Latest questions answered by experts

I (a 39-year-old man) am planning to buy a new car for the first time. I don’t know how to drive yet. I work 12 hours a day and won’t need the car for commuting to the office. I will drive an average of 200km per month. Also, I may plan 400 km-long trips every 2-3 months after learning to drive. I want good mileage as well. My budget is Rs 15 lakh on-road, with approximately Rs 5 lakh as a down payment. Should I buy a diesel, petrol, CNG, or EV? Should I opt for a naturally aspirated engine or a turbo one? I plan to keep the car for around 8-10 years. I am looking for recommendations for May 2026. Should I buy a compact SUV, hatchback, or sedan?

•13m

Buy a simple petrol automatic hatchback or compact sedan with a naturally aspirated engine. It suits your 200 km a month, occasional 400 km trips, and makes learning easy. Diesel won’t pay back for your usage and can hate short runs. CNG saves only with high km and is a pain on highway trips with long queues and a small boot. Budget electric cars under Rs. 15 lakh can work only if you have home charging and don’t mind planning stops on those 400 km runs.Stick to a naturally aspirated petrol. It’s smoother at low speeds, simpler for 8-10 year ownership, and real-world mileage is steadier than small turbos that tempt you to drive harder and are sensitive to driving style. Get the automatic to reduce stress; you’ll drive more often because it’s easy.Models that fit your plan and budget now and should still be around in 2027 (if that is what you mean): Maruti Suzuki Baleno or Toyota Glanza automatic for top mileage and easy city manners, Honda Amaze automatic if you want a comfy sedan with a big boot for trips, or Tata Punch automatic if you like a higher seat and extra ground clearance. You’ll give up a little mileage with an automatic, but the ease is worth it.

I'm living in Delhi. My Spark is 14 years old, and I want to replace it. I have a sales job that requires travelling 70-80km at least 4-5 days a week. I also want a 7-seater to accommodate my family. I'm thinking about the Kia Carens diesel. Is diesel still relevant in Delhi today? I personally don't want to go for the Ertiga CNG. Please suggest.

•1h

Go for the Kia Carens diesel if you plan to keep the car 7-8 years. For your 70-80 km runs most days, its fuel cost will be much lower than petrol, and it is a true 7-seater with a usable third row and plenty of space when you fold it for luggage.In Delhi, diesel is still relevant, but remember the 10-year cap on private diesel registration. If you’re okay replacing or selling before that, the maths works. A new BS6 diesel is allowed on smog days that restrict older diesels, and your regular longer runs will keep the diesel particulate filter happy. If you want to keep the car 10+ years or you worry about policy swings, the Carens petrol is the safer bet, just expect higher monthly fuel bills.Pick the automatic if you often crawl in traffic. The manual is fine if you drive more on open roads. One honest catch with diesel in Delhi is that resale weakens after 7-8 years because buyers know the 10-year limit. If that’s fine, the Carens diesel fits your use very well.

Kia Carens

•5d

I was planning to buy a Maruti Ignis, but it’s been discontinued. I prefer small cars for city driving and office commutes, but I also need something highway-capable for an occasional 900 km trip to my hometown. It will mostly carry three of us (my spouse, child, and me), but needs to fit five people when my parents join. With a 12-lakh budget, what are the best compact cars that balance city manoeuvrability, highway stability, and occasional 5-seater comfort?

•2h

Pick the Maruti Fronx turbo within your Rs. 12 lakh budget, because it stays easy to park in the city yet feels secure on a 900 km run with enough room for five. The 1.0 turbo has decent mid-range for quick overtakes, and the suspension is absorbent and yet keeps the car steady at highway speeds. If you are opting for the automatic, then the Fronx torque converter auto is a very smooth unit and will make life much easier in the city.If you want an even smaller, lighter car with lower running costs, go for the Maruti Swift. It is smooth in the city, easy on fuel, has a usable boot for three, and will cruise comfortably at 100. It can take five in a pinch, but it will feel tight on shoulder room and lack the highway punch of the turbo Fronx.

