Delhi

lohith s

•3w

Hi Team, I am looking for a mid-size SUV under Rs 20 lakhs with a diesel option. My usage will be 80% highway and 20% city. I was looking at the Seltos diesel version. Kindly suggest how to proceed further.

Autocar India

•3w

The new Kia Seltos diesel is a strong all-around package and a good fit for your requirements. The 1.5-litre diesel engine is refined, offers decent performance, and is pleasant to drive. The Seltos is also spacious, comfortable and well-equipped. Within your budget, you can opt for the HTK variant if you are looking at the automatic, or the HTK (O) if you prefer a manual transmission. Given that around 80% of your driving will be on the highway, it is highly unlikely that you will face any DPF-related issues.

Another diesel option worth considering is the new Tata Sierra. Compared to the Seltos, the Sierra is even more spacious, and its wider cabin makes it a very comfortable five-seater. It also scores slightly higher on comfort thanks to its plush ride quality. However, the Sierra is priced on the higher side, so variants comparable in price to the Seltos are not as well equipped, and its diesel engine is not as refined.

One factor to note is that with stricter emission norms, diesel engines are no longer as fuel-efficient as they once were. If fuel efficiency is your absolute top priority, you should also consider strong hybrid powertrains such as the Maruti Suzuki Victoris, Grand Vitara, or Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder, all of which can return over 20 kpl in both city and highway driving.

The upcoming Renault Duster is also expected to get a strong hybrid powertrain around Diwali, so that could be another option if you are willing to wait.

Explore cars mentioned

Kia

Seltos

from ₹12.79 Lakh

Maruti Suzuki

Grand Vitara

from ₹12.54 Lakh

Maruti Suzuki

Victoris

from ₹12.23 Lakh

Toyota

Urban Cruiser Hyryder

from ₹12.79 Lakh

Renault

Duster

from ₹12.23 Lakh

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lohith s

•3w

Thanks Guru

Latest questions people are discussing

Vaibhav

•5d

Hello Sir, I am looking to purchase an SUV within a budget of ₹15 lakh (on-road). Initially, the Tata Sierra was one of my preferred options, but after watching your video, I became a bit uncertain about it. Since then, I have also started considering the base petrol variant of the Harrier. I do not drive a car on a daily basis. My average monthly travel is around 400 km, and my annual usage is approximately 6,000-7,000 km. My driving is usually less in the city and more on highways. I frequently travel through the ghat sections of Pune and the Konkan region with five passengers and a significant amount of luggage. Therefore, I am looking for a car that is safe, fuel-efficient, and has relatively low maintenance costs. I would really appreciate your suggestion on which option would be the best choice for my requirements. Thank you.

Autocar India

•12h

The Tata Harrier Smart turbo-petrol MT (base) should be close to your Rs 15 lakh budget (on-road). It is a spacious 5-seater with a large boot, and its turbo-petrol has ample performance to effortlessly drive through the ghat sections with a full-load of passengers and luggage. Do keep in mind that the Harrier is a heavy car, and turbo-petrol engines are very sensitive to your driving style, so we'd advise you to keep your fuel efficiency expectations low.Alternatively, you can consider the Kia Seltos HTE(O) Turbo-petrol iMT. It is spacious, and performance is adequate, too. And being lighter, fuel efficiency is likely to be a bit better.

Kia Seltos

Tata Harrier

Kushal Yadav

•1d

I am planning to buy a Brezza CNG Zxi. I have heard a facelift is expected around April-May 2026, which may come with an underbody CNG tank and a manual 6-speed gearbox replacing the existing 5-speed gearbox. Should I wait, or should I buy right now?

Autocar India

•5h

The update is expected around April-May 2026, and there are chances that the CNG version could get improvements such as a better-packaged CNG tank, like in the Maruti Victoris and possibly a 6-speed manual. Even if the exact changes are different from what is currently expected, the facelift will at least bring cosmetic updates and feature additions.Since the timeline is quite close, waiting a few weeks will give you clarity on what the updated model offers. If the changes are meaningful, you can buy the new version. If they are minor, you can still choose the current model, often with better discounts as dealers clear older stock.Given how close the facelift appears to be, it makes sense to wait a little before buying the Maruti Suzuki Brezza CNG so you can decide with full information once the updated model is revealed.

Maruti Suzuki Brezza

Maruti Suzuki Victoris

pooja

•3d

I am planning to buy a new petrol car with a manual gearbox. My budget is around ₹13 lakh. My usage will be 70% city and 30% highway. Could you please suggest SUV options within this budget?

Autocar India

•1d

With a daily running of around 50 to 60 km, a diesel automatic makes good sense as your monthly usage will easily justify the better fuel efficiency and relaxed nature of a diesel engine.Between the two options, the Kia Seltos diesel automatic is the better choice overall. The diesel engine is refined, and the 6-speed torque converter automatic is smooth and well-suited for normal city traffic as well as highway drives.The Tata Sierra is also a strong Midsize SUV with more cabin space. But its diesel engine is noticeably noisier and less refined than the Hyundai-Kia diesel. It is also over a lakh more expensive in comparable automatic variants.For your usage and preference for an automatic, the Seltos diesel automatic is the more balanced and sensible option thanks to its refinement, smooth gearbox and lower price.

Kia Seltos

Tata Sierra

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