Latest questions answered by experts

I live in Bangalore and am planning to buy my first car. I prefer a low maintenance, reliable and smooth everyday drive. It should be a family-friendly car with a spacious cabin, comfortable rear seats and a spacious boot. My usage will be relatively low, with city driving once or twice a week and a highway road trip once every couple of months. As a first-time car buyer, I also value ease of driving, predictable ownership costs and hassle-free after-sales service. The cars that I am currently considering include Kia Seltos, Skoda Slavia and Hyundai Creta. My budget is somewhere around Rs. 17 lakh (all inclusive). I am eligible for a BH number plate. Would appreciate your advice before making a final decision.

sneha_patel_9559

•1h

Bayon brings over-the-air updates and a generative AI voice assistant. Should I trust software updates to improve car after purchase?

I own a Baleno diesel (2017) as my first car but now I have booked Seltos HTE diesel for Rs. 14.65 lakh (on road) but the delivery is in 8-10 weeks. Should I cancel the booking and look for any other option or wait for Baleno. I dont have any fixed running but my average monthly running is 1100/1200km. I also take 4 highway trips in a year. I want good performance, good buildup, good mileage and a comfortable car for a period of 10 years. My budget is Rs. 15 lakh that I can extend up to Rs. 17 lakh (max) if a car is worth that amount.

India's new CAFE norms begin in April 2027 and tighten efficiency targets over the coming five years. Do you think this will bring more hybrids and efficient petrol cars?

I am using a 2019 Kia Seltos 1.5 petrol Manual NA and am happy with this car. I am planning to change the car. I am considering buying the Duster hybrid now and am also considering waiting for Seltos/Creta hybrid by the end of 2027. We are a family of 3 so the current Seltos is perfect. I use an HTK variant as we are not into extra features. I am a driving enthusiast and have an inherent passion for fast acceleration, perfect handling and highly engaging car that is also easy to maintain and extremely reliable over a period of 7-years. What should I do? I also have a garage limitation of 1700mm height for any car.

Which car would you choose as a first-time buyer?

POLL

Hyundai i20

Maruti Suzuki Baleno

Tata Punch

Other

Dear Autocar team, I have just returned to India and am looking to purchase a compact SUV just for the two of us for 60-40% city and highway split. I want a car that feels lovely to drive and is engineered well. I am not into "features" for the sake of it. I almost bought the Sierra/Creta EVs, then realized that I don't want to spend so much, and haven't seriously thought about highway charging. I've tried the Kushaq/Taigun and really loved their built and handling. This is when I realized that I really care about the feel of driving. Only issues are firmer suspension and fuel economy. I've also booked the Duster hybrid which should solve these two problems, but I haven't test driven the petrol Duster long enough to know if I get a similar feeling on the drive. What I did feel was a cramped cabin on the duster as my left knee was on the center console and right knee was on the door. This was not a concern with the Kushaq and Taigun. I'll try the Duster petrol again, and then also the hybrid. But I wonder if I should just get the Skoda/Volkswagen since I love them. I should perhaps think about resale, maintenance etc.

I am confused between Kia Carens Clavis and XUV 7XO. We currently have an Elevate and this will be our second car at home. Our total annual running comes to 13-14,000 km and we take 6-7 road trips with 6-7 adults annually (on average). Our running is 80-90% within city. I'm looking for Clavis HTX (O) DCT or the XUV 7XO AX5.

vishal_shetty_5142

•3h

Can someone explain me, what is this E100 petrol now? Will it work in existing vehicles or not?

I currently own a 2013 Swift ZDI diesel in a budget of Rs. 15 lakh for new car. My maximum weekly running is 150 km once in a week.

What should be the ideal price of petrol, according to you?

akash_bhatt_4832

•4h

Bayon CNG is expected to use underbody tank, that will save boot space. Would you consider a CNG SUV for long family trips if you didn't have to sacrifice luggage space?

Hi Autocar, I have already booked Škoda Kylaq Classic+ Automatic with its delivery during the next 1 week but the government's move towards E100 fuel has raised concerns about whether higher ethanol blends, such as E20 or above, could cause EPC or maintenance issues with the Kylaq. Should I be worried about long-term reliability and maintenance costs?

Which car has the most unique design?

POLL

Mahindra BE 6 Sporteq

Citroen Basalt

Tata Curvv

Hyundai Ioniq 5

dhruv_bhalla_3165

•5h

I read a news that Maruti is launching 7-seater EV next year. But without proper charging infrastructure, will it succeed for long family trips?

My car's mileage has dropped up to 20% due E20.

Hi team, hope you're doing well! We are planning to buy our very first car and would appreciate your advice before making a final decision. Based on our requirements, we have shortlisted three options: the Honda Elevate facelift, Kia Seltos 1.5 NA petrol (new generation) and Renault Duster 1.3 TCe 160 (new generation). We prefer a naturally aspirated petrol engine with a manual transmission, as we are looking for low maintenance, reliability and smooth everyday drivability. Safety is our top priority, including robust build quality, active and passive safety features, and stable highway manners. We also want a family-friendly car with a spacious cabin, comfortable rear seats and a good-sized boot. Our usage will be relatively low, with city driving once or twice a week and a highway road trip once every couple of months. As first-time car buyers, we also value ease of driving, predictable ownership costs and hassle-free after-sales service. The variants we are currently considering are the Honda Elevate ZX Plus MT Black Edition, Kia Seltos HTX (A) and Renault Duster Iconic. Given these priorities, which car would you recommend? Are there any specific pros and cons or long-term ownership factors we should keep in mind? We would love to hear your thoughts. Thanks for your help!

Hello team, I need some help deciding between an ICE car and an EV. My family has five members, and our usage will mainly involve city driving, although our daily running isn't very high. We also take occasional Mumbai-Goa-Mumbai trips. My priorities are comfort, practicality, safety and low overall ownership costs. I was initially deciding between the Maruti Suzuki Brezza and Mahindra XUV 3XO, with the Brezza being the more commonly recommended option. However, when I started comparing on-road prices, I realised that the Tata Punch EV and Nexon EV also fall within consideration. Even the Maruti Suzuki e Vitara could be an option, depending on the variant. This has made me question whether buying an ICE car still makes sense for my usage. The Tata Nexon EV 45 looks particularly attractive because of its battery warranty and additional features, such as ADAS. The lower running costs of an EV are another major advantage. My main concern is its practicality on long trips. I occasionally travel between Mumbai and Goa with my family and luggage, so I don't want range limitations and charging stops to become a headache. For this kind of usage, what would you recommend: the Brezza or XUV 3XO, or the Punch EV, Nexon EV or eVitara? I am not looking for the fanciest car. I mainly want something comfortable for five people, safe, reliable, economical to own and practical enough for occasional Mumbai-Goa trips.