Bharath

•1d

I’m from Chennai. I currently own two manual petrol cars - an S-Cross Zeta (Feb 2022) that has run 40,000 km, and a Grand i10 Nios Asta (Dec 2016) that has run around 30,000 km. I’m considering whether it makes sense to sell/exchange both cars and move to a single automatic car. My usage is around 1,200 km per month, with 90% city driving and 10% highway use. Would this be a sensible move? If yes, which automatic car would you recommend in the ₹15-17 lakh budget range? Or would you recommend an EV?

Autocar India

•6m

With 1,200 km a month in Chennai and mostly city traffic, moving to one automatic is sensible if your family’s schedules work with a single car. In that use, the Tata Nexon EV Medium Range is the stronger fit in your Rs. 15-17 lakh window. It is very smooth in stop-and-go traffic, there is no clutch heat or strain, and the instant response makes gaps easy. Your monthly running suits an EV well, and if you can install a home charger, you start each day with a full “tank” and very low running costs. As your only car, the Nexon EV has enough space for a small family, rides comfortably over broken patches, and feels easy to place in tight lanes and parking. If you can stretch your budget, the Hyundai Creta EV would make for a much better EV with a better driving experience and a larger and more comfortable car.

Two watch-outs: you need a fixed parking spot with charging, and longer highway trips will need some planning around chargers.

If you would rather stay with petrol, pick the Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara automatic in a mid trim. It keeps life easy in traffic, sits a bit higher for a better view, and you already know Maruti service from your S-Cross, and if you can stretch for the hybrid, it will keep your fuel costs in check.

Overall, for city-heavy use, the Nexon EV makes the most sense.

Tata Nexon EV

Hyundai Creta Electric

Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara

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Chirajay Sharma

•2d

Kindly suggest a good EV for a 100 km daily drive in Delhi. I am considering the e-Vitara, Nexon EV, and BYD Atto 3.

Autocar India

•2d

For a daily 100 km run in Delhi traffic and heat, the Tata Nexon EV 45kWh suits your usage best among these three options. It has enough real range to finish the day with plenty left, so jams won’t stress you. It can also be conveniently charged overnight on a home wall box, and Tata’s service and public charger presence is good in NCR.It also feels easy to drive in tight streets, rides bumps well, and is more affordable than the BYD. Two things to note: highway trips still need a bit of planning for fast chargers. If you'd like a bit more range, then consider the Tata Curvv EV, which now only comes in the 55kWh variant.If you want more cabin space, stronger highway performance, and fewer charging stops through the week, then the BYD Atto 3 is the upgrade option, though it comes at a significantly higher price.Overall, for your 100 km daily city use, the Nexon EV 45kWh lines up best.

Chirajay Sharma

Kindly suggest a good EV for a daily 100 km drive in Delhi. Budget is between Rs 20-25 lakh.

Autocar India

•2d

For a daily 100 km run in Delhi with a Rs. 20-25 lakh budget, the Hyundai Creta Electric Excellence LR is the right fit. It has enough real-world range to cover a few days of running for you and still leave a healthy buffer. In our testing, it delivered a real-world range of around 432 km. Its size also makes it easy to park and weave through city traffic, the cabin feels premium and feature-rich, and the ride quality is comfortable as well. The Creta Electric was also updated recently, bringing improvements in both range and charging speeds.Downsides to note: while performance is smooth and seamless, it does not feel as powerful on the highway as some larger and more expensive electric cars. Also, it doesn't have the wow factor generally associated with new-age EVs. Alternatively, if you want something flashier, consider the Mahindra BE 6.

Hyundai Creta Electric

Mahindra BE 6

Sandeep

•3d

My running is 50 km daily in the city, mostly in traffic between Delhi and Gurgaon. Sometimes, once a quarter, I go for a long drive on the highway. Currently, I'm driving a Tata Nexon Petrol. I'm planning to upgrade my car. My budget is 12-14 lakh. Can you please advise which car is good for city rides? My preferences are 1st - safety, 2nd - features, 3rd - mileage. The car should be under 4m and an SUV.

