Kharagpur

•18w

I currently drive a Volkswagen Polo petrol, and my yearly running is around 15,000-20,000 km. I am now planning to buy a diesel manual SUV with a budget of around ₹15 lakh on-road. I am mainly confused between the Tata Nexon diesel manual and the Kia Sonet diesel manual. Could you please suggest which would be the better option for me?

•18w

The Kia Sonet is the better pick of the two compact SUVs. It's got the more refined engine, slicker gearbox and generally more polished driving experience than the Nexon. What also pushes the Sonet's case is its interior, which comes across as more premium with greater attention to detail and a higher level of fit and finish. Your budget will get you the fully-loaded Sonet, which is really well equipped. A very large boot is another Sonet highlight. The Sonet does feel firm in its ride comfort. Kia Sonet mileage depends on the engine-gearbox combination. The 1.2-litre petrol MT gives up to 18.8kpl, the 1.0 turbo-petrol returns 18.7kpl (MT) and 19.2kpl (DCT), and the 1.5-litre diesel offers up to 24.1kpl with the manual and 18.6kpl with the automatic.

The Tata Nexon has its strengths too. It feels tough, especially on bad patches of road. There's a bit more room at the back too though the sloping window line takes away from the sense of space. Further, the Nexon has started showing its age now.

If you want something altogether newer, the Hyundai Venue diesel manual is an option to consider. It's spacious, refined and packs in new-age features.

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•18w•

I agree with this 👍

More posts on similar cars

•2d

I’m planning to buy a compact SUV for my dad, who is 64 years old. He currently owns a 2015 Hyundai Creta diesel automatic (torque converter), but he now finds it a little difficult to drive because of its size. He prefers a smaller, easy-to-manoeuvre automatic SUV. The expected usage would be around 70% in town and 30% on highways. The options I’m currently considering are: Kia Sonet 1.5 Diesel Automatic Toyota Taisor Petrol Automatic Mahindra XUV 3XO Petrol Automatic What other options would you recommend considering his age, ease of driving, comfort, size, and our usage pattern? My budget is a maximum of Rs 14 lakh. I’d really appreciate your suggestions and a comparison of the best options.

•1d

For your father, the priority should be ease of driving, comfort and a manageable size. The Toyota Urban Cruiser Taisor turbo-petrol automatic is the best choice from your shortlist. It is compact, easy to manoeuvre and the torque converter automatic is smooth and reliable, making it ideal for city use. The Mahindra XUV 3XO petrol automatic is also a strong contender with a spacious cabin and good safety credentials, but this Toyota car is smoother to drive, more efficient, and an easier car to live with on a daily basis. The Kia Sonet diesel automatic is a good car, but the diesel AT powertrain is not worth the extra outlay for the kind of usage you have in mind. Your father will also have to contend with relatively higher maintenance costs as well as maintaining a DPF, which requires regular highway runs.If you are open to other options, the Maruti Suzuki Brezza petrol automatic is worth serious consideration. It is one of the easiest cars to drive in the segment, has a comfortable ride and the torque converter automatic is well suited to city driving. This Maruti Suzuki car also has a wide service network and low running costs, which adds to long-term peace of mind. Overall, the Taisor petrol automatic or the Brezza petrol automatic would be our top recommendations. Both are compact, easy to drive and well suited to your father's needs.

Toyota Urban Cruiser Taisor

I am confused between the Kia Sonet HTK Plus (O) DCT and the Hyundai Venue HX5 DCT. Both are priced close to Rs 13.5 lakh on-road. I am expecting a good discount on the Kia Sonet, given that an update is on the way. Which of the two would be better for long-term ownership in Bangalore? We are a family of two and expect to drive around 70 percent in the city and 30 percent on the highway, with short and long trips every two months. Also, is the DCT reliable enough to handle occasional crawling traffic for 20 to 30 minutes?

•1d

For a family of two, 70 percent city use and 30 percent highway driving, the Kia Sonet HTK+ (O) DCT makes more sense, particularly if the Kia can be bought with a meaningful discount. The Sonet and Hyundai Venue HX5 DCT use essentially the same 1.0-litre turbo petrol and seven-speed DCT, so performance and gearbox behaviour are very similar. The Sonet is also slightly more compact, has a 385-litre boot and offers good equipment at this price.The new Venue is the more spacious and newer product, with a longer wheelbase and a slightly more comfortable rear seat, along with a five-star Bharat NCAP rating. However, with only two occupants most of the time, that additional rear-seat space is unlikely to be a deciding factor.As for the DCT, occasional 20 to 30-minute crawling traffic is not a reason to avoid it. These Hyundai-Kia DCTs have been developed over several years and are considerably more mature than the early units. However, they are dry-clutch systems, so prolonged creeping does generate heat and clutch wear. In very slow traffic, avoid continuously inching forward and use the brake to hold the car on inclines. Shifting to neutral when stationary for longer periods can also reduce unnecessary clutch engagement.

