Chandel

•4d

I am a retired person living in Bangalore and am 6 ft tall. I am planning to buy a midsize/compact SUV in 2027. My car usage will be around 40-50 km per week, with long-distance travel once every three months. I am not concerned about mileage. My priorities are comfort, easy ingress and egress to the driver’s seat, a good music system, safety, good high-speed handling, and a boot space of more than 450 litres. Please suggest a suitable vehicle.

•4m

With your low weekly running, infrequent long trips, and no mileage concerns, a petrol automatic is the right choice. At 6ft tall, you will also appreciate a car with good headroom and a comfortable driving position.

The Tata Sierra turbo-petrol automatic is the best fit. It has a high seating position and wide-opening doors that make getting in and out very easy, and the cabin is spacious with good headroom and legroom. However, it's easy to bump your knee on the dashboard, which sticks out quite a bit, so be careful of that. The ride is comfortable, and the car feels stable at highway speeds. The 450-litre boot (622 litres when filled to the roof) is large enough for your requirements, and the Sierra also comes with a good sound system and a strong safety package.

The Kia Seltos petrol automatic is the alternative. It is a very comfortable and refined SUV with a large boot and a premium feel. It is also easy to get in and out of, and it has a good safety package. This Tata car is the better choice if you prioritise space and comfort, while this Kia car is the more premium and refined option. There's also the Renault Duster, which has the largest boot in the class, but passenger space isn't as good as the others.

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Tata

Sierra

from ₹12.87 Lakh

Kia

Seltos

from ₹12.32 Lakh

Renault

Duster

from ₹11.75 Lakh

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•3d

I’m 38 years old, earn more than Rs 1.5 lakh per month, and this will be my first car. I’m considering the Maruti Brezza, Fronx, Mahindra XUV 3XO, Kia Seltos, Hyundai Creta, and Honda Elevate. I’m currently planning to go for the Kia Seltos automatic IVT. Which car would be the most suitable for me? I’ll mainly use the car for monthly trips, with a running of around 500-1,000 km per month or every one and a half months.

•2h

Go for the Kia Seltos IVT. With your monthly running of 500- 1,000 km and usage focused on occasional trips, a petrol automatic is the right choice, and the Seltos IVT is one of the smoothest and most refined options in the segment. The IVT is well-suited to relaxed driving and delivers a seamless driving experience, especially in stop-start traffic. This Kia car also offers a premium cabin, good rear seat space, and a strong feature set, making it a very comfortable and well-rounded first car.The Hyundai Creta is the closest alternative, offering a similar mechanical package with a slightly softer ride and a more comfort-oriented character. The Seltos, however, feels a bit more premium inside and offers marginally better rear seat space. The Mahindra XUV 3XO, Maruti Suzuki Brezza, and Fronx are good value, but they are a segment below the Seltos.Overall, the Seltos IVT strikes the best balance between comfort, refinement, and long-term ownership satisfaction for your requirements.

I want to buy a diesel automatic car, and my monthly running is around 700–1,000 km. I am considering the Mahindra XUV 3XO, Tata Nexon, Kia Sonet and Kia Seltos, with a budget of Rs 13 lakh to Rs 15 lakh. Should I wait for the new Sonet, as I have heard that the facelift could be launched in the next 2–3 months? Please suggest which one would be suitable for my requirements. I mainly need practical features for everyday use.

•22h

With a monthly running of 700-1,000km, a diesel automatic is still a sensible choice, especially if you do a mix of city and highway driving. The Kia Sonet diesel automatic is a strong contender. It uses the same 1.5-litre diesel engine as the Seltos and is paired with a torque converter automatic, making it a very refined and efficient package. The Sonet is also well-equipped and has a premium feel inside. A new-generation Sonet is due, but a timeline is not clear, with our estimate being around mid-2027.The Tata Nexon and Mahindra XUV 3XO are good value options, but their AMT gearboxes are not as smooth as the torque converter automatics in the Kia. The Kia Seltos diesel automatic is a great car, but it will exceed your budget by quite some margin. Instead, consider the Kia Syros diesel auto if you want more interior room than the Sonet.Overall, the Sonet diesel automatic is the best fit for your requirements.

Hi AutoCar team, I live in Bangalore in a family of three with 2 adults and a 5 year old. My commute will be 3 days in a week with 16-16 km on the Outer Ring Road and am planning to go on weekend trips near Bangalore on highways with family luggage. I may sometimes go on hills like Ooty and Munnar but the car is not primarily for hill drives. Will a new Seltos NA IVT feel underpowered with these requirements and load conditions? Is CVT drone too much and at what speed and RPM does it become unpleasant. Also, how is it compared to Honda City CVT drone and insulation? What are the other alternatives?

