Hi. My annual mileage is between 12,000 to 14,000 km. About 80% of that is city driving, with a daily run of 45 km. I currently own a 10-year-old Jazz petrol manual. I love the new Creta. I drove a friend's Seltos diesel automatic and loved the grunt and convenience. Now, I'm confused whether to go for the petrol CVT or diesel automatic in the Creta. I'm sceptical about DPF issues in city conditions and unsure about the future of diesel, especially since I plan to keep the car for 10 years.

A diesel engine will deliver punchier performance and better fuel efficiency, but you will have to live with a constant diesel clatter in the cabin – it won’t be as refined as petrol. More importantly, as you rightly pointed out, modern diesels need to be driven at highway speeds at least once every fortnight to prevent clogging of the diesel particulate filter (DPF).

Given your mostly city-focused usage, the Hyundai Creta or Kia Seltos 1.5 petrol with a CVT (automatic) would be a more suitable option to consider.