I am planning to buy a car and am confused between the Skoda Kylaq Signature variant, Skoda Kushaq Classic Plus, and Kia Seltos HTE. My priority is a car with good handling, as I am coming from a Ford EcoSport and want a similar driving experience and comfort. I am willing to compromise slightly on mileage. My usage will be mostly in the city, with occasional long drives, and these options are based on my budget. Which of these would be the best choice for my requirements and why?

Autocar India

•31m

For your requirement, the Skoda Kushaq Classic Plus 1.0 TSI MT does make a lot of sense. It offers good body control and a confident feel at speed, which will feel familiar coming from the EcoSport. The 1.0 turbo petrol also has strong performance, making it easy to drive in both city and highway conditions.

The Skoda Kylaq, in a more feature-rich Signature variant, is also a very strong option. Despite being smaller, it still feels planted and confidence-inspiring to drive, so you will not feel a big drop in stability. The main difference compared to the Kushaq is rear seat space, where knee room is just about adequate for adults, while the Kushaq offers more room and better comfort for rear passengers. At the same time, the Kylaq gives you more features for your money, which makes it a very well-rounded package in this price range.

The Kia Seltos HTE is the most spacious and comfortable option among the three and the easiest to live with. It uses a 1.5 naturally aspirated petrol engine, which is very smooth and refined, making it great for daily driving. However, it does not have the same outright punch as the turbo petrol engines in the Skoda models, so it will not feel as exciting or responsive when you push it.

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Keerthivasan

•3d

I live in Chennai and want a car with good performance and safety, and preferably better mileage. I am considering the Seltos HTK(O) DCT and the Kushaq 1.0 AT Classic Plus. My thought process is that I can upgrade to a bigger car after a year or so, when I sell my wife’s Venue DCT, and she can then drive the Kushaq Classic Plus. My monthly commuting will be around 1,000-1,200km, with 80% city use. Open to other suggestions as well. My budget for the Kushaq is ₹14 lakh, whereas for the Seltos it goes up to ₹18 lakh.

Autocar India

•1d

Choose the Skoda Kushaq 1.0 AT Classic Plus. For Chennai’s 80% city use and your budget, it delivers five-star safety and a smoother-shifting automatic. With your usage involving mostly stop-and-go driving, the Kushaq’s 8-speed torque-converter avoids the occasional hesitation of Kia’s DCT and potential clutch-pack wear. It’s easy to drive and park, and its five-star Global NCAP (adult and child) rating adds to the sense of safety. In city traffic, the smaller 1.0 TSI will also be more fuel efficient than the turbo-DCT Seltos.The one thing you give up is outright performance. The Kia Seltos 1.5-turbo DCT makes about 160hp and feels quicker, especially above 60kph and on highways. If you value stronger performance and can stretch your budget, then consider the Kia Seltos 1.5-turbo DCT.On the test drive, do a 15-minute crawl in traffic-like loops. Check low-speed creep smoothness and city ride comfort over speed breakers and rough patches.

Skoda Kushaq

Kia Seltos

Hariprasad

•4d

I am planning to buy a new vehicle with a budget of ₹15 lakh (ex-showroom). My usage will be around 60-70% on highways, with occasional hill drives, while the rest will be city use, mainly on weekends, with around 30-40km of running. I prefer a manual transmission and am currently considering the Seltos. Please suggest a suitable variant for a fun-to-drive experience, or other car options.

Autocar India

•9h

For your usage, which is largely highway-focused with occasional hill drives and a clear preference for manual driving, the Kia Seltos HTK Petrol MT variant is a sensible and well-rounded choice within your Rs 15 lakh ex-showroom budget. It offers a comfortable and stable highway experience, light controls for occasional city use, and enough ground clearance to handle broken roads and hill sections without worry.However, if fun-to-drive is an important factor for you, the naturally aspirated petrol may feel a bit flat, especially on highways and inclines where you will need to work the gearbox more for overtakes.In that case, it is worth considering something like the Skoda Kushaq 1.0 TSI manual. It offers a stronger mid-range and a more engaging driving experience, which suits highway driving and hill sections better, especially for someone who enjoys being behind the wheel.So the choice comes down to what you prioritise. If you want a comfortable, easy and well-equipped all-rounder, the Seltos HTK+ works well. But if you are looking for a more engaging and fun driving experience, the Kushaq 1.0 TSI manual is the better fit.

Kia Seltos

Skoda Kushaq

Vaibhav

•3d

Hi, I am planning to buy a new car for my daily commute to office in Gurgaon (30 kms daily) and occasional highway driving (500-700 km every alternate month). As of now, I am considering only petrol automatic variants. The budget can be stretched up to 20 lakh for the right car. I am considering Duster, Seltos, and Kushaq. I enjoy driving, so I do not want a dull car, plus want some advanced features. I am considering the current ecosystem of offerings. Please suggest.

Autocar India

•1d

Pick the new Renault Duster 1.3-litre with the DCT automatic. It produces segment-leading figures of 163hp and 280Nm, and the wet-clutch dual-clutch automatic impresses with its almost torque-converter-like smoothness. It isn’t quite as engaging to drive as the Skoda Kushaq, but it makes up for it with sublime ride quality. Besides, a comparable Kushaq 1.5 TSI DSG will be closer to Rs 22 lakh on-road, as the bigger engine is only available in the top two trims. The Duster’s Techno+ trim should fit within your budget and comes very well equipped for the price.The one downside is that it is not as spacious on the inside as the Kia Seltos. If that is a priority, then consider the Seltos with the 1.5-litre turbo-petrol DCT instead.On the test drive, spend 10 minutes in bumper-to-bumper traffic to feel DCT creep, then do an 80-100kph run to check straight-line stability and cabin noise.

Renault Duster

Skoda Kushaq

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