Dhule

•2d

I am looking to buy my first car and am confused between the Mahindra XUV 3XO AX5L and Honda Elevate V CVT. I would appreciate some advice. I am 6 ft 2 in tall, while my wife is 5 ft 3 in. Neither of us has much driving experience apart from driving school and occasional driving, so a 360-degree camera would be very useful. My budget is Rs 14.5 lakh on-road under the BH series, which is already stretched by around Rs 2 lakh. I am looking for an automatic with good safety, a reliable engine and reasonable service costs. I do not want a sunroof, as the additional headroom would be more useful. My annual running will be around 3,000-5,000 km, with 60% city and 40% highway use. I plan to keep the car for around 15 years. My main considerations are: Mahindra XUV 3XO AX5L * I need to keep the seat almost at its lowest setting, although it slides back sufficiently. * The 360-degree camera is a major advantage. * My main concern is long-term reliability. How well will the turbo-petrol engine and torque converter automatic combination age over 15 years? Honda Elevate V CVT * I also need to keep the seat almost at its lowest setting, but it does not slide back as much as the 3XO's. * The 360-degree camera will be dealer-installed. * The naturally aspirated engine and CVT combination give me more confidence regarding long-term reliability. As I have limited driving experience, it is difficult for me to judge from a short test drive whether either seating position could cause fatigue during occasional 300-400 km journeys. For my usage, which would you choose: the XUV 3XO AX5L or the Elevate V CVT?

•4m

Go for the Honda Elevate V CVT. Your usage is low (3,000–5,000km a year), with a 60% city bias and a 15-year ownership plan, so reliability and ease of ownership matter more than outright performance. The Elevate’s naturally aspirated petrol engine paired with the CVT is a proven, simple and dependable combination that should age well over a long ownership period. It is also smoother in stop-start city traffic, which is where you will spend most of your time.

The XUV 3XO AX5L is the better value package on paper, with more features and a stronger turbo-petrol engine paired with a torque converter automatic. However, turbocharged engines are inherently more complex, and the Honda still feels like the safer long-term bet for a 15-year ownership horizon.

On the seating position, the Elevate’s cabin is slightly more accommodating for taller drivers, as it is a larger car than the Mahindra XUV 3XO. Even though the seat does not slide back as much as the 3XO’s, you will find more room inside the Elevate. The only way of really knowing if either car will cause fatigue on longer journeys is to take an extended test drive. Perhaps even rent one for the weekend if you must.

The Elevate's dealer-installed 360-degree camera will not have the highest resolution, but it will do the job. Overall, the Honda car is the more sensible and confidence-inspiring choice for your use case.

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Honda

Elevate

from ₹13.58 Lakh

Mahindra

XUV 3XO

from ₹8.85 Lakh

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•4d

Hi, good evening and greetings from Nagendra, I am in Mumbai and am planning to buy Honda City 1.5 litre but I am concerned due to speed breakers in Mumbai that are around 10 to 25 cm in height. This is especially the case in the Urban Mumbai. Please advice.

•1d

Good evening, Nagendra. The Honda City is a fantastic sedan and one of our default recommendations for buyers looking for a comfortable, reliable and refined family car. However, ground clearance is its only real weakness. The City has a ground clearance of 165mm, which is adequate for most speed breakers, but some of the larger, unscientific speed breakers in Mumbai can be a challenge, especially when the car is fully loaded.If your daily routes include particularly tall speed breakers or poorly designed humps, you will need to be careful with your approach angle and speed. The City can clear most speed breakers if you take them slowly and at an angle, but it is not as forgiving as an SUV or a crossover.If ground clearance is a major concern, you may want to consider the Honda Elevate instead. It offers a similar ownership experience, a higher seating position and significantly better ground clearance, making it much better suited to Mumbai's speed breakers. If you are set on a sedan, the Skoda Slavia and the VW Virtus do offer better ground clearance than the City.

My daily usage will be around 15-20 km, mostly in city traffic. I rarely make out-of-city trips of 60-100 km, and never beyond that. I need a car that is very spacious, has a comfortable cabin, offers good AC performance, and can handle potholes well. I am open to a bigger car, but my concern is that a smaller car is easier to drive in the city. I don't care much about boot space. Since my usage is low, I don't think fuel economy matters significantly. Can someone suggest whether I should go for the Brezza or XUV 3XO? Or are there any other alternatives in this price range?

•13h

Go for the Mahindra XUV 3XO; it is more spacious in terms of a wider cabin, and it meets your other requirements too, like the ability to handle potholes, as its suspension is quite sturdy. The only drawbacks with the 3XO are lower fuel efficiency and a smaller boot, but these are two points that are not concerns for you; thus the 3XO will suit you well. It is also more engaging to drive. The Maruti Suzuki Brezza is also a good option on over medium-sized ruts and slightly bad roads; it does offer a more plush ride. It also has a comfortable enough cabin with good AC, but we would lean towards the 3XO given that you want something very spacious and seem to be in an area with bad potholes.

