I need to switch from a diesel Ertiga to a petrol automatic car or SUV. My usage will be around 100 km per month in the city and 2,000 km on the highway yearly. My budget is ₹20 lakh. Please suggest a low-maintenance vehicle.

Since you have been a Maruti owner for over 10 years, you are likely to feel most comfortable sticking with the brand, especially given your requirement for a low-maintenance vehicle.We would recommend the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, the ZXi Plus 1.5 6AT variant. It is a well-equipped option. While the engine and outright performance are underwhelming, they are adequate for the limited driving you do each year, and the smooth torque converter automatic makes it easy to live with on a daily basis.

All the cars you have shortlisted are good options, but you should take a closer look at the Mahindra XUV 3XO. It offers a spacious and comfortable cabin that can seat 5 adults, and it has also received a full 5-star crash safety rating from Bharat NCAP.The Mahindra XUV 3XO is equipped with two turbo-petrols and one diesel engine option, all of which can be had with an automatic gearbox. Since your usage isn't high, go for the 1.2-litre MPFi turbo-petrol version with the 6-speed torque converter automatic. Go for the AX5 variant, which costs around Rs 13.3 lakh on-road, and comes with features like a sunroof, cruise control, 360-degree parking camera, auto climate control, electronic parking brake and much more.

Between the two, considering your budget, we would suggest going for the new Tata Sierra over the Creta.The Hyundai Creta is still a competitive product, but the Sierra has moved the game forward. It is larger on the outside, more spacious inside, and comes equipped with premium features, including a triple-screen layout and a powered tailgate. In turbo petrol automatic form, the Sierra is well matched to Hyundai’s turbo petrol DCT and, in fact, feels smoother at city speeds thanks to its torque converter gearbox. It also feels more confident at higher speeds, and combined with the roomier and more comfortable cabin, makes for a better long-distance car.That said, if you are looking at a diesel, the Hyundai diesel engine is more refined of the two. Similarly, in the case of naturally aspirated petrol engines, there is no real competition. Hyundai’s 1.5-litre NA petrol is superior on all counts, and its CVT automatic is smoother than Tata’s dual clutch transmission.One reason to be cautious about the Creta is that it is expected to be replaced early next year, which means it could start to feel dated sooner.Another car you should definitely consider is the new Kia Seltos. It carries over the Creta’s strengths thanks to shared powertrains, but builds on them by being a newer generation car. It is larger than the Creta, even longer than the Sierra, offers more space than the Creta, has the most premium interiors of the three, and also undercuts the Sierra by over Rs 1 lakh, making it a very strong value

Unfortunately, we will not know the price of the new Renault Duster for at least 6 to 8 weeks. Worse still, Renault has chosen not to offer an automatic gearbox option with the smaller, less powerful 1.0-litre turbo-petrol engine, even though the same engine is offered with a CVT in the smaller Renault Kiger.However, Renault has been known to undercut rivals in each of the segments it operates in, and there may be a chance that the new Duster with the 1.3-litre turbo petrol and DCT auto could fit in your budget of Rs 12 lakh.If not, you could consider other compact SUVs, such as the Maruti Suzuki Brezza or the Tata Nexon, which are similarly tough SUVs that will get you an automatic at your budget, albeit in a slightly smaller size.