I want to buy an SUV that will mostly be used for city commuting and occasional long drives once a month. Can you suggest which is the best among the new Seltos, Grand Vitara, Toyota Hyryder, Victoris, and Creta?

autocar.india

•1d

Go for the Kia Seltos HTX IVT. It is the better fit for your priorities of comfort, rear seat experience, decent mileage and road presence. The Seltos is a well-rounded midsize SUV with a comfortable ride, a spacious and supportive rear seat and a smooth IVT automatic that makes city driving effortless while still delivering respectable fuel efficiency. It also has a premium cabin and enough road presence to feel special without being cumbersome in everyday use.The Tata Safari Adventure X Plus is a larger, more imposing SUV with a stronger road presence and a more commanding driving position, but it is a fundamentally different proposition. It is a three-row SUV with a bigger footprint, higher running costs and is best suited to buyers who regularly need the extra space or do a lot of highway touring. For your priorities, the Seltos is the more sensible and satisfying choice, and the Rs 2.5 lakh you save can be put towards a higher variant or other ownership costs.

Kia Seltos

Tata Safari

autocar.india

•19h

With a 20km daily city commute and around 10,000km a year, your usage is predominantly urban and not high enough to justify a diesel. The priority should be a smooth automatic, good fuel efficiency and ease of driving in traffic. Since you are upgrading from a Creta manual, the natural step up would be a midsize SUV with a reliable automatic gearbox.The Kia Seltos IVT petrol is the most sensible recommendation here. The IVT gearbox is smooth, reliable and well-suited to city driving, and the Seltos is a well-rounded package with good comfort, features and a premium feel. It is essentially the same mechanical package as the Creta but feels like a more substantial upgrade in terms of cabin quality and overall experience.If you are open to a slightly different approach, the Maruti Suzuki Victoris Hybrid is also worth considering. The hybrid system delivers excellent city fuel efficiency and a very smooth driving experience, which is ideal for stop-start traffic. It is not as powerful as the Seltos, but it makes up for it with lower running costs and a more relaxed driving character.Between the two, the Seltos IVT is the safer and more premium-feeling upgrade, while the Victoris Hybrid is the more economical and city-friendly option. Both are strong choices, but given your upgrade from a Creta, the Seltos IVT feels like the more natural progression.

Hyundai Creta

Kia Seltos

Maruti Suzuki Victoris

autocar.india

•1d

Go for the Maruti Suzuki Brezza ZXi+ petrol automatic. With under 10,000 km a year, petrol is the right choice, and the Brezza is one of the most reliable and low-maintenance cars in the segment. This Maruti Suzuki car is also a genuinely comfortable 5-seater with a wide rear bench, good ride quality and a simple, proven naturally aspirated engine paired with a smooth 6-speed torque converter automatic. The ZXi+ variant is well equipped, so you are not compromising on features, and Maruti’s service network and ownership experience are among the best in the country.The Tata Nexon is also a strong option, but the Brezza’s naturally aspirated engine is better suited to long-term ownership and low-maintenance requirements. If you need the space and don't mind compromising on features, the Kia Seltos HTE (O) IVT is a good choice. It is actually well equipped for a lower-end trim and offers a roomier, more border cabin than the Brezza. Overall, the Brezza ZXi+ gives you a complete package without compromise, and that is the right approach for a first-time buyer looking for long-term ownership.

Maruti Suzuki Brezza

Tata Nexon

Kia Seltos