Maruti Suzuki Fronx

Maruti Suzuki Swift

•3d

I want to buy a 125 cc scooter for daily commute, sometimes I also travel with a female member of my family as a pillion. Mileage is also of some importance to me. Further, I also want a good ride quality as I have some issues with back pain. I like Ntorq Race XP the most, but the problem with it is that it does not have ample space for 2 and lacks mileage. New Access, I have heard that it has 10-inch rear wheels and a very stiff suspension, which hampers the ride quality in the city. The new burgeman also has the same problem. Jupiter 125 has less mileage but good suspension, but most of the users are reporting rattling of the body after just 1 or 2 years of use. Please suggest the best 125 cc scooter I can buy as per my needs Good ride quality Decent mileage Decent space for 2 people to commute

•12h

We're not sure where you're getting your information from, but the Access and Burgman definitely don't have 'stiff' suspension that will hamper ride quality inside the city. On the contrary, especially so with a pillion, the Access and Burgman have some of the best seating and suspension comfort in the 125cc space. The Suzuki scooters also have rather frugal engines, and when ridden sensibly, you should see 45-50kpl, if not more.The TVS Jupiter 125 is another great option to look at with its spacious seat and plush suspension, and one unique feature it has is that its monoshock comes with a handy winged preload adjuster, which makes it easy to tune the suspension based on the load you're carrying on the vehicle. Coming to the matter of rattling body panels, this may be the case on some isolated units, which may not have been maintained properly and doesn't seem like a widespread, routinely reported one. We'd advise you to disregard whatever misconceptions you may have about these scooters and instead take test rides of all three before you make your decision.

Suzuki Access

TVS Jupiter 125

•1d

I own a 2016 Honda Jazz diesel, and my daily commute is 80 kms mix of city and highway. I am getting 22 kmpl average mileage. Ran 2.2 L kms till now. The vehicle is in good condition. If I want to upgrade/change vehicle, when will be the best time? I prefer price to investment return policy. If I want to upgrade/change vehicle, when will be the best time? Should I use the existing one up to its life (15 years) or change it with the best no-loss strategy?

•13h

Keep the Jazz for now, and run it till a big repair shows up or a rule forces your hand. At 80km a day, nothing beats a paid-off diesel giving 22kpl for rupees-per-km. With 2.2 lakh km already done, most depreciation is behind you, so selling today won’t fetch much anyway. You’re saving more by avoiding a new EMI and higher insurance than you’d gain from an early sale.Since you're based in Telangana, where the age cut-off for diesels is 15 years, drive it to 12-13 years or until a single repair quote crosses roughly 20-25% of the car’s value, say Rs. 60-80k for things like injectors, turbo, clutch, AC or a full suspension job. That’s the point to exit.The only real trade-off with keeping it is the rising downtime risk as parts wear. Do preventive upkeep, set aside a small repair fund, and sweat the asset. That’s the best no-loss strategy for your use and mileage.

•23h

My Budget is 10 to 12 lakh, and my current car is a Kwid Petrol since 2016. And the total running is 74000 km. Now I want to shift to the upper segment to a compact SUV. But I am confused between pure petrol, CNG or Diesel option. Kindly suggest the right option.

•13h

Go petrol, and within your budget, the Renault Kiger is the sweet spot, especially since you are already in the Renault sales and service ecosystem. Your 74,000km since 2016 works out to about 7,500km a year, so diesel won’t pay back its extra cost and needs additional upkeep. Petrol will keep things simpler and the drive smoother.The Kiger's 1.0 turbo petrol engine feels smooth in traffic and still has enough for highway bursts, it rides over bad roads with ease, and the cabin feels like a genuine step up from your Kwid. Even the mid trims get the useful stuff you’ll actually use every day, but in your budget, you'll get a top-spec automatic too. The only real compromise is a boot that isn’t the biggest, and mileage will dip if you push it hard.If your top goal is the lowest running cost and you mostly drive in the city, the Maruti Brezza is another compact SUV that makes sense. However, in your budget, you'll only get a low to medium variant of this SUV.

Renault Kiger

Renault Kwid

Maruti Suzuki Brezza