Latest questions answered by experts

I am a first-time car buyer, and my budget is Rs. 13 lakh. I am confused between the Hyundai Creta 2026 Base E Petrol and the Kia Seltos HTE Petrol base model. I am getting Hyundai Creta E Petrol with an infotainment system package with 2-year extended warranty, Shield of Trust package, coating, and a basic accessories package. At the same price, I am getting Kia Seltos HTE Petrol with a 2-year extended warranty and a basic accessories package. Which one should I choose?

•39m

Go with the Kia Seltos. It sits on the newer platform than the Creta, is roomier on the inside, and the base model is better equipped than the base Creta. While the dealer is offering to fit an infotainment screen, it won’t be as seamless to use as the factory-fit unit on the Seltos. The coating and Shield of Trust being offered are not enough to sway the decision in favour of the Creta.In terms of powertrains, both use the same engine, so they will drive similarly. However, the Creta rides a bit softer, the Seltos will feel a touch firmer. That said, the Seltos’ rear seat is comfier, and the cabin looks a touch more premium.Between the two, the Seltos is the better pick.

Kia Seltos

Hyundai Creta

•5d

Hi Autocar team, I need your help in choosing an automatic family car that is reliable, safe and builds confidence in a new driver. I am planning to replace my 2017 Maruti Baleno Alpha petrol as it feels flimsy and dents very easily. Further, it no longer inspire confidence on highways and its braking confidence is also not great. I would appreciate your recommendations for another car. I am currently based in Pune and have planned for BH registration because there is a reasonable possibility of moving to another state in the future (most likely among Madhya Pradesh, Bangalore or Delhi). I will be primarily using it for city driving (90%) with occasional highway trips that may be very long (up to 1,000 km) sometimes. I usually travel with 2 adults and 1 child. I am looking for a car that can comfortably accommodate 4 adults and 1 child whenever required. My annual running is currently under 8,000 km, but it could increase significantly because there will be two drivers and an automatic car is likely to be used more. There will be one experienced driver who is comfortable with car of any size. Second driver is relatively new and gets intimidated by judging front-left corner and vehicle dimensions. I am looking for features such as rear camera that can help in significantly building confidence. I want to first look for a car in Rs. 10 lakh on-road mark but am comfortable with spending around Rs. 14 to 16 lakh if the car offers more safety, confidence and better ownership experience. I am looking for the best overall fit rather than trying to maximize budget. My priorities are reliability and hassle-free ownership, safety, easy maneuverability and confidence in city traffic. I value predictable ownership, service quality and peace of mind more than outright performance. I am comfortable with either petrol, hybrid or EV car with automatic transmission. EV seems interesting because I have a dedicated parking and home charging is possible. My area has mostly good roads with occasional monsoon-related road damage. We have taken test-drives of a few hatchbacks and compact SUVs with automatic transmissions. One thing that has became clear to me is that commanding seating position and a clearer view of road ahead significantly increase confidence, especially for the newer driver. However, we are still unsure whether this benefit alone justifies moving up from a hatchback to an SUV. Initially I thought a small hatchback would be ideal because I could pass it on to my parents after 3-5 years. However, if a slightly larger vehicle offers better safety, comfort and confidence, I would rather keep it for 5-10 years and later buy my parents a separate car. Based on the above requirements, what would be your top 5 recommendations and in what order? More importantly, which body style would you choose among premium hatchback, compact SUV, midsize SUV, hybrid SUV or EV? Which popular models you will not choose despite their popularity, and why? How much importance should I give to reliability versus crash safety while choosing a family car that will mostly be driven in the city but I make take it occasionally for long highway trips? Also, will I regret staying with a hatchback, or moving a segment up, the more sensible long-term decision for my use case?

