Hi, I am in the market for buying a compact SUV. I am a proud Kia Carens 1.5 TGDi owner as well. I have shortlisted the Kia Seltos NA 1.5 IVT (HTK or HTK(O)) to drive in Bengaluru (a lot of traffic). I personally like the new Duster as well. I have test-driven the Seltos and am yet to see the Duster in action. Being a Kia owner, I really like the new Seltos, but I have postponed the buying decision because of the Duster. I would happily choose the Techno+ or Iconic variant. My only concern is that the Duster has a DCT (wet clutch), but I am not sure about its reliability in the long run. Seven months of standard warranty gives some peace of mind, but I still have concerns about overheating issues in DCTs (like Kia’s). Kindly share your suggestions on choosing a reliable car. Thanks!

Autocar India

•14h

For your usage of around 70 km daily, running costs become very important, and since you are also hesitant about diesel due to future regulations, it makes more sense to go for the Maruti Suzuki Victoris CNG.With this kind of running, CNG will be significantly more efficient and cost-effective compared to a modern diesel. Due to stricter emission norms, diesel cars are not as efficient as they used to be, so the cost advantage over CNG is no longer as strong as before. The Victoris CNG will help you keep running costs low while still offering a smooth and reliable ownership experience.One of the usual drawbacks of CNG cars is the loss of boot space, but in the case of the Victoris, this is less of a compromise. The CNG cylinder is smartly packaged under the boot floor, where the spare wheel would usually sit, so you still retain a usable boot. The only trade-off is that the car does not get a spare wheel, and instead comes with a puncture repair kit.The Kia Seltos diesel, on the other hand, is the better choice in terms of performance and driving experience, especially on highways. But given your hesitation towards diesel and the higher running costs compared to CNG, it may not be the most suitable option for your needs.

Maruti Suzuki Victoris

Kia Seltos

Autocar India

•19h

The reason is simple. Your driving is largely city traffic with occasional family use, and in that scenario, the Seltos’ naturally aspirated petrol with the IVT automatic is the more relaxing and long-term friendly package. The Venue’s 1.0 turbo DCT is peppier and quicker, but in heavy stop-and-go traffic like your 1-hour 15-minute office commute, a DCT is not the ideal transmission if smoothness and peace of mind matter. Hyundai itself positions the Venue turbo with the 7-speed DCT, while the Seltos IVT is Kia’s smoother CVT-style automatic option.The Rs 3 lakh premium is not just buying you a panoramic sunroof. You are also getting a significantly larger and more comfortable cabin, much better rear seat space for family use, a more substantial boot and a car that simply feels a segment above the Hyundai Venue. Since you already own a Tata Punch, the Venue will not feel like a dramatic step up in size or cabin experience, whereas the Seltos will.On the length concern, yes, the Kia Seltos is noticeably bigger than your Punch, and for the first few days in city traffic, you will be conscious of that. But, this is something most drivers adapt to very quickly, especially with a rear camera and parking sensors. It is not large enough to become a burden in everyday urban use.So the real question is whether you value the extra space, comfort, and smoother automatic enough to justify Rs 3 lakh. For your usage, especially with regular traffic and occasional full family trips, we would say yes, the Seltos is worth it. If your use was mostly solo city driving and budget mattered more, the Venue would make more sense.

Kia Seltos

Hyundai Venue

Tata Punch

Autocar India

•10h

The new Duster DCT Evolution is actually a strong city plus highway package, and the fact that it uses a wet clutch DCT is a key advantage. Unlike dry clutch DCTs, wet clutch systems run the clutches in oil for cooling, which makes them smoother at crawling speeds, better at handling heat and generally more tolerant of heavy stop go traffic. So if your concern is city usability, this is far less worrying than older dry clutch DCTs.That said, it still will not be as seamless at very low speeds as a good torque converter or CVT. On the highway, though, the Duster should feel right at home because the turbo petrol and DCT combination suits open road driving very well, and the Duster has the ingredients to be an engaging driver’s SUV.Long term, the bigger question mark is not the wet clutch gearbox itself, but the fact that this is a brand new product with no long term Indian ownership data yet. Wet clutch DCTs are generally more robust than dry clutch units, but they are still mechanically complex systems, so if something does go wrong out of warranty, repairs will not be cheap. Renault’s service reach and ownership ecosystem also are not as confidence inspiring as some established rivals.If you want a more proven alternative in the same budget, the Kia Seltos HTK IVT is worth serious consideration. It falls in a similar price bracket, uses a naturally aspirated petrol with an IVT automatic that is far smoother in city traffic, and offers a much more proven long term ownership proposition. You will give up some outright performance and driver engagement compared to the Duster turbo DCT, but if reliability and fuss free city use matter more, the Seltos is the safer pick.

Renault Duster

Autocar India

•1d

It's really hard to suggest a car without knowing a bit more about your requirements, like rear space requirements and the distance driven per month. Thus, as a good all-rounder for a small family, the Maruti Suzuki Fronx Delta Plus AMT fits your brief best. Pick this variant because it gives you the most rear-seat space and a bigger, more useful boot than the other two, so adults sit more comfortably, and you pack more for trips. It also feels light and easy to drive in traffic, and the ride is calm over rough roads, which helps passengers, especially elders or kids.Two things to note: this automatic can feel a bit slow to pick up when you press the accelerator hard, and you will miss a few fancy features that sit on higher trims. If you drive with a full load on steep hills often, you may want to try it once to see if the response suits you.If you value tough build and the best ride on broken roads above all else, the Tata Punch Accomplished AMT is the second choice. It also has a smaller footprint for tight parking and a feature-rich cabin at a price like the Hyundai Exter HX6 AMT, too. Overall, for family comfort and everyday ease, go with the Fronx Delta Plus AMT.

Maruti Suzuki Fronx

Tata Punch

Hyundai Exter

Autocar India

•5d

If you are waiting for the Tata Sierra EV, the good news is that it does not seem too far away. Current indications suggest a launch could happen either later this month or in June.Expect it to slot below the Tata Harrier EV in Tata’s electric line-up, likely with multiple battery pack options and a more premium positioning than the Tata Curvv EV. Tata has also indicated that both Rear Wheel Drive and All Wheel Drive versions are planned, which should make it one of the more interesting mainstream electric SUVs in India.

Tata Sierra EV

Tata Harrier EV

Tata Curvv EV

Autocar India

•5d

With the kind of mileage you are already seeing from your 4th generation Honda City, I would not rush to fit a CNG kit. Around 16 kpl over 85,000 km is actually a healthy real world figure for a petrol sedan, and since the City is known for its smoothness and refinement, adding an aftermarket CNG kit will inevitably change the character of the car. Honda does not offer a factory CNG option for the City, so any retrofit will be third party, which means compromises in boot space, some loss in outright performance and the added variable of installation quality and long term reliability. Honda also recommends using fuel that meets the vehicle specifications, and aftermarket modifications can complicate warranty or support considerations on newer cars.A CNG conversion only starts making strong financial sense if your running is very high and you plan to keep the car for several more years to recover the kit cost. If your annual usage is moderate, the payback period can be longer than expected. The only real case for going CNG here is if fuel cost reduction is your absolute top priority. Otherwise, given how well your City is already performing, I would leave it as is and enjoy the refinement rather than fixing something that is not really broken.

Honda City