Please share your views on the best car for city driving between the Kia Seltos HTK(O) CVT and the new Kushaq facelift automatic. My average daily drive is around 40km in the city.

Autocar India

•1h

Go for the Renault Duster 1.3 Turbo DCT. For your mix of city, highway, hills and bad roads, it combines strong punch, planted suspension and a heat‑resistant wet‑clutch gearbox.Your concern about DCT heating is valid in dry‑clutch units. The Renault Duster’s wet‑clutch design is oil‑cooled, so it tolerates prolonged crawling and hill starts better. The turbo motor helps on steep climbs with passengers, and overtakes at 80–100 kph feel effortless. The Duster’s long‑travel suspension shrugs off broken roads that unsettle softer crossovers.The one thing you give up is the Kia Seltos IVT’s ultra‑smooth low‑speed creep. Below 10kph, the DCT can feel a touch jerky and needs gentler throttle modulation while parking.

Renault Duster

Kia Seltos

Autocar India

•5h

The new Renault Duster 1.0 turbo-petrol should be acceptable in the city, but it is not the most effortless choice for predominantly urban use like yours.The 1.0 turbo makes about 99hp and 160-166Nm, and the torque comes in from around 2,000rpm, so performance at low revs will feel merely adequate rather than strong. You will need to work the gearbox to keep the engine in its power band, especially with a full load or on inclines, and that can get tiring in bumper‑to‑bumper traffic. The good bit is that the clutch is light and the engine reasonably refined, so it won’t feel cumbersome or heavy in daily use.However, there is no automatic with the 1.0 turbo. It comes only with a 6‑speed manual, which is a drawback for an 85% city‑running profile. If you prioritise smoothness and ease over outright punch, an automatic CVT in this segment will suit you better.The Kia Seltos 1.5 iVT offers seamless, jerk‑free power delivery and feels very smooth and responsive in typical city driving. Similarly, the Hyundai Creta 1.5 petrol CVT, which has the same gearbox as the Seltos, is another good option. Both the Kia Seltos and the Hyundai Creta make urban driving more relaxing, even if performance is only adequate rather than exciting.

Renault Duster

Kia Seltos

Hyundai Creta

Autocar India

•2d

Since most of your usage is on the highway, the Kia Seltos turbo-petrol DCT is a better choice than the naturally aspirated engine with the IVT. While the NA IVT combo is adequate in the city, you may find performance somewhat lacking compared to the turbo-petrol.In terms of reliability, the DCTs used in Hyundai and Kia cars have generally proven to be quite reliable. Some owners report that the clutch pack can heat up in heavy stop-and-go traffic, particularly on inclines, but this is largely avoidable with proper use. Put the transmission in Neutral when at a standstill and avoid leaving it in Park without applying the parking brake, especially on steep slopes.Given that most of your usage will be on the highway, it is unlikely that you will face any issues with the DCT.

Kia Seltos