Autocar India
RA

Rajesh

•22h

Hi, I am currently using a 2017 Maruti Wagon R AMT, which has run around 84,000 km. I am planning to upgrade within a budget of ₹16 lakh and have shortlisted the Tata Nexon Creative Plus (1.2 DCA), Kia Sonet 1.0 GTX Plus, and Skoda Kylaq 1.0 TC. My usage will be approximately 70% highway and 30% city, mostly on weekends. My key priorities are driving comfort, safety, and real-world mileage. I would appreciate your expert advice on which option would be the best fit for my needs.

Autocar India team

Autocar India

Verified
•48m

We would suggest going for the Skoda Kylaq. With your 70 percent highway use, it is the most comfortable and fun to drive compared to the Tata Nexon and Kia Sonet. Coming from a Wagon R AMT, you will notice a big step up in how stable and secure it feels at 80-100 km/h. Also, how well it absorbs bad patches, and how smoothly the 6-speed torque converter automatic shifts without the slight jerk you sometimes feel in an AMT. The 1.0 turbo petrol also has strong mid-range pull, so overtakes are easy even with family and luggage. Safety is another strong point, and its high-speed stability stands out on long drives.

Do keep in mind that Skoda’s service network is smaller than Tata's and Kia's, and since all three are turbo petrols, fuel efficiency will not be very high. Also, the rear seat in all three cars is best suited for two adults rather than three, unlike your Wagon R.

Skoda Kylaq

Skoda Kylaq

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from ₹8.59 Lakh

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More questions on similar cars

MA

Mazda

•5d

Hi, I currently own three cars – a Hyundai Verna 1.5 Turbo DCT, Kia Carens Clavis 1.5 Turbo DCT, and Tata Altroz petrol manual. I am now planning to sell them and buy either the Hyundai i20 IVT or the Skoda Kylaq automatic. My usage is mostly city driving, around 900 km per month. Please suggest which option would be more reliable and have lower maintenance costs.

Autocar India team

Autocar India

Verified
•2d

The Skoda Kylaq is a well-rounded car. It feels a bit more engaging to drive as far as driving dynamics goes, and its turbo-petrol engine is much stronger than the i20's too. If you plan to take it on the highway too, the Kylaq will feel more effortless in comparison. Keep in mind, it rolls off from a standstill more aggressively than the i20, but you get used to it soon.The Hyundai i20 is smooth and refined, and the IVT feels seamless and very convenient for city use. Sure, performance isn't exciting like your other turbo-petrol cars, but for driving in traffic, it feels perfectly fine. Also, being a Hyundai, servicing and maintenance costs will be lower, too. In conclusion, purely as a city car, the i20 IVT does a great job; the Kylaq will be the better option if you also plan to drive on the highway.

VehicleSkoda Kylaq
VehicleHyundai i20
RA

Rajiv

•5d

I am planning to buy a car for my 22-year-old son, who will primarily be driving in the city in Mumbai. He has just learned to drive. Should I go for a new or a used car? My budget is below ₹20 lakh.

Autocar India team

Autocar India

Verified
•2d

We would recommend you shortlist the Skoda Kylaq 1.0 Turbo-AT and the Hyundai Venue N Line 1.0 Turbo-AT. Given that your son has only recently learnt to drive, it will be better to buy him a 'relatively' compact car that's both user-friendly. It has a good audio system, and at the same time has the 'cool' factor that a young driver would be looking for. Both the Kylaq and Venue N Line fit the bill. Also, the 1.0-litre turbo-petrol engines in these cars will be adequately powerful and fun to drive, without feeling overwhelming for a new driver.A hatchback alternative that you could consider is the Hyundai i20 N Line Turbo-DCT, which should cost you around Rs 14 lakh for the top-end version.All these will comfortably fall within your Rs 20 lakh budget with some cash to spare, which you could utilise to upgrade the vehicle down the line, once he has mastered the art of driving, and wants a bigger car.

VehicleSkoda Kylaq
VehicleHyundai i20
VehicleHyundai Venue

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Posted on: 14 Apr 2026