I want to buy a car, and my budget is 22 lakhs on road. I personally prefer a sedan, but I am open to buying an SUV as well. I need something which is powerful, fun to drive and is feature-loaded (ADAS, 360 camera, ventilated seats etc). I have shortlisted the following: Verna, Seltos, Slavia and Virtus. Which one should I go for? I am planning to buy it in the next 3-4 months.

autocar.india

•2h

Buy the Seltos petrol. Kia’s current petrol engines are E20-ready, so the ethanol noise should not worry you, and the real-world hit is usually a small drop in mileage, not reliability. For mostly city use, the petrol is smoother, quieter and simpler to live with, and you avoid diesel’s soot filter quirks that show up on short trips. You also save on the higher upfront price of the diesel and sidestep longer-term policy risk around diesels in big cities.Go diesel only if your running is high and largely highway. The diesel will give you noticeably better mileage and relaxed cruising, so if you do something like 1,200-1,500 km a month at steady speeds, the maths can work in its favour. Just keep in mind it needs occasional longer drives to keep the DPF happy.If you are buying before year-end and plan regular mixed city use, the petrol Seltos is the safer, easier choice. The only real trade-off is fuel cost on long trips, where the diesel will sip less.

Kia Seltos

autocar.india

•12h

Get the Honda City petrol, V trim, because you already like how a City drives, and this keeps the same easy, calm feel with a telescopic wheel, simple cabin and Honda reliability. The screen is modest, and there are still proper buttons and knobs, so it does not feel like a tablet on wheels. It is quiet, comfy over bad roads, and the petrol is smooth and efficient in real life, around 12-17 kpl depending on traffic.Safety kit is strong with 6 airbags, ESC and ISOFIX, and Honda’s service network is painless if you plan to keep the car long. One honest catch: there is no diesel now, but with your usage, the petrol will suit you just fine.If top-tier crash rating matters more than anything, look at the Skoda Slavia or VW Virtus 1.0 with lower trims for fewer screens. They are 5-star rated and drive well, but their ride is a bit firmer and long-term ownership can be fussier than Honda.

Honda City

Skoda Slavia

Volkswagen Virtus

autocar.india

•1d

The Skoda Kodiaq would be the right choice for you. Assuming you opted for a Kia Seltos 1.4 Turbo DCT for the way it drives, you'll like the Kodiaq's driving manners. It's got a peppy engine and neat handling, and there's also the added safety net of all-wheel drive. The Kodiaq also feels like an upgrade thanks to a more premium and upmarket interior ambience. Quality levels are really good, and it feels like an expensive car. Fuel economy isn't great, but for your kind of usage, running costs won't pinch. Routine service and spares will be pricier than the Toyota, though.The Toyota Innova Hycross is roomier and more efficient (if you take the hybrid), but doesn't match the performance and general feel-good factor of a Kodiaq.

Skoda Kodiaq

Kia Seltos

Toyota Innova HyCross