Dear Sir, I plan to travel 1,200 to 1,500 km every month and am therefore considering the Tata Harrier EV. However, I was also interested in the XUV700, but some car mechanics said that it may start having mechanical issues after 50,000–70,000 km. What is your advice on the long-term maintenance cost of the diesel XUV700, and what are your views on the Harrier EV? Thanks.

autocar.india

•1d

Yes, it’s a good buy for your use. With just 15 km a day, a Creta SX manual suits low running well, and the SX brings the useful stuff you’ll actually feel daily - easy controls, comfy seats, a light clutch, and a smooth petrol that is happy in the city. Expect real-world city mileage in the low teens when trips are short, which is normal for a midsize SUV. The Summer Edition is mostly cosmetic, so you haven’t compromised on the basics.If yours is the petrol, you’re perfectly matched to your usage. If it’s the diesel, just take it for a longer spin every week or two to keep it healthy, since short hops aren’t ideal for diesels.The only thing to watch is heavy traffic. A manual in stop-go can get tiring over time, and make sure you don't half clutch it often, an automatic would have been easier, but not essential. Otherwise, you’ve picked a spacious, easy-to-live-with SUV that will serve you quietly for years. Enjoy it.

Hyundai Creta

autocar.india

•3h

The Tata Sierra EV is a genuinely appealing product, but your concerns about aftersales are valid. Tata has made significant improvements in service quality over the past few years, but the network still lacks the consistency of Maruti, Hyundai, Toyota or Honda. The bigger concern is that the Sierra EV is a brand-new product with no long-term ownership track record yet, so there is always a small risk of teething issues that only emerge with real-world use.If you are the kind of buyer who worries about reliability and wants absolute peace of mind, it may be worth waiting six to twelve months to see how this Tata car performs in the hands of early owners. If you are comfortable taking a calculated risk on a promising new product, the Sierra EV remains a strong choice.

Tata Sierra EV

autocar.india

•51m

No, a 2025 Hyundai Creta that is E20-compliant is unlikely to suffer a lower resale value because of ethanol blending alone, and there is no compelling reason to sell it purely over concerns about E20 fuel.The Creta's engine has been engineered to run on E20 petrol, and there is currently no official roadmap for fuel with higher ethanol content. While E20 can marginally reduce fuel efficiency and may contribute to slightly faster ageing of some fuel system components over a very long period, manufacturers have accounted for this in E20-compatible engines. Regular maintenance is far more important to long-term reliability and resale than ethanol blending.Whether it makes sense to switch depends on usage rather than fuel policy. If annual running is below 10,000km, keeping the Creta is the most sensible and cost-effective option. If most driving is in the city and there is reliable home charging, an EV can reduce running costs, but the savings need to outweigh the depreciation and replacement cost of changing cars. Factory-fitted CNG is worth considering only if annual running is high and a suitable model meets your needs. Retrofitting a CNG kit to a turbo petrol is not advisable.A well-maintained 2025 Creta should continue to enjoy strong resale value because of its popularity, widespread service network and proven ownership experience. Ethanol blending is unlikely to be a deciding factor for used car buyers over the next several years.

Hyundai Creta