Latest questions answered by experts

autocar.india

•1h

Suzuki is working on a next-generation Gixxer platform, which will spawn four models and this is likely to debut around the end of this year or in the first quarter of next year. Since the V-Strom SX is based on the same basic architecture as that of Gixxer 250, expect that bike to follow suit in due course as well. Given that the current V-Strom SX is a durable, reliable but simple and rather dated machine, it would make sense to wait for the new-gen model. The RE Classic 350 that your father has suggested is an excellent motorcycle although markedly different from the V-Strom in terms of the riding experience it delivers. This is a charming, laidback and reliable machine although it is on the heavier side. If you want something similiar to the Classic but lighter, look at the Honda CB350 models instead.If you need a motorcycle immediately, take a test ride of both the aforementioned 350s and pick based on your preference. If you can wait for some time, then waiting for the next-gen V-Strom SX would be advisable.

autocar.india

•1h

Some variants of the upcoming Audi Q3 get a powered tailgate function in international markets. However, we'll have to wait for its India launch to know the 2026 Q3's confirmed feature list.

Audi Q3

autocar.india

•2h

Go for the Maruti Suzuki Swift. It is the most sensible choice for your requirements, as it is easy to drive, reliable and efficient. The Swift is compact enough for city use, has a light steering and smooth controls, which makes it very easy to drive. It is also spacious and comfortable enough for your occasional 300km drives. Maruti’s service network is excellent, especially in smaller towns, and the car is known for its low maintenance costs and strong resale value. The petrol engine is refined and efficient, and the car offers a good balance of comfort and practicality within your budget. It is simply the most hassle-free ownership experience for your needs. An alternative is the Hyundai Exter, which has a taller seating position and better visibility, but the Swift is overall the more premium, efficient and value-for-money option.

Maruti Suzuki Swift

Hyundai Exter

autocar.india

•2h

Considering your build and your specific needs as well as usage, we'd recommend choosing between the Triumph Scrambler 400 X and Suzuki V-Strom SX. Given that you travel with a pillion occasionally and want an upgrade from your current 150cc bike, both will offer a step up, although to varying degrees.The V-Strom SX offers trademark Suzuki strengths like being easy to ride, inexpensive to own, good fuel efficiency if ridden sensibly and being a reliable machine that will last you for many years. Its compromises are that its smaller engine will obviously lack the poke of the bigger Triumph, and it is a simple machine with no real frills (which could even be considered a plus point if you like simple machines). The V-Strom is also far more affordable to purchase, which is a definite plus point for someone stepping up from a 150cc bike.The 350cc Scrambler 400 X will - unsurprisingly - offer more spirited performance and better high-speed manners given its more sophisticated chassis and will also feel like the better finished product of the two. Its handling is pleasantly engaging for the sort of bike it is, and since you mentioned you value those attributes in your current bike, this will appeal to you. Downsides to the Scrambler include higher ownership costs, lower fuel economy and its pillion perch is slightly smaller than the Suzuki's, although not bad in isolation.To make a definitive decision between the two, a test ride will be helpful.

autocar.india

•2h

Go for the Honda Elevate V CVT. With your 85km daily commute in Delhi NCR traffic, the CVT automatic will make a huge difference to your fatigue levels, and Honda’s reputation for reliability and low maintenance costs makes it a sensible long-term choice. The Elevate is also a genuinely comfortable family car for four, with a spacious cabin and a relaxed driving experience on both city commutes and weekend highway runs.The Punch EV is tempting given your office charging, but with regular 500- 600 km weekend trips, range planning and charging stops will add unnecessary anxiety. The Nexon DCA is a good upgrade from your current car, but the DCA gearbox is not as smooth or as proven as Honda’s CVT in heavy traffic. The Brezza AT is a solid, reliable option, but the Elevate feels like the more complete family car with better space and a larger boot.The Elevate V CVT is the car you will be happiest with after five years of ownership. It is reliable, easy to live with and well suited to your daily routine and family needs.

Honda Elevate

Tata Punch EV

Tata Nexon

Maruti Suzuki Brezza

autocar.india

•3h

With 200km a day, an EV only makes sense if you have reliable home charging and your usage is mostly predictable. Then too, such high usage will require frequent charging, which in turn will take a toll on battery health sooner, and this affects performance, range and resale value. A diesel or strong hybrid is the more practical choice for your usage - the diesel being better suited to greater highway use, and the hybrid to greater city use. The Kia Seltos diesel automatic is the best all-rounder. It is refined, efficient and will handle your daily mileage with ease. A strong hybrid like the Maruti Suzuki Victoris Hybrid is worth considering if your driving is a mix of city and highway, but at 200km a day, the diesel will still be more cost-effective. The Honda City Hybrid is a good car, but it is not as efficient on the highway as a diesel.

Kia Seltos

Maruti Suzuki Victoris

Honda City

autocar.india

•4h

Considering your intended usage, go for the Vinfast VF6. It's much better suited to both city and highway use, thanks to its strong, BMW-derived chassis, which gives a lot more confidence in a variety of conditions. It's also more powerful and has a bigger battery with longer range. Vinfast is a relatively new brand, but it has put in a lot of investment to make sure its aftersales and service is on par with the rest. The MG Windsor has the advantage on interior space, but that's about it. Another car you could consider, especially since you are coming from a Hyundai, is the Kia Syros EV. It falls in the same price range, offers similar space to the Windsor and range similar to the Vinfast. It is the safer choice of the three, but between your shortlisted EVs, the VF6 makes more sense for you.

