I’m looking for a car mainly for my parents. It will be driven by both me and a driver. I’m deciding between the Honda Elevate V CVT (Rs 16.5 lakh) and the Renault Duster 1.3 Turbo DCT Evolution (Rs 17.5 lakh). I’ve ruled out the VW-Skoda twins (Taigun and Kushaq) because their rear seat backrest angle isn’t comfortable at all. I enjoy driving enthusiastically, but I’m also giving some importance to rear-seat comfort (if the difference is marginal, it can be ignored). Please help me choose, or suggest any other car that suits this category. My maximum on-road budget is Rs 18 lakh.

I am planning to buy a new car and am considering the Honda Elevate VX manual. The colour I want may be available in a month or two. In the meantime, I am wondering whether I should consider the diesel Kia Seltos HTE (O) instead. I don't commute daily and mainly use my car on weekends, sometimes with my family, for city drives and occasional picnics. However, given the rising fuel costs, I'm considering the Kia diesel. What would you suggest?

Hi team, hope you're doing well! We are planning to buy our very first car and would appreciate your advice before making a final decision. Based on our requirements, we have shortlisted three options: the Honda Elevate facelift, Kia Seltos 1.5 NA petrol (new generation) and Renault Duster 1.3 TCe 160 (new generation). We prefer a naturally aspirated petrol engine with a manual transmission, as we are looking for low maintenance, reliability and smooth everyday drivability. Safety is our top priority, including robust build quality, active and passive safety features, and stable highway manners. We also want a family-friendly car with a spacious cabin, comfortable rear seats and a good-sized boot. Our usage will be relatively low, with city driving once or twice a week and a highway road trip once every couple of months. As first-time car buyers, we also value ease of driving, predictable ownership costs and hassle-free after-sales service. The variants we are currently considering are the Honda Elevate ZX Plus MT Black Edition, Kia Seltos HTX (A) and Renault Duster Iconic. Given these priorities, which car would you recommend? Are there any specific pros and cons or long-term ownership factors we should keep in mind? We would love to hear your thoughts. Thanks for your help!

Hello, I've been looking to buy a new automatic petrol car with either a TC or a CVT transmission for a family of three. Our usage will mainly involve daily city driving in Bengaluru, with occasional highway trips of 100-500 km. So far, we have tested the Skoda Slavia 1.0 TC, Kylaq and Kushaq, Volkswagen Virtus 1.0 TC, Honda Elevate facelift (2026), Kia Sonet, Tata Punch AMT, Tata Sierra DCT and TC automatic options, and Punch EV. My wife is a beginner driver who currently drives a manual turbo sedan and a hatchback, so the car should also be suitable for her daily driving needs. Personally, I loved the Slavia for its punchy performance, handling, ride quality, softer suspension in the city and safety. However, I'm concerned about EPC errors and reliability issues. Since I already drive a turbo car, I enjoy the strong performance on highways, particularly the quick overtakes and punch. My wife, on the other hand, prefers sedate driving, although neither of us is particularly enthusiastic about driving. She preferred the Honda Elevate CVT over the Sonet. We're quite confused about which automatic to choose from these options. Please help us decide.