Hi, I own a Renault Duster petrol CVT (9 years old). My daily running is 30 km in the city and a 500 km round trip once a month. My Duster returns 7 kmpl in the city and 10 kmpl on highways. I was thinking of replacing it with the Punch EV 40 kWh, but I am worried about highway performance. Is it better to keep the Duster for highways and buy a lower-range EV for city use, or what works best?

Autocar India

•3d

We would suggest the Tata Punch EV. If your priority is the lowest possible budget while still getting a genuine 200 km plus real-world range, it is one of the easiest recommendations right now. The updated Punch EV now gets a larger battery pack option, and in real-world use, comfortably clears your 200 km requirement without needing to stretch into more expensive EVs.It also works well as an everyday city car thanks to its compact size, easy driving manners and the added practicality of SUV-like ground clearance. If your requirement is simply the most affordable EV that can reliably deliver that kind of range, the Punch EV is the cleanest fit.

Tata Punch EV

Autocar India

•14h

With 70 percent city use, some highway trips, a family of four, and a strict manual requirement, the Volkswagen Taigun GT Plus Sport 1.5 TSI manual is a good upgrade from your Maruti Suzuki Swift. However, the manual transmission on the 1.5 TSI was discontinued earlier this year and has not returned with the recent facelift. This means the car you are considering is a pre-facelift version that may have been sitting at the dealer for a while. Moreover, Rs 28 lakh also seems very steep, as the last recorded on-road price of the 1.5 GT Plus Sport MT in Chennai, as per our records, was around Rs 22-23 lakh. Haggle hard if you proceed, do a very thorough pre-delivery inspection, and push for an extended warranty.As for the vehicle itself, the 1.5 petrol with the manual is an excellent choice. It feels quick and smooth, pulls cleanly from low speeds so you do not have to shift constantly in traffic, and has strong performance for safe highway overtakes. It is not too big for city lanes, the higher seating position improves visibility, and it feels stable at speed. Cabin quality and the overall safety focus are clear steps up from your Swift.Two things to note for your usage: the clutch is heavier than your Swift’s, and fuel consumption and upkeep costs will be noticeably higher.Alternatively, you could consider the Hyundai Creta N Line manual or the Renault Duster 1.3 manual, both of which are great options for keen drivers.

Volkswagen Taigun

Maruti Suzuki Swift

Hyundai Creta

Autocar India

•18h

With 90:10 city to highway use and an upgrade from your 2015 Hyundai i20, the Maruti Suzuki Victoris strong-hybrid automatic is the best fit. In slow city traffic it can move on electric power a lot of the time, so it feels very quiet and smooth and uses less fuel. The automatic makes daily driving easy, the seat is higher than your i20 Active so you see out better, and Maruti's service reach is wide, which helps for long-term peace of mind.Know the trade-offs: the hybrid’s battery eats into boot space, and when you press hard on the highway the engine can sound loud and you may need a bit more planning for fast overtakes.If you prefer the Toyota badge, the Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder strong-hybrid gives you the same smooth city drive with a different cabin feel. If you want a sedan, look at the Honda City and pick the hybrid variant if available near you; it is very smooth and efficient in town, but the boot is smaller than the standard City. Overall, for mostly city driving, the Victoris hybrid lines up best.Renault will be out with the Duster hybrid later this year and that could be an option to consider if you're not in a rush to bring home a new car.

Renault Duster

Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder

Hyundai i20

Maruti Suzuki Victoris