Mumbai

Sathish Kumar reddy DONAPATI

•28w

I have been using a diesel car for the past 10 years. My daily commute is 25 to 30 km, with occasional long drives of around 300 km once a month. I want to switch to an electric car this time. Is it a good idea to buy an EV now? I am from a Tier 3 city in Andhra Pradesh, and I like feature-rich EVs. Please suggest one around Rs 25 to 30 lakh.

Autocar India

•28w

An EV certainly beats a diesel when it comes to running cost and efficiency, but the biggest trade-off, especially for you, will be the long range. Diesel cars are known for their strong one-tank range and the ability to find a diesel pump almost everywhere in the country.

An EV, on the other hand, heavily relies on route planning and charging infrastructure. While the network of chargers is increasing by the day, it is still nowhere close to the availability of fuel pumps, and the charging times are a lot slower in comparison to a fill-up.

So if you need one for your daily commute, the electric car will be excellent as it is refined and cheaper to run, but for your outstation trips, you will need to do a fair bit of planning and check for chargers on your route and factor in the waiting time as well.

If you go for an EV, a home charger is absolutely essential, and it is also important to note for voltage fluctuations. Tier 3 cities usually have frequent power cuts, and high demand leads to a load on the power grids, which can mean the charger does not have enough juice to charge your car.

If everything checks out, though, the Hyundai Creta electric is an excellent package that has good range, all the essential features and is great for occasional long trips too. If not, this Hyundai car also has a very good diesel engine with the same features and equipment as the Electric, and will take away most of the EV downsides.

Explore cars mentioned

Hyundai

Creta Electric

from ₹19.09 Lakh

Want to sell your car?

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

Sell your Car

More questions on similar cars

Charan

•1d

I drive a 2017 Creta, and I find its suspension super cool on bad roads and when driving fast on them. Now I am looking for a similar or better suspension car for EV. Budget is 20L, and for ICE 16L. Plz advise.

Autocar India

•16h

Since your priority is a good ride for your EV, pick the Hyundai Creta Electric. The suspension is stiffer than the ICE version’s to support the extra weight, but remarkably, it doesn’t translate into a crashy or uncomfortable ride experience. You can feel some firmness at low speeds, but road shocks are still well in check, and what’s nice is that the stiffness has eliminated unnecessary (secondary) body movements, and even at highway speeds, the Creta Electric doesn’t lose its composure. If a pure cushy feel is your only goal, then the Citroen eC3 rides even softer, but it’s smaller, slower and not as settled at higher speeds as the Creta. As for your ICE vehicle, we would recommend you look at the Mahindra XUV 3XO, which offers very good damping, so it stays composed on craters and doesn’t float when you’re quick over bad patches. Steering and stability inspire more confidence than most small SUVs in this price. The trade-off is size - cabin and boot are smaller than your Creta.

Hyundai Creta Electric

Citroen eC3

Mahindra XUV 3XO

Avinash Dasari

•2d

I am planning to purchase an EV with a budget of up to Rs. 26 lakh. Could you please suggest the best options available in this price range?

Autocar India

•1d

Its hard to recommend a car without knowing a few of your specific requirements like rear seat space, who will drive, city of highway use etc. However as an all-rounder go for the Hyundai Creta EV. Under Rs. 26 lakh, it gives you the most balanced mix of real-world range, everyday comfort and space, lots of features and a wide service footprint. It fits city life well with its easy size and smooth drive, and still does weekend highway runs without stress. The larger 51kWh battery will give you a real world range just over 400kms and if your driving is not a lot each day, you could even opt for the lower battery size model which would give you a real world range of about 250 to 300kms.

Hyundai Creta Electric

•5d

I recently took delivery of a new Tata Punch facelift. While driving, I noticed a burning smell inside the cabin and white smoke coming from under the bonnet. The smoke disappeared after some time, but the smell lingered. I was driving in heavy traffic and may have used the half-clutch frequently. Could this be normal for a new car, or should I get it checked?

