Kia Syros

Considering you plan to keep the car for a long time and want something that is both performance oriented and a good family car, we’d suggest the new Hyundai Venue.

Since you’re based in Bangalore, the 1.0 litre turbo petrol with the DCT automatic makes the most sense. Within your budget, you should be able to consider the H8 variant, which is well equipped and feels premium.

The turbo petrol engine gives the Venue effortless performance, and the DCT gearbox manages both city traffic and occasional highway drives well. The new Venue is also larger than the older model, and it offers enough space for four adults to travel comfortably. Importantly, this engine and gearbox combination has been in use for several years in Hyundai cars, so it is a proven and reliable powertrain.

If you want even more space than the Venue, you can also look at the Kia Syros. It is roomier on the inside, similarly priced, and gets the same turbo petrol DCT combination. The only caveat is that the ride quality of the Syros isn’t as comfortable as the Venue.

Your choice of the Kia Syros is good, as there is ample rear room for 5 adults, as well as a decent boot. 

About your query on the DCT overheating issue, yes, in general, DCT's tend to be a bit jerky in low-speed traffic, and they can overheat. However, the Kia unit is generally reliable, with fewer owner complaints reported. 

Driving in Eco mode isn't going to make much of a difference, but it can help a bit, as with a milder engine map. Thus, less torque there could be less clutch slippage. With a reduced kickdown tendency, you will have fewer rapid downshifts, thus fewer clutch engagements. 

If you are very concerned by this, you could look at the Maruti Suzuki Brezza. Rear space as well as boot space is good, and the Brezza comes with a torque convertor automatic gearbox. It is the smoothest type to have and will not have issues with start-stop traffic.   

The Kia Syros is easily the best compact SUV for your requirements. Its the most spacious model in the segment and will comfortably accommodate your children. The high roof means there's lots of headroom, and legroom is actually comparable to larger vehicles. 

The 1-litre turbo-petrol with a manual gearbox in HTK Plus trim fits your budget. 

In a market, as ours, where there's a new launch every couple of months, your predicament is understandable! Given your requirements, we've narrowed the list of options down to the Kia Syros and Mahindra XUV 3XO. Both compact SUVs offer comfortable seating for five passengers, which is a priority for you. 

The Kia Syros has a roomier interior and also offers more flexibility with its unique sliding rear seats. The clean layout of the dash and crisp screens also gives the interior a new-age vibe. It's got a nice turbo-petrol engine that delivers pleasant performance. A firm ride does take a bit away from the experience, though. You could get the Syros turbo manual HTX within your budget. 

The Mahindra XUV 3XO is nicer to drive with a stronger turbo-petrol engine. Ride and handling are also well sorted. The XUV 3XO turbo-manual AX7 fits comfortably within your budget.  
 

There are multiple cars you can buy which get ADAS and are priced below Rs 18 lakh. Out of these, the Hyundai Venue is the newest and the most feature-loaded option. You could consider either a 1.5 Diesel with a 6-speed torque converter, or a 1.0 Turbo-petrol engine with a 7-speed dual clutch transmission. The former will be more efficient, while the latter is more refined. The Venue gets level 2 ADAS, and most of these features seem to have been tuned well for our traffic and road conditions.

Another feature-rich, automatic option that you could consider is the Kia Syros. It is powered by the same engine-gearbox combinations as the Venue.

The Tata Sierra is a very roomy and comfortable car and would suit your requirements of space and comfort well. However, within your budget, you would get the base version and the naturally aspirated 1.5 Litre engine. This variant is not very powerful, and the acceleration is very sluggish, something that would be a problem on your weekend trips. 

We would thus recommend you look at the Kia Syros; it is a smaller car on the outside, but you will find plenty of headroom as well as legroom inside. The engine delivers more than adequate performance, so weekend trips will be fine. Moreover, within your budget, you will get the top spec version. 

Therefore, you can enjoy all the features, including some unique ones like sliding, reclining and cooled rear seats. This will be handy for your wife if she is seated at the rear with your infant in a child seat. Moreover, Kia service centres are fairly well spread, and the quality of service is quite good.        

At the lower end of the price range, there's the Kia Syros. It's got a very spacious cabin and should accommodate you in reasonable comfort. It's got a refined diesel engine that delivers reasonable power and good fuel economy. 

At the upper end of the price range, you could look at the Mahindra XUV 7XO. It's got an airy cabin and a high roof, so it should fit your requirements. However, many of us did find that the driver's seat doesn't go down as low as we'd like, and this is something you are advised to check for yourself. In terms of engine performance, the XUV 7XO's 2.2-litre diesel unit is great, delivering ample power for highway drives.

If you are open to the MPV body style, the Kia Carens Clavis is also worth a look. It's got a relatively high roof, which should put you at ease. Its diesel engine is also pleasant, offering fair performance with good refinement.  

If you have parking constraints, it's better to stick to sub-4m models. Of the compact SUVs on your shortlist, the Hyundai Venue HX10 DCT makes a strong case for itself. If you can digest the price, which is at par with larger mid-sized SUVs. 

It's got fantastic tech, there's an upmarket feel to the interior, and the engine-gearbox is also good, some jerkiness from the DCT at low speeds notwithstanding. There's also ample space for four adults to sit in comfort. Ride comfort is also pleasant. 

The Kia Syros is unfortunately a victim of its high price, which has been lowered since launch. Many are not fans of the way it looks either. However, if the price and design are not deal breakers, the Syros is worth a serious look. It's the most spacious compact SUV with an airy feel to its cabin. 

The Syros also comes loaded with features and is very well finished inside. It shares its 1-litre turbo-petrol engine and DCT auto with the Venue and performance is good, but ride comfort is on the firm side.