•1d

The Kia Seltos naturally aspirated IVT is actually a very sensible choice for your usage. Your commute on Bangalore ORR is stop-start, and the IVT is smooth and stress-free in traffic. For weekend highway trips with family and luggage, the 1.5 naturally aspirated petrol has enough power to cruise comfortably and overtake when needed. It will not feel underpowered in normal driving, but it is not a performance engine, so overtakes require a little planning when fully loaded.CVT drone is most noticeable when you accelerate hard and hold the throttle, typically during long overtakes or on steep inclines. However, the Seltos is better insulated than the Honda City, so the engine noise is less intrusive in the cabin. In everyday driving, it is not a major issue.Alternatives worth considering are the Skoda Kushaq 1.0 TSI automatic and the Mahindra XUV 3XO automatic. The Kushaq’s turbo petrol engine offers stronger mid-range performance for highway overtakes, and the torque converter automatic is smooth. The XUV 3XO is spacious and feature-rich, but the boot is smaller than the Seltos, which matters for family trips.Overall, the Seltos IVT is a well-balanced choice for your usage. If you want a bit more performance for highway driving, the Kushaq 1.0 TSI automatic is worth a test drive.

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•4d

I am getting the Venue HX8 Turbo automatic for Rs. 15.40 lakh on-road, the Creta SX(O) automatic for Rs. 18.14 lakh on-road, with a discount of more than Rs. 1 lakh, and the Seltos HTK(O) IVT for Rs. 18.50 lakh on-road. My budget is Rs. 19 lakh. Which one should I buy for driving in Bangalore and occasional trips?

•4d

Go for the Kia Seltos HTK (O) IVT at Rs 18.14 lakh on-road. Your budget of Rs 19 lakh gives you enough room to get a large, spacious and well-equipped midsize SUV, and the Seltos is the sweet spot. The IVT gearbox is smooth and well-suited to Bangalore traffic, while the 1.5 petrol is refined and reliable. The HTK (O) trim is feature-rich, so you are not compromising on equipment. The Seltos also offers better rear seat space and comfort than the others, making it a better choice for occasional family trips. The Creta SX (O) might sound like better value with a few more features, but the Seltos's larger size, better quality and new-age tech push it ahead overall. The Venue HX8 turbo automatic at Rs 15.4 lakh is a good deal, but it is a segment below, and you would be compromising on space and comfort.

I am looking to buy a car under Rs. 22 lakh. I want an automatic transmission, a diesel or turbo-petrol engine, and a feature-loaded, stylish interior.

•6d

Go for the Kia Seltos diesel automatic. It is the most balanced choice under Rs 22 lakh. The diesel engine is strong, efficient, and well suited to both city and highway driving, while the automatic gearbox is smooth and easy to live with. If your usage is limited and you are open to a turbo petrol, this Kia car also gets the 1.5-litre turbo petrol with a DCT. The Seltos also offers one of the most feature-rich and stylish interiors in the segment, with a premium feel that stands out. This diesel car is a genuinely well-rounded package that delivers performance, comfort and a strong ownership experience.The Mahindra XUV 7XO diesel automatic is also worth considering if you need more space and a stronger feature list, but it is a larger Mahindra car and not as easy to live with in the city.Overall, the Seltos diesel automatic strikes the best balance between performance, features, and long-term ownership satisfaction.

Kia Seltos

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•2d

Suggest a car Requirements: Daily city driving in Bangalore, with lots of potholes. I am open to either an SUV or a sedan. My budget is Rs. 25-30 lakh on-road. ADAS, cruise control, and hill assist are must-have features. I want a car that offers a comfortable drive, feels luxurious, and is fun to drive. An automatic transmission is a must.

•2d

Go for the Kia Seltos 1.5 T-GDi DCT. It is the best fit for your requirements. The Seltos turbo is genuinely fun to drive, with strong performance and a well-sorted chassis that makes it enjoyable on both city roads and highways. The 1.5 T-GDi engine paired with the DCT automatic is a highlight, offering quick shifts and a responsive driving experience. At the same time, this Kia car is comfortable over broken roads and potholes, with a suspension setup that strikes a good balance between ride comfort and handling. It also feels premium inside, with a well-built cabin and a solid feature set that includes ADAS, cruise control and hill assist. The only thing to be aware of is that the DCT gearbox can feel a bit clunky in stop-and-go traffic, but overall it is a well-rounded package that delivers exactly what you are looking for. If you want something a bit larger, the Mahindra XUV 7XO turbo-petrol is a good alternative, but it will feel large and cumbersome in Bangalore city traffic, and its fuel economy is very poor.

Kia Seltos

Mahindra XUV 7XO

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