Kia Petrol Cars in India (6)

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Our top pick would be the Kia Seltos. It is the most well-rounded midsize SUV of the three, with a spacious cabin, good equipment levels and interiors that feel genuinely premium. The 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine paired with the manual gearbox is a smooth, easy-to-use combination, and that is particularly important given that 90 percent of your driving will be in the city. It is easy enough to manoeuvre in traffic, comfortable on the occasional highway run and feels like the most complete package overall.The Hyundai Creta would be our second choice. It uses the same 1.5-litre petrol engine and manual gearbox as the Seltos, so performance, drivability and likely running costs will be very similar. It is also well equipped in SX trim and Hyundai’s service network is a big plus. However, compared to the Seltos, the Creta feels a little less fresh in terms of its cabin ambience and overall appeal. With a replacement expected in the near future, it could also start to feel dated sooner. It remains a sensible option, but the Seltos currently has the edge.The Tata Sierra petrol manual would be our last choice for this specific usage. It is the most spacious of the three, has real road presence and feels the most secure, safe and planted on the highway, thanks to its excellent high-speed manners. However, the 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine feels sluggish in a vehicle of this size and weight. You have to work it harder in city traffic, while highway overtakes need more planning than in the Hyundai or Kia. It is also larger and heavier, which makes it less convenient in Delhi’s traffic and tight parking spaces. If you are mostly driving yourself, the Seltos is the one we would recommend.

Kia Seltos

Hyundai Creta

Tata Sierra

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With 10,000 km a year plus quarterly 500 km highway runs, a petrol automatic is the right choice. Your priorities are fuel efficiency first, then space, then power. That points you towards a hybrid, because it will give you the best fuel economy in city driving without sacrificing performance on the highway.The Maruti Suzuki Victoris Hybrid is the best fit. It is a full hybrid, so it delivers excellent fuel efficiency in city conditions, and the petrol engine is strong enough for highway driving. It is also spacious enough for a family, and the hybrid system keeps running costs low over time. The Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder Hybrid is mechanically identical, but the Victoris has a slightly more premium interior and a better feature list at a similar price. However, the boot space in both cars is small as the hybrid battery eats into it. If you need a 7 seater, the Kia Carens is the better option. It is spacious, comfortable and well equipped, but it will not match the Victoris Hybrid for fuel efficiency.Go for the Victoris Hybrid if fuel economy is your top priority. Choose the Carens only if you genuinely need seven seats.

Maruti Suzuki Victoris

Kia Carens

Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder

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For your priorities, the Grand Vitara is the better long-term choice. The 1.5-litre petrol with a torque-converter automatic is smooth, comfortable and relatively easy to maintain, while Maruti's service reach and parts availability are significant advantages if you plan to keep the car for 8-10 years.Mileage is also a strong point. In our real-world testing, the Grand Vitara petrol AT returned 11.6kpl in the city and 15.3kpl on the highway. The Seltos 1.5 petrol IVT returned 10.31kpl and 14.22kpl, respectively, in the same type of testing.The Seltos is the more premium and feature-rich choice, with a stronger cabin experience and a more powerful 115hp engine. Its IVT is also very smooth in traffic, but if long-term running costs, serviceability and efficiency are the priorities, the Grand Vitara has the edge.The main drawback of the Grand Vitara is performance. The 103hp/139Nm engine is adequate rather than exciting, particularly with a full load.

Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara

Kia Seltos

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Consider the Honda Elevate. It is a naturally aspirated petrol SUV with a manual gearbox, simple mechanicals and strong long-term ownership prospects. This Honda car is a good all-rounder, with a large boot (458 litres), a spacious cabin and Honda’s reputation for reliability. If you want an even larger boot, consider getting a three-row vehicle and keeping the third row folded. If you are open to this, consider the Kia Carens Clavis turbo-petrol manual or the Maruti Suzuki XL6. Both are spacious, comfortable and have bigger boots than mid-size SUVs. Kia and Maruti Suzuki also have strong reputations for aftersales service, so they should serve you well over 12 years.

Honda Elevate

Kia Carens Clavis

Maruti Suzuki XL6

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You already have different cars for different purposes, but you haven't mentioned which of the four cars you would like to replace. Within Rs 40 lakhs, the Toyota Innova Hycross hybrid is an excellent, tried and tested option. It is efficient, extremely spacious, and the ride comfort is good too. Also, with light steering, a responsive powertrain and good visibility and driving aids, it is very user-friendly. So unlike the Innova Crysta, which would be more suited for the chauffeur-driven, the Hycross is also surprisingly easy to drive too.You could also consider the new Kia Sorento, which seems excellent value for money. We haven't got a chance to drive or test it yet, however it seems spacious, well-equipped and on first impression, the interior quality seems to be excellent. This is one SUV you must test drive before finalising - it has both 2.2 diesel and 1.6 turbo strong hybrid options.

Toyota Innova HyCross

Toyota Innova Crysta

Kia Sorento