I have a Kia Carens diesel automatic and an older 2011 Honda City. My native place is Bhopal, but I am currently working in Maharashtra. Due to limited parking space at my rented house, I cannot keep the Kia Carens with me, so I am using my old 2011 manual Honda City. I am a 57-year-old fit person, and I like to drive. On the highway, my normal speed is 80-120 km/h, according to permissible limits. The Honda City is still excellent to drive, but covering long distances in it is very tiring compared to the Kia Carens. Please advise me on a sub-4-metre automatic SUV that is comfortable for long-distance highway travel. I usually travel approximately 600 km in a single run. My budget is Rs 12 to 13 lakh. Safety, decent mileage, and easy ingress and egress are my priorities. One vehicle that comes to mind is the Skoda Kylaq. Please suggest a vehicle that could be even more comfortable than the Kia Carens on long distances.

Autocar India

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If an upgrade necessarily means a larger car for you, the Mahindra 3XO won't be the right move after a Honda City. You'd be best served by midsized SUVs, which measure between 4.3 and 4.5m. Of the current crop of mid-sized SUVs, the Kia Seltos, Hyundai Creta and Tata Sierra are the best-rounded. The new-gen Renault Duster that launches on March 17 also has promise.If vehicle size isn't a dealbreaker, the Mahindra XUV 3XO is a good pick. It's got powerful petrol engines, feels solid, and ride and handling are also impressive. The interior is also spacious for what is a compact SUV, and higher-spec versions pack in loads of equipment too. In fact, a fully-loaded 3XO is better equipped than a fully-loaded City.Within the compact SUV segment, you could also consider the Hyundai Venue, which is a well-rounded package.

Mahindra XUV 3XO

Honda City

Kia Seltos

Hyundai Creta

Tata Sierra

Renault Duster

Autocar India

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It's a shame that the Skoda Kylaq's rear seat space is not quite up to the best in the segment, because otherwise it is a superb compact SUV that scores highly on most other counts. Of the other options, the Nissan Magnite, while capable and a great value for money, feels like a sub-segment lower in terms of quality, space and performance. The Mahindra XUV 3XO RevX should be your best bet because it offers both - performance and rear-seat space. In fact, it has one of the most spacious cabins in the segment, although the boot is a bit smaller than others. The RevX offers a good feature set as well, along with a few unique styling embellishments, and overall, we feel this is the one you should pick.

Nissan Magnite

Mahindra XUV 3XO

Skoda Kylaq

Autocar India

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You can consider the Maruti Suzuki Fronx or the Toyota Urban Cruiser Taisor in their top turbo petrol manual variants. The engine, despite being turbocharged, has hardly any turbo lag and offers good punch. It also comes with a light clutch and a slick gearbox, which makes it easy to drive in the city. Even on an open road or around a ghat section, both these cars are surprisingly fun to drive, and over bad roads, the suspension delivers a comfortable ride as well. For a turbo petrol engine, efficiency is also quite impressive. Overall, there is actually not much to fault here.If you want something that feels a bit more premium, you can look at the Skoda Kylaq, the Signature+ MT variant. The Kylaq is a fun car to drive, but the clutch is heavier, and you will feel more turbo lag. It will also not be as efficient as the Fronx turbo petrol, and the peace of mind ownership experience may not be as strong.

Maruti Suzuki Fronx

Toyota Urban Cruiser Taisor

Skoda Kylaq