I’m planning to buy the Jimny. My primary use is city driving with occasional countryside trips once a month. Which transmission would be a better choice?

Autocar India

•34m

If performance is your top priority and you want something that feels genuinely quick and engaging, the 2024 Volkswagen Taigun GT Plus 1.5 at Rs 14 lakh is the stronger choice here.It's 1.5 TSI paired with the DSG (twin-clutch automatic) delivers sharp, rapid shifts and a lively, responsive character that suits an enthusiast driver. The Taigun also feels more agile and composed in corners, while still being easy to drive in the city. At roughly Rs 4 lakh less than the new Duster, you also have room to budget for an extended warranty, fresh tyres, or even preventative maintenance, which is important when buying a used, performance-oriented car.There are a couple of caveats. In heavy, crawling traffic, the DSG can feel slightly jerky, and like most dual-clutch setups, it prefers consistent movement over prolonged inching. The ride is also on the firmer side, especially over broken surfaces.On the other hand, the new Renault Duster 1.3 Techno is the better choice if you prioritise ride comfort and robustness over outright performance. Its 1.3 turbo-petrol is strong and tractable, and the car feels more planted on rough roads. The Duster’s dual-clutch transmission is a wet-clutch unit, which is inherently smoother and better suited to stop-go traffic, though it doesn’t feel as quick or as sporty as the Taigun’s DSG.Overall, if your brief is clearly performance-first, the Taigun GT Plus makes more sense.

Volkswagen Taigun

Renault Duster

Autocar India

•1h

With a 50-50 city-highway mix, some 5-person trips, and a Rs. 16 lakh cap, the Kia Seltos HTK 1.5 petrol manual is the stronger fit than the Hyundai Venue 1.0 turbo with the automatic (DCT). It gives you more space for people and bags, and the smooth, linear power works well with your habit of downshifting for quick overtakes.Will the Seltos 1.5 manual feel underpowered when loaded? Yes, but this can be overcome by using the gears. At 70-100 kph, a shift to 4th gives enough pull for safe passes. It won’t jump forward like a turbo, so start the move a little earlier on hills or when fully loaded.Is the Seltos IVT capable? Yes for cruising and single-car passes, but with five on board, it will hold high revs and sound loud. It does the job, but responses are softer than the manual, so you may miss that direct control and pickup you enjoy.Over the long run, the Seltos 1.5 manual suits your use better. It avoids the low-speed lag you felt in the Venue, is less fussy in traffic than a DCT, and is simply the better 5-person car.

Kia Seltos

Hyundai Venue

Autocar India

•2h

Your use will be mostly in Bengaluru city, with one long 180 km run each week to the plant, while your parents do daily 45 km trips in the Creta. In this mix, pick the Hyundai Creta Electric, ideally the larger-battery version, and leave the petrol Creta with your parents. It suits your Bengaluru routine better because it is easy to drive and very quiet, so daily traffic is less tiring, and its size is simpler to park than a big three-row car. For the weekly highway run, an EV works if you charge at home and either top up at the plant or plan a quick stop on the route. There are public fast chargers on most big Bengaluru highways now, including towards Andhra, but do check your exact route and set up a charger at the plant if you can. The Kia Carens Clavis EV only makes sense if you often carry six or seven people or lots of gear; otherwise, you pay more, use more energy, and don’t gain much for solo trips. Diesel still works for range, but policy and resale risk are real. For your pattern, Creta Electric fits best.

Hyundai Creta Electric

Kia Carens Clavis EV

Autocar India

•1d

It's really hard to suggest a car without knowing a bit more about your requirements, like rear space requirements and the distance driven per month. Thus, as a good all-rounder for a small family, the Maruti Suzuki Fronx Delta Plus AMT fits your brief best. Pick this variant because it gives you the most rear-seat space and a bigger, more useful boot than the other two, so adults sit more comfortably, and you pack more for trips. It also feels light and easy to drive in traffic, and the ride is calm over rough roads, which helps passengers, especially elders or kids.Two things to note: this automatic can feel a bit slow to pick up when you press the accelerator hard, and you will miss a few fancy features that sit on higher trims. If you drive with a full load on steep hills often, you may want to try it once to see if the response suits you.If you value tough build and the best ride on broken roads above all else, the Tata Punch Accomplished AMT is the second choice. It also has a smaller footprint for tight parking and a feature-rich cabin at a price like the Hyundai Exter HX6 AMT, too. Overall, for family comfort and everyday ease, go with the Fronx Delta Plus AMT.

Maruti Suzuki Fronx

Tata Punch

Hyundai Exter

Autocar India

•5d

If you are waiting for the Tata Sierra EV, the good news is that it does not seem too far away. Current indications suggest a launch could happen either later this month or in June.Expect it to slot below the Tata Harrier EV in Tata’s electric line-up, likely with multiple battery pack options and a more premium positioning than the Tata Curvv EV. Tata has also indicated that both Rear Wheel Drive and All Wheel Drive versions are planned, which should make it one of the more interesting mainstream electric SUVs in India.

Tata Sierra EV

Tata Harrier EV

Tata Curvv EV

Autocar India

•6d

With the kind of mileage you are already seeing from your 4th generation Honda City, I would not rush to fit a CNG kit. Around 16 kpl over 85,000 km is actually a healthy real world figure for a petrol sedan, and since the City is known for its smoothness and refinement, adding an aftermarket CNG kit will inevitably change the character of the car. Honda does not offer a factory CNG option for the City, so any retrofit will be third party, which means compromises in boot space, some loss in outright performance and the added variable of installation quality and long term reliability. Honda also recommends using fuel that meets the vehicle specifications, and aftermarket modifications can complicate warranty or support considerations on newer cars.A CNG conversion only starts making strong financial sense if your running is very high and you plan to keep the car for several more years to recover the kit cost. If your annual usage is moderate, the payback period can be longer than expected. The only real case for going CNG here is if fuel cost reduction is your absolute top priority. Otherwise, given how well your City is already performing, I would leave it as is and enjoy the refinement rather than fixing something that is not really broken.

Honda City