I am from Bangalore and planning to buy a new car. My usage is around 70% highway, and my running is relatively high, so I am considering a diesel. I have already booked the Kia Seltos HTX diesel (manual), but I am now confused whether I should stick with this choice or consider the Tata Sierra Adventure+ diesel (manual) instead. Given my usage and priorities, which would be the better option?

autocar.india

•3h

Of your shortlist, it comes down to the Honda Elevate, Maruti Suzuki Victoris/Grand Vitara, or Toyota Hyryder, and finally the Kia Seltos.The Maruti Suzuki Jimny is simply not practical enough for the money, and its ride isn't suitable for touring. The Sierra's 1.5 NA petrol is its weakest engine, and the diesel is expensive, and between the Creta and Seltos, we'd pick the newer Seltos as it is more modern, larger and more spacious. And though we would recommend using the official service outlets, if you are interested in servicing the vehicle yourself, the naturally aspirated petrol manual is the best bet. The good news is that all these cars will fall comfortably within your budget, too.The Maruti and Toyota SUVs are superbly reliable and incredibly efficient, though rear-seat space is not as good as the others. The power figure is not great either, and though sufficient in the city, for your highway touring use, you might feel it wanting slightly.The Kia Seltos' 1.5-litre petrol engine produces slightly more power, but the vehicle is also heavier, so it does not feel dramatically quicker on the highway. It is larger than the others, though, offering noticeably more cabin space, better interior quality and a stronger feature list. While it costs roughly Rs 1.5 lakh more in higher trims, you do get more for your money.In terms of outright value, though, the Honda Elevate strikes the best balance. It is more spacious than the Maruti/Toyota, cheaper than the Seltos, and has the most powerful engine, which is also fuel-efficient and legendarily reliable. The 1.5-litre i-VTEC remains tractable at low speeds as well as strong enough on the highway. It is also backed by solid ride and handling dynamics. Downsides are that refinement isn't as good as the others, and even in top-spec guise, the feature set is not as good, though you do get the essentials. We would recommend the Honda over the others for your needs.

Honda Elevate

Maruti Suzuki Jimny

Maruti Suzuki Victoris

Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara

Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder

Kia Seltos

autocar.india

•8h

Go for the Kia Seltos petrol automatic for your use. With 30 km a day in the city, it is much easier to drive and park, the gearbox is smooth in traffic, and real-world fuel costs will be lower than those of the big diesel SUV. Your pattern of short, stop-go runs also isn’t ideal for modern diesels with a DPF; one highway trip a month may not always clear it. The Seltos also costs less to buy and feels nicer to live with every day.The Mahindra Scorpio N diesel automatic only makes sense if you truly need its strengths - extra seats and space, rough-road ability, and that tall, commanding feel on long trips. In town, it is heavy, thirstier, and can feel bulky over speed breakers and while parking. So, unless you regularly carry six or drive on broken roads, the Seltos fits your routine better. The trade-off is you won’t get the Scorpio N’s bad-road toughness.

Kia Seltos

Mahindra Scorpio N

autocar.india

•1d

The Kia Seltos Diesel Automatic would be the recommendation here. Coming from a Duster diesel, both the Seltos and Sierra will feel like significant upgrades, but the Seltos is the more rounded package today. The 1.5-litre diesel is refined, proven and very efficient, while the automatic gearbox is smooth and well-suited to your 60-70km daily running. It also offers a premium cabin, good ride comfort and a strong ownership experience.The Tata Sierra Diesel Automatic is certainly appealing. It offers more road presence, a spacious cabin and should be an excellent long-distance cruiser. One advantage is that its diesel engine does not require AdBlue, as Tata has achieved the latest emission norms using a different emissions control strategy. However, it is important to remember that the Sierra still has a DPF, so it isn't completely free of modern diesel emissions hardware. Fortunately, your usage pattern of 60-70km a day with regular out-of-town driving is well-suited to a modern diesel and should help keep the DPF healthy.

Kia Seltos

Tata Sierra