Autocar India

•21h

Get it checked soon, because visible smoke under the bonnet is not normal, even if it went away. In bumper-to-bumper traffic, riding the clutch can overheat it, which gives a strong acrid burning smell and can even cause brief white smoke from the gearbox housing area. The smell often lingers, so your half-clutch use fits the story. But have the workshop inspect the car and the clutch for overheating, also rule out a fluid drip onto a hot part, a bit of plastic stuck on the exhaust, or any wiring insulation getting cooked. Quickly check coolant and engine oil levels at home; if you see smoke again or any warning light, park up and call Tata RSA instead of driving.

Tata Punch

View all Posts

Expert reviews worth reading

HyundaiCreta Electric

Read expert review

Popular discussions right now

Balaji

•4d

I am looking to buy a 6/7-seater EV. My primary usage will be as a 4-seater, with occasional 6-seater use. I will mainly drive it in the city for my daily office commute and undertake long-distance trips of around 500 km once every two months. I have a solar setup at home and can charge the vehicle comfortably. My budget is Rs 30-40 lakh, although I can stretch it slightly if required.

Autocar India

•4d

You should go for the Mahindra XEV 9S. It's a proper three-row EV, and it fits your use case perfectly. With home solar charging, your running costs are very low, and the smooth, quiet drive is just right for city runs as a 4-seater. When you do need six or seven seats, the third row is reasonably spacious, and for your 500 km trip every couple of months, you’ll need just one quick top-up at a highway charger.Do note that with all three rows up, boot space is tight, so your highway trips will require some planning.Alternatively, consider the Kia Carens Clavis EV. It isn't as feature-rich and doesn't have as much range as the XEV 9S, but its third row is more comfortable for adults.

Mahindra XEV 9S

Kia Carens Clavis EV

Anshuman Mishra

•5d

I am planning to buy an automatic car for my family and am confused between the Kia Sonet and the Skoda Kylaq. Could you please advise which one would be the better choice and explain the pros and cons of each?

Autocar India

•4d

Skoda Kylaq is the better family automatic, mainly because it gives you a bit more cabin and boot space and a calmer ride over bad roads. It feels more secure at highway speeds with a full load, and its turbo engine with the automatic pulls cleanly, so hills and quick overtakes are easy even with the AC on. The petrol Kylaq automatic uses a torque convertor gearbox which is also smoother than the dual clutch unit on the Sonet so it would fare better in city traffic. Kia Sonet makes sense if you want more features and need Kia’s service reach which is wider. For weekend trips with four on board it will do the job too, but rear seat width and long-journey comfort are not its strong points and within a year it will get a major update, thus buying it now would not be ideal.

Skoda Kylaq

Kia Sonet

Sandeep

•3d

I want to buy a car under Rs 12 lakh. It should be a petrol automatic and will be my first car. I need good ground clearance, a good engine and gearbox combination for 70% city and 30% highway use, and my daily running is around 30 km in Bengaluru traffic. Comfort, space, decent fuel efficiency, ease of driving, and long-term ownership are important to me. I do not want a Fronx, Baleno, i20, Exter, Punch, or Nexon. Please suggest a value-for-money option. Thank you.

Autocar India

•3d

Given your exclusions, the Skoda Kylaq automatic would be our first recommendation. Specifically, the Signature automatic is if you can stretch slightly. The 1.0 TSI turbo petrol and torque converter automatic are a very good combination for Bangalore traffic. The gearbox is smooth, the engine has enough punch for highway overtakes, and the car feels more premium and substantial than most options in this price range. Ground clearance is good, it is easy to drive, and it has the solid feel that many first-time buyers appreciate.Another strong option is the Mahindra XUV 3XO MX2 Pro automatic. It has a wider rear seat, feels bigger inside and is one of the most spacious compact SUVs in the segment. The torque converter automatic is smooth, and it is comfortable for city use. The downside is that fuel efficiency is not that great, and the boot is on the smaller side.If you are willing to consider a sedan, the Honda Amaze CVT is also worth a look. The CVT is exceptionally smooth in traffic, reliability is excellent, and it is the kind of car you can comfortably keep for a decade. The only reason it is not our primary recommendation is that you specifically mentioned wanting good ground clearance.

Skoda Kylaq

Mahindra XUV 3XO

Honda Amaze

View all Posts

New car launches to explore