Autocar India

•14h

With 50 km a day in Delhi-Gurgaon traffic and only rare highway trips, a compact petrol automatic suits you best. In your budget, the Mahindra XUV 3XO petrol automatic fits your brief best, as it has a 5-star crash safety rating, a lengthy feature list that includes a panoramic sunroof, and is still easy to live with in the city.It feels solid and comes with key safety tech like ADAS, multiple airbags and stability control, depending on variant. The automatic takes the strain out of driving in slow traffic, the steering is light, and the small footprint makes parking easy. You also get a rich feature set in mid trims within your budget, and it stays steady on the highway for your quarterly runs. Two trade-offs to note: the boot is smaller than some rivals, and the turbo petrol automatic isn't very fuel efficient.If you prefer to stay with a known feel, the Tata Nexon petrol automatic remains a safe, feature-rich pick. For better city mileage, the Maruti Suzuki Brezza petrol automatic is also worth a look, though it is lighter on features at this price.

Mahindra XUV 3XO

Tata Nexon

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Popular discussions right now

Soumith Uppu

•4d

I am looking for a family car and am currently confused between the Tata Punch Accomplished AMT, Maruti Fronx Delta Plus AMT, and Hyundai Exter HX6 AMT. Could you please help me choose the best option?

Autocar India

•3d

It's really hard to suggest a car without knowing a bit more about your requirements, like rear space requirements and the distance driven per month. Thus, as a good all-rounder for a small family, the Maruti Suzuki Fronx Delta Plus AMT fits your brief best. Pick this variant because it gives you the most rear-seat space and a bigger, more useful boot than the other two, so adults sit more comfortably, and you pack more for trips. It also feels light and easy to drive in traffic, and the ride is calm over rough roads, which helps passengers, especially elders or kids.Two things to note: this automatic can feel a bit slow to pick up when you press the accelerator hard, and you will miss a few fancy features that sit on higher trims. If you drive with a full load on steep hills often, you may want to try it once to see if the response suits you.If you value tough build and the best ride on broken roads above all else, the Tata Punch Accomplished AMT is the second choice. It also has a smaller footprint for tight parking and a feature-rich cabin at a price like the Hyundai Exter HX6 AMT, too. Overall, for family comfort and everyday ease, go with the Fronx Delta Plus AMT.

AVINASH PARWANI

I have booked the Kia Seltos turbo DCT. My monthly running is around 900 km, mostly in Chennai traffic. Should I wait for the hybrid version? Is it expected soon? Also, how much price difference can be expected between the turbo-petrol and the hybrid?

Autocar India

•3d

The Kia Seltos hybrid, as well as the new-generation Hyundai Creta with the hybrid tech, are both expected to arrive next year. If you can wait until then, it would be better to do so, as the hybrid would be far more fuel-efficient. As for the price difference, it's hard to pinpoint right now, but expect to pay about Rs. 50,000 extra over a turbo-petrol automatic.Thus, if the wait time and the premium are not ok with you, stick with the Kia Seltos. However, given that you are mostly driving in traffic, remember that a turbo petrol would not be very efficient, and for heavy, slow traffic, the DCT can feel a bit hesitant at crawling speeds and can run warm in long jams. The Seltos with the naturally aspirated 1.5-litre petrol with CVT is better suited to your use, as its smoother in the city, would be more fuel-efficient and would potentially be more reliable too.

Kia Seltos

Manik Walia

•1w

I want to buy a sedan. My usage will be approximately 25% city driving and 75% highway driving. My priorities are a fun-to-drive experience, good handling, strong highway stability, rear-seat comfort, and solid build quality. My budget is around ₹18-20 lakh.

Autocar India

•15h

With 75% highway use and a Rs. 18-20 lakh cap, the Volkswagen Virtus with the 1.0 turbo petrol with the manual is the best fit. It feels quick when you press the throttle, so quick passes on the highway are easy, and it stays very steady at speed with a nice, weighty steering, which makes long drives calmer. The rear seat is wide with good legroom and a well-angled backrest, so two adults will be comfortable for hours. It also feels solid inside and out, and its crash test score is strong, which matches your build quality ask.A couple of things to note: at low speeds, the ride can feel a bit firm over sharp bumps, and Volkswagen’s service reach is smaller than Maruti or Hyundai in smaller towns, so check your nearest workshop.If you want the same driving feel but a slightly richer cabin vibe, look at the Skoda Slavia with the same 1.0 turbo. It shares the core strengths of highway stability and safety, and some find its seats a touch softer.For your brief, the Virtus 1.0 manual lines up best. However, do note that a facelift is expected later this year.

Volkswagen Virtus

Skoda Slavia

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