Mumbai

•5d

Hi Autocar, I’m looking for a petrol SUV under Rs 18 lakh with a manual transmission. I live in a small town and travel to Bengaluru occasionally. Most of my driving is a mix of city and highway use, with some hill driving, and I expect to cover around 5,000–8,000 km a year. I’m not looking for excessive features, as I feel the more electronics and automation a car has, the higher the maintenance costs can be. My priorities are a strong SUV stance and commanding driving position, good safety, annual maintenance costs below Rs 10,000, decent mileage, good road presence, predictable handling and comfortable ride quality. I also go trekking and take part in other outdoor activities, so some light off-road capability would be useful. Nothing extreme, but enough ground clearance and confidence to tackle rough patches and uneven roads. At the moment, I’m considering the Honda Elevate and Renault Duster, but I’m slightly concerned about long-term maintenance and after-sales support. From what I understand, Honda parts are generally sourced through its authorised network, while the Duster is not particularly known for having strong after-sales support. Could you please suggest which SUV would be the better choice for my requirements? Any other recommendations would also be helpful.

•3m

We would recommend the Renault Duster with the turbo-petrol engine paired with the six-speed manual. It is the best fit for the stated usage and priorities. With relatively low annual running, a petrol engine makes more sense, and while the Honda Elevate’s naturally aspirated engine is smooth, reliable and easy to live with, it does not have the Duster’s sense of toughness.

The Elevate also feels less modern inside compared with the Duster. The Duster has a strong SUV stance, a commanding driving position and good ground clearance, which should provide greater confidence on rough patches and light off-road trails. Its handling and suspension are particular strengths, while the overall build quality also feels reassuring.

Renault’s service network is not the strongest, but support should be better in Bengaluru, given that it is a major city. As an overall package, and considering the requirements, the Duster makes for the better choice. A relatively limited service network for Renault cars is a drawback, but the Duster’s strengths make it a more suitable option for this particular usage.

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Renault

Duster

from ₹12.38 Lakh

Honda

Elevate

from ₹13.94 Lakh

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•3d

I am confused between the following cars: Renault Duster Adventure 1.3 DCT, Kia Seltos HTK(O) IVT, and Hyundai Creta S(O) IVT. We are a family of 3-4 with average builds, and we have comfortably used a Tiago for the last 6-7 years. I know I will enjoy driving the Duster, but from a practical standpoint, even the Kia and Creta seem very good at this point. Hence, the confusion. I haven't done many long trips in the Tiago, but I am planning to change that with the new car. I mainly want a car with comfortable ride quality that I can enjoy for a long time.

•2d

Go for the Renault Duster 1.3 DCT. You have already identified the key point: you will enjoy driving the Duster, and that matters a lot when you are planning to do more long trips. The Duster also has an exceptionally comfortable ride, and the 1.3 turbo petrol paired with the DCT is a strong, enjoyable combination on highways. It is also a proven package, so reliability is not a major concern.The Seltos and Creta are both excellent cars, and from a purely practical standpoint, they are very strong options. The Seltos feels slightly more premium inside, while the Creta prioritises comfort and refinement. However, neither car offers the same level of driving engagement or ride comfort as the Duster.The only real drawback with the Duster is that the rear seat is not the most spacious in the segment, but for a family of 3-4 with average builds, it is perfectly adequate. Overall, the Duster strikes the best balance between comfort, driving enjoyment and long-term ownership satisfaction.

I am looking for a replacement for my Ford EcoSport petrol automatic Titanium+ and am planning to upgrade to a higher segment. This would be my last car purchase, as I am approaching 70, so reliability is my foremost concern. The car will be self-driven and should be petrol and automatic, as I am based in NCR. I prefer a torque-converter (TC) automatic and would also consider a CVT, but I do not want a DSG, DCT, DCA, or AMT. The car should also be reliable and capable on the hills of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, where I drive 3-4 times a year. My budget is Rs. 18-19 lakh, and stretching beyond this would not be possible. I would really appreciate your informed opinion and advice on which car would best suit my requirements. Thank you.

•16h

You should consider the Honda Elevate ZX CVT. As far as reliable, no-nonsense midsize SUVs go, this Honda car is among the best. Honda's 1.5-litre i-VTEC is a great mix of smoothness, reliability and efficiency, and with 120hp on tap, it has enough punch to handle the hills of Uttarakhand and Himachal when you need it to. It's a fuss-free SUV that will serve you well over a long period of time; Honda's service is known to be of high quality, and you get quite a few features within your budget of Rs 18-19 lakh.Other options you could look at are the Maruti Suzuki Victoris/Grand Vitara, which use a similarly reliable 1.5-litre petrol engine with a torque-converter automatic, but it isn't quite as punchy as the Honda engine and may feel lethargic in the hills if the car is loaded up. In a similar vein are the Hyundai Creta/Kia Seltos, which also use a 1.5 petrol engine and CVT, though these aren't quite as efficient, and in your budget you'll only get the base models of these cars. Overall, we feel the Honda Elevate is the best bet for you.

