Warangal

•4h

Hi Autocar, I am planning to buy a new car and have test-driven several models. I have narrowed my choice down to the Skoda Kushaq 1.5 Monte Carlo and have already booked one. I currently own a Hyundai Venue 1.0 Turbo manual. Most of my driving is within Chennai city, and I will primarily use the car for my office commute, around 25km each way. Both the morning and evening drives involve moderate to heavy traffic, with frequent crawling movement. My main concern is the DSG gearbox and its behaviour in heavy traffic. I have read about potential heating issues with DSG transmissions during prolonged stop-and-go driving, and I am wondering whether this should be a significant concern for my usage. Should I reconsider the Kushaq 1.5 DSG and look at another car instead? I really like the performance of the 1.5-litre Kushaq, and it feels like a genuine upgrade over my current Venue. However, the concerns around the DSG in heavy city traffic are making me hesitant about going ahead with the purchase. Could you please advise whether the Kushaq 1.5 DSG would be suitable for my usage, particularly from a long-term ownership perspective?

•5m

The Skoda Kushaq Monte Carlo 1.5 TSI DCT is a genuine upgrade from the Hyundai Venue, particularly in performance, and the Kushaq is an excellent highway car. However, the concern about the DSG is relevant for your specific usage. Your 50km daily commute involves moderate to heavy Chennai traffic, 3–4 days a week, so the gearbox will regularly spend time at very low speeds. The current 7-speed DSG is considerably more robust than earlier generations, but it is still a dry-clutch unit and repeated crawling places more heat and wear on the clutches.

If the priority is peace of mind in Chennai traffic, the Kushaq 1.0 TSI AT is the better fit. The newer 8-speed torque-converter automatic is smoother and more relaxed at crawling speeds, while the 1.0 TSI remains adequate for city use and occasional highway trips. The trade-off is clear: it will not deliver the effortless 150hp performance that makes the 1.5 feel like a substantial upgrade from the Venue.

If the 1.5 DSG is the reason for buying the Kushaq, keep the booking. If avoiding any gearbox-related worry is more important, switch to the 1.0 TSI AT. The 1.5 DSG is not a deal-breaker, but the 1.0 AT is better suited to your Chennai commute.

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Skoda

Kushaq

from ₹13.15 Lakh

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Venue

from ₹9.48 Lakh

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•3d

I’m kind of bored with my Exter AMT and want to upgrade. I mostly use it for city driving, but I want something with a fun-to-drive quotient and maybe something that doesn’t feel dated after a few years. My budget is ₹18 lakh on-road in Mumbai. Please advise.

•2d

Go for the Skoda Kushaq 1.0 TSI automatic. It is the best balance between your city usage and your desire for a more engaging driving experience. The 1.0 TSI engine is punchy and responsive, and the new 8-speed torque converter automatic is smooth and reliable in traffic. The Kushaq is also one of the most fun-to-drive cars in its segment, with sharp steering and a well-sorted chassis that makes it genuinely enjoyable on open roads. At the same time, it is compact enough to be easy to live with in Mumbai traffic and parking situations. In terms of feeling fresh, the Kushaq recently received a midlife facelift and should not feel dated for several years. It also offers a good level of features and a solid safety package.

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•2d

My mom is looking for a car to replace our Ignis AMT. Although the main use is a daily commute of 15km in town, we need a car that provides good comfort for four people on trips of up to 250km. We looked at the Tata Punch and Nexon EV, but the general service issues with Tata are concerning. The budget is around Rs 16-17 lakh on-road. Is it worth waiting for the upcoming Bayon? Is the 1.5-litre + IVT combination known to be fuel-efficient in the city?