Vinfast VF6

MG Windsor

Kia Syros EV

autocar.india

•5h

You have not made a mistake. The Brezza Turbo is a perfectly good car, and the mixed reviews are more a reflection of internet noise than of any fundamental problem with the car. The 1.0-litre turbo petrol is not an "experiment" '- it is a well-proven engine that Maruti has been selling for several years in the Fronx and Baleno RS, and it has not shown any widespread reliability issues. The early gear changes you are noticing are simply a characteristic of small turbo petrol engines - they make their power in a narrower band, so you need to shift a little earlier than you would in a larger naturally aspirated engine.As for reliability, there is no reason to believe this engine will not last 10-12 years with proper maintenance. Maruti's service network and parts availability remain among the best in the country, and that is a far bigger factor in long-term ownership than the number of cylinders. The 1.5-litre naturally aspirated engine is the safer, simpler choice if you plan to keep the car for 15 years, but the turbo is not a bad engine – it is just a different one.For mileage, the Taisor/Fronx gives a useful benchmark. The same 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo engine, albeit in a different state of tune, returned 10.9kpl in the city and 16.7kpl on the highway in our Navi Mumbai real-world test. The Brezza is heavier, so its actual efficiency could be somewhat lower, but this gives you a reasonable indication of what to expect once the engine has run in..The i20 Sportz is a good car, but the Brezza Turbo is the better all-rounder - it is more spacious, more practical and better suited to Indian roads. Maruti is not treating customers unfairly by offering this engine - it is simply offering a different option for buyers who want more performance. Ignore the YouTube noise and enjoy your car. It is a solid, reliable product that will serve you well for years to come.

Maruti Suzuki Fronx

Maruti Suzuki Brezza

Maruti Suzuki Baleno

Toyota Urban Cruiser Taisor

autocar.india

•6h

Go for the Toyota Innova HyCross non-hybrid. Your priorities are space, comfort and a good engine, and the HyCross delivers on all three. It is one of the most spacious cars in the segment, with a genuinely usable third row and a comfortable ride that makes it an excellent family car. The petrol engine is smooth, refined and well suited to your running of under 1,000 km a month, where the hybrid premium is harder to justify.The Mahindra XUV 7XO is a strong alternative with a more powerful engine and a more feature-rich cabin, but the HyCross has the edge on space, comfort and long-term ownership experience.The Hyundai Alcazar and Kia Seltos are good cars, but they do not offer the same level of space or comfort, and the Renault Duster is more of a driver's car than a family car. The Toyota car mentioned above is the car you will be happiest with after five years of ownership.

Toyota Innova HyCross

Mahindra XUV 7XO

Renault Duster

Kia Seltos

Hyundai Alcazar

autocar.india

•7h

Go for the Maruti Suzuki Brezza. With your running of just 20km a day and rare outstation trips, the Brezza is the more sensible choice. It uses the same 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine as the Grand Vitara, so performance and efficiency are broadly similar, and in fact the lighter Brezza has a slight edge. The Brezza is also more compact and easier to manoeuvre in the city, which suits your usage pattern perfectly. It is also a well-rounded car with a comfortable ride, good reliability and low running costs.The Grand Vitara Delta is a larger car, but at this budget you are getting a lower variant with fewer features, and the extra size is not really justified given your usage. The Brezza gives you a more complete package for the money and will be easier to live with day-to-day.

Maruti Suzuki Brezza

Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara

autocar.india

•8h

For your requirements, the Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara petrol AT makes more sense than the Elevate. The biggest reason is the gearbox. Its six-speed torque converter is smoother and more natural when accelerating hard, and it avoids the rubber-band effect you dislike with CVTs.The problem is performance. The Grand Vitara's 103hp/139Nm engine is noticeably less powerful than the Elevate's 121hp/145Nm unit, so if you frequently make quick highway overtakes with a full load, you will need to plan overtakes and use the gearbox. The Honda Elevate is the better performer on paper and feels stronger when you keep the revs up.Where the Grand Vitara does well is efficiency. In real-world testing, it returned 11.6kpl in the city and 15.3kpl on the highway, considerably better than the Elevate CVT's 8.6kpl and 13.1kpl in the same test. Choose the Grand Vitara AT if avoiding CVT behaviour and getting good efficiency are important. If spirited highway performance is the overriding priority, the Honda car remains the better engine, despite its CVT.

Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara

Honda Elevate

autocar.india

•8h

For a first car in Mumbai with mostly city use and an occasional 1,000-2,000 km tour, the Tata Nexon is a sensible choice. It's compact, offers a comfortable ride over broken city roads, a high seating position for better visibility in traffic, and enough ground clearance to handle Mumbai’s monsoon conditions. The cabin is spacious enough for family use, and the boot is adequate for occasional touring. Tata’s service network in Mumbai is decent, and the Nexon’s running costs are reasonable for a compact SUV.For your usage, the petrol automatic is the best fit. It is smooth in stop-start traffic and easy to drive on long highway runs. This Tata car is also safe and comes with a strong crash-test rating, which is important for a first-time buyer. In your budget of Rs 15 lakh, you'll get a good amount of features too.The only thing to be aware of is that Tata’s long-term ownership experience can be a bit inconsistent depending on the service center, so it is worth checking reviews of your local dealership. Overall, the Nexon is a well-rounded first car that balances city comfort with the ability to handle the occasional long trip.

Tata Nexon