20 vehicle and is giving very poor mileage of around 7 kmpl. He drives around 1,000 km a month, and the car has clocked 39,000 km. It is the Smart CVT variant. Should he resell it now and get a diesel car like the Nexon or Altroz? He likes power and would prefer at least a basic level of features equivalent to those in his Astor. If it is advisable to replace the car, how much can he expect to get by selling it in Chennai? What cars could he consider in the Rs. 11-13 lakh on-road price range in Chennai?

•33m

With 1,000km a month, your friend is doing about 12,000km a year, which is right on the threshold where a diesel can start to make sense, especially if he enjoys power and wants better fuel efficiency. The MG Astor CVT is not known for great fuel economy, and 7kmpl is on the lower side, but not entirely surprising for a petrol automatic in mixed conditions. The bigger concern is that the car is from the first batch and has already clocked 39,000km, so if he is not happy with the ownership experience, this is a reasonable time to move on.

In the Rs 11-13 lakh on-road range in Chennai, the Hyundai Venue diesel is a strong option. This Hyundai car offers good performance, solid build quality, a good amount of space and an enjoyable driving experience, and of course will offer better real-world mileage than the Astor.

As for resale, a 39,000km first-batch Astor in Chennai should realistically fetch somewhere in the Rs 7-8 lakh range, but all depending on condition, service history and variant. The key is to be realistic about the depreciation and focus on the long-term savings and improved ownership experience with the new car.

Overall, if he is unhappy with the Astor and wants better fuel efficiency and more power, moving to a diesel Venue is a sensible decision.

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•3m

@ft.sjr Go with MG Astor 👍

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•1d

Hello, I have a Hyundai Venue Turbo DCT. My monthly running is around 400km, mostly in the city. Would it make sense to switch to an EV, or should I continue with the Venue?

•8h

With just 400km a month of city driving, you are not running the kind of mileage that makes a strong financial case for switching to an electric car. The Hyundai Venue Turbo DCT is a very competent city car, and at this usage level, the fuel savings from an EV would take a long time to offset the cost of a new car. If you have no issues with the Hyundai Venue and it is running well, the sensible advice is to keep it. The only reason to switch to an EV at this point would be if you specifically want the EV experience rather than purely for savings. From a financial and ownership perspective, you are better off continuing with the Venue.

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•1d

I am getting the Venue HX8 Turbo automatic for Rs. 15.40 lakh on-road, the Creta SX(O) automatic for Rs. 18.14 lakh on-road, with a discount of more than Rs. 1 lakh, and the Seltos HTK(O) IVT for Rs. 18.50 lakh on-road. My budget is Rs. 19 lakh. Which one should I buy for driving in Bangalore and occasional trips?

•20h

Go for the Kia Seltos HTK (O) IVT at Rs 18.14 lakh on-road. Your budget of Rs 19 lakh gives you enough room to get a large, spacious and well-equipped midsize SUV, and the Seltos is the sweet spot. The IVT gearbox is smooth and well-suited to Bangalore traffic, while the 1.5 petrol is refined and reliable. The HTK (O) trim is feature-rich, so you are not compromising on equipment. The Seltos also offers better rear seat space and comfort than the others, making it a better choice for occasional family trips. The Creta SX (O) might sound like better value with a few more features, but the Seltos's larger size, better quality and new-age tech push it ahead overall. The Venue HX8 turbo automatic at Rs 15.4 lakh is a good deal, but it is a segment below, and you would be compromising on space and comfort.

Sir, my budget is 20 lakh and I am planning to either get Hyundai Venue HX8 Turbo DCT for 15.40 lakh or Hyundai Creta SX automatic for 18.14 lakh on road. I am getting more than 1.5 lakh discount on Creta and Seltos is available for 19 lakh. I am confused between these cars in Bangalore. My use is office commute and occasionals trips. Please guide me.

