I want to buy a diesel/CNG/hybrid car with a price range of 10 to 13 lakh. My daily travel distance is around 15-25 km.

Autocar India

•43m

The Mahindra XUV 3XO turbo-petrol manual best fits your brief. It has a strong engine, so even with four passengers and weekend luggage, it should cruise on the highway without feeling strained. The cabin feels solid and well built. The rear seat is also slightly roomier than the other cars you mentioned. Its steering is light, and the ride quality is well suited to both city and highway use.A couple of things to note: its clutch pedal travel is long, which could take some getting used to in slow traffic, and its boot is on the smaller side compared to rivals.You could consider the Skoda Kylaq Classic Plus variant too, which is nice to drive, but it also feels safe and solid, just like how you'd expect a family car to be.

Mahindra XUV 3XO

Skoda Kylaq

Autocar India

•3h

Given your 60% city and 40% highway usage, with a budget of Rs 20-25 lakh, the Kia Seltos petrol CVT automatic suits your requirements very well. It is easy to drive in town, the 115hp, 1.5-litre petrol engine is refined, the CVT automatic is smooth in traffic, and feels steady on the highway. More importantly for you, it is packed with technology and convenience features. You get twin screens, a clear 360-degree camera, ventilated front seats and ADAS features, and Kia also has a strong service network in most cities.Two things to note: it won't have the performance of the turbo petrol, and the back seat is not as wide as the Tata Harrier or 7XO if you often seat three adults. If you want a more powerful and a bigger car, look at the Mahindra XUV 7XO petrol automatic, although the variant with the features you want may stretch beyond your budget. Overall, the Seltos lines up best for your needs and features focus.

Kia Seltos

Tata Harrier

Mahindra XUV 7XO

Autocar India

•17h

Considering your needs, go for the Skoda Kylaq Prestige AT. This Skoda car comes with a punchy 115hp, 1.0-litre turbo petrol engine and when paired with the 6-speed torque converter automatic, it will make for an easy-going and convenient SUV to drive in the city, which is where you'll do majority of your running. The Kylaq is also compact, so parking in tight spots and darting in and out of gaps in traffic will be easy. On the highway at high speeds, it stays composed and comfy and the suspension handles bad patches well. It also stands out for its ride and handling balance and is very enjoyable to drive around some twisty roads. Do note though, the rear seat is best reserved for just two adults and Skoda's service network isn't as widespread as some rivals.

Skoda Kylaq

Autocar India

•6d

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

Autocar India

•5d

With the kind of mileage you are already seeing from your 4th generation Honda City, I would not rush to fit a CNG kit. Around 16 kpl over 85,000 km is actually a healthy real world figure for a petrol sedan, and since the City is known for its smoothness and refinement, adding an aftermarket CNG kit will inevitably change the character of the car. Honda does not offer a factory CNG option for the City, so any retrofit will be third party, which means compromises in boot space, some loss in outright performance and the added variable of installation quality and long term reliability. Honda also recommends using fuel that meets the vehicle specifications, and aftermarket modifications can complicate warranty or support considerations on newer cars.A CNG conversion only starts making strong financial sense if your running is very high and you plan to keep the car for several more years to recover the kit cost. If your annual usage is moderate, the payback period can be longer than expected. The only real case for going CNG here is if fuel cost reduction is your absolute top priority. Otherwise, given how well your City is already performing, I would leave it as is and enjoy the refinement rather than fixing something that is not really broken.

Honda City

Autocar India

•6d

With 80% Bengaluru city use and only some highway driving, the Kushaq 1.0 TSI AT is the better fit. The 8-speed torque-converter automatic feels smooth at low speeds and in stop-go traffic. In Bengaluru’s daily crawl, it will move off gently, is easy to control at parking speeds, and does not feel fussy. For your 20% highway runs, the 1.0 has enough power for steady cruising and normal overtakes, and it stays relaxed if you are not pushing hard.The 1.5 TSI DSG, which uses a dual-clutch automatic that shifts very quickly, is the one to choose only if you really value strong highway performance or often drive with four adults and luggage. It feels much quicker when you floor it and makes fast overtakes easy. But in heavy, slow traffic it can sometimes feel a bit hesitant and slightly jerky as it picks gears.Trade-offs to note for the 1.0 AT: with a full load on a fast highway, you will need to press the pedal more to overtake, and the engine gets louder when worked hard.Overall, for mostly city driving in Bengaluru, the 1.0 TSI AT lines up best with what you described.

Skoda Kushaq