Autocar India
•25w

I want to decide on an SUV purchase between the Honda Elevate, VW Taigun, Skoda Kushaq and Grand Vitara. I value good features but no ADAS. Lower maintenance is also important. Please suggest in order of merit.

Verified
•24w
In terms of lowest maintenance, the Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara will top the list. It doesn’t come with ADAS at all, so you can opt for the top Alpha+ variant with all the bells and whistles and still skip ADAS. If you choose the strong hybrid version, it delivers superb fuel efficiency in the city, while all versions have a comfortable ride and spacious cabin.
Among your other picks, the Volkswagen Taigun and Skoda Kushaq also don’t get ADAS and are otherwise well-equipped, particularly the newly facelifted Kushaq, though maintenance may be a bit more expensive. 
The Honda Elevate gets ADAS on the top ZX variant, which means you will have to opt for the VX and miss out on some other features. For your needs, the Grand Vitara is the best fit, but do test drive all these cars before making a decision.
Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara

Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara

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Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara

Maruti Suzuki

Grand Vitara

from ₹12.39 Lakh

Volkswagen Taigun

Volkswagen

Taigun

from ₹12.65 Lakh

Honda Elevate

Honda

Elevate

from ₹13.58 Lakh

Skoda Kushaq

Skoda

Kushaq

from ₹12.30 Lakh

•24w

Thanks, great insights

•24w

Don't fall prey to the myth that Volkswagen cars are high maintenance. Nowadays, they have improved significantly. Their service interval is once a year (approx. ₹10,000), compared to Maruti's once every six months (approx. ₹14,000; 2 times * ₹7,000). I owned a Polo for six years and now own a Taigun, and I've never felt that maintenance was too high. For the initial cost, the vehicles are excellent to drive, handle well, and are very comfortable

•24w

Which suv to buy in terms of mileage and performance. Skoda Kushaq or Seltos dct? 80% highway driving and 20% city.

•24w

Should I buy New Škoda Kushaq or Seltos dct?My maximum usage is 80% highway and 20% city. Looking for better mileage also.

•24w

Go for kylaq instead if you drive 80% on highway... it's very fun to drive but you might have to do some addons

•24w

Kylaq or Taigun are best options on highway due to their suspension setups tuned for a good balance between handling and ride, also 5 star safety rated. Seltos are softer suspensions and better suits city drives but not confident inspiring on highways (relatively).

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•5d

I am currently driving an 11-year-old Honda Brio manual in Pune and am looking to upgrade to a naturally aspirated petrol automatic SUV with either a CVT or torque-converter automatic. I do not want a sunroof, and the budget is under Rs 18 lakh. My daily running is around 10-12km, with occasional weekend drives and one or two annual trips of around 500-600km. I have shortlisted the Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara Zeta AT and Honda Elevate VX CVT, although the Elevate does come with a sunroof. Most of the driving will be in the city. Between the two, which would be more fuel-efficient, particularly with E20 petrol, offer good ride quality, and be reliable and easy to maintain over the next 10-15 years? Are there any other vehicles worth considering? I am not interested in EVs or petrol DCT/DSG powertrains. Thank you.

Verified
•2d

Go for the Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara Zeta AT. It is the better fit for your requirements. The naturally aspirated petrol engine paired with the torque converter automatic is a proven, reliable combination that will serve you well over a long ownership period. The Grand Vitara also offers a comfortable ride, good rear seat space and a spacious cabin. Maruti's service network and low maintenance costs further strengthen its case for long-term ownership.The Honda Elevate VX CVT is also a good car, but Honda's CVT is not as refined as a torque converter automatic. The Grand Vitara's automatic is smoother and more predictable in everyday driving. Fuel efficiency between the two will be broadly similar, with the Grand Vitara having a slight edge in real-world conditions.Given your preference for a non-sunroof variant, the Grand Vitara Zeta is the more suitable choice. The Honda Elevate VX comes with a sunroof, which you specifically want to avoid. Overall, the Grand Vitara Zeta AT is the more complete package for your needs.

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•3d

Hi, good evening and greetings from Nagendra, I am in Mumbai and am planning to buy Honda City 1.5 litre but I am concerned due to speed breakers in Mumbai that are around 10 to 25 cm in height. This is especially the case in the Urban Mumbai. Please advice.

Verified
•23h

Good evening, Nagendra. The Honda City is a fantastic sedan and one of our default recommendations for buyers looking for a comfortable, reliable and refined family car. However, ground clearance is its only real weakness. The City has a ground clearance of 165mm, which is adequate for most speed breakers, but some of the larger, unscientific speed breakers in Mumbai can be a challenge, especially when the car is fully loaded.If your daily routes include particularly tall speed breakers or poorly designed humps, you will need to be careful with your approach angle and speed. The City can clear most speed breakers if you take them slowly and at an angle, but it is not as forgiving as an SUV or a crossover.If ground clearance is a major concern, you may want to consider the Honda Elevate instead. It offers a similar ownership experience, a higher seating position and significantly better ground clearance, making it much better suited to Mumbai's speed breakers. If you are set on a sedan, the Skoda Slavia and the VW Virtus do offer better ground clearance than the City.

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•1w

I’m a first-time car buyer with very limited driving experience. I’ve only driven an SUV like the Mahindra KUV100 a few times in the past and have never driven a sedan before. I don’t really need a car for my daily commute, but I’d like to have one for long drives, convenience and occasional trips. I’m strongly considering the new Skoda Slavia or Volkswagen Virtus 1.0L MT because I really like both cars. Given my limited driving experience and the fact that I’ve never driven a sedan before, does it make sense to choose one of these as my first car? Would the Slavia or Virtus be manageable for someone with my level of experience, particularly when it comes to judging the car’s size, parking, manoeuvring in traffic and driving on highways?

Verified
•2d

Yes, the Skoda Slavia or Volkswagen Virtus 1.0 TSI manual is a perfectly sensible first car, even with limited driving experience. Both cars are well-balanced sedans with good visibility, predictable handling and a forgiving nature, which makes them easy to live with. The 1.0 TSI engine is punchy enough for highway driving but not intimidating, and the manual gearbox is light and easy to operate.The main adjustment will be the lower seating position compared to an SUV like the Mahindra KUV100, which can initially make judging the car's extremities a bit trickier, especially in tight parking situations. However, both cars are not excessively large, and with practice, you will quickly get used to their dimensions. Parking sensors and a rear camera, which are available on higher variants, will also help build confidence. If you are genuinely concerned about parking and manoeuvrability, you could consider the Skoda Kylaq or Volkswagen Taigun / Skoda Kushaq 1.0 TSI instead. However, if you spend time practising, the Slavia or Virtus will not be difficult to get used to.

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•6d

I am getting the Venue HX8 Turbo automatic for Rs. 15.40 lakh on-road, the Creta SX(O) automatic for Rs. 18.14 lakh on-road, with a discount of more than Rs. 1 lakh, and the Seltos HTK(O) IVT for Rs. 18.50 lakh on-road. My budget is Rs. 19 lakh. Which one should I buy for driving in Bangalore and occasional trips?

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•4d

Hello, given the DPF concerns and upcoming CAFE III regulations, with my driving pattern being 60% highway and 40% city and covering around 15,000 km annually, would a 1.5L diesel (automatic or manual) still be a worthwhile choice?

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•3d

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•4d

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•3d

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Posted on: 9 Mar 2026