Delhi

•1d

Hi Autocar India team, I would appreciate your advice on choosing a used automatic car for around Rs 12 lakh. I currently own a 2009 Maruti Alto LPG, which has covered 1.1 lakh km. My annual running is around 7,000km. My village is about 350km away, so I make two to three highway trips there every year. I have a family of four and want to keep my fuel expenses within Rs 5-6 lakh over the next 10 years. My priorities, in order, are an automatic gearbox, good road presence and reliability, followed by maintenance costs, as I have a close friend who is a mechanic. I want to avoid diesel cars, DCT gearboxes and gimmicky features. The Nexon, Venue and Punch feel a little too small for my needs. I would also prefer to avoid 1.2-litre three- or four-cylinder engines, as I don't want too much vibration at highway speeds. My shortlist, with all these cars test-driven and available for around Rs 12 lakh, includes the Hyundai Alcazar 2.0, Maruti Grand Vitara mild-hybrid, Hyundai Creta/Kia Seltos IVT and Honda Elevate CVT. I am also open to MPVs and sedans as a last resort. I have a few questions: 1. Which of these would you pick, and why? 2. If E30, E85 or E100 petrol is introduced, would retrofitting the Alcazar with a CNG kit make sense? I do not need the third row. 3. Are there any other used cars I should consider? 4. Would a 2019 Toyota Camry Hybrid be worth considering at around Rs 6-9 lakh? 5. What about a Toyota Innova Crysta for around Rs 9 lakh? 6. Should I consider EVs? I would love to hear your opinion.

•1h

Since you don't need the Alcazar's extra third row, why not consider a Hyundai Creta 1.5 IVT instead? It is a smooth, spacious, comfortable and sensible choice. You should get a 2022-23 manufactured, well-maintained example in your Rs 12 lakh budget.

Alternatively, in case you're looking for road presence, you could also consider a used Jeep Compass diesel-automatic. It is an excellent highway car, and the 2.0-litre diesel and 9-speed torque converter automatic combination will ensure that your fuel costs are in check compared to its petrol-automatic version.

Explore cars mentioned

Hyundai

Alcazar

from ₹16.83 Lakh

Hyundai

Creta

from ₹12.66 Lakh

Honda

Elevate

from ₹13.69 Lakh

•11m•

Why don't you shift to electric?

•12m•

Tata PUNCH! Tata Safari!

•1h•

Since you are looking for next 10 years, there is no garuantee that a second hand car from today's market would be ethanol compliant for such long period. Creta looks better on road vs alcazar in my opinion. Any cng conversion will not give you enough power for the engine you have. But if you target for next 5 years. Go for any used e20 compliant car. In my opinion get the creta e20 compliant in your budget. May not get a top variant.

•1h•

Hyundai, very versatile and smooth engine!

More posts on similar cars

•1d

Guys, next-gen Creta spotted! The dashboard looks quite different from the current model. Are you interested?

•2d

Dear team, I want a petrol automatic car with a spacious cabin, a five-star safety rating, good rear-seat comfort, easy driving manners and a responsive service network. A sunroof isn’t necessary. I’ll opt for BH registration, as I’m eligible for it. I’m considering: Kia Seltos HTK IVT: It has manual AC instead of automatic climate control. Is that acceptable? I’m also eligible for a corporate discount and a loyalty bonus. Honda Elevate VX CVT: It has all the essential features, but reviews say its infotainment screen is small and its camera feed quality is poor. Tata Sierra Pure L(O) DCT: I’m sceptical about the quality of Tata’s service centres. Please help me choose one.

•1d

The Kia Seltos HTK IVT would be our first recommendation over the Honda Elevate VX CVT. The Seltos feels like the more premium product of the two, with a better-quality cabin, a more refined engine and transmission combination, and a more sophisticated overall driving experience. Its 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine paired with the IVT is particularly smooth and well suited to city driving. The manual air conditioning in the HTK is a compromise, but it shouldn't be a deal-breaker if you are comfortable with conventional AC controls.The Honda Elevate VX CVT is also a sensible choice, with a spacious cabin, good rear-seat comfort and Honda's reputation for reliability. However, the Seltos has an advantage in perceived cabin quality and refinement.

