Gandhinagar

•22h

I’m planning to buy a compact SUV for my dad, who is 64 years old. He currently owns a 2015 Hyundai Creta diesel automatic (torque converter), but he now finds it a little difficult to drive because of its size. He prefers a smaller, easy-to-manoeuvre automatic SUV. The expected usage would be around 70% in town and 30% on highways. The options I’m currently considering are: Kia Sonet 1.5 Diesel Automatic Toyota Taisor Petrol Automatic Mahindra XUV 3XO Petrol Automatic What other options would you recommend considering his age, ease of driving, comfort, size, and our usage pattern? My budget is a maximum of Rs 14 lakh. I’d really appreciate your suggestions and a comparison of the best options.

•5m

For your father, the priority should be ease of driving, comfort and a manageable size. The Toyota Urban Cruiser Taisor turbo-petrol automatic is the best choice from your shortlist. It is compact, easy to manoeuvre and the torque converter automatic is smooth and reliable, making it ideal for city use. The Mahindra XUV 3XO petrol automatic is also a strong contender with a spacious cabin and good safety credentials, but this Toyota car is smoother to drive, more efficient, and an easier car to live with on a daily basis. The Kia Sonet diesel automatic is a good car, but the diesel AT powertrain is not worth the extra outlay for the kind of usage you have in mind. Your father will also have to contend with relatively higher maintenance costs as well as maintaining a DPF, which requires regular highway runs.

If you are open to other options, the Maruti Suzuki Brezza petrol automatic is worth serious consideration. It is one of the easiest cars to drive in the segment, has a comfortable ride and the torque converter automatic is well suited to city driving. This Maruti Suzuki car also has a wide service network and low running costs, which adds to long-term peace of mind.

Overall, the Taisor petrol automatic or the Brezza petrol automatic would be our top recommendations. Both are compact, easy to drive and well suited to your father's needs.

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•5h

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?

•3h

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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•8h

I’m planning to buy a sub-4-metre car and have a very low monthly running of around 300km. Most of my driving is on the mountain roads of Uttarakhand, including narrow and winding roads. I’m looking for a safe petrol-manual car that I can keep for around 15 years. I currently own a Tata Altroz 1.2-litre petrol. Which car would be best suited to my requirements?

•3h

With only around 300km of monthly running and most of it on narrow, winding mountain roads, the Maruti Suzuki Brezza Turbo MT is a strong fit. It is compact enough for Uttarakhand's tight roads, has good ground clearance and the 1.0-litre turbo petrol's 110hp and 170Nm provide useful pulling power on climbs. The six-speed manual also suits hilly terrain well. Its five-star Bharat NCAP rating and Maruti's extensive service network are further advantages for a 15-year ownership.The Mahindra XUV 3XO 1.2 Turbo MT is an alternative if stronger performance and more cabin space are priorities. Its 111hp engine produces 200Nm, but the wider body can be less convenient on very narrow mountain roads. The Skoda Kylaq 1.0 TSI MT is another option for buyers who prioritise driving dynamics, although its service reach is not as extensive as Maruti's.

I am 56 years old and am thinking of upgrading to an SUV. I currently own Maruti Suzuki Baleno that I had purchased in June 2016. The car is in good running condition and has completed 88,000 km till date. Should I upgrade my car now or wait for another 2 years to get a new vehicle? Should I dispose off the old one and go for new one now? Please suggest accordingly.

•7h

At 56, you are at a stage where comfort, ease of use and long-term reliability become more important than chasing the latest technology. Your Baleno has completed 88,000 km and is still running well, which suggests you are a careful owner and the car has plenty of life left. If it is mechanically sound and you are comfortable with it, there is no pressing need to upgrade purely for the sake of a new model. Cars today are not changing radically every two years, and waiting does not guarantee a significantly better product.The decision should be driven by your needs. If you are finding the Baleno low to get in and out of, or if you want a more comfortable ride and better visibility, then an SUV upgrade makes sense now. If you are happy with the car and it is not giving you any trouble, you can easily keep it for another couple of years.As for the upgrade, the Maruti Suzuki Brezza is a sensible choice. It offers a higher seating position, good ride comfort and Maruti's proven reliability and service reach. If you want something a bit more premium, the Kia Seltos is a good step up, but only if it fits comfortably within your budget.

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Popular discussions right now

•5d

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.

•4d

Given your 12 years of trouble free City ownership, the Elevate is the most natural replacement. It retains Honda’s simple 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine, adds substantially better ground clearance and gives you the easier ingress and SUV driving position you liked. The CVT is also very well suited to your low speed, low running usage and should make the transition to an automatic easy.On your E20 concern, we would not treat it as a reason to avoid the Elevate. Honda says all its cars manufactured in India since January 2009 are E20 material compatible, and the current Elevate is officially certified for E20. Honda also says E20 should not cause durability concerns or require any component changes. There can be a marginal reduction in fuel economy because ethanol contains less energy than petrol, but with your 500km monthly running, that is unlikely to be significant.The Seltos is worth a look, particularly if you want a more feature rich and premium cabin, but given your priorities of reliability, easy driving, low maintenance and long term ownership, the Elevate fits your requirements more naturally. The Windsor EV is also an interesting option, but at just 500km a month, there is little financial reason to move to an EV, especially when you have concerns about its touchscreen heavy interface.

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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•5d

As first time buyer, I want to ask which is the safest and most compact SUV? Is Punch the better choice for new drivers between Punch, Exter, 3XO and Kylaq?

•4d

Go for the Mahindra XUV 3XO. It is the safest compact SUV in your shortlist, and it is also the better choice for a first-time buyer. The 3XO has a 5-star Bharat NCAP safety rating, a wide cabin that makes it a genuinely comfortable 5-seater, and a compact footprint that makes it easy to drive and park. It also offers strong value for money with a good feature set and a proven ownership track record.The Tata Punch is a good car for new drivers, but it is a smaller SUV with lesser space, a less powerful engine and doesn't feel as premium as a package. The Hyundai Exter is also a good option, but it is not as spacious or as well-equipped as the 3XO. The Skoda Kylaq is a strong contender for driving enthusiasts, but the 3XO offers a better balance of safety, space and value for a first-time buyer.The 3XO is the most complete package out of all the options you're considering.

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