I am interested in buying the Hyundai Verna petrol version under a Rs 20 lakh budget. I am also looking for a loan to buy the car. I have a family of 6. Please suggest the best variant.

autocar.india

•2d

Considering the features you've listed, namely ADAS, a 360-degree camera and ventilated seats, the shortlist effectively narrows down to the Hyundai Verna and Kia Seltos.In fact, the car that would normally be recommended to an enthusiast is the Volkswagen Virtus 1.5 TSI DSG. It remains one of the most rewarding cars to drive in this segment, and there are attractive discounts available at the moment as a facelift is expected in the near future. However, it misses out on some of the features that are clearly important to you.Between the Verna and Seltos, the nod goes to the Seltos. It is the newer product, feels more premium inside, offers greater practicality and has a more spacious cabin. It also benefits from the same excellent 1.5-litre turbo-petrol and dual-clutch automatic combination as the Verna, so you are not sacrificing performance. Over the long term, it is also likely to hold its value better.

Hyundai Verna

Kia Seltos

Volkswagen Virtus

autocar.india

•14h

Consider the Kia Carens Clavis 1.5 turbo-petrol DCT. It is not so large as to become cumbersome in the city, yet it comfortably seats seven and has a genuinely usable third row. The 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine has enough power when fully loaded, and highway performance is strong too. Your budget will get you one of the mid or upper trims, which are very well equipped and offer good value for money. Kia’s after-sales service also has a good reputation in India.One catch is that the DCT can hesitate at times, but overall, it is quite smooth.If you want a more SUV-like presence, the Hyundai Alcazar is a solid choice too. It uses the same powertrain as the Clavis, so the driving experience is broadly similar. However, the Alcazar’s third row is not quite as comfortable for adults as the Clavis’s.Overall, the Kia Carens Clavis is a good fit for your needs.

Kia Carens Clavis

autocar.india

•1d

The Tata Sierra is a large and capable SUV, and for your work, would give loads of space for camera gear and garment boxes alike, but in your budget of Rs 15-16 lakh, you will only get the base model. Moreover, the downside of it being a large and heavy vehicle is that the mileage is not great compared to rivals, whether comparing the petrol or diesel versions. However, should you go with the Sierra and want to get the maximum mileage, the diesel is probably the best way to go, and if possible, we would recommend stretching the budget by at least Rs 1-1.5 lakh to get a few more features.Consider the Kia Seltos instead - it too has a large and spacious cabin, almost as big as that of the Sierra, and good boot space as well. However, its engines, comparable to what you get in the Sierra, offer better real-world mileage. And, as safety is another concern, the Seltos has scored a 5-star Bharat NCAP crash test rating, just like the Sierra. What's more, you can get mid-spec variants, at least with the petrol engines, in your budget of Rs. 15-16 lakh, so you don't necessarily have to increase it so much. If you want even more space, and don't mind picking an MPV over an SUV, the Kia Carens Clavis is a far more practical option.

Tata Sierra

Kia Seltos

Kia Carens Clavis