My husband bought a Hyundai Venue diesel four years ago when he used to commute to the office and take occasional long trips every quarter, with a monthly running of around 500 km. Over the last two years, its usage has reduced to only weekend drives of 30-40 km, along with occasional long trips. This has led to DPF issues, and we had to replace the DPF filter at a repair cost of Rs. 70,000. We are now looking to replace our Venue diesel with a petrol car. Please suggest a suitable alternative based on our current usage.

autocar.india

•4h

Go for the Skoda Kylaq Prestige+ AT. Your usage of 700-750 km a month with a 40:60 highway-to-city split does not justify a diesel, especially given your concerns about DPF issues and the fact that your highway runs are only once or twice a month. The Kylaq’s 1.0 TSI turbo petrol paired with the 6-speed torque converter automatic is a proven and reliable combination, and the car’s strong mid-range performance makes overtaking effortless, which you have already experienced on your test drive.Fuel efficiency is not the best and in our real world tests the Kylaq returned 8.7 kpl in the city and 13.6 on the highway when driven normally. Of course a diesel car is more efficient but for your running, the savings will not be very substantial over the life cycle of the car, especially when you factor in the lower purchase price of a petrol over a diesel. The Kylaq also offers a more engaging driving experience than the Venue, with better handling and a more planted feel on the highway.

Skoda Kylaq

Hyundai Venue

autocar.india

•2d

With 12,000-15,000km a year and mostly highway driving, your Venue diesel is already delivering excellent efficiency at 19kpl. The Syros EV will certainly reduce your running costs per kilometre, but the higher upfront cost of the electric car is significant and will take several years to recover through fuel savings alone. On highways, diesel cars remain very efficient, and the Syros diesel is already a proven, reliable package. The Syros EV is expected to embody the same strengths of the ICE model but with some improvements, but the financial case is not compelling enough given your usage pattern. Moreover, EVs are better suited to city use, and on long highway journeys, you could be dependent on the public charging network, which is not always reliable or even available. Moreover, while the Syros EV is expected to be efficient, its relatively modest 51kWh battery is likely to give a real-world range of less than 450km. Unless you have a strong desire to move to an EV for other reasons, we would recommend you stick with a diesel model for now. It is still the more sensible ownership decision in your case.

Hyundai Venue

Kia Syros EV

autocar.india

•2d

With weekend-only usage of 30-40km, you are looking at very low annual running, which means fuel savings from an electric car will take a long time to justify the higher upfront cost. In this scenario, a petrol automatic is the more sensible choice. The Maruti Suzuki Fronx automatic is a strong recommendation here. It is compact, easy to drive, reliable and has low running costs, making it ideal for occasional use. If you want something a bit more premium, the Hyundai Venue automatic is also a good option with a more refined cabin and a comfortable driving experience. If you are still keen on an EV, the Tata Punch EV is the most sensible choice. It is affordable, easy to live with and well suited to short weekend drives, but given your usage, a petrol automatic remains the more practical and cost-effective option.

Maruti Suzuki Fronx

Tata Punch EV

Hyundai Venue