Hi, I need advice on choosing between the Kia Seltos and Hyundai Alcazar, and also whether I should opt for a petrol or diesel engine. My monthly running is around 1,200 to 1,500 km. Out of this, approximately 1,000 km is on highways, while 200 to 500 km is in the city, including Gurgaon traffic. I travel from Noida to Gurgaon around 5 to 7 times every month. Which model and fuel type would be the better choice for my usage?

Autocar India

•3h

Yes, that is a very good choice for your usage. With mostly city driving, the Hyundai Creta S Optional petrol manual makes a lot of sense because the naturally aspirated petrol engine is smooth, refined and very easy to drive in traffic, while the clutch is light and power delivery is predictable, which makes everyday commuting far less tiring. Even for occasional highway runs, it has enough performance to feel comfortable without ever feeling strained.If you want to look at one alternative, the Kia Seltos petrol manual is worth considering as well. It uses the same engine, so the overall driving experience will feel very similar, but the Seltos is the newer product and even its lower variants are well equipped. It also feels slightly larger and a touch more comfortable inside.

Hyundai Creta

Kia Seltos

Autocar India

•5h

The Kia Seltos 1.5 turbo-petrol with the 7-speed dual-clutch automatic (DCT) is the one that fits your brief best. The DCT changes gears very quickly once you are moving, so city drives feel easy and highway trips feel strong and smooth. The Seltos also rides well for daily use, the seats are supportive, and the cabin looks and feels upmarket. For safety and build, it gives you a solid-feeling body, a long list of safety features, and on higher trims even driver assist tech; plus it received a 5-star Bharat NCAP crash test rating.A couple of things to note for your use: like most dual-clutch gearboxes, there can be a small pause at very low speeds, and if you spend hours in slow traffic every day it is best to drive gently. From your list, the Mahindra Thar Roxx 2.0 petrol automatic is the one to pick if you mainly want a tough, go-anywhere machine and love the stance, but for daily comfort and ease it is not as relaxed as the Seltos, and it has very poor fuel economy. The suspension isn't as absorbent and the controls aren't as light. The Duster and Sierra come much closer, the Renault imparting a tougher feel while still remaining comfortable, and the Sierra feeling large and more comfortable. However, overall, for mixed city-highway use and your priorities, the Seltos turbo DCT lines up best.

Kia Seltos

Mahindra Thar Roxx

Renault Duster

Tata Sierra

Autocar India

•20h

The Kia Seltos HTX is worth the step up over the HTK for a mix of daily city use with some highway trips and a budget that stretches to about Rs 19 lakh on road. It feels nicer to live with every day: it gets useful features like ventilated seats, a larger 12.3-inch HD touchscreen, and dual zone climate control. If you are on a tight budget, consider the HTK (O), which gets the panoramic sunroof and ventilated seats (on the automatic only).The trade-off is price. If you do not care about the added features, and you are strict on budget, the HTK drives the same and will save you a good amount of money.Bringing the Mahindra XUV 7XO into the mix only makes sense if you truly need a bigger, three-row car for six or seven people, or you do long highway trips with a full load. It feels stronger on open roads and gives you a lot more space. But at around Rs. 19 lakh, you will likely land in a lower trim, so you will give up many of the nice features you like in the Seltos HTX, and it is a larger car to park and thread through city traffic.Overall, for mostly city use with 4-5 on board, the Seltos HTX lines up best.

Kia Seltos

Autocar India

•2d

Going by your shortlist, you want a bigger family car on a tight budget and are looking at base trims. If you need the car in the next couple of months for mostly city use with some weekend trips, pick the Kia Seltos HTE (O) IVT. It is well equipped and, compared to the Maruti Suzuki Brezza, gives you more back-seat space and boot room.The Brezza update will be relatively minor, though we expect the 1.5 NA engine to make way for the 1.0 turbo-petrol from the Fronx. Waiting for it only makes sense if you mainly drive in tight city areas and want an easier-to-park car.Overall, for a near-term purchase and everyday comfort, the Seltos lines up best with what you’re considering.

Kia Seltos

Maruti Suzuki Brezza

Maruti Suzuki Fronx

Autocar India

•2d

You’re after a no-drama, long-term family car that is easy to drive, comfortable and roomy. For that brief, the Honda Elevate VX CVT is a good fit. The VX CVT is the sweet spot because the automatic keeps the engine smooth in traffic, and the VX trim gets the useful features without pushing the price too high.Why it fits your list: Honda’s simple 1.5 petrol has a long, clean track record, so it suits your “no issues for 10+ years” aim. The driving position is high, the steering is light, and the CVT makes stop-go city work very easy. Space is good for four adults, the seats are supportive, and the suspension deals with broken roads well, so daily comfort is strong.Trade-offs to note: it is not the quickest for fast highway passes, and rivals offer more flashy features. If you expect a lot of high-speed use with a full load, you may want more punch.Regarding waiting for a facelift, while it may launch this year, there is no confirmed date or list of changes. An update usually brings small styling tweaks and a few extra features, and prices can go up too. The basics you care about are space, ease of driving, Honda’s engine and service and these are unlikely to change much.If you do want to look around, pick the Kia Seltos IVT for more features and a more modern cabin. Overall, for your needs, the Elevate VX CVT lines up best right now.

Honda Elevate

Kia Seltos

Autocar India

•1d

Both perform very well for your requirements, but overall, the Skoda Kylaq is the better choice. The Citroen C3 X has a slightly comfier ride quality, its AC performance is very strong, and its 1.2-litre turbo-petrol engine is quite punchy. However, the Kylaq's 1.0 TSI engine is more powerful, and the 6-speed automatic gearbox has been tuned for even greater responses. As such, it will feel more eager on ghats and highways. It too has excellent suspension and absorbs bumps and broken roads well. Moreover, the Kylaq sits in a segment above and hence offers more space in the back seat and the boot, which will be useful for your passengers and luggage. Moreover, the build quality is stronger, the interior feels more upmarket, and though it may be more expensive, there are more features on offer than in the Citroen. Hence, we recommend that you go with the Skoda.

Skoda Kylaq

Citroen C3