I want to replace my 2014 Petrol Amaze, which is about to complete 1 lakh km. I want to upgrade to an automatic SUV under 20 lakh. My monthly run is 800 km (80% city, 20% highway). My priorities are decent average, good safety, tough build, and standard features. Also, given my run, should I opt for petrol or a hybrid?

Autocar India

•18w

Given your limited monthly usage, you'd be better off with a petrol-automatic, rather than a hybrid. We'd recommend you shortlist the 1.5 Petrol IVT versions of the Kia Seltos and Hyundai Creta, for their smoothness and refinement, as well as their standard equipment.

If you'd like to look within the Honda family, the Honda Elevate is also an excellent option, with the only downside being its overall refinement (Noise, Vibration, and Harshness levels), which isn't as good as the other two.

Explore cars mentioned

Kia

Seltos

from ₹13.01 Lakh

Hyundai

Creta

from ₹12.78 Lakh

Honda

Elevate

from ₹13.73 Lakh

More questions on similar cars

Shashank

•1w

Hello experts, I want to know if the new Duster 1L turbo engine will be good for city driving, or if it will feel underpowered, as my driving is 85% in the city.

Autocar India

•3h

The new Renault Duster 1.0 turbo-petrol should be acceptable in the city, but it is not the most effortless choice for predominantly urban use like yours.The 1.0 turbo makes about 99hp and 160-166Nm, and the torque comes in from around 2,000rpm, so performance at low revs will feel merely adequate rather than strong. You will need to work the gearbox to keep the engine in its power band, especially with a full load or on inclines, and that can get tiring in bumper‑to‑bumper traffic. The good bit is that the clutch is light and the engine reasonably refined, so it won’t feel cumbersome or heavy in daily use.However, there is no automatic with the 1.0 turbo. It comes only with a 6‑speed manual, which is a drawback for an 85% city‑running profile. If you prioritise smoothness and ease over outright punch, an automatic CVT in this segment will suit you better.The Kia Seltos 1.5 iVT offers seamless, jerk‑free power delivery and feels very smooth and responsive in typical city driving. Similarly, the Hyundai Creta 1.5 petrol CVT, which has the same gearbox as the Seltos, is another good option. Both the Kia Seltos and the Hyundai Creta make urban driving more relaxing, even if performance is only adequate rather than exciting.

Bala

Got the creta turbo petrol 1yr back but want a bigger car, is it a good financial decision to sell the creta in 6 months and idk how much I will loose in Chennai but I heard it has good resale value, and planning to buy a bigger car like 7 seater just for driving experience, is this a good decision in overall and financial point of view and what cars can I look after selling? Got the creta for 25L on road.

Autocar India

•1d

Purely financially, it isn’t optimal to sell your car so soon, as 12-18-month-old cars take the sharpest depreciation hit. Expect a resale value of approximately Rs 20 lakh for your outgoing car - a financial hit of around 20 percent. If you still wish to satisfy your itch to upgrade to a larger car, consider the Mahindra XUV 7XO. It is thoroughly modern, and it’s a genuine size upgrade over your Hyundai Creta with a punchier engine, and the nicest drive in this class. Of course, it isn't the most spacious 7-seater out there; space in the third row is tight, but for occasional use it does the job.If you plan to use all three rows regularly, you could even opt for the Tata Safari. It is more spacious than the Mahindra, and its road presence is great too.

Atiqueul Islam

I have read the recent comments about the Duster on your website, and I am impressed by the overall rating of the Duster. I am planning to purchase the 1L turbo manual version of Duster and seeking advice on the power delivery and torque. Is it sufficient for city drives and, very occasionally, driving on highways?

Autocar India

•2d

For your requirement, the 1.0-litre turbo petrol Renault Duster should be adequate for your usage, but there are a few things to keep in mind. Although we haven’t driven this engine in the Duster yet, we have experienced it in cars like the Renault Kiger and Nissan Magnite. In those cars, the engine feels peppy and responsive, especially in city conditions.Now, the Duster is a larger and heavier car, so performance will take a slight hit compared to those smaller SUVs. However, for city driving, it should feel more than sufficient, and thanks to the turbo, it will still offer good low-end torque, making it easy to drive in traffic. On the highway, it should be able to keep up with fast-moving traffic comfortably, and overtaking should not feel stressful.That said, we strongly recommend that you test drive the 1.0-litre version before deciding. Since it is a 3-cylinder engine, you may notice some vibration at idle and hard acceleration, something we have experienced in the Kiger and Magnite.If your priority is smoothness and refinement, you can also consider options like the Tata Sierra, Hyundai Creta or Kia Seltos, which offer more refined petrol engines. However, in terms of outright punch and torque feel, the turbo Duster will still feel stronger.

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