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•4w

I am looking to buy either an SUV or a Sedan under a budget of Rs. 28 - 30 lakh. I drive an average of 120 km everyday. I am not looking for an EV because the charging infrastructure is not very reliable where I drive to. Could you suggest me a car with good mileage?

•4w

With a daily running of 120km, fuel efficiency and long-term reliability become the most important factors. A Honda City hybrid is worth considering, which should easily fall within your budget. Seat comfort is excellent and its hybrid system is particularly effective in city driving, where it can run on electric power at low speeds, and on the highway it remains efficient and refined. Honda's reliability and low maintenance costs make it an excellent long-term ownership proposition, especially given your high annual mileage.

If you specifically want an SUV, the Maruti Suzuki Victoris Hybrid is the next best option. It shares its hybrid system with the Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder and offers similar fuel efficiency benefits. The Victoris also gets brighter interior, it is comfortable, and it will keep running costs low over the long term.

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Honda

City

from ₹14.02 Lakh

Maruti Suzuki

Victoris

from ₹12.18 Lakh

Toyota

Urban Cruiser Hyryder

from ₹13.09 Lakh

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•1w

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.

•3d

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.

Honda Elevate (2023-2026)

Kia Seltos

Maruti Suzuki Victoris

•1d

I have owned a Polo 1.2 Petrol for over 8 years and am now looking to upgrade. My annual running is 6,000-7,000km, with 60% city driving in Delhi NCR and the rest on highways, including 2-3 mountain trips a year. With a budget of Rs 18 lakh, these are my options: Citroën Aircross X AT Škoda Kushaq 1.0 AT Renault Duster 1.3 DCT Pre-facelift Volkswagen Taigun 1.5 DSG (Rs 2.5 lakh discount) Which would be the best option for my requirements and long-term ownership?

•8h

If the pre-facelift Volkswagen Taigun 1.5 DSG falls within your budget, this is certainly the one to go for. The 1.5 TSI and DSG combination works brilliantly, feels best on the open road, and will feel effortless during your drives to the mountains. Given that you're upgrading from a Polo, this Volkswagen car feels like the most natural option for you. Do keep in mind that with the pre-facelift, you miss the upgraded aircon, which is available on the facelift as well as the updated Kushaq. The Citroen Aircross X AT is an excellent car with a strong AC, excellent 1.2 turbo AT combination, and fantastic driving dynamics. But given Citroen's limited service network, it isn't a car we can recommend easily.

Volkswagen Tiguan

Citroen Aircross

•2d

I recently bought a Tata Safari Stealth Black Accomplished+ and am very happy with its performance. It returns around 13kpl in the city and 14-15kpl on the highway. I also own a Maruti Suzuki Ritz diesel VDi, which I have used for 10 years and driven 2.3 lakh km with regular servicing and genuine synthetic oil. Is it time to replace the Ritz? If so, what would be a good diesel or petrol car around Rs 15 lakh? My usage is a mix of city and highway driving, around 75-100 km a day. I also have three older family members above 60 who will use the car occasionally. I am considering the 1.0-litre Skoda, the new Thar 1.5-litre and other options. I am not interested in a sunroof or other fancy features. I do track racing, so strong performance, suspension, stability and an engaging driving experience are important to me.

•11h

Yes, it's time to retire the Ritz. Of the two cars you're considering, the Skoda 1.0 TSI is the right one. Both the Kylaq and the Kushaq use it, and either suits an enthusiast far better than the Thar. The engine is eager, the steering is sharp, and the chassis feels planted when you push it. Those are the things you'll value as someone who drives on track.The catch is your mileage. At 75-100 km a day, you'll cover close to 30,000km a year, and the petrol Skoda will cost noticeably more to run than a diesel. If that bothers you, test-drive the Mahindra XUV 3XO diesel. Its 1.5 diesel is one of the punchiest in its class; it has a roomy rear seat for your parents, and it'll be much cheaper to run, though it isn't as sharp to drive as the Skoda.The new Mahindra Thar isn't a good fit. It's tall to climb into for older passengers, the rear is cramped, and it isn't as settled as a regular SUV over 100km a day.Your Ritz has done well. Its 1.3 diesel runs a timing chain rather than a belt, which is why it's lasted. Drive the Skoda car and the 3XO back to back, and decide how much the extra fun is worth to you.

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•5d

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?

•5d

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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•2d

I am a 6 ft driver who loves driving. I've driven the Swift 2013 petrol, Creta 1.6 Diesel Auto and the XUV500 the most on long trips. Now that I am planning to buy a car with a strict budget, do you think the 3XO AX5 TCMPFI petrol variant will be a wise decision to make, as I will be travelling once a month for short trips from Bangalore to Coorg, Pondicherry, GOA, and Mangalore? Which other car can be a perfect match for me, keeping a budget of 12 lakhs max? Also, the 3XO AX5 I'm getting from a friend who has hardly driven 6k km for 10 lakhs.

•14h

Go for the Mahindra XUV 3XO AX5 TCMPFI petrol from your friend for Rs 10 lakh. At that price, it is a very good deal and a sensible upgrade from your Creta 1.6 diesel automatic. The 3XO is one of the most spacious compact SUVs in the segment, with a wide cabin and good rear seat comfort, which will make your long drives to Coorg, Pondicherry, Goa and Mangalore more comfortable. The turbo petrol engine is smooth and is well suited to both city driving and highway cruising. At Rs 10 lakh for a car with only 6,000 km on the clock, you are getting a nearly new car at a significant discount, which makes it a far better value proposition than buying new.If you are looking for alternatives under Rs 12 lakh, the Skoda Kylaq 1.0 TSI manual is the best option for an enthusiast driver. The new Brezza turbo-petrol could also be a good choice. Overall, the 3XO from your friend is the most sensible choice. It offers a good balance of comfort, reliability and value, and will serve you well on your monthly road trips.

I test-drove both the Kia Seltos GTX(A) IVT and the Hyundai Creta N10 Turbo DCT. For some reason, the Creta felt more balanced over rough roads and was also quieter. I initially wanted to purchase the HTX(A) Turbo DCT, but it wasn't available for a test drive. Now, I'm confused about two things: Seltos vs Creta and manual vs DCT. Around 60-70% of my driving will be in the city, but I still want a punchy engine. Having driven manual cars for years, I've always enjoyed them and am comfortable with them. However, considering the advancements in automatic transmissions in 2026 and the fact that I plan to keep the car for 7-8 years, a DCT seems like a convenient option. I'm now unsure which combination would be the right choice for my needs. What would you recommend?

•6d

Go for the Kia Seltos HTX(A) Turbo DCT as it strikes the best balance for your needs. The turbo petrol engine is punchy and enjoyable, while the DCT makes city driving far less tiring than a manual. You enjoy manuals, but with 60-70% city usage and a 7-8 year ownership horizon, the convenience of an automatic becomes hard to ignore. The Seltos also feels slightly more premium inside than the Hyundai Creta, and the HTX(A) is a well-equipped variant without pushing the budget too far. The Creta is also the older model, and the next-gen version is right around the corner. The difference in terms of stability and ride comfort between both is marginal, and the Seltos counters that with a more premium cabin and a slightly wider rear seat. The IVT is smooth but lacks the punch you are looking for, while the DCT delivers the performance you want without the fatigue of a manual. Overall, the Seltos HTX(A) Turbo DCT is the most complete package for your usage pattern and long-term ownership plans.

Kia Seltos

Hyundai Creta

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