Honda cars in India (8)

Autocar India

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Mostly highway weekends with an Rs 16 lakh on-road cap, and you want strong features and low fuel use, in that case, the Kia Seltos HTK (manual) fits you best. The HTK trim brings the useful bits you will actually use on trips, like an HD touchscreen, a clear camera, auto climate control and solid safety features, without pushing the price past your limit. The 1.5 NA petrol is very refined, with adequate performance for most users and decent fuel efficiency. Since you do not drive in the city too much, we would stick with the manual, which is light and easy to use.One thing to keep in mind for your use: performance is adequate, but it can feel a bit underwhelming when pushed. If you want a bit more performance, then consider the Honda Elevate.Overall, for weekend and highway use under Rs 16 lakh, the Kia Seltos HTK (manual) lines up best with what you want.

Kia Seltos

Honda Elevate

Autocar India

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We would recommend the Honda Elevate V CVT for your needs. It fits your 60 percent city and 40 percent highway usage very naturally with a smooth, easy automatic that keeps daily drives stress-free and feels relaxed on longer runs. It also gives you that commanding driving position, a spacious cabin and a genuinely useful boot, and over time it will keep ownership simple thanks to Honda’s strong reliability and low maintenance reputation. It is a straightforward, no-drama car that focuses on comfort and ease rather than unnecessary complexity. Considering your usage, going electric right now does not make much sense due to the higher cost of buying in your location, charging dependency and resale uncertainty. As for BS7 or ethanol changes, there is no need to wait, as current petrol cars are already well adapted to future norms. If you are willing to stretch your budget, the Hyundai Creta is worth considering as it feels more premium and feature-rich, but in comparable automatic variants, it does sit noticeably higher on price and does not fundamentally improve your day-to-day usability. The only real downside with the Elevate is that the interior feels a bit plain for the price. But overall, it is an easy, dependable car that will just work for you every single day without fuss.

Honda Elevate

Hyundai Creta

Autocar India

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Go for the Skoda Kylaq. It feels like a bigger, more future-proof upgrade as your first car, with a stronger engine, more engaging driving experience and a solid, confidence-inspiring feel on both city roads and highways. The Kylaq stands out because it gives you that SUV stance along with a more enjoyable drive, which you will appreciate as your driving experience grows over time. This Skoda car feels more modern and substantial overall, making it a better long-term choice.The Honda Amaze VX is the easier and more straightforward option. It is smooth, comfortable and very easy to drive in the city, but it is more focused on practicality than excitement.

Skoda Kylaq

Honda Amaze

Autocar India

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Go ahead with the Honda Elevate, there is no strong reason to wait. With your low monthly running and occasional long trips, what matters most is space, comfort and ease of ownership, and the Elevate delivers that well with a roomy cabin and a relaxed, fuss-free driving experience.Waiting for a 7 seater hybrid sounds logical, but realistically, apart from the Toyota Innova HyCross and Maruti Suzuki Invicto, there are no real options today, and new ones will take time to arrive, so you may end up waiting without a clear benefit.If you do want a 7 seater right now, the Kia Carens Clavis petrol is a strong alternative. This Kia car offers flexible seating for your family and is comfortable for both city use and occasional long trips.

Honda Elevate

Toyota Innova HyCross

Maruti Suzuki Invicto

Kia Carens Clavis

Autocar India

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Budget permitting, you should go for the Honda Elevate ZX CVT. It is the easiest, most hassle-free upgrade from your Amaze for a mid-size SUV. You are used to a diesel CVT, and the Elevate’s CVT keeps that smooth, calm feel in traffic. The higher seat and good all-around view make city driving and parking simple, and the suspension handles bad roads well. Size-wise, it is not too big, so it is easy to live with, but it still gives you more space and ground clearance than your Amaze. Honda’s engines are reliable, and service quality is generally consistent in most cities.One thing to be aware of is that, coming from a diesel, the Elevate's naturally aspirated petrol engine will not feel as strong at low speeds with a full load or on steep hills, and you will need to press the accelerator more. Also, your monthly use is high, so petrol running costs will be higher than your Amaze diesel.If fuel cost is your top worry at 1,750 km a month, look at the Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara Strong Hybrid, again, budget permitting. It is very smooth and uses a lot less fuel in the city. If you do frequent highway runs with family and luggage and want that strong pull you had in your diesel, the Kia Seltos diesel automatic is the better fit.Do a back-to-back drive. Take four people, climb a flyover and try a quick overtake. If the Elevate’s pull and refinement feel fine to you there, you’ll be happy with it.

