Autocar India
•14w

I live in Chennai and want a car with good performance and safety, and preferably better mileage. I am considering the Seltos HTK(O) DCT and the Kushaq 1.0 AT Classic Plus. My thought process is that I can upgrade to a bigger car after a year or so, when I sell my wife’s Venue DCT, and she can then drive the Kushaq Classic Plus. My monthly commuting will be around 1,000-1,200km, with 80% city use. Open to other suggestions as well. My budget for the Kushaq is ₹14 lakh, whereas for the Seltos it goes up to ₹18 lakh.

Verified
•14w
Choose the Skoda Kushaq 1.0 AT Classic Plus. For Chennai’s 80% city use and your budget, it delivers five-star safety and a smoother-shifting automatic. With your usage involving mostly stop-and-go driving, the Kushaq’s 8-speed torque-converter avoids the occasional hesitation of Kia’s DCT and potential clutch-pack wear. It’s easy to drive and park, and its five-star Global NCAP (adult and child) rating adds to the sense of safety. In city traffic, the smaller 1.0 TSI will also be more fuel efficient than the turbo-DCT Seltos.
The one thing you give up is outright performance. The Kia Seltos 1.5-turbo DCT makes about 160hp and feels quicker, especially above 60kph and on highways. If you value stronger performance and can stretch your budget, then consider the Kia Seltos 1.5-turbo DCT.
On the test drive, do a 15-minute crawl in traffic-like loops. Check low-speed creep smoothness and city ride comfort over speed breakers and rough patches.
Skoda Kushaq

Skoda Kushaq

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Skoda Kushaq

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Kushaq

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Kia Seltos

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Seltos

from ₹12.98 Lakh

•14w

AVOID DCT/DCA/DSG gearbox of any brand, including Seltos. They are faulty gearbox with expensive repairs.

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More questions on similar cars

•1d

Which is the best SUV to buy now or is it better to wait for 1-1.5 years since there are going to be a lot of changes in the powertrain landscape? Should I buy a hybrid or a petrol automatic SUV under a budget of Rs. 25 lakh. My daily usage is 50-60 km within the city, including heavy traffic and bad roads, along with highway travel once or twice a month. I am looking for an SUV with a good driving experience, reliability, safety, good features, and a proven track record.

Verified
•13h

With a budget of Rs. 25 lakh, daily city usage of 50-60 km in heavy traffic and bad roads, and 1-2 highway trips a month, the Maruti Suzuki Victoris Hybrid is the best fit. The hybrid system of this Maruti Suzuki car delivers excellent fuel efficiency in stop-start traffic, the ride is comfortable over broken roads, and Maruti’s service network and reliability are strong. The Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder Hybrid is essentially the same car with Toyota’s badge and service network, so choose whichever brand you are more comfortable with.There is no need to wait 1-1.5 years. The powertrain landscape is evolving, but there is no major shift expected in this price bracket that would make waiting worthwhile. Hybrids like the Victoris and Hyryder are already well-proven and deliver real-world benefits today. If you are willing to wait, however, a Kia Seltos hybrid and Renault Duster hybrid are expected to launch later this year.Between hybrid and petrol automatic, hybrid is the clear choice for your usage. Your daily city running is high, and the hybrid system will save you significant fuel costs over time while still being easy to live with. Petrol automatics are cheaper to purchase, but the fuel savings of the hybrid far outweigh that.If you want a more premium feel and stronger performance, the Kia Seltos IVT or Hyundai Creta IVT are good alternatives, but they will not match the hybrid for fuel efficiency in your usage. The Skoda Kushaq and Volkswagen Taigun are the better driver’s cars, but again, they will not be as efficient in city traffic. Overall, the Victoris Hybrid or Hyryder Hybrid are the most sensible and cost-effective choices for your usage.

VehicleMaruti Suzuki Victoris
VehicleToyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder
VehicleRenault Duster
VehicleSkoda Kushaq
VehicleVolkswagen Taigun
VehicleHyundai Creta
VehicleKia Seltos
•1d

I am planning to buy the Skoda Slavia. Should I wait for the facelift, or should I buy the Skoda Slavia Prestige 1.0-litre automatic variant? I do not want to exceed my Rs. 18 lakh on-road budget. My usage will be mostly for office commutes as well as highway drives.

