I am using a 2019 Kia Seltos 1.5 petrol Manual NA and am happy with this car. I am planning to change the car. I am considering buying the Duster hybrid now and am also considering waiting for Seltos/Creta hybrid by the end of 2027. We are a family of 3 so the current Seltos is perfect. I use an HTK variant as we are not into extra features. I am a driving enthusiast and have an inherent passion for fast acceleration, perfect handling and highly engaging car that is also easy to maintain and extremely reliable over a period of 7-years. What should I do? I also have a garage limitation of 1700mm height for any car.

Dear Autocar team, I have just returned to India and am looking to purchase a compact SUV just for the two of us for 60-40% city and highway split. I want a car that feels lovely to drive and is engineered well. I am not into "features" for the sake of it. I almost bought the Sierra/Creta EVs, then realized that I don't want to spend so much, and haven't seriously thought about highway charging. I've tried the Kushaq/Taigun and really loved their built and handling. This is when I realized that I really care about the feel of driving. Only issues are firmer suspension and fuel economy. I've also booked the Duster hybrid which should solve these two problems, but I haven't test driven the petrol Duster long enough to know if I get a similar feeling on the drive. What I did feel was a cramped cabin on the duster as my left knee was on the center console and right knee was on the door. This was not a concern with the Kushaq and Taigun. I'll try the Duster petrol again, and then also the hybrid. But I wonder if I should just get the Skoda/Volkswagen since I love them. I should perhaps think about resale, maintenance etc.

Hi, my usage is around 2400 km monthly which includes 95% running on highways with 2 long family trips annually. I have shortlisted Grand Vitara Zeta (O) AT Smart Hybrid, Seltos Diesel AT HTK+(O) and Carens DCT HTK+(O) {for 7 members who travel occasionally). I am looking for lesser running costs, better service quality and peace of mind as I tend to keep the vehicle for very long as I am close to retirement. I drive quite a lot. Also since I have been using Citroen C3 for 4 years, I expect the same wonderful suspension which is best on both highway and within city. I am not looking at EV as the upfront price is high and I don't see that I will be having huge savings considering the additional insurance cost and tire change frequency. Kindly advice.

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!