Hyundai Venue HX10 1.5 Diesel AT

If your priority is long-term reliability and hassle-free ownership, the powertrain choice and brand service experience will matter more than outright performance.

Between the three options, the Hyundai Venue petrol turbo with the DCT automatic is the safer choice in terms of ownership experience. Hyundai has a strong reputation for reliability and service support, and the Venue is a well-proven product. It also offers a comfortable ride and a well-finished cabin, which makes it suitable for long-term family use.

The Mahindra XUV 3XO petrol automatic is a very good car to drive and offers strong performance thanks to its larger 1.2-litre turbo petrol engine. It also has a spacious cabin and good ride quality. However, Mahindra’s ownership experience and service consistency can vary depending on location.

The Venue diesel automatic can make sense if your running is high and you regularly do highway drives. However, for typical mixed usage, the petrol automatic will generally be the simpler option to live with.

The Hyundai Venue will feel like a big upgrade from your Hyundai Santro AMT. The turbo petrol engine paired with the DCT gearbox offers strong performance and smooth shifts, which makes driving in the city effortless. It also gets features like a reverse camera, Android Auto connectivity and voice commands that you are specifically looking for. Overall, it will be a noticeable step up in terms of power, features, space and overall comfort.

Among the other cars you mentioned, the Kia Sonet is also a good option. However, the Venue is the newer car and is more spacious. Also, a replacement for the Sonet is expected next year, which means it may feel dated sooner. 

The Tata Nexon petrol is another option that offers good space and a comfortable ride, but the Venue feels more refined and easier to drive and is the newer car as well. 

As for the Kia Seltos, it is a good SUV, but it belongs to a higher segment and will stretch well beyond your ₹12-13 lakh budget in comparable variants.

Since your monthly running is on the higher side, a diesel SUV would make sense. The newly updated Hyundai Venue in HX 5 trim would fit in your budget and is a big upgrade from the WagonR. The engine is refined, frugal and tried and tested, and should you get the manual gearbox, it has a light clutch that makes it easy in traffic. 

The HX 5 also gets a good level of kit, like a sunroof, cruise control, touchscreen, reversing sensors, TPMS, etc. The ride quality is good too, and it has a decent-sized boot for outstation trips. 
Hyundai's after-sales network is also one of the best, and it would be a hassle-free ownership experience. 

Without knowing your budget and more requirements, we can't recommend the ideal choice for you. We have shortlisted models that you should consider, and why they are of interest. 

Compact SUVs
- Hyundai Venue: (+) Smooth diesel engine and auto gearbox combo, good interior space, upmarket interior | (-) Expensive for its size
- Kia Sonet: (+) Smooth diesel engine and auto gearbox combo, upmarket interior, good value | (-) Rear seat space is limited, due to be replaced in the coming year

Midsize SUVs

- Kia Seltos: (+) Spacious interior, well equipped, good ride comfort | (-) Performance is adequate only
- Tata Sierra: (+) Class-best space, feature-packed, tough build, ride comfort | (-) Engine feels noisy, road noise
- Hyundai Creta: (+) Well equipped, decent performance | (-) Due to be replaced in the coming year   

   

While the Tata Nexon has its strengths in a tough build and good suspension, its AMT gearbox is no match for the torque converter automatic. It comes paired with the Hyundai Venue and Kia Sonet's 1.5-litre diesel engine. The Hyundai and Kia's smooth diesel engines and slick auto gearboxes deliver a very polished driving experience, which you will love. 

Of the two, the Hyundai Venue is newer, offers more rear seat space and a few more frills like a larger 10.25-inch touchscreen. You'd get a Venue diesel-auto HX5 in your budget, which is reasonably well equipped and also packs in a sunroof. We can't recommend it wholeheartedly, though, because it misses the safety of a rear wiper. 

If rear seat space isn't a deal breaker and you are comfortable with the idea of buying a car that will be replaced in the near future, the Sonet diesel-auto HTX is definitely worth a look. 

For not much money over the Venue HX5, it packs in a whole lot more equipment such as LED headlights, push button start, leatherette seats and front seat ventilation. Also, it has the safety of a rear wiper, rear disc brakes and front parking sensors.  

While the Mahindra XUV 3XO has a strong and refined engine, the AMT gearbox is not the best performing units in terms of smoothness and response. Quick overtakes on the highway would require a lot more planning with an AMT, and over time, it can get frustrating. 

We would recommend checking out the Hyundai Venue as it gets a diesel engine mated to a 6-speed torque converter gearbox that is a lot better than AMT units. The Venue is also well equipped in its HX5 guise that falls within your budget. It is the newer car overall with a fresh and modern interior.