•1d

Go for the Hyundai Creta SX(O) automatic at Rs 18.14 lakh on-road. Given your usage of office commuting with occasional trips, the Creta is the better long-term ownership proposition. The Venue HX8 DCT at Rs. 15.4 lakh is a good deal, but the Creta is a significantly larger and more comfortable car with a more spacious rear seat, better ride quality and a more premium overall experience. The Rs 1.5 lakh discount makes the Creta SX(O) a strong value proposition, and it sits well within your Rs. 20 lakh budget. The Seltos at Rs. 19 lakh is also a good car, but the Creta SX(O) at this price point is the better deal. The Venue is a compact SUV and while it is well-equipped, it simply cannot match the space, comfort and overall ownership experience of the Creta. The Creta is the car you will be happier with over a 5-10 year ownership period.

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•1w

I want to purchase a 7-seater SUV. My options are the Tata Safari, Mahindra XUV 7XO, and Scorpio N, and I am considering installing an aftermarket CNG kit for better fuel economy. Could you please suggest which one would be better suited for CNG?

•6d

We would strongly advise against installing aftermarket CNG on any of these SUVs. All three – the Tata Safari, Mahindra XUV 7XO and Scorpio N - are large, heavy vehicles with powerful turbocharged petrol engines. Fitting CNG to such engines is not recommended, as it can lead to drivability issues, increased wear and potential reliability concerns over time. More importantly, these SUVs are not designed with CNG in mind, and the installation can compromise safety and performance.If fuel economy is a top priority, opt for their diesel versions instead. The Mahindra and Tata offer strong torque, excellent highway efficiency and are well-suited to long-distance touring. If you are set on CNG, it is better to look at smaller, naturally aspirated petrol cars that are either factory-fitted or specifically designed for CNG use.Between the three, the XUV 7XO diesel would be our recommendation. It offers a more modern package, better ride comfort and a more premium cabin than the Scorpio N, while the Safari diesel is also a strong contender if you prefer Tata's design and feature set. But CNG should not be the deciding factor here.

I currently use a Skoda Slavia Ambition 1.0 automatic since last 4 years. Now, I am thinking of switching the car but I am confused between Honda Elevate V CVT petrol and Kia Seltos HTK iVT petrol.

•3d

Given that you are coming from a Skoda Slavia 1.0 TSI automatic, the Kia Seltos HTK IVT petrol is the more natural upgrade. The Seltos offers a noticeably larger and more premium cabin, better rear seat space and a more substantial feel overall. The IVT gearbox is smooth and well-suited to city driving, and the car feels like a genuine step up from the Slavia in terms of comfort and overall ownership experience.The Honda Elevate V CVT petrol is a solid and reliable choice, but it does not feel like as much of an upgrade from the Slavia. The cabin is not as spacious or as premium as the Seltos, and the overall ownership experience is more about simplicity and reliability than about feeling like a significant step up.The only caveat with the Seltos HTK is that it is not the most feature-rich variant in the lineup. If you can stretch to a higher variant, the Seltos becomes an even stronger recommendation. If not, it is still the better choice over the Elevate because it offers a more substantial upgrade from your current car.

I have a 2013 Honda City automatic, which is now 13 years old. I wish to change my car and buy the Tata Punch EV 40kWh for my use. My monthly running is low, at around 500 km. Would you suggest this car for my usage?

•4d

With a monthly running of around 500km, the financial case for an EV is not particularly strong, but the Tata Punch EV 40kWh can still make sense if you are looking for a modern, low-maintenance city car. This Tata electric car is compact, easy to drive and well-suited to urban use, and the 40kWh battery offers a healthy real-world range that should comfortably cover your monthly usage with minimal charging stops. However, at this level of running, the fuel savings over a petrol car will take a long time to offset the higher upfront cost of the EV. If you have reliable home charging and are keen on the EV ownership experience, the Punch EV is a sensible upgrade from your ageing City. If your priority is purely financial efficiency, a small petrol automatic like the Honda Amaze or Maruti Suzuki Baleno would be the more cost-effective choice.

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