Honda Elevate

Honda Amaze

Kia Seltos

Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara

Autocar India

•3d

Pick Honda Amaze VX MT. For your parents’ age and your low monthly running with a driver, it is the most comfortable choice from your shortlist within this budget and will feel like a nice upgrade from the Tiago.Compared to your Tata Tiago, the Amaze will feel roomier in the back, the seat is wider, and the ride is calmer over bumps. The door opening is large, and the seat height is friendly, so getting in and out is easy for 60-year-olds. The petrol engine is smooth and quiet in the city, and since a driver will handle the gears, a manual transmission works fine. It also offers great build quality and a large boot, and Honda cars are reliable and long-lasting.Pick the Maruti Suzuki Baleno if a longer features list matters more, as you'll get a higher variant at this price. Maruti’s service network is the widest, which helps for long-term ownership and easy parts availability almost anywhere.When you test drive, let your parents sit in the back, do a few speed breakers and rough patches, and check how easy it is for them to step in and out. That will make the choice clear.

Honda Amaze

Tata Tiago

Maruti Suzuki Baleno

Autocar India

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You should consider the Honda Elevate ZX CVT. Coming from your Honda City, you'll appreciate the familiarity when it comes to the drive experience and after-sales service. It gets a peppy 1.5-litre petrol engine that's paired to a smooth CVT automatic gearbox, which makes it easy and stress-free to drive. The Elevate also has a comfy rear seat, and getting in/out of the cabin is easy, which your parents will appreciate. The Honda also feels composed going over broken roads and at highway speeds. Alternatively, you can even consider the Hyundai Creta SX IVT, which offers a smoother drive and a more refined cabin.

Honda Elevate

Honda City

Hyundai Creta

Autocar India

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The Skoda Kushaq 1.0-litre turbo-petrol with the 8-speed automatic transmission is a fun-to-drive mid-size SUV that you can replace your Maruti S-Cross with. Its compact size makes it ideal for 2 adults and 2 kids, and the Classic+ variant will fall within your Rs 16 lakh budget, and it has most of the features listed, except a rear parking camera. You can also consider a Honda Elevate V CVT, which will be very easy to maintain and is fun to drive.With your Rs 6 lakh budget, though, you will only be able to get entry-level variants of the Hyundai Grand i10 Nios or mid variants of a Maruti Celerio and Tata Tiago. Between the three, the Nios has the nicest interior, while the Celerio's engine will be more efficient. Do keep in mind that neither of the three cars will be as fun to drive as your Brio. So, if your car is in good condition, you should retain it.

Skoda Kushaq

Maruti Suzuki Celerio

Tata Tiago

Honda Elevate

Autocar India

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Of your cars, you should replace the Maruti Ignis with a Kia Seltos diesel automatic. This gives you the convenience and better fuel efficiency you are looking for, while allowing you to keep the City for its VTEC driving experience and the Jimny for rough roads or compact lanes. The Kia Seltos diesel auto is smooth and relaxed in traffic thanks to its smooth torque converter, and on highways, it cruises at low engine speed, so it feels calm and will likely use less fuel than your Honda City or Maruti Jimny. The back seat is wide enough for family use, the seat height is good for elders, and the boot is much larger than the Ignis, so it works well as the main family car.One thing to keep in mind is that you will miss the Ignis’s tiny size, and though the Jimny is a compact car, it isn't quite as light and manoeuvrable as the hatchback. Overall, the Seltos feels like a more upmarket and high-tech alternative to your existing cars, and should be a good upgrade that works in a variety of situations.

Kia Seltos

Maruti Suzuki Ignis

Maruti Suzuki Jimny

Honda City

Autocar India

•2d

You should pick the Kia Seltos HTX Petrol CVT. For your Pune city use and the occasional Mumbai/Nashik run, it is the most comfortable and easy-to-live-with choice in your budget. Moving up from your Honda Jazz, you will appreciate the higher seating position, better view of the road, and extra ground clearance for broken patches and tall speed breakers. The IVT automatic is very smooth in stop-and-go Pune traffic and makes short office trips effortless. Ride comfort has also improved with the new generation. The steering is light in the city, and Kia’s service reach in and around Pune is strong.One thing to be aware of is that the IVT is tuned for smoothness, not speed, so quick overtakes need a firmer press on the accelerator. If you want a similar experience with a bit more performance, then consider the Honda Elevate CVT.On your test drive, take speed breakers and broken patches at low speeds, and also try a few slow stop-go starts.

Kia Seltos

Honda Elevate