Delhi

•6w

I am planning to purchase a new SUV for my family and would appreciate your expert recommendation. I am currently considering the Skoda Kushaq, Skoda Kylaq, Tata Nexon, Hyundai Venue, Hyundai Creta, Mahindra XUV 3XO and Kia Sonet. My usage will primarily involve family trips, weekend drives, vacations and outstation or highway travel, as I do not use the vehicle for daily office commuting. Family comfort, safety and long-term reliability are my key priorities. I am particularly looking for a vehicle with low maintenance and service costs, good after-sales support and a strong service network, especially in Bengaluru, along with comfortable seating for four to five family members on long drives, good safety ratings and build quality, decent highway fuel efficiency, and strong resale value after five to seven years of ownership. Based on these requirements, could you please recommend the most suitable model and explain why, suggest the variant that offers the best value for money, highlight any common issues or ownership concerns I should be aware of, and provide your top three recommendations ranked in order of suitability for my needs?

•5w

For your usage, the Hyundai Creta is the best overall fit. Since the car will primarily be used for family trips and long-distance travel rather than daily commuting, its spacious cabin, comfortable ride, refined engine, and mature highway manners make it better suited than the smaller SUVs on your list. It also has a well-established service network in Bengaluru and a long ownership history in India.

The Skoda Kushaq would be the second choice if driving enjoyment and highway dynamics are more important. It has excellent ride and handling and a strong 1.0 TSI, but the rear seat is not as accommodating for three adults. The Kylaq is similarly enjoyable to drive and has a 5-star Bharat NCAP rating, but its rear seat is better suited to two adults, making it less ideal for regular family road trips.

The Mahindra XUV 3XO is worth considering if you want maximum features, strong performance and excellent safety, but its 295-litre boot is a significant limitation for holiday trips with four or five people and luggage.

Explore cars mentioned

Hyundai

Creta

from ₹12.66 Lakh

Skoda

Kushaq

from ₹12.41 Lakh

Skoda

Kylaq

from ₹8.47 Lakh

Mahindra

XUV 3XO

from ₹8.69 Lakh

•5w•

I'm looking for a suv car but budget is 15lakh on road price with automatic for comfortable family and long trip

•5w•

Skoda Kylaq base model is the best value for money. You have better safety, power, braking, interior quality and built quality than Maruti, Kia and Hyundai cars. Go for Skoda Kylaq, you will realize the stability and confidence at higher speeds in highways. Maruti cars are lighter and no confidence over 120kmph as the steering feels lighter and no brake response. Please take a test drive of all the cars at this segment in highway, as family matters the most than any brand

•5w•

Getz owner · 45,000 km

Creta is the best choice.

•5w•

You can take a look at Seltos too.

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•2d

Creta 2027 spied guys, its looking huge!

•5d

Planning to buy my first car in 2027 with budget of ~20L? But really confused with buying EV or Hybrid. especially after Renault duster hybrid. Living in Chennai. My daily commute to office around 30KM a day and occasional round trip to my home town will be 1000 kms. Please clarify which one to go and what are the upcoming Hybrid launches planned in India for 2027 ?

•3d

For your usage, we would lean towards a strong hybrid rather than an electric car, especially since you occasionally undertake 1,000km round trips. Your daily commute of around 30km in Chennai is well suited to an EV, but the longer highway journeys would require charging stops and some route planning. A strong hybrid car offers the convenience of a conventional petrol car while delivering better fuel efficiency, particularly in city traffic.The Renault Duster Hybrid is worth considering, but since you are buying only in 2027, we would also wait for the expected Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos hybrid versions. Our recommendation would be to wait and see how the hybrid options shape up in 2027.

I am currently using a 2013 Polo Petrol. I want to buy an automatic (TC or IVT) car as my primary vehicle. Since my parents are getting older, easy ingress/egress and good ride comfort are mandatory. My driving speed is usually between 60 and 90 km/h, with an 80:20 city-to-highway usage split. I prefer a car with the best-in-class insulation and NVH levels. Please suggest 2 cars from each of the following segments within an on-road budget of ₹20 lakh: Sub-4m SUV Midsize SUV I do not prefer Tata due to poor after-sales service.

•3d

Given your priorities of refinement, low NVH, ride comfort and easy ingress and egress for your parents, we would suggest skipping the sub-4m SUV segment and looking at a midsize SUV instead. The smaller SUV cars at the higher end of the segment often use three-cylinder turbo petrol engines, which aren't the most refined. Midsize SUVs also tend to offer better sound insulation and a more comfortable ride.Within your Rs 20 lakh budget, the Kia Seltos and Hyundai Creta with the 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine and IVT would be our top two recommendations. This engine and gearbox combination is among the smoothest in the segment, while both cars offer good sound insulation, a plush ride, and a comfortable seating height. Their wide-opening doors should also make getting in and out easier for your parents.Between the two, we would pick the Kia Seltos. It is the newer product, feels more premium inside, and offers slightly more cabin space. The Creta remains a close alternative, but the Seltos gets our vote for your requirements.

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•6d

I am planning to buy the top-end Hyundai Creta Turbo Petrol DCT variant. My daily running is around 50–100km, which adds up to approximately 25,000–30,000km annually. I am looking for a car that offers strong performance and quick acceleration, along with a comprehensive set of comfort and convenience features. Should I buy the current Creta Turbo Petrol DCT top variant or wait for the 2027 Creta? For context, I currently own a 2024 Maruti Suzuki Dzire Hybrid and a Volkswagen Virtus GT 1.5 TSI.

•5d

The 2027 Hyundai New Creta will be thoroughly updated inside-out, and it'll have more tech and features. If you don't mind waiting, it makes sense to get the 2027 new-gen model. Do note, its powertrain options are likely to be carried forward from the current version. If you can't wait, but still want the performance as well as the latest in terms of tech and features, consider the Kia Seltos turbo-dct instead, which packs in more or less everything the next-gen Creta is likely to offer.

Kia Seltos

•6d

Which SUV would you pick for a family of 5?

•1w

Hi, I am planning to buy a sedan and am confused between the Volkswagen Virtus 1.5 DSG GT Chrome for Rs 21.5 lakh (June-manufactured, due for delivery in November) and the facelifted Skoda Slavia Prestige 1.5 for Rs 22.70 lakh. Is it worth paying extra for the Slavia, or should I go with the Virtus?

•1w

If you're set on the 1.5 TSI engine, the Volkswagen Virtus GT Chrome at Rs 21.5 lakh makes more sense if savings matter, while the facelifted Skoda Slavia Prestige is worth the extra Rs 1.2 lakh if you want its additional features. Unlike the 1.0 TSI versions, where the Slavia's new eight-speed torque converter automatic is a meaningful mechanical change from the older six-speed automatic, the 1.5 TSI versions retain the same basic engine and seven-speed DSG combination. So you're not paying extra for a different powertrain.The Slavia Prestige adds meaningful equipment, including a 360-degree camera, larger digital displays, ventilated and electrically adjustable front seats, and a rear-seat massage function. It also gets improved air-conditioning hardware. These are useful additions, particularly if you plan to keep the car for several years.

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