I travel around 100km daily due to my sales job. I am looking for an EV or a hybrid to reduce running costs. My main requirement is a soft suspension, as I have a history of back problems and suffer from sacroiliitis. The car will be chauffeur-driven, so excellent rear-seat comfort is essential. My budget is under ₹35 lakh, and I plan to make the purchase within the next 1 to 2 months.

Autocar India

•1d

You are right - with such high usage per month, your choice is between a diesel and a hybrid; a petrol car's running costs would be too high. Without knowing your budget, it's hard to say which segment you are looking at. But overall, while a diesel is a good option, since your usage is more in the city than on the highway, a good, strong hybrid makes more sense.For the majority of your use in the city, the car will likely run on electric power alone, with the engine only stepping in to recharge the battery. And on the highway, you have a good mix of engine power, e-power, and regeneration.Cars like the Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder, Maruti Suzuki Victoris or Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara are good options in the Rs 18-25 lakh range, but if you can spend Rs 30 lakh plus, consider the Toyota Innova HyCross, which has the added bonus of more space.If your budget is closer to Rs 50 lakh, there is the excellent Toyota Camry Hybrid, and if it is higher still, you can explore the Lexus range of luxury hybrids.

Toyota Camry

Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder

Toyota Innova HyCross

Maruti Suzuki Victoris

Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara

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Autocar India

•6m

Between the two cars, the Hyundai Creta is a good choice. It feels more premium on the inside, is more spacious, and gets a more capable 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine, which works very well in stop-and-go traffic. If you opt for the CVT variant, it is silky smooth and proves to be an excellent city companion.If you are considering the Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder and your budget allows, we would strongly suggest going for the strong hybrid instead of the standard version. Not only is it easier to drive in traffic, as it runs on the electric motor for a large part of the time, but it is also extremely fuel-efficient.This is especially important given that you will be driving close to 20,000 km a year. In real-world conditions, where you might see around 10 kpl in Gurgaon Delhi traffic in a petrol SUV, the Hyryder Hybrid can realistically deliver over 20 kpl, resulting in significant savings over time.

Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder

Hyundai Creta

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Autocar India

•44m

Out of the cars you have shortlisted, all use turbo petrol engines, and achieving double-digit fuel efficiency in a congested city like Delhi will be difficult. Your best bet for good and consistent efficiency is to opt for a naturally aspirated petrol engine.That said, whether you choose a naturally aspirated or turbo petrol, we would suggest going for the new Kia Seltos. It shares its engine options with the Creta and Alcazar, including both the 1.5 litre NA petrol and the 1.5 litre turbo petrol. Being the newer generation car, the Seltos is larger than the Creta, more spacious, better equipped, and also offers a bigger boot.Between the Seltos and the Alcazar, choose the Hyundai Alcazar if you want the captain seat option, the ability to seat more than five people, and a larger boot with the third row folded.We would not recommend the Mahindra XUV700, now called the XUV 7XO, for your usage. Within your budget, you would only get the lower variants, which are not as well-equipped as the others.More importantly, fuel efficiency could be a concern. While the 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine delivers effortless performance, achieving double-digit mileage figures, even on the highway, would require very gentle driving.

Kia Seltos

Mahindra XUV 7XO

Mahindra XUV700

Hyundai Creta

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