Honda Elevate

Maruti Suzuki Victoris

Kia Seltos

Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara

Hyundai Creta

•3d

I am looking for a car under 14 lakh that gives better mileage, space and comfort for a family of 5. The car will be driven mostly inside the city with daily running between 10 to 15 km. I am confused between the top variant of Maruti Suzuki Brezza, Seltos and Elevate.

•2d

Go for the Maruti Suzuki Brezza top-end. With a budget of Rs.14 lakh, the Brezza is the most sensible choice for your requirements. Your usage is predominantly city driving with short daily runs, so fuel efficiency, ease of driving and low running costs are far more important than outright performance or premium features. The Brezza is a reliable, low-maintenance car with Maruti's extensive service network, and it offers a comfortable ride and adequate space for a family of five. The Seltos and Elevate are both excellent cars, but within your budget you would be limited to base variants, which means you would be compromising on a lot of features and value. The Brezza top-end gives you a well-equipped, hassle-free ownership experience without stretching your budget. If you want an automatic for added convenience, the ZXI AT will fit in your budget and is well-equipped with all the essentials.

Maruti Suzuki Brezza

Kia Seltos

Honda Elevate

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Popular discussions right now

•1w

I have been using Honda City manual for the last 21 years. Now, I want a car with automatic transmission for city running mostly. My average running is around 1000km a month. Can you suggest whether I should buy Seltos, Creta, Kushaq or Elevate?

•4d

Given your usage of around 1,000 km a month, mostly in the city, the priority should be a smooth and reliable automatic transmission, good ride comfort and ease of ownership. The Kia Seltos IVT is the most natural recommendation here. The IVT gearbox is also very smooth, and the Seltos feels more premium and feature-rich than the competition. Alternatively, consider the Honda Elevate. The CVT is exceptionally smooth in stop-start traffic, Honda’s ownership experience is proven, and the car is simple, reliable and easy to live with.The Skoda Kushaq is the driver’s choice, with a more engaging driving experience, but in city running, that doesn't matter much. The Hyundai Creta is a good all-rounder, but it is due for a full model change in 2027, which makes the Seltos and Elevate stronger recommendations at this point.

I am a lady driver and drive around 65 km every day on the expressway. Twice a month, I also drive in the city and traffic. I am currently driving a Celerio, but it is 9 years old, so I am looking for a change. My budget is Rs. 10-12 lakh.

•4d

For your usage, the Skoda Kylaq is a good upgrade. Your 65 km daily expressway run means you need a car that is stable at speed and comfortable over long distances. The Kylaq delivers that very well. At your budget, you could get a lower-spec automatic, which would make it easy to drive in city traffic, which matters for your twice-a-month urban runs. The automatic gearbox is a torque converter, so its shifts are very smooth and it is very reliable too. The only possible downside is that fuel efficiency is not going to be very high, and given your high daily running, this is something that might bother you. If so, opt for the Maruti Suzuki Fronx 1.2L, which is also good at higher speeds and would be more fuel efficient. The auto box in this case is an AMT, which would not be as smooth, but this would only be a bit of a bother in city traffic and not on steady highway cruising.

Skoda Kylaq

Maruti Suzuki Fronx

•1w

Hey, We are planning to buy a sub-4-metre SUV, and our main requirement is good suspension for Bengaluru’s pothole-filled roads, especially as my wife is pregnant. We have shortlisted the Maruti Suzuki Brezza, Mahindra XUV 3XO, and Tata Nexon. Which one would you recommend for our requirements? I was also considering a larger SUV like the Honda Elevate, but a well-equipped variant costs around Rs. 18 lakh on-road, which is beyond my budget. Could you suggest some good options in both categories? I can stretch my budget up to around Rs. 15 lakh on-road if required.

•5d

Given your priorities, the Mahindra XUV 3XO is the best fit. It has the most comfortable ride in the segment, with a suspension that deals with broken roads and potholes better than the Brezza or Nexon. The wide rear seat and good cabin space will also make a difference for your wife and family. The Brezza is the more reliable long-term ownership proposition, but its ride is not as plush as the 3XO. The Nexon is a good all-rounder, but the 3XO has the edge on ride comfort and rear seat space.On the Honda Elevate, it is a solid, reliable SUV with a comfortable ride, but at Rs 18 lakh on-road for the well-equipped variants, it is not worth stretching your budget for. The 3XO gives you a better ride and more features for less money.Overall, the 3XO is the best balance of ride comfort, space and value for your requirements. Go for the petrol automatic variant for the smoothest city driving experience.

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