I’m planning to buy a new car for my elderly parents, and I’m confused between the Honda Elevate, Toyota HyCross, Toyota Hyryder, Skoda Slavia, and Honda City. Which car would you suggest???

Autocar India

•7h

Mostly city use with short highway runs and a ₹15-16 lakh on-road cap in Delhi, in this brief the Honda Elevate VX automatic is the safer long-term pick. It suits daily Delhi driving better because the higher seat and ground clearance make bad roads, tall speed breakers and waterlogging less stressful. Honda’s wide service network in NCR and the simple, proven petrol with a smooth automatic also point to easier, lower-hassle ownership over many years.The Slavia 1.0TSI automatic is the one to choose only if you care more about how it drives on the open road. It feels quicker when you press the accelerator, the ride is more confident at speed and being a sedan, handling is more engaging than the Elevate. But it sits lower and Skoda’s network is smaller.Two trade-offs with the Elevate VX: the cabin feels simpler than the Slavia’s, and highway overtakes need a firm press, especially with a full load.Overall, for your city-heavy routine and long-term peace of mind, go with the Elevate VX automatic.

Honda Elevate

Skoda Slavia

Autocar India

•1d

Mostly stop-go Andheri traffic, a switch from your City to a taller automatic - in that use, the Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder V hybrid is the one to pick. It feels the smoothest in city moves because it often runs on electric power at low speed, so pull-offs are quiet, and there’s no shudder. Toyota’s hybrid system is proven and usually low on upkeep, which helps long-term costs. Ground clearance is ample for Mumbai’s broken patches, and the top trim packs city-friendly aids like a 360-degree camera and parking sensors; ventilated seats are offered depending on variant.Two trade-offs to note: when you press hard, the engine can sound busy, and the boot is smaller than the others. Also, auto wipers are not available.If rain-sensing wipers and a fuller feature list matter more than hybrid smoothness, the Kia Seltos 1.5 petrol IVT suits Mumbai well. It rides well over potholes, has ventilated seats and parking aids and is the most modern of your picks. Overall, for heavy city use, the Hyryder hybrid lines up best.

Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder

Kia Seltos

Autocar India

•1d

For a ten-year ownership period with strong reliability, mostly short city runs with the occasional highway trip, the Honda Elevate CVT is a good fit. Given your usage is fairly low and largely limited to the city, a petrol would be a better choice than a diesel. Being naturally aspirated, it won’t have the same grunt as the Nexon’s turbo-petrol, but among naturally aspirated midsize SUVs, it feels one of the most energetic.Test drive it to see if the performance feels adequate, but if you miss that turbo punch, then consider the Skoda Kushaq 1.0 TSI AT instead. It comes with an 8-speed torque-converter automatic, which avoids your DCT concerns, though overall upkeep cost will be higher than Honda’s.If you want the least hassle with many short city trips, pick the Honda Elevate.

Honda Elevate

Skoda Kushaq