Mahindra XUV 3XO

Maruti Suzuki Brezza

•2d

I’m planning to buy my first car and have a budget of around Rs 13-15 lakh ex-showroom. I also plan to register it under the BH series. Safety is my top priority, and I strongly prefer a car with a 5-star safety rating, preferably from Global NCAP. An automatic transmission is a must. The car will mainly be used for weekend family trips and highway drives rather than daily commuting. Since it will be a family car, I want something classy and elegant, with good comfort and a premium-looking interior. Leather or leatherette upholstery and ventilated seats would be nice to have, though neither is essential. At the same time, I do not want a car focused solely on comfort. I enjoy driving and would like something with a good engine, enjoyable handling and a fun-to-drive character. Good rear-seat comfort and reasonable luggage space for family trips are also important. In short, I am looking for a safe, automatic, classy and comfortable family car that is also enjoyable to drive, within Rs 13-15 lakh ex-showroom. What would you recommend?

•29m

Based on your requirements, the Kushaq 1.0 TSI automatic is the best fit. It strikes the right balance between safety, driving enjoyment and family comfort. The Skoda Kushaq has a 5-star Global NCAP rating, which addresses your top priority. The 1.0 TSI engine is punchy, and the 8-speed torque converter automatic is smooth and reliable, making it enjoyable on highways and easy to live with. This Skoda car also has a premium interior with a classy design, good rear-seat comfort and a decent boot for family trips. It is not the most spacious car in the segment, but it is adequate for a family of four and the driving experience more than makes up for it.At your budget, you will get a lower-trim model, but it will have all the basics. We would, however, recommend you increase your budget slightly; if not, you can opt for the Mahindra XUV 3XO automatic, which is a good alternative. It is one of the most spacious compact SUVs, has a 5-star safety rating and is also enjoyable to drive. The only drawback is that the boot is smaller than the Kushaq's.Overall, the Skoda Kushaq 1.0 TSI automatic is the best all-rounder for your requirements. It is safe, classy, comfortable and genuinely enjoyable to drive.

Skoda Kushaq

Mahindra XUV 3XO

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•6d

I am getting the Venue HX8 Turbo automatic for Rs. 15.40 lakh on-road, the Creta SX(O) automatic for Rs. 18.14 lakh on-road, with a discount of more than Rs. 1 lakh, and the Seltos HTK(O) IVT for Rs. 18.50 lakh on-road. My budget is Rs. 19 lakh. Which one should I buy for driving in Bangalore and occasional trips?

•6d

Go for the Kia Seltos HTK (O) IVT at Rs 18.14 lakh on-road. Your budget of Rs 19 lakh gives you enough room to get a large, spacious and well-equipped midsize SUV, and the Seltos is the sweet spot. The IVT gearbox is smooth and well-suited to Bangalore traffic, while the 1.5 petrol is refined and reliable. The HTK (O) trim is feature-rich, so you are not compromising on equipment. The Seltos also offers better rear seat space and comfort than the others, making it a better choice for occasional family trips. The Creta SX (O) might sound like better value with a few more features, but the Seltos's larger size, better quality and new-age tech push it ahead overall. The Venue HX8 turbo automatic at Rs 15.4 lakh is a good deal, but it is a segment below, and you would be compromising on space and comfort.

I am a driving enthusiast and am looking to buy my first car. I am confused between the Skoda Kushaq 1.0 TSI MT Signature and the Volkswagen Taigun 1.0 TSI MT Highline Plus. Which one should I choose?

•6d

Both the Kushaq and Taigun are mechanically identical and offer the same 1.0 TSI engine paired with a manual gearbox, so the driving experience is essentially the same. The two are also similar in price, and the main features offered are the same too. Thus, base your decision on your personal preference in terms of the styling - outside and inside - and on the deal that you are getting from the respective dealerships. Also look into the dealer reputation in your area and factor this into your purchase decision too. From a driving pleasure point of view, the two cars are essentially the same. If you are looking for an alternative, consider the Renault Duster, which also offers an entertaining driving experience.

Hello, given the DPF concerns and upcoming CAFE III regulations, with my driving pattern being 60% highway and 40% city and covering around 15,000 km annually, would a 1.5L diesel (automatic or manual) still be a worthwhile choice?

•4d

Yes, a 1.5-litre diesel is still a worthwhile choice for your usage. At 15,000 km a year with 60% highway driving, you are well within the sweet spot for diesel ownership. The DPF concerns are often overstated - modern diesels are designed to regenerate the filter during sustained highway runs, and your usage pattern is ideal for that. CAFE III regulations are pushing manufacturers towards cleaner engines, but they are not making diesels obsolete; they are simply making them more efficient and cleaner. The bigger question is whether diesel still makes financial sense. With the narrowing price gap between petrol and diesel, the payback period is longer than it used to be, but at your mileage and highway bias, it still adds up. If you are keeping the car for 5-7 years, you will see the benefit. As for automatic versus manual, go automatic if you want ease of use in city traffic; modern torque converter automatics on diesels are smooth and reliable in cars like the Kia Seltos and the Hyundai Creta. Overall, diesel is still the right choice for your usage.

Kia Seltos

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