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•1d

Hi, I am planning to buy sub-4 meter SUV for very low monthly usage of around 500 km in Mumbai and trips of around 500 km twice in a year on highway. We have shortlisted Kia Sonet HTK (O) and Skoda Skylaq Signature+. It should have very low breakdown, need less repairs and overall should be a headache free experience as I am a senior citizen. Please suggest which car should I have.

•1d

Go for the Kia Sonet. With your low monthly running and a couple of annual highway trips, petrol is the right choice, and the Sonet is the more dependable option. We would stick with the 1.2-litre petrol engine as it is simpler, more efficient and lower on maintenance costs, but unfortunately there is no automatic gearbox with this engine, in case you want one. For that you can move up to the 1.0 T-GDi engine, but purchase and maintenance costs will also go up correspondingly. Kia’s service network is strong in Mumbai, the car is easy to drive, compact and well suited to city use, and maintenance costs are reasonable. The Skoda Kylaq is the better driver’s car, but Skoda’s service network is not as extensive, fuel economy is poor and the ownership experience can vary based on the dealership. As a senior citizen looking for a hassle-free, dependable car, the Sonet is the safer and more sensible choice. If you want to consider one more option, the Maruti Suzuki Brezza petrol automatic is also worth a look as it is extremely reliable, Maruti has a wide service network and is very easy to live with.

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Popular discussions right now

•18h

Hi, I am planning to buy a CNG SUV and am considering the Tata Nexon CNG and Maruti Suzuki Brezza CNG. I will be driving around 150km every day for office, so my main concerns are fuel economy and maintenance costs. Many people have suggested the Brezza because of its mileage and lower running costs, but Tata is also a large company and has a wide service network. So, why do buyers generally recommend the Brezza over the Nexon CNG? I personally prefer the Nexon, but I am confused about whether it would be the right choice for my daily usage. Which one would make more sense for my requirements?

•9h

Go with the Tata Nexon CNG if that is your preference. At 150 km daily, CNG is the right fuel choice, and both the Nexon and Maruti Suzuki Brezza are factory CNG cars, so reliability and safety are not a concern. The Nexon CNG is a strong product with good performance, a comfortable ride and a well-equipped cabin. The reason many people suggest the Brezza is Maruti's reputation for low maintenance costs, wide service reach and a long-standing reputation for hassle-free ownership. The Brezza CNG is also a very reliable and efficient package. However, the Nexon CNG is the more modern car and feels more premium inside.At 150 km daily, the key is to choose the car you will enjoy driving every day. The Nexon CNG is a solid choice, and there is no reason to change your decision.

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•3d

I want to know the launch date of the new Toyota Innova Hycross model.

•3d

The Toyota Innova Hycross facelift is expected to launch in early 2027. Toyota has already been testing the updated Hycross in India, with spy shots showing a revised front end, new lighting elements and a redesigned bumper. The facelift is expected to bring some interior and feature updates as well, while the existing 2.0-litre petrol and strong hybrid powertrains are likely to continue. Toyota has not announced a confirmed launch date yet, so early 2027 is the current expectation rather than a firm date.

Toyota Innova HyCross facelift

•6d

Hi, I want to buy my last car as I am 66 years old. I have been driving a Honda City for the last 12 years without any major hiccup. The Honda City engine and its reliability is excellent although its ground clearance is an issue. I have looked at Elevate and given its ground clearance as an SUV, I am impressed although the issues on E20 and abrupt blending issues are surely technical issues. Windsor EV was a great test drive but all controls on screen could be a bottleneck for me at my age and am planning to move to an automatic. Please recommend as experts. My monthly running will not be more than 500 km. Should I also look at Seltos. I will appreciate a feedback from experts. I want a reliable, easy to drive car with low maintenance cost and good family value with. There won't be any great pick ups or many highway drives will not be there.

•5d

Given your 12 years of trouble free City ownership, the Elevate is the most natural replacement. It retains Honda’s simple 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine, adds substantially better ground clearance and gives you the easier ingress and SUV driving position you liked. The CVT is also very well suited to your low speed, low running usage and should make the transition to an automatic easy.On your E20 concern, we would not treat it as a reason to avoid the Elevate. Honda says all its cars manufactured in India since January 2009 are E20 material compatible, and the current Elevate is officially certified for E20. Honda also says E20 should not cause durability concerns or require any component changes. There can be a marginal reduction in fuel economy because ethanol contains less energy than petrol, but with your 500km monthly running, that is unlikely to be significant.The Seltos is worth a look, particularly if you want a more feature rich and premium cabin, but given your priorities of reliability, easy driving, low maintenance and long term ownership, the Elevate fits your requirements more naturally. The Windsor EV is also an interesting option, but at just 500km a month, there is little financial reason to move to an EV, especially when you have concerns about its touchscreen heavy interface.

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