Mumbai

•3h

Should safety rating a major consideration for buying a car? I drive a 5 star rated car and I feel safe knowing the car I drive is sturdy and well built. Is it really safe or 5 star rating keeps my mind at peace. I feel it is not emphasized enough. Let's take Creta for example. It is the single most dominant mid size SUVs for a decade now but safety is not there as compared to seltos, Victoris, Elevate, Kushaq or Taigun. Creta still dominates. I understand it is going through a major facelift next year but why wait a decade and still do not have a 5 star rating, not even 4. Low safety rating is then but never tested is not an option. Shouldnt it be made mandatory? What are your thoughts? Thanks in advance.

•3m

While safety rating should be a consideration, whether it is major or not, depends... Safety rating is a measure of passive safety measures of the car. There are also active safety measures in the equipment. For example - Windshield defogger & wiper is an active safety feature, but a 5-star rated car can have a highly affordable variant that misses out on these features and consumers are drawn to it, since it is more affordable. Similarly, the number of parking sensors in the car or adjustable headrests. Also, one of my pet peeves is that a 5-star rated car is good, but it is of no use, if you do not use seat belts or drive on the wrong side.

•3h

@kochkarun I agree that safety rating should be an important part of the buying decision. A 5-star rating doesn't mean the car is accident-proof - it means it has shown good occupant protection in crash tests. So when choosing between similar cars, I would definitely prefer one with a proven crash-test rating over one where the safety performance is still untested.

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•7h

I’m planning to buy a new car in a budget of Rs. 22-24 lakh. I currently own a Ciaz petrol that I am planning to retain. My shortlisted cars include Tata Sierra (EV/petrol), Kia Seltos, and am also considering whether I should wait for the next-gen Creta. My daily running is around 18-30 km, mostly within the city, with occasional long trips. Since I’ll be keeping the Ciaz, I’m also considering an EV. What would make more sense in my situation amongst Sierra EV, Sierra petrol, Seltos, or waiting for the new Creta?

•4h

Given your usage and the fact that you are retaining the Ciaz, the Tata Sierra EV is a sensible choice. Your daily running is well within the comfort zone of an EV and the Sierra EV offers a genuinely premium cabin, excellent ride comfort and a spacious, lounge-like rear seat, making it a very different ownership proposition from the Ciaz.The Seltos is a strong all-rounder, but it does not offer a fundamentally different experience from the Ciaz, and you are essentially buying another petrol car for city use. Waiting for the next-generation Creta is a valid option, and if you can comfortably wait, go ahead and do so as the Creta is also expected to offer a hybrid, but it is still some time away. The Sierra EV, on the other hand, gives you a clear use-case advantage today. The only caveat with the Sierra EV is Tata's long-term reliability track record, which is still evolving. If that is a concern, the Seltos remains the safer ownership bet. But given your usage pattern and the fact that you are keeping the Ciaz, the Sierra EV is a logical and differentiated choice.

With daily city driving of 25 km and occasional highway and hill trips, I'm planning for a 1.5 NA Hyundai Creta CVT over the Kushaq 1.5 DSG. Does it make sense in 2026 august?

•10h

Yes, that is a sensible decision. With a daily city commute of 25 km and only occasional highway and hill trips, the Hyundai Creta 1.5 naturally aspirated petrol with the IVT (CVT) is the more practical choice. The IVT is smooth, reliable and well-suited for stop-start city traffic, while the naturally aspirated engine is proven and easy to live with. This Hyundai car also offers a more comfortable ride and a more spacious cabin experience, which matters over a long ownership period.The Skoda Kushaq 1.5 TSI with the DSG is the enthusiast’s choice, with stronger performance and quicker shifts, but the DSG is not as well suited to heavy city traffic, and long-term ownership can be more expensive. Given your usage pattern, the Creta is the better fit.The only caveat is timing. If you are planning to buy in August 2026, it is worth noting that an all-new Creta is expected in 2027. If you can wait a few months, it may be worth holding off for the new generation. If not, the current Creta is still a very good choice.

Hyundai Creta

Skoda Kushaq

•1d

@autocar.india, thanks for giving me clarity between the Venue and Creta. I observed that the Seltos has a better interior and have also read about its safety. Can you please help me decide between the Seltos facelift HTK(O) IVT and Creta SX(O) IVT?

