I need to buy a new car and am confused between the Skoda Kylq and the Kia Sonet. It will be used only in the city and driven by the owner. Please advise.

Autocar India

•2h

Given you drive 100 km a day and mostly on the highway, the Kia Sonet diesel automatic fits your use case better. The torquier diesel engine means it pulls effortlessly, so overtakes are easy and it cruises calmly for long stretches. The Sonet is also a proper, smooth torque converter automatic compared to the Punch's AMT, so it'll be more seamless to drive with fewer jerks and less effort in slow traffic. On long runs, the diesel’s bigger tank gives a longer range, so you stop less for fuel.The Tata Punch CNG with automatic suits city-heavy use and those who want the lowest fuel cost, but on the highway, it feels slower, and you need to plan every pass. CNG pumps on many highways are still fewer than diesel, the filling takes longer, and you have to contend with the queues usually seen at CNG pumps. Trade-offs with the Sonet: it costs more upfront, and the diesel is a bit louder than a petrol or CNG. Even so, for your high daily highway run, the Sonet diesel automatic lines up best.

Kia Sonet

Tata Punch

Autocar India

•2d

With 80 km of mostly city driving and a clear move to a petrol automatic, the Maruti Suzuki Brezza automatic best fits your needs. Its automatic is smooth and calm in traffic, so that it will feel like a big upgrade from your current AMT. The engine is easy-going and does not feel stressed on long commutes, and Maruti’s wide service network helps when you are piling on daily kilometres.A few trade-offs to note: it is not the quickest in this group, and the cabin is not as flashy as some rivals. But for daily ease, comfort over bad roads, and low-stress ownership, it nails the brief.Why not the others for your use: the Tata Nexon with AMT still has a slight jerk and slow shifts in stop-go, which can get tiring over 80 km a day. The Kia Sonet automatic is quick but can feel a bit fussy at very low speeds. The Hyundai Venue CRDi is diesel, so it does not match your petrol ask.If you want stronger pick-up and more features, look at the Mahindra XUV 3XO automatic; it’s brisk and still smooth, though city mileage may be lower. Overall, pick the Brezza automatic.

Maruti Suzuki Brezza

Tata Nexon

Kia Sonet

Mahindra XUV 3XO

Autocar India

•2d

Yes, some manufacturers like Maruti Suzuki and Volkswagen Group have moved away from diesel passenger cars in India. But that was largely a business decision driven by tightening emissions norms, development costs and their own product strategy, not because diesel is being banned nationally. India is clearly pushing cleaner mobility and stricter efficiency norms, but there is no announced nationwide policy to suddenly ban diesel car sales in the near future.What is true is that diesel may gradually become a smaller part of the passenger car market over time, especially in cities with stricter pollution rules. Delhi NCR already has separate age-based restrictions for older diesel vehicles, but that is a local policy, not a national template.As for resale, yes, diesel resale values could soften over the long term if policy becomes stricter, but it is highly unlikely to be a sudden overnight collapse across India. The bigger question is your usage. If you do high monthly running, regular highway trips and value effortless torque plus efficiency, the Kia Sonet diesel still makes a lot of sense and remains one of the strongest diesel compact SUVs available. If your usage is mostly city commuting with lower annual mileage, then the petrol makes more sense, not because diesel is “dying”, but because your ownership pattern may not justify it.Tesla's entering India does not materially change this equation for a Sonet buyer today. EV adoption will grow, but India’s transition will be gradual, not abrupt.

Kia Sonet