•21w

I want to purchase a second car for my wife. I commute long distances daily, up to 120-130 km, 3-4 days a week. I am looking for a budget-friendly automatic suitable for both city and highway use. Which model would be suitable?

•21w

The Hyundai Venue is a good option for your requirements. It is a spacious and comfortable SUV that is easy to drive in the city and on the highway. This Hyundai car is packed with features and tech, and the cabin feels upmarket and well-built too. The 1.0-litre turbo-petrol DCT powertrain engine is peppy and suitable for your daily commute.

However, given your wife's intended long-range use of 120km plus, 3-4 days a week, we would recommend the 1.5 diesel AT. The engine is refined, and the gearbox is smooth, making it an excellent city commuter. Fuel efficiency will also be much better than the turbo petrol option.

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More questions on similar cars

•1d

Hi, I’m planning to buy an automatic petrol SUV and am confused between the Kia Seltos HTE(O) IVT Petrol and the Hyundai Venue HX5 DCT Petrol. The on-road price difference is around Rs. 3 lakh, so I want to understand whether the Seltos is truly worth the extra cost. My typical usage includes 3,000-4,000km per year on moderate Indian roads, with occasional city driving. I also do weekend trips with family or friends, usually with 4-5 people. My car may sit idle for 15-20 days at a time. I currently drive a Hyundai i20 diesel manual.

•11h

If you have the budget to accommodate the Rs. 3 lakh price difference, go for the Kia Seltos HTE(O) IVT. It is a significantly larger car, so your weekend trips with 4-5 people and luggage will be far easier. It also has a smoother and more refined powertrain overall, and its IVT automatic gearbox works equally well in the city and on the highway. Ride quality is better, the boot is much larger, and rear-seat space is something your passengers will appreciate.As for the Hyundai Venue, while a good SUV on its own, it is simply at a disadvantage for its size, given your intended usage. Its 1.0-litre turbo petrol is more powerful and feels punchier than the Seltos' 1.5 litre NA petrol, but it also suffers from serious turbo lag, and the DCT gearbox can be very clunky at low speeds, both of which are made worse when the car is full up. Thus, overall, the Seltos is just the better choice.Your automatic gearbox should have no real issue with sitting idle for 15-20 days at a time. What needs to be looked out for is the battery, which could discharge, and the fuel in the tank. E20 petrol, which is the norm in India now, can separate into petrol and ethanol if it comes in contact with moisture, which is a possibility when the car is left idle for a long. It is thus advisable in any case to run the car, even briefly, at least once a week.

Kia Seltos

Hyundai Venue

•3d

Should I buy petrol or diesel car? My budget is Rs. 10 lakh through the CSD route for long-term ownership. I currently own a 2022 Hyundai Creta Diesel, but my monthly running is relatively low. I am also concerned about future fuel regulations. If I buy an E20-compatible petrol car today, will it be able to handle higher ethanol blends that may be introduced in the coming years?

•1d

Given your low monthly running, we would recommend a petrol car over a diesel. The fuel-efficiency advantage of a diesel only starts to make strong financial sense when you're covering substantially higher distances. Since you're already driving a 2022 Creta Diesel, moving to a petrol for your next car would also help you avoid concerns around DPFs and future diesel regulations.We also wouldn't let ethanol-blending concerns drive your purchase decision. While India could move towards E27 or even E30 fuel in the future, there is currently no official roadmap confirming this. Most modern E20-compliant petrol cars have been engineered with a margin of tolerance and should be able to handle somewhat higher ethanol blends without any immediate issues. At worst, some rubber components may wear slightly faster over many years, but these are typically inexpensive parts to replace. The bigger impact is likely to be a small reduction in fuel efficiency rather than any major reliability concern.For a Rs.10 lakh CSD budget, we would suggest looking at the Hyundai Venue 1.0 Turbo Petrol or the Skoda Kylaq. The Venue's turbo-petrol engine feels punchy and refined, offers a premium cabin and is very well suited to everyday use. The Kylaq, meanwhile, feels more substantial, offers excellent safety credentials and has one of the most enjoyable turbo-petrol engine and automatic gearbox combinations in the segment.

I'm a first-time car buyer looking for an automatic petrol car mainly for city use and occasional long trips. I want modern features like a 360 camera, wireless Android Auto/Apple CarPlay, etc. My budget is Rs. 10-12 lakh, but I can stretch it to Rs. 14 lakh if the car is worth it. I had shortlisted the Hyundai i20 Asta variant, but I heard there will be a facelift soon, and Hyundai may launch the Bayon as well. Is it a good time to buy the current i20, or should I wait for the facelift or even the Bayon? Are there any good alternatives like the Venue or Sonet? I am avoiding Maruti Suzuki because I feel the features offered and safety ratings are poor compared to the competition at the same price. Please advise.

