I am 34 years old and I currently own a Honda Amaze. I am planning to get a new car. My annual running is around 7000 km and 85% of the running is out of Mumbai. I wanted a sedan but that is not mandatory. I want to buy a car that I plan to keep for the next 10 years. I need a safe automatic car that has front ventilated seats with good after sales support. I like Hyundai Verna and Creta but I do not want to go for a Maruti or Tata car. My budget is 15 lakh that can be extended up to 19 lakh if the car is value for money. Which car do you suggest?

autocar.india

•3h

Since you already own a Honda Elevate and are looking for a foreign-made SUV, the decision really comes down to what you want from your second car. The Skoda Kushaq and Volkswagen Taigun are essentially the same car underneath, so the choice between them is more about brand preference and dealership experience. Both are excellent to drive, with strong turbo petrol engines and a more engaging driving experience than the Creta. The Kushaq tends to offer slightly better value for money, while the Taigun has a marginally more premium interior feel.The Hyundai Creta, on the other hand, is the safer, more rounded choice. It is more comfortable, has a wider service network and is generally easier to live with over the long term. It may not be as engaging to drive as the Skoda or Volkswagen, but it is the more sensible ownership proposition.If you are looking for a car that feels different from your Elevate and enjoy driving, go for the Skoda Kushaq. If you want a hassle-free ownership experience, the Hyundai Creta is the better choice.

Honda Elevate

Skoda Kushaq

Volkswagen Taigun

Hyundai Creta

autocar.india

•21h

At 10,000km a year, buy the Hyundai Creta petrol. A diesel only pays off at much higher mileage, and its higher price would take many years to recover. The petrol’s fuel bill will be higher, but at your running, the difference is only around Rs 2,000-2,500 a month.To answer your DPF questions: No, you don’t have to drive a diesel every day. Soot only forms while the engine is running, so a car parked for two weeks builds up nothing. The bigger risk then is a flat battery. The filter cleans itself by burning off the soot, but it needs heat to do it. That takes 15-20 minutes of steady driving at highway speeds. Short city trips never get it hot enough, so the soot keeps building until a warning light comes on.Your pattern is the risk. Two weeks parked does no harm, but two weeks of only city driving is exactly what fills the filter. A diesel car owner in your position would need a proper highway run every couple of weeks and avoid switching off midway through a cleaning cycle.None of this is difficult, but it’s a routine you have to keep up, and with a petrol car you don’t have to think about it.

Hyundai Creta

autocar.india

•1d

Based on your father’s priorities and usage, we’d recommend the Honda Elevate SV manual as the most sensible upgrade, provided you can stretch your budget a wee bit. It’s currently around Rs 14.2 lakh on road in Kerala, though the final quote will depend on your location, insurance and any dealer offers.It builds on the Honda qualities your father already appreciates in his Honda Amaze, while adding a higher seating position, more ground clearance and a comfortable suspension that copes well with broken roads. That makes it well suited to his village-road driving, with the caveat that bigger potholes still need to be taken slowly The 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine is smooth, responsive and straightforward to drive. On steeper climbs, he may need to downshift rather than expect strong pulling power in a high gear. The cabin is comfortable, visibility is good and the boot is generous. Overall, it offers the fuss-free driving experience he’s enjoyed in the Amaze, in a more spacious package. Given his positive experience with the local Honda workshop, staying with the same service setup is another practical advantage.If Rs14 lakh is a firm ceiling, we’d look at the Maruti Suzuki Brezza 1.0 turbo-petrol. Its punchy engine should suit the uphill stretches, and your budget could allow a higher variant with more features. This Maruti Suzuki car also offers a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol, which is worth trying if he prefers smoother, more linear responses over outright punchWe’d favour the Elevate for comfort and familiarity, but have your father test-drive both on the kind of roads he actually uses before deciding.

Honda Elevate

Maruti Suzuki Brezza

Honda Amaze