Delhi

Nitin Khuller

•4w

Want to buy a new car in the range of Rs 15 to 20 lakh. My driving is around 25,000 km per year, mostly on highways. We are a family of four. Good fuel economy is essential. Please advise which car I should buy.

Autocar India

•4w

Since you frequent highways and the economy is a priority, a diesel SUV would be a good choice for you. In the Rs 15-20 lakh price range, the Kia Seltos is the newest option and has the right makings with a strong diesel engine, a well-equipped cabin and Kia's widespread network. The HTK (O) trim comes well packed with features that you would need and makes for a strong case.

The Tata Sierra is also an option to consider if the Seltos' design is a bit too over the top for you. The Sierra has lots of room in the cabin, and the diesel engine is refined and punchy as well.

If both these dont sit well with you, the Hyundai Creta is the safest bet. It has a clean, no-nonsense design, a well-equipped cabin and the same strong diesel engine as the Seltos. It will also hold its value better since the Creta brand name is much stronger.

All three have good room in the cabin, and boot space for four is sufficient too.

Explore cars mentioned

Kia

Seltos

from ₹12.79 Lakh

Hyundai

Creta

from ₹12.56 Lakh

Tata

Sierra

from ₹13.37 Lakh

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Soumya Sinha

•4w

In case you can wait till second half of this calendar year don't forget to check out the new Renault Duster hybrid which will probably bring out the mix of both fun & efficiency

Ragu

•4w

Excellent idea. Will this a successful model

Latest questions people are discussing

Vaibhav

•5d

Hello Sir, I am looking to purchase an SUV within a budget of ₹15 lakh (on-road). Initially, the Tata Sierra was one of my preferred options, but after watching your video, I became a bit uncertain about it. Since then, I have also started considering the base petrol variant of the Harrier. I do not drive a car on a daily basis. My average monthly travel is around 400 km, and my annual usage is approximately 6,000-7,000 km. My driving is usually less in the city and more on highways. I frequently travel through the ghat sections of Pune and the Konkan region with five passengers and a significant amount of luggage. Therefore, I am looking for a car that is safe, fuel-efficient, and has relatively low maintenance costs. I would really appreciate your suggestion on which option would be the best choice for my requirements. Thank you.

Autocar India

•23h

The Tata Harrier Smart turbo-petrol MT (base) should be close to your Rs 15 lakh budget (on-road). It is a spacious 5-seater with a large boot, and its turbo-petrol has ample performance to effortlessly drive through the ghat sections with a full-load of passengers and luggage. Do keep in mind that the Harrier is a heavy car, and turbo-petrol engines are very sensitive to your driving style, so we'd advise you to keep your fuel efficiency expectations low.Alternatively, you can consider the Kia Seltos HTE(O) Turbo-petrol iMT. It is spacious, and performance is adequate, too. And being lighter, fuel efficiency is likely to be a bit better.

Kia Seltos

Tata Harrier

pooja

•3d

I am planning to buy a new petrol car with a manual gearbox. My budget is around ₹13 lakh. My usage will be 70% city and 30% highway. Could you please suggest SUV options within this budget?

Autocar India

•1d

With a daily running of around 50 to 60 km, a diesel automatic makes good sense as your monthly usage will easily justify the better fuel efficiency and relaxed nature of a diesel engine.Between the two options, the Kia Seltos diesel automatic is the better choice overall. The diesel engine is refined, and the 6-speed torque converter automatic is smooth and well-suited for normal city traffic as well as highway drives.The Tata Sierra is also a strong Midsize SUV with more cabin space. But its diesel engine is noticeably noisier and less refined than the Hyundai-Kia diesel. It is also over a lakh more expensive in comparable automatic variants.For your usage and preference for an automatic, the Seltos diesel automatic is the more balanced and sensible option thanks to its refinement, smooth gearbox and lower price.

Kia Seltos

Tata Sierra

Saransh

•4d

I am planning to buy a new SUV at around ₹17 lakh on-road price and have shortlisted the Honda Elevate ZX, Kia Seltos HTK and new Kushaq Prestige. I primarily need a car for 80% driving in the city and around 1000-1200 km per month. Which is better in terms of engine and mileage? Is the Honda Elevate outdated compared to other cars in the segment?

Autocar India

•2d

The Honda Elevate is a good option for your needs. The 1.5-litre petrol engine is smooth and refined, and the CVT automatic gearbox is well-suited to city driving. The car is spacious and comfortable, and the ZX variant is well-equipped too. However, in comparison to the Seltos, it does not have the space or the modernity, and the cabin does not feel as plush.The Kia Seltos HTK with the CVT gearbox is the best option considering all your needs. It is a lot better-equipped than the Honda, has a better ride quality, and the engine has a lot more punch and strong performance while still being easy to drive in the city. The smoothness, refinement and ease of use are why the Seltos will be our recommendation.The Skoda Kushaq is a good option, too. The 1.0-litre TSI engine is quite efficient, but it is not as smooth as the 1.5-litre engines of the Honda and Kia. The facelift that was recently revealed will be launched in a few days, but it hasn't changed much in the rear seat space, where it is still not as spacious as the Seltos. So we would advise you to shortlist the Seltos.

Kia Seltos

Honda Elevate

Skoda Kushaq

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