•1d

The Tata Punch and Tata Nexon EV are both good products, but your concern about service is valid. Tata’s service experience can still be inconsistent depending on the city and dealership, and for a family car that will be used on longer trips, that peace of mind matters. The Punch might be too cramped for four to use regularly, so the Nexon is the better bet here. Furthermore, an electric car only makes sense if you have home charging, and though your occasional 250km road trip is within the car's real-world range, a seamless road trip is highly dependent on the availability and reliability of public charging, which varies.The upcoming Hyundai Bayon is certainly worth waiting for if you are not in a hurry. It is expected to be positioned between the Hyundai Venue and Hyundai Creta, and the 1.5 petrol with IVT is a proven and reliable combination. It is is both smooth and fuel-efficient in stop-go city traffic, and is the most popular - and frankly best - powertrain on offer in the ICE Creta. It should offer the best of both worlds - space closer to a Creta with price and running costs closer to a Venue. The only question mark is the price, as it remains to be seen if Hyundai can price the 1.5 IVT variant within your Rs 16-17 lakh OTR budget.

I am confused between the Kia Sonet HTK Plus (O) DCT and the Hyundai Venue HX5 DCT. Both are priced close to Rs 13.5 lakh on-road. I am expecting a good discount on the Kia Sonet, given that an update is on the way. Which of the two would be better for long-term ownership in Bangalore? We are a family of two and expect to drive around 70 percent in the city and 30 percent on the highway, with short and long trips every two months. Also, is the DCT reliable enough to handle occasional crawling traffic for 20 to 30 minutes?

•20h

For a family of two, 70 percent city use and 30 percent highway driving, the Kia Sonet HTK+ (O) DCT makes more sense, particularly if the Kia can be bought with a meaningful discount. The Sonet and Hyundai Venue HX5 DCT use essentially the same 1.0-litre turbo petrol and seven-speed DCT, so performance and gearbox behaviour are very similar. The Sonet is also slightly more compact, has a 385-litre boot and offers good equipment at this price.The new Venue is the more spacious and newer product, with a longer wheelbase and a slightly more comfortable rear seat, along with a five-star Bharat NCAP rating. However, with only two occupants most of the time, that additional rear-seat space is unlikely to be a deciding factor.As for the DCT, occasional 20 to 30-minute crawling traffic is not a reason to avoid it. These Hyundai-Kia DCTs have been developed over several years and are considerably more mature than the early units. However, they are dry-clutch systems, so prolonged creeping does generate heat and clutch wear. In very slow traffic, avoid continuously inching forward and use the brake to hold the car on inclines. Shifting to neutral when stationary for longer periods can also reduce unnecessary clutch engagement.

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•6d

Hi, I want to buy my last car as I am 66 years old. I have been driving a Honda City for the last 12 years without any major hiccup. The Honda City engine and its reliability is excellent although its ground clearance is an issue. I have looked at Elevate and given its ground clearance as an SUV, I am impressed although the issues on E20 and abrupt blending issues are surely technical issues. Windsor EV was a great test drive but all controls on screen could be a bottleneck for me at my age and am planning to move to an automatic. Please recommend as experts. My monthly running will not be more than 500 km. Should I also look at Seltos. I will appreciate a feedback from experts. I want a reliable, easy to drive car with low maintenance cost and good family value with. There won't be any great pick ups or many highway drives will not be there.

•5d

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•2d

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•3d

I’m planning to buy my first car, and my primary goal is daily office commuting. The distance from home to office is 30 km one way in Mumbai, which is roughly 1,000 km a month. My requirement is an automatic car. Which fuel type should I choose - petrol or diesel? My budget is Rs. 10-15 lakh.

•2d

At around 1,000km a month, with a 30 km each-way commute in Mumbai traffic, petrol is the better choice. The running is not high enough to make a diesel automatic's higher purchase price and more complex emissions system worthwhile, particularly when much of the driving will be in stop-start traffic.For a first car under Rs 15 lakh, the Maruti Suzuki Brezza 1.5 AT would be a sensible choice. Its naturally aspirated petrol engine and torque converter automatic are smooth and well suited to Mumbai traffic, while Maruti's service network and generally low maintenance costs make it an easy car to live with. The automatic's certified efficiency is also a respectable 20.17kpl.If you want something more fun to drive, the Kylaq 1.0 TSI AT and XUV 3XO 1.2 turbo AT are worth considering, although their turbo petrol engines and overall ownership proposition are different from the Brezza.

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