•22h

Go for the Kia Seltos HTK (O) IVT. The Seltos and Creta are mechanically very similar cars that use the same engines and gearboxes, but the new-gen Seltos has a more premium interior and is larger, giving a roomier cabin, which makes it the better overall package. The HTK (O) IVT is a well-equipped variant, and the IVT gearbox is smooth and well-suited to city driving. The Creta SX (O) IVT is a higher variant, but the Seltos HTK (O) IVT still offers a strong feature set, and the overall ownership experience is very similar. The Seltos also has more modern tech inside its cabin, thanks to its new-gen electronic architecture, including high-res screens powered by Nvidia tech.

Kia Seltos

Hyundai Creta

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Popular discussions right now

•1w

I want to purchase a 7-seater SUV. My options are the Tata Safari, Mahindra XUV 7XO, and Scorpio N, and I am considering installing an aftermarket CNG kit for better fuel economy. Could you please suggest which one would be better suited for CNG?

•6d

We would strongly advise against installing aftermarket CNG on any of these SUVs. All three – the Tata Safari, Mahindra XUV 7XO and Scorpio N - are large, heavy vehicles with powerful turbocharged petrol engines. Fitting CNG to such engines is not recommended, as it can lead to drivability issues, increased wear and potential reliability concerns over time. More importantly, these SUVs are not designed with CNG in mind, and the installation can compromise safety and performance.If fuel economy is a top priority, opt for their diesel versions instead. The Mahindra and Tata offer strong torque, excellent highway efficiency and are well-suited to long-distance touring. If you are set on CNG, it is better to look at smaller, naturally aspirated petrol cars that are either factory-fitted or specifically designed for CNG use.Between the three, the XUV 7XO diesel would be our recommendation. It offers a more modern package, better ride comfort and a more premium cabin than the Scorpio N, while the Safari diesel is also a strong contender if you prefer Tata's design and feature set. But CNG should not be the deciding factor here.

I currently use a Skoda Slavia Ambition 1.0 automatic since last 4 years. Now, I am thinking of switching the car but I am confused between Honda Elevate V CVT petrol and Kia Seltos HTK iVT petrol.

•3d

Given that you are coming from a Skoda Slavia 1.0 TSI automatic, the Kia Seltos HTK IVT petrol is the more natural upgrade. The Seltos offers a noticeably larger and more premium cabin, better rear seat space and a more substantial feel overall. The IVT gearbox is smooth and well-suited to city driving, and the car feels like a genuine step up from the Slavia in terms of comfort and overall ownership experience.The Honda Elevate V CVT petrol is a solid and reliable choice, but it does not feel like as much of an upgrade from the Slavia. The cabin is not as spacious or as premium as the Seltos, and the overall ownership experience is more about simplicity and reliability than about feeling like a significant step up.The only caveat with the Seltos HTK is that it is not the most feature-rich variant in the lineup. If you can stretch to a higher variant, the Seltos becomes an even stronger recommendation. If not, it is still the better choice over the Elevate because it offers a more substantial upgrade from your current car.

I have a 2013 Honda City automatic, which is now 13 years old. I wish to change my car and buy the Tata Punch EV 40kWh for my use. My monthly running is low, at around 500 km. Would you suggest this car for my usage?

•4d

With a monthly running of around 500km, the financial case for an EV is not particularly strong, but the Tata Punch EV 40kWh can still make sense if you are looking for a modern, low-maintenance city car. This Tata electric car is compact, easy to drive and well-suited to urban use, and the 40kWh battery offers a healthy real-world range that should comfortably cover your monthly usage with minimal charging stops. However, at this level of running, the fuel savings over a petrol car will take a long time to offset the higher upfront cost of the EV. If you have reliable home charging and are keen on the EV ownership experience, the Punch EV is a sensible upgrade from your ageing City. If your priority is purely financial efficiency, a small petrol automatic like the Honda Amaze or Maruti Suzuki Baleno would be the more cost-effective choice.

Tata Punch EV

Honda Amaze

Maruti Suzuki Baleno

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Posted on: 25 Aug 2026

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