Delhi

•44w

I live in Bangalore. My primary use is an office commute (only 2 km) on narrow, congested roads, with occasional road trips. Our family is two adults and two children, and safety is my top priority. I want a car with strong driving experience and road presence. I previously used a Duster 110 PS and currently drive a Magnite, but am unhappy with its engine performance. My budget is ₹15 lakh, and I can stretch up to ₹20 lakh. Please suggest suitable cars.

•44w

Between Rs 15-20 lakh, the best choice for your needs would be the Skoda Kushaq 1.5 TSI with the automatic DSG gearbox.

Being a mid-size SUV, the Kushaq gets plenty of practicality, but the highlight is its powertrain that has a 150hp turbo-petrol engine and a 7-speed DSG gearbox that is quick to shift.

Also, the handling manners and chassis tuning make it enjoyable on long trips and around twisty roads. The feature list is also impressive, and you get a lot of kit for the money. The sound system is worth a mention too, and the overall build quality is excellent. The Kushaq would be the right choice and a great replacement for the Nissan Magnite.

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Skoda

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from ₹12.41 Lakh

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from ₹6.14 Lakh

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•5d

I’m considering buying a pre-owned 2021 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque SE R-Dynamic with the 2.0-litre Ingenium petrol engine and AWD. It has covered only 15,000km, was manufactured and registered in 2021, and is a BS6 vehicle. The fuel flap says “Premium Gasoline Recommended, 91”. I want to confirm whether this generation and engine are compatible with E20 petrol. Also, should I buy it? I’m looking to enter the premium SUV segment with a budget of around Rs 40 lakh.

•1d

The 2021 Range Rover Evoque SE R-Dynamic 2.0L Ingenium petrol is a BS6-compliant engine, but it is not officially certified for E20 fuel. The “Premium Gasoline Recommended, 91” label refers to octane rating, not ethanol content. In India, regular petrol is now 95 octane, so you do not need to use premium fuel unless the manufacturer specifically requires it. The bigger question is ethanol compatibility. BS6 engines were designed with some ethanol tolerance, but E20 certification only became mandatory for new models from April 2023 onwards. Land Rover has not issued a blanket statement confirming E20 compatibility for older BS6 models.Should you buy it? At Rs 40 lakh, a lightly used Evoque is a tempting entry into the premium SUV segment. The Evoque offers a genuinely premium cabin, strong performance and a distinctive design. However, ownership costs are high. Land Rover parts and service are expensive, and long-term reliability is not as bulletproof as some German rivals. If you are buying this as a weekend car or a second car, it makes sense. If this is your only car and you plan to keep it for 5-10 years, you need to be comfortable with higher maintenance costs.On E20, the reality is that most modern BS6 engines will run on E20 without immediate issues, but long-term durability is unproven. Ethanol can accelerate wear on certain rubber and plastic fuel system components over time.Overall, buy the Evoque if you want a premium SUV experience and are comfortable with higher running costs. If you want a lower-risk, long-term ownership experience, a new Kia Seltos, Hyundai Creta or Skoda Kushaq at a similar price is the safer bet.

Hi, could you please suggest first car for my family. I am confused between Skoda Kushaq, Honda Elevate and Nissan Tekton for my office commute. I am looking for a trouble free value for money product. Thanks.

•1d

For a first family car, I’d go for the Honda Elevate. It’s the most straightforward, easy-to-live-with choice here, with a proven 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine and a smooth CVT option. Honda’s established service network and reputation for durability should also appeal if hassle-free ownership is your priority.The Kushaq is the driver’s car, but its turbo-petrol engines are more complex than the Elevate’s naturally aspirated unit. The Nissan Tekton is a strong value proposition, though Nissan’s service network is not as extensive as Honda’s. And while its 1.3-litre turbo-petrol makes good power, the naturally aspirated Elevate may feel more predictable in stop-start traffic.One important update: the Elevate facelift is due to launch on October 6, just days away. It’s expected to bring styling and feature changes while retaining the same engine and gearbox options, so it may be worth waiting to see the final pricing and equipment before deciding.The Elevate may not be the most exciting SUV here, but for a family’s first car and a 65 per cent city commute, it looks like the sensible pick.

