Mumbai

•20h

I am looking for an SUV under company car policy with a maximum budget of Rs. 18 lakhs (ex-showroom) including insurance. On-road price is secondary. I already have two Honda City and am now looking for a petrol automatic SUV for daily commute to office and highway trips once in 3 months. I want a car that is reliable and a proper SUV. I am not looking for a compact SUV.

•16m

Pick the Hyundai Creta 1.5 petrol automatic. It meets your requirements, the mid variant will fit under your budget and it feels like a proper midsize SUV with the space, ground clearance and comfort that you won’t get in the sub-4m segment. In daily office runs, the smooth CVT automatic and light controls will make driving in traffic easy, its visibility is good. In addition, Hyundai’s service reach keeps life simple for a company car. For once-in-3-month highway trips, it cruises calmly on the highway, rides comfortably, has a big boot for bags, and the cabin is roomy enough too.

It's worth noting though that the 1.5 petrol is more about smoothness than speed, so with five people and luggage you might want more performance. Also, the fanciest features sit in the top-spec versions. But for reliability, ease of use, and total ownership peace of mind, this is the balanced choice.

Explore cars mentioned

Hyundai

Creta

from ₹12.92 Lakh

Was this helpful? Ask a follow-up

Want to sell your car?

Sell your car at the right price, without the stress.

Sell your Car

More questions on similar cars

•2d

I am planning to buy a Hyundai Creta Automatic in 2026. I am not interested in the upcoming version, as I do not like its design. However, I am confused between the petrol and diesel variants because of the government's future fuel-blending policies, such as E30, and the uncertain long-term future of diesel vehicles. At the same time, I feel diesel is unlikely to disappear completely, given its widespread use in commercial vehicles and trucks. I live in a Tier-2 city and occasionally travel to Bengaluru and Pune. I am also concerned about whether E30 fuel could cause any issues for vehicles that are only E20-compliant. Ideally, I feel the government should continue offering E20 as a standard fuel option. Considering these factors, would you recommend the petrol or diesel Creta Automatic? Kindly guide me.

•2d

About E30, using it in an E20‑compliant car is not advised but the harm will be a drop in mileage rather than major material compliance issues. Most manufacturers have material compliance for blends in the higher 20's now mainly due to the fact that this is the case in international markets (like Brazil e27) and it makes little sense to develop a separate material standard for India. Thus, pick the Creta petrol automatic, because your life is mostly tier 2 city runs with only occasional Bangalore or Pune trips, and petrol avoids the DPF fuss that modern diesels can throw up in short, stop‑go use. It is already E20 compatible, so you’re aligned with current fuel, and the petrol is quieter and smoother in traffic.Go diesel only if you drive a lot every month and do long drives of about 20 to 30 minutes and with speeds above 50 to 60kph at least once in two weeks, where the DPF will get a chance to heat up and burn off the soot.

Hyundai Creta

•1d

I currently own a 2019 Tata Hexa, and it has covered more than 1.23 lakh km. Due to the 10-year diesel vehicle policy, I need to replace it with a new SUV that offers a similar feel to the Tata Hexa. My daily commute is around 80 km, and I usually take long-distance trips twice a year. My maximum budget is Rs. 35 lakh. Considering my requirements, which SUV would you recommend as the ideal replacement for the Tata Hexa?

•1h

Go for the Tata Safari petrol automatic. It comes closest to your Hexa’s big-car feel without falling foul of the 10-year diesel rule, and it keeps you well within Rs. 35 lakh budget for a well-equipped variant. You get proper 7-seat space, a calm ride, quiet cabin and that easy, long-legged highway feel your Hexa was good at. For an 80 km daily grind, the smooth petrol and light controls make the commute less tiring, and the active safety tech is a real bonus on those two big trips each year.If you’re in NCR, skipping diesel is the right call. Just be ready for higher fuel costs than your Hexa or a hybrid - that is the one real trade-off. If you want to rein in running costs, consider the strong hybrid versions of the Toyota Innova HyCross which may not have that strong SUV feel you are looking for, but is a very competent, well built and reliable 7 seater.

Tata Safari

Toyota Innova HyCross

•22h

I own a 2012 Toyota Etios diesel. While the car is still running perfectly, I intend to upgrade to a larger car with good rear-seat space for a 6-foot-tall passenger. I need a safe, reliable and low-maintenance car that is easy for both me and my wife to drive. Most of our driving is in the city, with an occasional outstation trip once every quarter. I liked the Taigun, but it lacks rear-seat space and does not offer ventilated seats or a 360-degree camera. The Duster and Seltos seem promising, but I am not sure how future E85 fuel adoption will affect them. Could you suggest my options?

