I am in a rather peculiar situation and genuinely need advice on how to move forward while keeping the right perspective. To give some background, I owned a used BMW 523i for four years and absolutely loved the experience. I eventually sold it because I moved back to Mumbai and only had access to open parking. By then, the car had also completed nearly 10 years in total. Over the last five and a half years, I have changed cars multiple times: Tata Nexon EV Prime (bought for ₹19 lakh, sold for ₹13 lakh) Upgraded to Nexon EV Max within 1.5 years (₹19.5 lakh, sold for ₹13.5 lakh) Upgraded again to MG ZS EV after 1.3 years (₹22 lakh, sold for ₹16 lakh) Finally bought a Skoda Kushaq top-end in September 2025 for ₹20.2 lakh through a good deal I do like the Kushaq, but now it feels slightly small after a new addition to the family (my baby), and my family also finds the rear seat less comfortable. At the same time, I still feel internally unsatisfied. It is not the badge value I miss, but rather the unmatched sense of satisfaction, thoughtful design, premium feel, and driving experience that I experienced with the BMW 523i and generally associate with luxury cars. I miss that feeling quite a lot. Luxury cars are beyond my ideal budget, but I could stretch financially with some sacrifices. I am seriously considering options like the BMW iX1 LWB, Mercedes-Benz CLA EV, or the Hyundai Ioniq 5 with the 84kWh battery. I feel I could manage the loan over seven years, and if I make this purchase, I would ideally want to keep the car for at least 10–15 years. At the same time, I worry about EV resale values in the long term, although luxury EVs seem to hold value slightly better than mainstream EVs. Given my situation, do you think moving into a premium EV makes practical and emotional sense, or should I hold on to the Kushaq for longer? I would really appreciate an honest perspective.

autocar.india

•5d

Go for the Honda Elevate CVT. Both the Elevate and the Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder mild hybrid use naturally aspirated petrol engines, but the Elevate’s 1.5-litre engine is more refined, and the CVT gearbox is silky smooth, making it a more relaxed car to drive in everyday conditions. The Elevate also benefits from Honda’s strong reputation for long-term reliability and low maintenance costs, which is exactly what you want from a naturally aspirated petrol automatic. The Hyryder is still a good car, but the Elevate is the more complete package for this brief.

Honda Elevate

Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder

autocar.india

•3d

Go for the Toyota Innova Hycross strong hybrid. With your daily running of 15-20 km and occasional 60-70 km trips, a diesel does not make financial sense, and the hybrid will give you significantly better fuel efficiency in city driving than petrol. The Hycross is also the more comfortable and spacious 7-seater, with a proven Toyota ownership experience and lower long-term maintenance costs. The XUV 7XO is the better driver's car, offers more features and has a more premium cabin, but for your usage pattern, the Hycross strong hybrid is the more sensible and hassle-free choice.

Toyota Innova HyCross

Mahindra XUV 7XO

autocar.india

•3d

The Audi New Q3 might be significantly more expensive than the other options you've listed. However, if you're referring to the outgoing model available at a discounted price, we'd recommend you to certainly consider it. The Audi Q3 has a strong 2.0 TSI engine, and its ride comfort is excellent too. Additionally, the all-wheel drive system makes it an able handler. So if you like to drive, this one is certainly worth considering. You'll also appreciate the cabin quality and seat comfort. And while it has the basics, some features like ventilated seats, wireless Android Auto/Apple CarPlay, powered tailgate, etc are missing.The BMW X1 will be a lot more spacious in comparison, however its turbo-petrol engine doesn't match the Audi's performance or responsiveness.

Audi New Q3

Audi Q3

BMW X1