Kia Seltos

Honda Elevate

•5d

I am planning to upgrade from Skoda Rapid Monte Carlo 1.0 AT (2020) to a family-friendly SUV. Considering the new Renault Duster Hybrid and Hyundai Creta IVT/Turbo Petrol. With ageing parents and a 9-month-old baby, my priorities are easy ingress and egress, spacious rear seats and good boot space. My annual running is around 5,000 km which mostly involves city driving. Which SUV would you recommend?

•3d

The Renault Duster (non-hybrid) has a large rear boot and the car is also newer and fun to drive, however your priorities of spacious rear seats and easy ingress/egress would be better met in the Creta and we would suggest the IVT as its smoother than the DCT autobox for everyday family use. Given that an all new Creta is around the corner you should bargain hard for a good deal and you could have a significantly lower purchase price too.

Renault Duster

Hyundai Creta

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Popular discussions right now

•2d

I’m a first-time car buyer and I’m confused between the Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara Delta (Rs 12.7 lakh on-road), the Brezza VXi automatic (Rs 11.4 lakh) and the Brezza ZXi manual (Rs 11.5 lakh). I’m not sure how much of my driving will be in the city and how much on the highway. If I choose the automatic, I’ll miss out on many features that come with the Brezza ZXi and the Grand Vitara Delta. Is it okay to give up those features and choose the VXi automatic?

•2d

It is a tricky choice, but we would lean towards the Maruti Suzuki Brezza VXi automatic. In today's increasingly congested traffic conditions, the convenience of an automatic transmission is something you will appreciate every day. The additional features on the Brezza ZXi manual or Grand Vitara Delta may seem attractive initially, but over the years, the ease of driving an automatic is likely to matter more.The Brezza VXi AT is not poorly equipped either. It gets a touchscreen infotainment system, automatic climate control, six airbags, ESP and hill-hold assist. You will miss out on features such as cruise control, a rear parking camera and a sunroof, but some convenience features can be added later through accessories.

Maruti Suzuki Brezza

Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara

•4d

What are Mahindra’s plans for an ICE SUV positioned above the XUV 7XO? Specifically, does Mahindra plan to launch any ICE SUVs in the Rs 30-40 lakh bracket?

•3d

Mahindra has not yet confirmed an all-new ICE SUV positioned above the XUV 7XO in the Rs 30-40 lakh bracket. However, there are some interesting developments on its future product roadmap. The company has outlined plans for 10 new ICE models by 2031, including nine new nameplates, with several expected to use its upcoming NU_IQ platform. The Vision X and Vision SXT concepts are among the products to watch, although their final positioning and specifications are yet to be revealed. A more immediate development is the possibility of a strong-hybrid version of the XUV 7XO, which Mahindra is evaluating and could introduce around 2027. This would potentially sit above the current petrol and diesel variants, offering better fuel efficiency and a more sophisticated powertrain. Mahindra is also working on a coupe-styled hybrid SUV, internally codenamed W623, which could arrive around 2028, although its positioning is not yet clear.

Mahindra XUV 7XO

•3d

I want to buy a compact SUV (petrol, automatic) under a budget of Rs. 12-13 lakh. Help me decide between Brezza, Venue, Kylaq, XUV 3XO and Amaze (since it is a compact Sedan) considering that the mileage within city should not be less than 13-14kpl.

•1d

Between your picks, the Maruti Suzuki Brezza 1.5-litre automatic is your best bet since city fuel efficiency is your main priority. The Hyundai Venue, Skoda Kylaq and Mahindra XUV 3XO all use turbo-petrol engines, which aren't particularly known for their fuel efficiency in the city. That said, achieving your target of 13-14kpl in city driving with any of these cars will require a very sedate driving style.The Brezza also comes with a smooth-shifting 6-speed torque converter automatic, which makes driving in the city very easy. One drawback is that, its interior won't feel as modern as the Hyundai Venue. The Honda Amaze is another good choice, but being a compact sedan, it won't feel as spacious as the Brezza.

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