•4h

Pick the Kia Seltos. It fixes your two big issues at once: rear-seat space is noticeably better than the Taigun's for a 6-foot passenger, and higher variants offer both ventilated front seats and a 360-degree camera. It is also easy to drive in the city thanks to light controls and smooth automatics, and it keeps life simple with wide service reach and reasonable upkeep. Safety kit is solid too, with 6 airbags and ESC standard, and it achieved a 5-star rating in the Bharat NCAP (BNCAP) crash tests.Go for the 1.5 petrol with the automatic if your use is mostly city with a quarterly trip. About E85, do not worry, as this fuel is for flex fuel vehicles only, there will be a parallel supply of E20 or a slightly higher blend like E25, which will cause a drop in mileage, but the Seltos should be ok for material compliance.

Kia Seltos

View all Posts

Cars you may like

Maruti Suzuki Victoris

₹10.50 - ₹19.99 Lakhs

Hyundai Exter

₹5.81 - ₹9.46 Lakhs

MG Hector

₹11.99 - ₹19.49 Lakhs

Tata Punch

₹5.65 - ₹10.60 Lakhs

Kia Seltos

₹11.00 - ₹20.00 Lakhs

View all

Popular discussions right now

•4d

I have a 5kW solar connection at my house. I would like to buy an EV with a range of 500km+ on a full charge, within a budget of Rs 25-28 lakh. Which is the best option?

•3d

The Mahindra XEV 9S and XEV 9e would both be excellent choices within your budget. The key difference comes down to your space requirements. The XEV 9S is the one to choose if you need the flexibility of a 7-seat layout, while the XEV 9e is a 5-seater with a sleeker design and more emphasis on style. Beyond that, both models share the same battery packs and electric motors, so there is little to separate them in terms of performance, charging capability or range.While both have claimed ranges comfortably above 500km, in the real world you should expect closer to 450-470km on a full charge, depending on your driving style, speed and usage conditions. Even so, that remains among the best figures available in this price range.Your 5kW solar setup is an added advantage and should help keep charging costs very low over the long term.

Mahindra XEV 9S

Mahindra XEV 9e

•6d

I was planning to buy the Honda Amaze CVT earlier, but due to uncertainty around a higher percentage of ethanol blending, I have decided to go with the Tata Altroz diesel. But now I read that the government is also planning to blend isobutanol in diesel. Should I buy a diesel vehicle or not? Will isobutanol adversely affect diesel engines and affect fuel economy?

•3d

There is no reason to avoid either a petrol or a diesel car purely because of future fuel-blending plans.Just as modern petrol cars are being engineered to handle higher ethanol blends, any future diesel blend regulations will be accompanied by corresponding changes from vehicle manufacturers. If isobutanol blending is introduced, it will be done in a controlled manner, and vehicles sold in the market will be calibrated accordingly. There is currently no evidence to suggest that such blends would cause adverse effects on modern diesel engines when used within the prescribed limits.The more important question is whether a diesel suits your usage pattern. If your running is high and includes regular highway trips, the Altroz Diesel remains a compelling option. However, if your usage is predominantly urban, the Honda Amaze CVT is still the more sensible choice. It offers a smoother driving experience, lower complexity and none of the DPF-related concerns associated with modern diesel engines.

Tata Altroz

Honda Amaze

•3d

I am planning to purchase a new automatic car for my daughter. She recently obtained her driving license and is currently driving an automatic Tata Nano. Now that she is comfortable and confident with it, I am considering upgrading her to a larger vehicle. I am evaluating options such as the Kylaq and the Kia Sonet. However, my wife is insisting on an electric car. I am a bit sceptical about EVs, as they are not yet fully proven to be trouble‑free, and her weekly commute is around 150 km. I am also waiting for the launch of the updated Brezza, and my preference is for a torque‑converter automatic rather than a DCT. I would appreciate your opinion on electric cars, the Kia Sonet diesel, the Brezza, and which one I should go for. This car will be mostly used for city drives since I have an Ertiga manual for long trips.

•2d

Of your shortlisted cars, go for the Skoda Kylaq automatic. For mostly city use and just 150km a week, its punchy turbo petrol engine with a smooth torque converter is a great mix of fun and ease of use. Its light yet sharp steering, upright seating and compact size feel like a natural step up from a Nano, and the interior feels fresh and upmarket too.The Kia Sonet diesel automatic is quick and efficient, but a diesel engine is overkill for your daughter's limited usage. Not only is it pound-for-pound more expensive than an equivalent petrol to buy, but it also requires extra care, such as regenerating the DPF (diesel particulate filter) every so often via a high-speed run, as well as top-ups of the ad-blue tank. The Brezza is a good option thanks to its simple, naturally aspirated engine, which should deliver better fuel economy than the Kylaq. But in its current form, it's just a bit uninteresting and unenthusiastic an offering, and it's best to wait for the facelift, which is right around the corner, before making that decision.For 150 km a week, an electric car is actually ideal if you have a private parking spot with a 15A socket or a home charger. The powertrains these days are much smoother, batteries carry long warranties, and city running is silent and cheap. Upfront cost, charging access and resale value are the only real hurdles, so if you are interested, a compact EV like the Tata Punch EV is a great option.

View all Posts

Curated collections

SUVs under ₹20L

74 CARS