•1h

You could consider the Hyundai Venue Turbo-petrol DCT and the Skoda Kylaq Turbo-AT. Both these are sub-4-meter SUVs with high seating positions and light controls, making them compact and easy-to-judge for new drivers. Both of these options will feel like a proper upgrade over your outgoing car in terms of build, safety, fit-finish, as well as features. Also, while performance isn't something you're concerned much about, you'll be happy to know that their turbo-petrol engines pack in good punch, which will make them perform effortlessly during your highway drives with the family.Even though with a Rs. 16 lakh budget, you could get midsize SUV or sedan options, we'd suggest you stick to these compact SUV, that will make manoeuvring and parking easy.Between the options suggested, the Hyundai car has a slight edge, particularly due to Hyundai's widespread service network.If you're open to EVs, the Nexon EV with the 45kWh battery is worth considering. It is compact, smoother than any similarly priced ICE car, and with the large battery real-world range will be good too. You can easily get a variant well within your budget.

Which tallboy diesel car without a DPF should I buy? I am 74 inches tall.

•2h

At a Rs 5 lakh budget, you'll have to look at the used car market, and we'd recommend a BS4 Maruti Suzuki Baleno Diesel.While it isn't a true tallboy, it offers ample headroom and a comfortable driving position, making it suitable for someone who is 6ft 2in (74 inches). More importantly, it uses the proven 1.3-litre DDiS diesel engine, which in its BS4 form does not have a DPF. It is also one of the most fuel-efficient and low-maintenance diesel hatchbacks available in the used market.

Maruti Suzuki Baleno

•5d

I was planning for a scooter, and my options were Burgman Street, Access and Activa, but I got to know that Honda is going to launch its maxi scooter ADV160 in India by the end of 2026 or early 2027. I decided to wait and go for it as I am very impressed with its looks and performance (seen some reviews of the Thailand and Philippines versions). Autocar team, can you help with whether it is worth the wait in terms of value for money, city and highway riding comfort and ownership?

•3h

There's no telling if a future product will meet your individual expectations regarding value for money, riding experience and overall peace of mind from an ownership standpoint. If you are interested in the Honda ADV160, we'd recommend you wait until media and ownership reviews are both out before you go ahead with your purchase to make an informed decision.If you are not comfortable with that, then pick between the proven options you have shortlisted above by taking a test ride of each scooter.

•4d

I am looking to buy a car for Rs. 11 lakh. Please suggest the best options in the automatic category. Monthly running would be around 500km in the city, with a few occasional outstation trips.

•4h

Go for the Nissan Magnite Turbo CVT. Within your budget, it offers the smoothest city drive, easy steering, and good ground clearance over speed breakers, and the motor has enough pull for relaxed outstation runs. It also feels like a proper small SUV, so you sit higher, and the boot is useful for weekend bags. Pick a mid variant, and you should stay close to Rs 11 lakh on-road in many cities.Do note that the cabin plastics feel basic, and Nissan’s service network is smaller than Maruti or Hyundai. You could also consider a premium hatchback within this budget, such as the Hyundai i20 1.2 petrol IVT. It's lighter and nimbler in traffic, with a smooth automatic, but its 1.2-litre petrol engine isn't as punchy for high-speed usage, on your occasional outstation trips.

Nissan Magnite

Hyundai i20

•5d

I own a Hunter 350 that has done 17,000km and will complete four years this December. I enjoyed the KTM 390 Adventure test ride and am also considering the Himalayan 450. Should I keep the Hunter and buy an ADV, or replace it with a Guerrilla 450?

•5h

Whether or not you want to keep your Hunter and supplement your garage or have only one bike to handle everything is a personal decision, and we'd advise you to evaluate your priorities and make that decision.What we can tell you is that the 398cc KTM 390 Adventure will be more fun than the RE Himalayan 450 with its explosive top-end rush and significantly lower weight. If you do choose to keep the Hunter, then going with a machine that's markedly different in character and from a different brand makes more sense, so you get to choose between two distinct flavours of motorcycling as and when you wish.

KTM 390 Adventure

Royal Enfield Himalayan

Royal Enfield Hunter 350