Autocar India
•1w

Dear Autocar India team, I am planning to purchase my first family car with a budget of Rs 11 lakh and have already booked the Kia Sonet HTK+ variant. However, concerns raised on social media about the performance of its 1.2-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine have made me reconsider my decision. Since our monthly usage is relatively low and the car will primarily be used for occasional trips, would the Sonet HTK+ be a suitable choice for our requirements, or should I consider another model or an alternative powertrain within the Sonet range? I would appreciate your professional guidance in making the right decision. Thank you in advance for your assistance.

Verified
•57m

If your usage is primarily in the city, the 1.2-litre Kia Sonet will serve you just fine. It has a smooth, refined engine paired with a light clutch and gearbox, which makes it easy to drive in city traffic. Where it falls short is on the highway, where it may need a downshift to make an overtake.

If you frequently travel on the highway with three or more passengers, you would be better off looking at a turbo-petrol version of the Sonet. Alternatively, consider something like the Maruti Suzuki Brezza or Hyundai Venue with a turbo-petrol engine. However, the trade-off for better performance from a turbo-petrol engine is lower fuel efficiency in the city.

If you only plan on using the Sonet around town, stick with the naturally aspirated engine. But if highway performance is important, the turbo-petrol is a worthwhile upgrade.

Kia Sonet

Kia Sonet

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•3m•

@abhay.10

Go with Kia Sonet 👍

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•1d

We’re first-time car buyers, a couple aged 40 and 35 with two kids (aged10 and 5), and we’re currently learning to drive at a Maruti driving school. Our budget is up to Rs 13.5 lakh on-road, and our usage will be about 40 percent city and 60 percent highway. We’re torn between the Maruti Suzuki Brezza 1.5 petrol (manual or automatic), which I prefer, and the Hyundai Venue 1.2 petrol, which my wife prefers because it feels smaller and more stylish. Between the Brezza and the Venue 1.2, which is better for new drivers with mixed city and highway use? Should first-time drivers choose a manual or an automatic, considering the extra cost, fuel efficiency and maintenance? Some people suggest an automatic, while others recommend a manual for better control and lower long-term maintenance. I’m also concerned about reports of the Venue 1.0 turbo DCT gearbox overheating. Please advise.

Verified
•16h

Since you are learning to drive, doing so on a manual would be better as then driving an automatic is much simpler to do, however if you learn on an automatic, then driving a manual is very difficult. Thus, learning on a manual gives you better flexibility in terms of the types of vehicles you can drive. As for the choice between the Brezza and the Venue, both are good options, and you can't go wrong with either. If it's an automatic, however, we would lean towards the 1.5 NA Brezza, as this comes with a torque converter gearbox, which is the smoothest type of automatic gearbox and is also more robust in heavy and constant start-stop traffic.

VehicleMaruti Suzuki Brezza
VehicleHyundai Venue

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•5d

I’m planning to buy a new car, and my annual running is around 40,000km, primarily involving highway drives and ghat sections. I have shortlisted the Kia Seltos Diesel HTX and the upcoming facelifted Toyota Innova Hycross ZX. I’m considering two approaches: either buy the Innova Hycross and keep it for the next 10 years, given its reputation for longevity and the expectation that its engine can last at least 4 lakh kilometres, or buy the Seltos, drive it for around 2 lakh kilometres over 4–5 years, sell it and upgrade to a brand-new Seltos or another car of a similar price and size. On paper, the Innova Hycross Hybrid seems like the better choice, considering its long-term reliability and features such as the Ottoman reclining seats. However, I’m concerned that I might get bored of it after four years or that it may start feeling outdated as newer technologies and features enter the market. This makes the second option appealing, as it would allow me to upgrade to a brand-new car every 4–5 years. Which approach would make more sense in the long run, considering my high annual running and ownership costs?

Verified
•4d

It seems like you're leaning towards the Kia Seltos Diesel HTX, and we think it is a good choice. The diesel engine feels adequately powered for highway usage and ghat driving, and it is likely to return respectable efficiency too. Moreover, despite being modern with all the latest tech and features, the Seltos will be substantially more affordable than the Toyota Innova Hycross hybrid. So unless you need the Innova's extra space, or you frequently travel with six or seven passengers, the Kia Seltos diesel is your best bet.

VehicleKia Seltos
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Posted on: 5 Nov 2026