I currently own a 2010 Hyundai i20 petrol and want to upgrade to a new automatic car with a budget of ₹15 lakh (on-road). My usage is 50% city + 50% highway, with monthly running of ~1200–1500 km. It’s mainly for a family of 3, but sometimes 5-6 people during outings. I’m confused between petrol, diesel, and CNG. With diesel, I am worried about maintenance and city usage. CNG has good running costs, but there are long queues on weekends. My priorities are fuel efficiency, low maintenance, good safety, and long-term reliability. Based on this usage, which fuel type and automatic transmission would you recommend, and what safety aspects (airbags, build quality, ratings) should I not compromise on?

Autocar India

•7h

Since your monthly running is on the higher side, a diesel SUV would make sense. The newly updated Hyundai Venue in HX 5 trim would fit in your budget and is a big upgrade from the WagonR. The engine is refined, frugal and tried and tested, and should you get the manual gearbox, it has a light clutch that makes it easy in traffic. The HX 5 also gets a good level of kit, like a sunroof, cruise control, touchscreen, reversing sensors, TPMS, etc. The ride quality is good too, and it has a decent-sized boot for outstation trips. Hyundai's after-sales network is also one of the best, and it would be a hassle-free ownership experience.

Hyundai Venue

Autocar India

•8h

Without knowing your budget and more requirements, we can't recommend the ideal choice for you. We have shortlisted models that you should consider, and why they are of interest. Compact SUVs- Hyundai Venue: (+) Smooth diesel engine and auto gearbox combo, good interior space, upmarket interior | (-) Expensive for its size- Kia Sonet: (+) Smooth diesel engine and auto gearbox combo, upmarket interior, good value | (-) Rear seat space is limited, due to be replaced in the coming year Midsize SUVs- Kia Seltos: (+) Spacious interior, well equipped, good ride comfort | (-) Performance is adequate only- Tata Sierra: (+) Class-best space, feature-packed, tough build, ride comfort | (-) Engine feels noisy, road noise- Hyundai Creta: (+) Well equipped, decent performance | (-) Due to be replaced in the coming year

Hyundai Venue

Kia Sonet

Kia Seltos

Tata Sierra

Hyundai Creta

Autocar India

•1d

Since you prefer diesels, the Tata Nexon would be a good choice for your needs. It gets a frugal 1.5-litre diesel engine with a 6-speed manual gearbox. It is rated 5 stars for crash test safety in BNCAP and has a confident ride on the highway. The braking performance is good too, and in your budget, you can get the Pure + S variant that gets you a decent kit like LED headlamps, sunroof, reversing camera, rain-sensing wipers, etc.The Nexon returns an impressive 16.5kpl in the city and an even more impressive 19.4kpl on the highway. It is a well-rounded SUV for your needs and hence our top recommendation.

Tata Nexon