Tata Sierra Accomplished Petrol MT

You haven’t mentioned your budget, but since you are upgrading from a Vento, we assume you would be comfortable moving to a mid size SUV. If you are looking for a fully loaded model with plenty of features, the Tata Sierra is worth considering. The top variants get a fantastic audio system and segment first features such as a powered tailgate.

It is very comfortable, offers ample space, and the ride quality will feel like a big step up from your Vento. The 1.5 litre turbo petrol engine also makes it a good companion for both city use and family highway trips.

Since you’ve already liked the Tata Sierra a lot, you can go ahead with it. We’d recommend the Turbo Petrol automatic variant, as it is powerful, delivers effortless performance, and will feel like a proper upgrade over your Maruti Suzuki Ritz.

The Sierra also comes with a naturally aspirated petrol option, but it isn’t very strong on performance. In fact, it is among the slowest cars we have tested, with a 0 to 100 kph time of 17.34 seconds for the manual transmission.

If your usage is predominantly city based and you value smoothness over outright performance, you can also consider the new Kia Seltos with the 1.5 litre naturally aspirated petrol engine, paired with either a manual or a smooth CVT automatic. This engine feels noticeably stronger than the Sierra’s naturally aspirated unit and will still feel like an upgrade over your Ritz.

If your current car is running well and there are no mechanical concerns, it makes sense to hold on to it for another two years. However, if you are keen on upgrading, the engine to opt for in the Tata Sierra is the 1.5-litre turbo petrol. But for that, you will have to stretch your budget to over 20 lakhs. 

Waiting for a couple of more years might work in your favour, as by then more new products would have entered the market, giving you wider options to choose from.

For you, the best option here is the new Kia Seltos HTX 1.5 petrol IVT. Having grown larger in this new generation, it is among the best in the segment on boot space and legroom, as well as shoulder room and comfort in the second row, with only the Tata Sierra offering slightly more. Moreover, it is reliable, and Kia is known to be quite hassle-free in terms of service and after-sales care. 

The 1.5 petrol with the CVT gearbox is the smoothest powertrain on offer - the diesel is smooth too, but given your usage and budget, it's better to save some money and get this version instead.

The DPF clogging issue is not as bad as you might think, and even with 20 percent highway driving, you should be able to cycle it without any extra effort. Still, since your usage is under 1500km a month, petrol is probably a more viable option anyway. 

Both these SUVs should fall comfortably in your Rs 30 lakh budget for their top-spec versions, and the greater dilemma is the choice of engine and gearbox. The Tata Sierra's 1.5 NA petrol is rather weak, and its DCT gearbox isn't smooth, so we don't recommend it. The Kia Seltos' 1.5 petrol CVT is much better, more powerful and smoother too. 

Conversely, when it comes to turbo petrols, the Tata's 1.5 turbo with the torque-converter auto is smoother than the Seltos' T-GDi DCT, so it comes out on top. Overall, considering the SUV as well as the powertrain, given your usage, we'd recommend the Seltos 1.5 IVT.