Confused between the new Seltos IVT and DCT. I have booked the IVT. Heart says DCT, but brain says IVT. It will be primarily used for city driving and occasional highway trips, which involve ghat roads. Which transmission should I opt for? Do the new-gen DCTs have issues that were reported earlier?

Autocar India

•4d

The Kia Seltos with the 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol and IVT (CVT) gearbox, as before, is the safer bet. Given that your driving is mostly in the city, you'll find the 115hp engine is more than powerful enough, but more importantly, the gearbox is much smoother in stop-and-go traffic than the DCT.

Similarly, hill starts - such as when you encounter traffic on ghat roads - are trickier with a DCT gearbox and put more strain on it. It is tempting to choose the added performance of the turbo petrol and, if driven with care, you can work around those shortcomings of the gearbox. But all things considered, the 1.5 NA petrol with the IVT gearbox is the safer bet.

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Related questions you may find helpful

Ritz

•2d

I am looking to purchase a new SUV in exchange for my Ciaz Diesel. We are a family of five, and my usage is low and mostly within the city (350-400 km monthly) with a quarterly outstation trip (500-600 km). My main requirements are a car that has good mileage/range, a good audio system, a large boot space and high acceleration (I like quick acceleration but not necessarily at very high speeds). The Ciaz seemed perfect so far, but now it's 11 years old, and I would like to change to an SUV for better ground clearance. I prefer not to have to spend often (for cars with low upfront cost but less mileage). My preferred budget is up to ₹20 lakh. So far, I liked the Mahindra XUV 7XO and Mahindra XEV 9S for their overall drivability. However, since they both are nearly ₹30 lakh on-road in Bangalore, I was trying to look for other alternatives at a slightly cheaper cost. I have heard horror stories of Tata service and hence would prefer to avoid Tata cars (even though I loved driving the Harrier as well).

Autocar India

•6m

That's a tricky requirement as strong acceleration and good fuel economy tend to be at odds with one another. A diesel engine would be good for mileage, but none of the engines in this price range is particularly quick at accelerating. Thus, we'd recommend going for a Turbo Petrol engine, which, if driven carefully, can return a good amount of kilometres for every litre.Your best option, given your requirements, is the new Kia Seltos. It's spacious, comfortable, reliable and reasonably priced in terms of maintenance. Within your budget of Rs 20 lakh, you should be able to get the HTX T-GDi DCT variant, which also includes the excellent-sounding 8-speaker Bose premium audio system. There's also a sizeable 447-litre boot that's well-shaped and good for swallowing up a sizeable amount of luggage.

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pooja

•2d

I am planning to buy a new petrol car with a manual gearbox. My budget is around ₹13 lakh. My usage will be 70% city and 30% highway. Could you please suggest SUV options within this budget?

Autocar India

•17h

With a daily running of around 50 to 60 km, a diesel automatic makes good sense as your monthly usage will easily justify the better fuel efficiency and relaxed nature of a diesel engine.Between the two options, the Kia Seltos diesel automatic is the better choice overall. The diesel engine is refined, and the 6-speed torque converter automatic is smooth and well-suited for normal city traffic as well as highway drives.The Tata Sierra is also a strong Midsize SUV with more cabin space. But its diesel engine is noticeably noisier and less refined than the Hyundai-Kia diesel. It is also over a lakh more expensive in comparable automatic variants.For your usage and preference for an automatic, the Seltos diesel automatic is the more balanced and sensible option thanks to its refinement, smooth gearbox and lower price.

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JAYAPRAKASH

•4d

I currently own a 2018 Honda WR-V diesel manual (6-speed), which has run about 50,000 km, along with a Tata EV purchased in 2023, which has covered around 20,000 km. I have now decided to replace my WR-V with a BS6 diesel automatic car. Could you please suggest which diesel automatic model would be the best choice according to Autocar?

Autocar India

•19h

Without knowing your budget and more requirements, we can't recommend the ideal choice for you. We have shortlisted models that you should consider, and why they are of interest. Compact SUVs- Hyundai Venue: (+) Smooth diesel engine and auto gearbox combo, good interior space, upmarket interior | (-) Expensive for its size- Kia Sonet: (+) Smooth diesel engine and auto gearbox combo, upmarket interior, good value | (-) Rear seat space is limited, due to be replaced in the coming year Midsize SUVs- Kia Seltos: (+) Spacious interior, well equipped, good ride comfort | (-) Performance is adequate only- Tata Sierra: (+) Class-best space, feature-packed, tough build, ride comfort | (-) Engine feels noisy, road noise- Hyundai Creta: (+) Well equipped, decent performance | (-) Due to be replaced in the coming year

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