Suv Amt Cars in India (6)

autocar.india

•1w

For a second car that will primarily see city use with occasional long trips, the Kia Syros is the most interesting choice of the three. The Syros gives you a more substantial upgrade, with a spacious cabin, excellent rear seat comfort, a 465-litre boot and a premium interior while remaining under four metres. Its 2,550mm wheelbase is also longer than both the Kia Sonet and Hyundai Venue, which is why it feels particularly roomy inside.The low sales numbers would not be a major concern. The Syros uses familiar Kia powertrains and components, and Kia's service network is already well established. The headlamp position is unconventional and does expose the units to a greater risk of damage in a minor bumper corner impact, but it should not be a deal breaker if you like the car otherwise.The 360 degree camera is useful but not essential. It is particularly helpful in tight parking spaces and narrow city lanes, but a good rear camera and sensors do most of the job. It would not be worth choosing the Sonet's top variant solely to get a 360 degree camera. The Venue is the safer conventional choice if you prefer a newer, more established package, while the Sonet makes sense if you want a smaller, sportier-feeling cabin and more familiar product. But for your requirements, the Syros offers the most meaningful upgrade from a WagonR.

Kia Syros

Kia Sonet

Hyundai Venue

autocar.india

•2w

With a budget of around Rs 16 lakh and a monthly running of 1,200 km, the decision between petrol automatic and electric comes down to your usage pattern and priorities. Since you are giving more importance to fuel efficiency, low maintenance and safety, the Maruti Suzuki Brezza ZXi petrol automatic is the most sensible choice from your shortlist. The Brezza is a proven, reliable car with a wide service network, low maintenance costs and a comfortable ownership experience. It is also a safe car with a good reputation for long-term durability, which is important given your running.The Hyundai Venue HX6 and HX5 are also strong contenders, offering a more premium cabin and a slightly more refined driving experience, but the Brezza edges them out on reliability and ownership costs. The Tata Nexon 3.0 Creative 45 EV is a good electric option, but at 1,200 km a month, the cost savings over petrol are not significant enough to justify the higher upfront cost and the dependency on charging infrastructure, unless you have a dedicated home charger and a predictable usage pattern.Overall, the Brezza ZXi petrol automatic strikes the best balance between efficiency, low maintenance and long-term peace of mind.

Maruti Suzuki Brezza

Hyundai Venue

Tata Nexon

autocar.india

•3w

Both the Kia Sonet and Hyundai Venue are the best diesel automatic compact SUVs on sale today, especially if the priority is effortless long-distance driving with low running costs. Both use a strong 1.5-litre turbo-diesel engine producing 116hp and 250Nm, paired with a smooth six-speed torque-converter automatic. This is an important advantage over the AMT automatics offered in several other sub-four-metre diesel SUVs, as a torque-converter feels more natural and refined in traffic, while also being better suited to relaxed highway cruising.For driving extensively across India, this powertrain makes a great deal of sense. The diesel’s strong low-end torque gives both SUVs confident overtaking ability even with passengers and luggage on board, while the automatic takes the effort out of city traffic and long days behind the wheel. The Venue diesel automatic has an official fuel-efficiency figure of 17.9kpl, while the Sonet diesel automatic is rated at around 19kpl, though real-world figures will naturally depend on driving conditions.Between the two, we would pick the Hyundai Venue. It is the fresher product, has a marginally longer wheelbase and feels a touch roomier than the Sonet, particularly in terms of overall cabin ambience. More importantly for someone planning extensive travel, Hyundai’s wider service network across India offers additional peace of mind for routine maintenance or support away from home. The Sonet remains an excellent alternative, particularly if you prefer its styling, cabin design or a particular variant’s feature mix. But for your requirement of a reliable, easy-to-maintain, no-nonsense diesel automatic SUV that can cover serious distances comfortably, the Venue would be our first recommendation. Choose a sensible mid-spec diesel automatic variant if available, and avoid paying extra for features you do not need, such as a sunroof.

Hyundai Venue

Kia Sonet

autocar.india

•3w

Based on your requirements, the Maruti Suzuki Victoris Hybrid is the most suitable recommendation. It offers a strong hybrid system that delivers excellent fuel efficiency in city driving, a spacious enough rear seat and a reasonably sized boot. The ride quality is comfortable and Maruti's service network in Pune is among the best in the country. The hybrid system also makes a meaningful difference on long drives, where the petrol engine and electric motor work together to deliver smooth and efficient performance. This Maruti Suzuki car is essentially the same car as the Grand Vitara and Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder underneath, but it gets a more premium interior and a better feature list, including Level 2 ADAS at a similar price point. If you are open to a non-hybrid option, the Honda Elevate is also worth considering. It offers a spacious cabin, a comfortable ride and Honda's reputation for reliability, but it does not offer the same fuel efficiency advantage as the Victoris Hybrid. Overall, the Victoris Hybrid is the best fit for your requirements and budget.

Maruti Suzuki Victoris

Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara

Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder

Honda Elevate (2023-2026)

autocar.india

•5w

Since your budget is over Rs 30 lakhs, we'd suggest waiting for the Kia Sorento. It is a three-row SUV that's likely to be launched with hybrid and diesel-automatic powertrain options. As expected from a Kia, the Sorento is likely to be feature-rich too, with a high-quality interior and comfy seats. This one could be a good upgrade from your petrol manual Jeep Compass.Alternatively, you could consider the top-spec Mahindra XUV 7XO diesel-automatic. It has comfy seats, an excellent suspension tune, and a spacious cabin. Also, the diesel-auto will be quite efficient.

Kia Sorento

Jeep Compass

Mahindra XUV 7XO