I am currently driving a Grand i10 petrol (2014 model). I would like to buy a new car under a budget of around 20 lakhs. My running is 30% on highway and 70% in the city. I want to buy a car that is comfortable for the driver as well as for the passengers. The car should be modern, feels fun to drive and is fuel efficient too. Which cars should I consider?

•2d

Coming from a Grand i10 and with a 70 percent city, 30 percent highway usage pattern, the Seltos 1.5 petrol IVT would be the best all round upgrade around your Rs 20 lakh budget. It offers a comfortable and spacious cabin, smooth automatic, good refinement and enough performance for everyday driving, while being more fuel efficient than the turbo petrol alternatives. It also feels considerably more modern than your current car without becoming difficult to drive in the city. In our testing the Seltos IVT returned 9.27kpl in the city and 14.76kpl on the highway for the petrol automatic.The Skoda Kushaq 1.5 TSI DSG would be the choice if fun to drive is more important. It is the most engaging SUV here, with strong performance and excellent highway manners, and it was also the most fuel efficient of the turbo petrol SUVs. You can get the Sportline variant with DCT in your budget.

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•2d

Hi Autocar Team, I am confused between the XUV 7XO AX7T diesel manual and automatic. My current ride is a Fluidic Verna diesel manual, which is nearing 15 years of ownership and has clocked nearly 2.5 lakh km. My usage consists of mixed city and highway driving, with around 40km daily and weekend highway runs of about 400km. For long-term ownership, which would be the better choice: the manual or automatic?

•2d

Go for the XUV 7XO AX7T diesel automatic. The diesel engine is well suited to your high running, and the automatic gearbox is a proven torque converter unit that is reliable and well matched to the engine. This Mahindra car will make your daily city driving far less tiring, while still being smooth and efficient on the highway. Coming from a 15-year-old Hyundai Verna diesel manual, the automatic will feel like a significant upgrade in terms of comfort and ease of use, without compromising on long-term reliability. The manual is still a good option if you strongly prefer the engagement, but for your usage and ownership horizon, the automatic is the smarter choice.

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•4d

I am confused between Creta SX IVT and Elevate CVT for 8000 km of annual running with long trips of 1200 km 3-4 times in a year for a family of 4. Apart from this, day to day usage is less than 100km per month. I am looking for a car for long term ownership and travel comfort.

•4d

The Creta SX IVT is the better fit for your requirement. It offers a quieter, more refined cabin, comfortable rear seats and a smoother CVT, which are particularly valuable when spending several hours on the highway with four people and luggage. Autocar's long term experience with the Creta petrol IVT also found it refined, comfortable and particularly well suited to road trips.The Honda Elevate CVT has advantages of its own. Its 220mm ground clearance, long travel suspension and large 458-litre boot make it particularly good on poor roads, while its naturally aspirated 1.5-litre engine and CVT make for a relatively simple powertrain. However, the cabin is noticeably noisier, particularly when accelerating hard, and the CVT can produce the typical rubber band effect.

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•5d

I have a budget of Rs. 16 lakh and I am getting Victoris ZXI AT and Creta S (O) iVT automatic in petrol. My monthly running is around 1000 km. Please suggest as this will be my first car.

•4d

Go for the Maruti Suzuki Victoris ZXI automatic. It is a well-rounded SUV with a reliable naturally aspirated petrol engine, a smooth automatic gearbox and Maruti's extensive service network, which makes ownership stress free. The Creta S Optional IVT is a good car, but at this price point you are getting a lower variant with fewer features, whereas the Victoris ZXI is a higher trim with a better overall value proposition. The Victoris also offers a comfortable ride, good fuel efficiency and a hassle-free ownership experience, which is exactly what you want from your first car.

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