I am planning to buy a compact SUV with a budget of around ₹20-21 lakh (on-road). I have shortlisted two models: Hyundai Creta 1.5 NA IVT SX (O) / SX Premium and Kia Seltos 1.5 NA IVT HTX. My usage will be mainly daily city driving, with occasional highway trips (around once a quarter). I have already owned a Tata car and do not want to go with Tata again due to post-sales service issues. I also took the test-drive of Toyota Hyryder but did not like its driving experience. In test drives, I preferred the Creta over the Seltos in terms of driving feel. However, I am concerned that the current Creta is based on the K2 platform, which may become outdated after the expected facelift next year, whereas the Seltos is on the newer K3 platform. Given my requirements and concerns, which car would be the better choice for me: the Hyundai Creta 1.5 NA IVT SX (O)/SX Premium or the Kia Seltos 1.5 NA IVT HTX?

autocar.india

•11h

The Kia Seltos IVT would be our recommendation. While the Honda Elevate undoubtedly offers the best value for money at current prices, there are two factors working against it in your case. First, you don't have a Honda showroom in your city, which could make routine servicing and warranty-related work less convenient. Second, the Elevate facelift is expected in the not-too-distant future, which could impact resale values of the current model.Between the Seltos and Creta, we'd pick the Seltos. It feels a little more premium inside, has a richer feature set and remains one of the best-looking SUVs in the segment. It is also newer than the Creta and therefore likely to remain fresh for longer. The naturally aspirated petrol engine paired with the IVT automatic is smooth, refined and perfectly suited to your low daily running and occasional 400km trips.

Kia Seltos

Honda Elevate

Hyundai Creta

autocar.india

•16h

You can go ahead and buy the Hyundai i20 Asta IVT now. There's no further facelift planned, and the Bayon-based crossover will be positioned much higher and closer to the Hyundai Creta in price. For mostly city use, the i20's smooth, automatic and light controls make traffic a breeze, and it fits your budget better than most compact SUVs would. You still get six airbags, a big screen, a sunroof and all the everyday comforts, and it’s fine for the odd highway run. However, the i20 doesn’t get a 360 camera, and Android Auto/CarPlay aren't wireless unless you buy a special adapter accessory.If a 360 camera is a must and you want the SUV look, the Hyundai Venue SX(O) DCT or Kia Sonet GTX+ have it, but they’ll sit well past Rs 14 lakh on-road in most cities, and their dual-clutch automatics aren’t as smooth as the i20’s CVT in bumper-to-bumper traffic.Another alternative you could consider is the Toyota Urban Cruiser Taisor Turbo Petrol V AT, which gets a punchy but efficient engine, a smooth automatic, and the features you want at around your Rs 14 lakh budget.

Hyundai i20

Hyundai Creta

Hyundai Venue

Kia Sonet

Toyota Urban Cruiser Taisor

autocar.india

•1d

Go for the Kia Seltos 1.5 petrol automatic, because it balances daily city ease with real highway stability and has a strong safety rating. For 70 km of mostly city use, its smooth IVT and light controls make it stress free, yet it does not feel floaty at speed. The latest Seltos has 5-star crash safety, six airbags on the right trim, and the braking and body control inspire confidence, which matters on highway runs. It also packs the useful stuff you will actually use every day - good cameras and sensors, a crisp screen, wireless charging, ventilated seats on higher trims - and Kia’s network and reliability record are solid now, so ownership is simple.Expect around 11-12 kpl in typical city traffic if you drive calmly, which is fair for the size. The ride is a touch firm at low speed, so sharp bumps are felt more than in a Creta, but it pays you back with better control when you go faster. Coming from a Baleno, the Seltos isn’t intimidating to park or thread through traffic, yet feels like a proper upgrade.

Kia Seltos

Hyundai Creta

Maruti Suzuki Baleno