Verified
•15h

The facelift is expected soon in just about 2 months or so, thus if you can we would highly recommend you to wait. The update in Skoda Slavia should bring in the new 8-speed torque converter automatic which debuted on the Skoda Kushaq as well as the upgraded AC compressor that should improve AC performance. Skoda Slavia price would rise but you would still be able to get a variant within your budget and in any case there is also a chance that once the new car arrives, there will be some unsold stock as well. Thus you could use the new cars arrival to bargain for a lower price on the older car.

VehicleSkoda Kushaq
VehicleSkoda Slavia
•4d

Hi, I'm planning to buy an SUV with a budget of 25 lakh. Which one would you recommend?

Verified
•2d

Pick the Hyundai Creta. Under Rs. 25 lakh, it's one of the most well-rounded SUVs on sale. It offers refined engine options, a comfy ride, a feature-rich cabin, and is easy to drive in the city while remaining capable on highway trips. Space is good for a family of four or five, and Hyundai’s big service reach keeps ownership simple. You also get a good safety kit and useful tech within your budget. The only catch is that it is not the most fun or the most fuel-efficient choice.If your daily running is heavy city traffic and mileage matters most, the Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder strong-hybrid makes more sense. If you enjoy driving and do more highway driving, the Skoda Kushaq 1.5 or VW Taigun 1.5 will feel more enjoyable.

VehicleHyundai Creta
VehicleToyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder
VehicleSkoda Kushaq
VehicleVolkswagen Taigun

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Popular discussions right now

•4d

Is it worth waiting for the new BREZZA, or are there better alternatives for Mumbai city use and a few random trips outside, say 2 to 3 in a year, up to Pune, Panchgani, etc

Verified
•3d

Go for the Brezza, but wait for the new model as it's just a few weeks away. The Brezza is easy to drive in traffic, rides well over broken roads and speed breakers, and the automatic is smooth and stress-free. The cabin is airy, the visibility is good, and Maruti service reach in the city makes ownership simple. For the odd Pune or Panchgani run, it feels stable enough if driven in a relaxed manner. A point to consider if you often go up the ghats with four people and luggage: the 1.5 petrol is smooth but not very strong, so overtakes need a little planning.If that bothers you, the Skoda Kylaq with the automatic is the better alternative. It feels quicker in the hills and in gaps, and the gearbox responds a bit faster, which helps both on the ghats and in stop-go Mumbai traffic. You will trade a slightly firmer ride and a lower city mileage for that extra shove.For mostly city use, though, buying the Brezza is the sensible call.

VehicleMaruti Suzuki Brezza
VehicleSkoda Kylaq
•5d

I am planning to purchase a new SUV. I have shortlisted two vehicles. Toyota Hyryder non-hybrid top model (manual) and Kia Seltos manual top model. Which one should I prefer? My daily running is very less around 10-15 kms.

Verified
•4d

With a daily running of just 10-15km, there's little benefit in stretching to a strong hybrid, and since you've shortlisted the non-hybrid Hyryder, the Seltos is the more complete package. It offers a more premium cabin, better performance from its naturally aspirated petrol engine, a stronger feature list and an overall more polished driving experience.The Toyota Hyryder still has its strengths. Toyota's reputation for reliability and aftersales support is second to none, and if long-term peace of mind is your top priority, it remains a very sensible choice. However, the non-hybrid petrol doesn't offer a significant efficiency advantage over the Seltos, so you miss out on the biggest reason to buy a Hyryder in the first place.Given your low running, we'd simply choose the SUV that you enjoy driving and living with every day. The Seltos also feels a little more modern inside and delivers a better overall ownership experience without asking you to compromise on reliability.

VehicleToyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder
VehicleKia Seltos
•3d

Hi, I am currently driving Hyundai Venue manual and am planning to upgrade. I have narrowed my search down to Honda Elevate CVT and Kia Seltos IVT. Since my usage is mostly within Bangalore and to my native place Chikmagalur (mostly ghats) once every 2-3 months. Which car is best suited for this purpose?

Verified
•2d

Pick the Kia Seltos IVT. Its refined 115hp, 1.5-litre petrol engine and the smooth CVT automatic makes it ideal for Bangalore traffic. It has enough power for your outstation drives on ghats. The Seltos also has a more premium and quieter cabin compared to the Elevate, it has more features and its a larger SUV too, so it's better suited for families. The Kia's ride is also comfortable, be it in the city or out on the highway. The Elevate CVT will be more affordable to buy and you'll also appreciate the peace of mind associated with Honda ownership. But as a package, it isn't as rounded as the Seltos. So for your use case, the Seltos IVT is the one to go for.

VehicleKia Seltos
VehicleHonda Elevate

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Posted on: 3 Apr 2026