Darjeeling

•4d

Hello, this is Dilip. I’m planning to buy my first car for myself and my parents. I’m 30 years old and am looking for a car under Rs. 20 lakh, preferably with a manual transmission, that offers excellent long-term reliability, low maintenance and ownership costs as well as good safety and build quality. I need a car comfortable for my parents and family with a good driving experience in both city traffic and highways. It should offer good mileage and overall practicality. Suggest me a car that I can confidently keep for 8-10 years. Please suggest the best options based on these requirements and explain both pros and cons of each car.

•6m

Go for the Honda Elevate manual. It is the most sensible choice for your requirements. Honda’s naturally aspirated petrol engine is proven, reliable and efficient, and the manual gearbox is smooth and easy to use in both city traffic and on highways. The Elevate is also comfortable for family use, with a spacious cabin and a well-balanced ride, and Honda’s ownership experience is among the best in the segment. It is a car you can confidently keep for 8-10 years without worrying about major reliability or maintenance issues.

If you want a slightly more premium feel and a bit more space, the Kia Seltos petrol manual is a good alternative. It offers a more feature-rich cabin and a more premium overall experience, but it is also more expensive and does not offer a significant reliability advantage over the Elevate. Alternatively, consider the Maruti Suzuki Victoris petrol manual. Its powertrain is smooth and efficient and Maruti’s service network is unmatched.

Overall, the Honda Elevate manual strikes the best balance between reliability, comfort, safety, driving experience and long-term ownership confidence.

Explore cars mentioned

Honda

Elevate

from ₹13.70 Lakh

Kia

Seltos

from ₹12.76 Lakh

Maruti Suzuki

Victoris

from ₹12.18 Lakh

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•3d

Which automatic SUV car is best for new driver who does not have much confidence? Is CVT transmission will be good in such case and does it come with a light steering. I am planning to buy Honda elevate CVT but it is bit lengthier. Is the steering of Honda elevate light enough for traffic?

•36m

The Honda Elevate CVT is actually a very good choice for a new driver who is not very confident. The CVT automatic is extremely smooth and easy to drive, with no perceptible gear changes, which makes it very forgiving in stop-start traffic. The steering is also light at low speeds, making it easy to manoeuvre in tight spaces and heavy traffic. The only concern you have is the length, but the Elevate is not excessively long for its segment and visibility is good, so it should not be a major issue once you get used to the car.If you are still concerned about size, you could consider the Maruti Suzuki Brezza automatic. It is more compact, has light steering and is very easy to drive in the city. Overall, the Elevate CVT remains a strong recommendation. It is easy to drive, reliable and confidence-inspiring. If size is a major concern, the Brezza auto is the best alternative.

Honda Elevate

Maruti Suzuki Brezza

•1d

Hi, I have booked the current Honda Elevate V CVT for Rs 15 lakh on-road. Is it a good deal? Should I wait for the new facelift? I have also seen reports of poor NVH in the Elevate. Is there any way to reduce road and tyre noise inside the current Elevate's cabin?

•19h

Yes, the Honda Elevate V CVT at Rs 15 lakh on-road is a good deal. The Elevate is a well-rounded SUV with Honda’s reputation for reliability, a smooth CVT and a comfortable ownership experience. The V variant is well-equipped, and the price you have secured is competitive.On the facelift, Honda will launch the updated Elevate on October 6th, but do not expect a major overhaul. It will likely be a mild update with some feature additions and minor cosmetic tweaks. The core mechanical package will remain unchanged. If you need the car now, there is no strong reason to wait.On NVH, the Elevate does let in more road and tyre noise than some rivals. You can reduce it to some extent with better tyres (look for softer compound, lower noise-rated tyres) and aftermarket damping on the doors and wheel wells. However, do not expect a dramatic transformation. It will help, but the Elevate is not the quietest car in the segment to begin with.Overall, if you like this Honda car and the deal, go ahead.

Honda Elevate

Honda Elevate facelift

•4d

I’m considering buying a pre-owned 2021 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque SE R-Dynamic with the 2.0-litre Ingenium petrol engine and AWD. It has covered only 15,000km, was manufactured and registered in 2021, and is a BS6 vehicle. The fuel flap says “Premium Gasoline Recommended, 91”. I want to confirm whether this generation and engine are compatible with E20 petrol. Also, should I buy it? I’m looking to enter the premium SUV segment with a budget of around Rs 40 lakh.

