Latest questions answered by experts

Autocar India

•48m

For mostly city use in Bangalore, 500 km a month, and as a new driver who wants safety, comfort and an easy automatic, the Skoda Kylaq 1.0 TSI automatic in the Prestige trim is a good fit. It scores a 5-star safety rating, the body feels solid, and it comes with multiple safety aids, which give peace of mind. The 1.0 turbo-petrol with the 6-speed automatic is smooth at low speeds and takes the stress out of stop-and-go driving. Ride comfort is good for our roads, and the driving position is upright with good visibility, which helps when you are still building confidence.A couple of things to note for your use. The rear seat is fine for two adults, but three across will feel tight, and the boot is okay, not the biggest. Overall, yes, for your priorities, the Kylaq 1.0 automatic suits the brief well.

Skoda Kylaq

Autocar India

•1h

If you want to move up from 2012 Micra diesel and want good mileage, strong build and value, the Tata Nexon diesel Pure+ fits your brief well.Why it suits you: coming from a diesel Micra, you will like the easy pull at low speeds. The Nexon diesel feels relaxed in city traffic and on hills, so you change gears less and it never feels strained with family on board. It also feels solid on rough roads and at speed. Also, it has a 5-star safety rating.Two things to keep in mind. The Pure+ diesel will likely cross ₹11 lakh on-road, so if 10-11 lakh is a strict on-road cap, look at the Nexon Diesel Smart+ instead.If you can stretch your budget a little, go for the Nexon Diesel Pure Plus. If not, the Diesel Pure keeps the core strengths you want and stays closer to your number. Overall, for your needs, the Nexon diesel is the right fit.

Tata Nexon

Autocar India

•1h

With 60 percent city, 30 percent highway and a bit of rough-road use, and 1,200-1,500 km a month, the Kia Seltos 1.5 diesel with the 6-speed automatic is the stronger fit for you. It pulls well from low speeds, so city drives and rural patches feel easy without pressing the pedal hard, and on the highway, it sits at speed calmly with enough power for safe passes. This automatic Kia car is a 6-speed torque-converter unit, smooth in traffic. At your monthly distance, it will also use less fuel than the petrol options.A couple of watch-outs: the diesel costs more to buy and is a bit louder at idle. If most of your city trips are very short in heavy traffic, the diesel’s particulate filter can clog over time, so plan one longer run each week to keep it clear.If your driving is mostly city and you value a quiet, easy feel, the Seltos 1.5 petrol IVT is the one to pick. The IVT feels smooth and is very relaxed in stop-go traffic. The turbo-petrol DCT offers the most performance, but the gearbox can feel a bit jerky in slow traffic.For your mix, we’d choose the Seltos diesel automatic.

Kia Seltos

Autocar India

•2h

From your requirements, we feel the Hyundai Venue HX5 diesel will suit you better than the Maruti Suzuki Victoris CNG. It fits because diesel pulls stronger at low speeds and on open roads, so overtakes are easier even with family and luggage, and you will not have to plan trips around CNG pumps, which can be fewer and have queues in smaller towns. The new Venue is also compact and easy to park on narrow streets. This Hyundai car feels steady on rough patches common around small towns in Rajasthan, and Hyundai’s service network is wide.It also looks modern inside and out, which is what you are after. Even in the HX5 trim, the quality levels are high and there are modern design flourishes inside and out that keep the Venue from looking too basic or cheap. For instance, you still get a dual screen layout which looks crisp and high tech, as well as projector headlamps and LED DRLs on the outside. The Victoris, in comparison, looks a lot more conservative in its design, even though it is a larger vehicle. What's more, even though the Victoris has a larger boot than the Venue, its rear seat space is quite similar.

Hyundai Venue

Maruti Suzuki Victoris

Autocar India

•2h

After almost a decade with your Hexa, a good idea is to replace it with a tough and powerful diesel SUV, and we'd recommend the Tata Harrier Adventure X Diesel AT. It gives you the relaxed, solid, long‑distance feel that you liked in your Hexa, but in a newer and easier‑to‑drive package.It works for you because the diesel has strong pull at low and mid speeds, so overtakes on two‑lane roads need less effort. The 6-speed automatic is the torque-converter type that uses a fluid coupling, which is known for smoothness and long life, and it does not get hot and fussy in traffic. Safety is strong too, with a 5-star Bharat NCAP rating and must‑have features like 6 airbags and stability control. Ride comfort is good, and though not quite as tough-feeling as your ladder-frame Hexa, this Tata car feels softer and more comfortable overall.If you want the option of a third row of seats, there's also the Tata Safari at a slightly higher price point, which has all the same strengths of the Harrier. There's also the XUV 7XO, which is a better all-rounder and more fun to drive, but it doesn't feel quite as solid and commanding from behind the wheel as the Harrier or Safari.

Tata Harrier

Tata Safari

Mahindra XUV 7XO