I currently own a Creta petrol manual 2019, driven around 85K Kms. I know not a normal petrol usage pattern, but usage turned out to be high. Now we are setting up a small-scale industry where I need a car to travel to the plant every single day for my parents, and I would visit the plant weekly. While I live in Bangalore, my parents live in a place called Tirupati. The plant would come 45 Kms to my parents, 180 Kms to me. I thought of having the creta petrol manual with my parents, and I thought of driving a diesel, but clearly looking at the current trends - I doubt a diesel and may have to think about an EV. What would you guys suggest as a second car for me, assuming that I am part of the Autocar’s core team and a friendly colleague of yours 🙂 I once decided on Creta Electric or Kia Carens Clavis Ev, clearly for the Korean tech. But not sure of its value proposition. PS: The new AAA series is just awesome. And I am an ardent fan of Autocar content. The recent episode of Hormazd with his Mum was so happy to watch.

autocar.india

•8h

Pick the Toyota Innova HyCross. It is the only one here that is easy to drive and park in the city, yet still seats 7 or 8 in real comfort on trips. The hybrid shines in slow traffic, so your running costs drop, and it feels lighter and simpler to handle than the very long Carnival. Your comfort worry is also solved. The HyCross has a roomy middle row and a genuinely usable last row, with a comfier ride than the Fortuner’s ladder-frame setup. Your family will be happier day to day, not just on highways.You also get Toyota’s service reach and resale, which answers the trust question you have with MG. That peace of mind matters over the entire ownership period. It will not feel as plush as a Carnival or Majestor inside, and yes, you will miss out on some features, but the basics are spot on. If you still want that “limo” feel and are mostly chauffeur-driven with easy parking, the Carnival can work. For mixed city use with family comfort and low hassle, go for the HyCross.

Toyota Innova HyCross

Kia Carnival

MG Majestor

autocar.india

•12h

With just 12,000 km on your 2017 Datsun Redigo, the car is still relatively fresh mechanically, but the bigger issue is Datsun’s exit from India. While basic servicing and spares are still available through Nissan, long-term parts availability and resale value will only get tougher with time. If you plan to keep the car for another 5-7 years, it is still usable, but if you are already considering an upgrade, now is a sensible time to move on before resale value drops further.Between the Maruti Baleno and the Hyundai Grand i10 Nios, the Baleno is the better upgrade. It offers a more spacious cabin, a larger boot, a more comfortable ride and a stronger resale value. The Grand i10 Nios is a good city car, but the Baleno feels like a more substantial step up from the Redigo. Go for the Baleno petrol manual or AMT, depending on your budget and driving preference.

Maruti Suzuki Baleno

Hyundai Grand i10 Nios

autocar.india

•2h

With a budget of Rs. 25 lakh, daily city usage of 50-60 km in heavy traffic and bad roads, and 1-2 highway trips a month, the Maruti Suzuki Victoris Hybrid is the best fit. The hybrid system of this Maruti Suzuki car delivers excellent fuel efficiency in stop-start traffic, the ride is comfortable over broken roads, and Maruti’s service network and reliability are strong. The Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder Hybrid is essentially the same car with Toyota’s badge and service network, so choose whichever brand you are more comfortable with.There is no need to wait 1-1.5 years. The powertrain landscape is evolving, but there is no major shift expected in this price bracket that would make waiting worthwhile. Hybrids like the Victoris and Hyryder are already well-proven and deliver real-world benefits today. If you are willing to wait, however, a Kia Seltos hybrid and Renault Duster hybrid are expected to launch later this year.Between hybrid and petrol automatic, hybrid is the clear choice for your usage. Your daily city running is high, and the hybrid system will save you significant fuel costs over time while still being easy to live with. Petrol automatics are cheaper to purchase, but the fuel savings of the hybrid far outweigh that.If you want a more premium feel and stronger performance, the Kia Seltos IVT or Hyundai Creta IVT are good alternatives, but they will not match the hybrid for fuel efficiency in your usage. The Skoda Kushaq and Volkswagen Taigun are the better driver’s cars, but again, they will not be as efficient in city traffic. Overall, the Victoris Hybrid or Hyryder Hybrid are the most sensible and cost-effective choices for your usage.

Maruti Suzuki Victoris

Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder

Renault Duster

Skoda Kushaq

Volkswagen Taigun

Hyundai Creta

Kia Seltos