•5h

The 2021 Range Rover Evoque SE R-Dynamic 2.0L Ingenium petrol is a BS6-compliant engine, but it is not officially certified for E20 fuel. The “Premium Gasoline Recommended, 91” label refers to octane rating, not ethanol content. In India, regular petrol is now 95 octane, so you do not need to use premium fuel unless the manufacturer specifically requires it. The bigger question is ethanol compatibility. BS6 engines were designed with some ethanol tolerance, but E20 certification only became mandatory for new models from April 2023 onwards. Land Rover has not issued a blanket statement confirming E20 compatibility for older BS6 models.Should you buy it? At Rs 40 lakh, a lightly used Evoque is a tempting entry into the premium SUV segment. The Evoque offers a genuinely premium cabin, strong performance and a distinctive design. However, ownership costs are high. Land Rover parts and service are expensive, and long-term reliability is not as bulletproof as some German rivals. If you are buying this as a weekend car or a second car, it makes sense. If this is your only car and you plan to keep it for 5-10 years, you need to be comfortable with higher maintenance costs.On E20, the reality is that most modern BS6 engines will run on E20 without immediate issues, but long-term durability is unproven. Ethanol can accelerate wear on certain rubber and plastic fuel system components over time.Overall, buy the Evoque if you want a premium SUV experience and are comfortable with higher running costs. If you want a lower-risk, long-term ownership experience, a new Kia Seltos, Hyundai Creta or Skoda Kushaq at a similar price is the safer bet.

Kia Seltos

Hyundai Creta

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•2d

Hi Autocar Team, I am confused between the XUV 7XO AX7T diesel manual and automatic. My current ride is a Fluidic Verna diesel manual, which is nearing 15 years of ownership and has clocked nearly 2.5 lakh km. My usage consists of mixed city and highway driving, with around 40km daily and weekend highway runs of about 400km. For long-term ownership, which would be the better choice: the manual or automatic?

•2d

Go for the XUV 7XO AX7T diesel automatic. The diesel engine is well suited to your high running, and the automatic gearbox is a proven torque converter unit that is reliable and well matched to the engine. This Mahindra car will make your daily city driving far less tiring, while still being smooth and efficient on the highway. Coming from a 15-year-old Hyundai Verna diesel manual, the automatic will feel like a significant upgrade in terms of comfort and ease of use, without compromising on long-term reliability. The manual is still a good option if you strongly prefer the engagement, but for your usage and ownership horizon, the automatic is the smarter choice.

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•4d

I am confused between Creta SX IVT and Elevate CVT for 8000 km of annual running with long trips of 1200 km 3-4 times in a year for a family of 4. Apart from this, day to day usage is less than 100km per month. I am looking for a car for long term ownership and travel comfort.

•4d

The Creta SX IVT is the better fit for your requirement. It offers a quieter, more refined cabin, comfortable rear seats and a smoother CVT, which are particularly valuable when spending several hours on the highway with four people and luggage. Autocar's long term experience with the Creta petrol IVT also found it refined, comfortable and particularly well suited to road trips.The Honda Elevate CVT has advantages of its own. Its 220mm ground clearance, long travel suspension and large 458-litre boot make it particularly good on poor roads, while its naturally aspirated 1.5-litre engine and CVT make for a relatively simple powertrain. However, the cabin is noticeably noisier, particularly when accelerating hard, and the CVT can produce the typical rubber band effect.

Honda Elevate

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•5d

Hi, I am planning to buy a CNG SUV and am considering the Tata Nexon CNG and Maruti Suzuki Brezza CNG. I will be driving around 150km every day for office, so my main concerns are fuel economy and maintenance costs. Many people have suggested the Brezza because of its mileage and lower running costs, but Tata is also a large company and has a wide service network. So, why do buyers generally recommend the Brezza over the Nexon CNG? I personally prefer the Nexon, but I am confused about whether it would be the right choice for my daily usage. Which one would make more sense for my requirements?

•5d

Go with the Tata Nexon CNG if that is your preference. At 150 km daily, CNG is the right fuel choice, and both the Nexon and Maruti Suzuki Brezza are factory CNG cars, so reliability and safety are not a concern. The Nexon CNG is a strong product with good performance, a comfortable ride and a well-equipped cabin. The reason many people suggest the Brezza is Maruti's reputation for low maintenance costs, wide service reach and a long-standing reputation for hassle-free ownership. The Brezza CNG is also a very reliable and efficient package. However, the Nexon CNG is the more modern car and feels more premium inside.At 150 km daily, the key is to choose the car you will enjoy driving every day. The Nexon CNG is a solid choice, and there is no reason to change your decision.

Tata Nexon

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