I am thinking of buying a Toyota Camry. But one concern is the ground clearance, because Bangalore's potholes and speed breakers are a nightmare.

autocar.india

•8h

Thank you for watching the Deep Drive podcast so regularly. Your concern about buying an E20 compliant car today, with the possibility of E25 or E27 becoming the base fuel, is understandable as there is a lot of noise of its ill effects on social media. Our view is that you should go ahead with your purchase and not worry too much about a higher ethanol blend in the near term. A move to E25 or beyond cannot happen overnight. Before any such decision, the impact of higher ethanol blends on vehicles not certified for them has to be evaluated and validated by a government notified agency like ARAI. This takes time and involves testing a wide range of existing cars, not just new models.While the government is pushing hard to increase the ethanol percentage in fuel, there is likely to be strong pushback from the auto industry because a sudden jump to E25 and beyond would affect millions of older vehicles on the road. Any technical assessment from agencies like ARAI is also likely to highlight the risks of moving too fast.Even if a higher blend is eventually mandated, it will most likely be in the E25 to E27 band. Modern cars like the Toyota Camry are engineered with a reasonable buffer in materials and component specifications, so they can tolerate slightly higher blends than what is officially certified.So, for your planned purchase in the next few months, you can confidently buy the Camry Hybrid now. Just stick to reputed fuel stations and ensure you use the recommended E20 fuel as far as possible.

Toyota Camry

autocar.india

•1d

Both your shortlisted cars are excellent options, but given your requirements, the Toyota Camry is the better bet. The main consideration is mileage, and there is nothing quite like a hybrid to maximise that. Toyota has been a pioneer of strong hybrid tech for decades, and the latest Camry showcases the best of that know-how, with a smooth and efficient drive that uses the e-motor regularly to save on fuel. With a total system output of 230hp, it has more than enough grunt for highway use as well.What's more, Toyota's reliability and low-maintenance reputation precede it, and you should be able to use the Camry for years without issue. Only possible downsides are that its ground clearance isn't as much as that of an SUV, and it isn't particularly exciting from behind the wheel, since you drive yourself.The Skoda Kodiaq is a good option too, especially on the driving front, with its punchy 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine and solid-feeling chassis. It's also got more space as well as better ground clearance, which should come in handy on road trips. However, on most other fronts, it can't hold a candle to the Camry, and that's especially true of mileage, which will be in single digits for the most part.

Toyota Camry

Skoda Kodiaq

autocar.india

•4h

Without knowing your annual running, it's difficult to recommend the ideal fuel type. However, for a mix of 50% city driving, 50% open roads and occasional trips to the hills, we'd lean towards a strong hybrid or a refined petrol automatic.Our top recommendation would be the Maruti Suzuki Victoris Hybrid. It fits within your ₹20-25 lakh budget, offers excellent fuel efficiency in city traffic, is smooth and refined to drive, and remains comfortable on long highway journeys. It also has a 5-star Bharat NCAP safety rating, making it a very well-rounded family SUV.If you'd rather have a conventional petrol SUV, we'd recommend the Kia Seltos Petrol IVT. It offers a refined naturally aspirated petrol engine, a smooth IVT automatic, a premium cabin and a comfortable ride. It is equally at ease in city traffic, on the highway and during occasional hill drives.If you enjoy driving and don't mind slightly higher running costs, the Skoda Kushaq 1.0 TSI Automatic is another excellent option. Its new 8-speed torque-converter automatic is smooth in traffic, while the turbo-petrol engine performs well on highways and in the hills.

Maruti Suzuki Victoris

Kia Seltos

Skoda Kushaq