I want to buy an automatic car and drive about 50 km daily in the city, with 3–4 highway trips a year. I have shortlisted the Nexon Pure+ AMT, XUV 3XO AT, Brezza AT, Amaze VX CVT, and Fronx Delta AMT. Mileage and build quality are important to me. Please advise which one would suit me best.

autocar.india

•2d

If your Ciaz is running well and you’re not in a tearing hurry to upgrade, it would be wise to wait another year or so. The market is on the verge of a significant transition, especially in the compact SUV segment you’re looking at.2027 is shaping up to be a particularly important year. Carmakers like Hyundai, Mahindra, Renault, Kia, MG and JSW Auto all have new or heavily updated compact SUVs in the pipeline. Maruti Suzuki too is expected to expand its range with a Punch rival and introduce its first strong hybrid system, likely in the Fronx.More importantly, hybrids are set to become far more mainstream. With tightening CAFÉ norms and rising fuel costs, manufacturers are increasingly positioning strong hybrids as a practical middle ground between conventional ICE and full EVs, especially in India, where charging infrastructure is still developing.There is also a steady wave of new EVs due over the next 12 to 18 months. These should bring improvements in range, charging ease and pricing, giving you a much clearer picture of how viable an EV is for your usage.Given your 7 to 8 year ownership cycle, waiting allows you to choose from a more mature and diverse set of powertrain options. It also reduces the risk of buying just before a new generation of more future-ready products arrives.

Tata Punch

Maruti Suzuki Fronx

autocar.india

•8h

With a daily running of just 10-15km, there's little benefit in stretching to a strong hybrid, and since you've shortlisted the non-hybrid Hyryder, the Seltos is the more complete package. It offers a more premium cabin, better performance from its naturally aspirated petrol engine, a stronger feature list and an overall more polished driving experience.The Toyota Hyryder still has its strengths. Toyota's reputation for reliability and aftersales support is second to none, and if long-term peace of mind is your top priority, it remains a very sensible choice. However, the non-hybrid petrol doesn't offer a significant efficiency advantage over the Seltos, so you miss out on the biggest reason to buy a Hyryder in the first place.Given your low running, we'd simply choose the SUV that you enjoy driving and living with every day. The Seltos also feels a little more modern inside and delivers a better overall ownership experience without asking you to compromise on reliability.

Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder

Kia Seltos

autocar.india

•6h

The biggest reason isn't the Rs 35,000 price increase, but the fact that you won't be able to take delivery for another two months and that your experience with the dealership has already left a bad impression. Buying a new car should be an exciting experience, and if the ownership journey has started on the wrong note, there's little reason to rush into it.By the time you're ready to buy again, you'll have more options to consider. The Honda Elevate facelift is expected to arrive soon, while the recently launched Nissan Tekton also looks promising. Diwali is traditionally a period when manufacturers and dealers offer attractive discounts and schemes, so you may be able to offset some or even all of the recent price increase.

Honda Elevate

Nissan Tekton