My brother wants to buy a new car with a strict budget of ₹20 lakh. The budget cannot be extended any further. His daily driving is within the city, with highway use being very rare. He drives about 45km every day. He is 5 feet 11 inches tall, and we are a family of four. Please recommend a suitable car within this budget.

Autocar India

•20h

Of the two options you've shortlisted, the Kia Seltos HTK (O) with the CVT automatic is the better choice for you. It is more spacious and comfortable, and its powertrain is smoother and more powerful, too. Moreover, it is a newer car with a more up-market cabin, including modern tech and features. It's also far more spacious - both in the rear seat and the boot - and better for five passengers. It's an easy SUV to drive, too, with a tall seating position and good visibility.The one advantage the Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder has is that its real-world fuel efficiency is a bit better. But on every other front, the Kia Seltos comes out on top.

Kia Seltos

Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder

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Autocar India

•23h

The Kia Seltos is newer, smoother, and it feels more modern compared to a Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder. The Kia's petrol-IVT combination is very smooth and seamless, and Kia has got the suspension tune spot on for comfort.Moreover, its front seats are broader and more comfortable than the Toyota's, so you will be able to spend long hours driving on the highway without fatigue.

Kia Seltos

Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder

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Autocar India

•1d

The cars you have shortlisted are very different, but based on your usage and your mileage requirement, we would suggest going for the Kia Seltos with the 1.5 litre naturally aspirated engine paired to the IVT automatic.The new Seltos has grown in size compared to the previous generation, which not only improves interior space, comfort and boot capacity, but also gives it better road presence. While it lacks outright punch, for most real world conditions and sedate driving it has more than enough performance, both in the city and on the highway. The biggest strength of this powertrain is its refinement and smoothness, which makes the Seltos a pleasure to drive, especially in urban conditions. In terms of mileage, the Seltos with this engine and gearbox should come close to your requirement of 12 kmpl or more, something the other two cars are unlikely to achieve. You can get the HTK(O) variant in your budget which is well loaded with features too.The Tata Harrier petrol, on the other hand, is larger and has more presence, but it is also more expensive. In fact, the Harrier turbo petrol with the 6 speed automatic costs over Rs 20 lakh on road, which is more than Rs 2 lakh over your budget. Fuel efficiency will also be lower than the Kia’s, as the Harrier is heavier, more powerful, and turbo petrol engines are generally more sensitive to throttle inputs.This issue is even more pronounced in the Mahindra Scorpio N. It is the heaviest car here, uses a large turbo petrol engine producing over 200 PS, and while it delivers effortless performance, efficiency takes a hit. Being based on a ladder frame chassis, it is more rugged, but for everyday use it won’t be as comfortable as the other two. If you want to buy a Mahindra, we would suggest looking at the new 7XO instead, as it is more practical, more comfortable, and will also be more fuel efficient.

Kia Seltos

Tata Harrier

Mahindra Scorpio N

Mahindra XUV 7XO

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