•2d

You can go ahead and buy the Hyundai i20 Asta IVT now. There's no further facelift planned, and the Bayon-based crossover will be positioned much higher and closer to the Hyundai Creta in price. For mostly city use, the i20's smooth, automatic and light controls make traffic a breeze, and it fits your budget better than most compact SUVs would. You still get six airbags, a big screen, a sunroof and all the everyday comforts, and it’s fine for the odd highway run. However, the i20 doesn’t get a 360 camera, and Android Auto/CarPlay aren't wireless unless you buy a special adapter accessory.If a 360 camera is a must and you want the SUV look, the Hyundai Venue SX(O) DCT or Kia Sonet GTX+ have it, but they’ll sit well past Rs 14 lakh on-road in most cities, and their dual-clutch automatics aren’t as smooth as the i20’s CVT in bumper-to-bumper traffic.Another alternative you could consider is the Toyota Urban Cruiser Taisor Turbo Petrol V AT, which gets a punchy but efficient engine, a smooth automatic, and the features you want at around your Rs 14 lakh budget.

Toyota Urban Cruiser Taisor

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Popular discussions right now

•1w

I am looking for a diesel automatic car for long-distance driving. My daily running is around 230 km, so I need something with good highway stability, reliability, and a proven track record. Kindly suggest which car would be the best fit for my requirements.

•5d

With a daily running of around 230km, a diesel automatic makes perfect sense and will be the most cost-effective option in the long run.Our recommendation would be the Kia Seltos Diesel Automatic. The 1.5-litre diesel engine is refined, fuel-efficient and well proven, while the automatic gearbox is smooth and easy to live with. It is also stable at highway speeds, comfortable over long distances and has built up a strong reliability record over the years. Given the distances you cover, the diesel's efficiency advantage will quickly offset its higher purchase price.Another option worth considering is the Tata Sierra Diesel Automatic. It offers more space and road presence and should be an excellent long-distance cruiser. However, the Seltos' powertrain is more proven, and it remains the safer recommendation today.

Kia Seltos

Tata Sierra

•1w

I am very confused about buying my first car because of the petrol fiasco. I am leaning towards diesel. I'll have a monthly 600km trip. Plus city driving of 400km a month. The budget is around 13-14 lakh. Which automatic would be the best

•5d

Consider the Kia Sonet HTK Plus diesel automatic. It fits within your budget and gets a refined diesel engine paired with a smooth-shifting 6-speed torque-converter automatic. It also feels stable on highway trips and has enough performance for quick overtakes when needed.The downside is that the ride can feel a bit firm in the city, and rear-seat space is not the best in the segment. If that is a concern, then also try the Hyundai Venue diesel automatic, which offers a slightly roomier rear seat and a more pliant ride.Overall, if your priorities are fuel efficiency, highway ability and the convenience of a proper automatic, the Sonet diesel AT is a strong fit.

Kia Sonet

Hyundai Venue

•2d

My annual running is below 7,000 km, and I plan to keep my next car for 12-15 years. I am confused between Grand Vitara, Hyryder, Elevate, Creta, Seltos and Victoris. My priorities are reliability, a good balance of power and fuel efficiency, family comfort, low maintenance and long-term ownership. I am also concerned about India's future ethanol-blending policy (E20 and higher blends). Which of these would be the best long-term choice and why?

•1d

With an annual running of less than 7,000km, fuel efficiency should not be the deciding factor. Instead, you should focus on comfort, reliability, ownership experience and how well the car will age over the next 12-15 years. That's why we wouldn't prioritise the Grand Vitara, Hyryder or Victoris Hybrid. Their hybrid systems command a price premium that you'll struggle to recover with such low annual usage.Between the remaining options, the Kia Seltos strikes the best balance. It offers a refined and proven naturally aspirated petrol engine, a smooth IVT automatic, a spacious and premium cabin, excellent comfort and a strong ownership experience. It also feels newer and more upmarket than the Elevate, while the Creta is due for a generational update sooner.The Honda Elevate deserves a mention for its simplicity and reliability. If absolute mechanical simplicity is your priority, it is arguably the safest long-term bet. However, it doesn't feel as premium as the Seltos. The engine and CVT combination isn't quite as refined, and Honda's dealer network is smaller.As for ethanol blending, we wouldn't let it influence your purchase decision. While there is plenty of discussion around E25, E27 and E30 fuels, there is currently no confirmed roadmap for such a transition. More importantly, all of these cars are E20-compliant, and manufacturers have engineered a degree of tolerance beyond that. The most likely effect of higher ethanol blends would be a small reduction in fuel efficiency and slightly accelerated wear of certain fuel-system components over a very long period, not a major reliability issue.

Kia Seltos

Honda Elevate

Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara

Maruti Suzuki Victoris

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Posted on: 29 Jan 2026