Hyundai cars in India (13)

autocar.india

•14h

This is a tricky one because your monthly running is expected to reduce significantly, and that changes the ideal choice of fuel.If you continue to cover around 3,100km a month, we'd recommend the Maruti Suzuki Brezza CNG. It will offer the lowest running costs, and with the facelift expected to launch in July, it may be worth waiting for the updated model. If you don't want the inconvenience of refuelling at CNG stations, the Hyundai Venue Diesel Manual would be our alternative. Your current running is high enough to justify a diesel, and it should prove to be efficient and economical over the long term.However, if your running settles at around 800-1,000km a month, we'd move away from diesel or CNG and recommend a petrol SUV instead. In that case, the Skoda Kylaq Petrol Automatic would be an excellent choice. It offers a refined turbo-petrol engine, a smooth torque-converter automatic, excellent driving manners and is well suited to lower annual running.

Maruti Suzuki Brezza

Hyundai Venue

Skoda Kylaq

autocar.india

•13h

Unfortunately, there are no new automatic cars that are not AMTs in that price range, and the closest you will get are the Honda Amaze or Hyundai i20, both of which use CVTs and cost around Rs 10 lakh on road. If the budget can be stretched to that much, they are both excellent options, albeit capped at low to medium variants because of your budget.Look at the same two cars; a pre-owned example and a 3-4-year-old one should fall within your budget. The CVTs' smooth shifts will make Bangalore’s bumper-to-bumper traffic a breeze, and you’ll find clean, low-mileage cars within Rs 8 lakh. They are both compact to park, with light controls, and service is not pricey, which helps a first-time owner.If he prefers a small SUV shape, look at a Nissan Magnite automatic or Renault Kiger turbo-petrol automatic. Both use a smooth auto, ride well on bad roads, and have good ground clearance for speed breakers. If you're willing to look at 5-year-old-plus cars that are in good condition, you could even get a midsize SUV or sedan. Whichever you pick, insist on full service records, get an independent inspection, and budget a little for fresh tyres and fluids so the first year is headache-free.

Honda Amaze

Hyundai i20

Nissan Magnite

Renault Kiger

autocar.india

•1d

Pick the Kia Seltos HTK Petrol automatic. With just 10,000km a year and mostly city use, the petrol auto is smoother and quieter in traffic, costs less upfront, and you avoid diesel DPF hassles that can crop up without sufficient highway use. For your occasional expressway trips, the petrol IVT is more than sufficient and has enough punch for quick passes. The diesel auto is stronger and more efficient on long highways, but it’s pricier and a bit gruff in town. The only downside of petrol is that you will use more fuel than diesel. Plus, the HTK will get you far more features than the HTE (O).If you want to cross-shop in the same ballpark, try the Hyundai Creta petrol automatic for a comfier city ride, or the Skoda Kushaq 1.0 automatic if you prefer a tighter, more fun drive. Depending on your city and discounts, the exact variant that fits into your Rs 17-17.5 lakh on-road budget will vary, but these match your brief well.

Kia Seltos

Hyundai Creta

Skoda Kushaq

autocar.india

•10h

Since you're coming from a Creta IVT, it's understandable that you're looking for something that feels more engaging to drive while still keeping the family happy.The Skoda Kushaq remains the driver's choice in this segment. It has the sharpest steering, excellent body control and feels the most rewarding to drive. If outright driving pleasure is your top priority, it is still hard to beat.However, based on your requirements, we'd recommend the Renault Duster. In our comparison, it struck an excellent balance between ride comfort and handling. It feels composed and confidence-inspiring on a twisty road, yet its suspension is more forgiving over broken surfaces, making it a better fit for family use without sacrificing too much driver involvement.That said, we'd strongly recommend taking a test drive before making your final decision. No matter how good a car looks on paper, it's important that both you and your family experience it first-hand and make sure it feels right for your needs.

Hyundai Creta

Skoda Kushaq

Renault Duster

autocar.india

•1d

Go for the Honda Amaze automatic. It is the only one from your list that cleanly fits Rs. 10-12 lakh with a true automatic, and it makes daily 60-70 km city runs easy and stress free.In traffic, its automatic is smooth and predictable, so your right foot and left knee get a break compared to your Grand i10. Real-world city mileage is sensible, so your fuel bills stay in check even with that long commute. Space is a strong point too - the back seat has generous legroom, actually better than the Venue, and the boot is big for weekend trips. Ride is comfy, steering is light, and Honda’s simple, fuss-free ownership suits a 10-year keeper.Only catch is the feel. It is not SUV-tall, and the engine won’t thrill on fast highway overtakes. Venue automatic stretches past your budget, and Creta or Kushaq automatics are well over. If you must have the higher seating, you will need to spend more. Otherwise, the Amaze gives you the best value now.

Honda Amaze

Hyundai Creta

Skoda Kushaq

Hyundai Venue

autocar.india

•1d

Pick petrol, and from your shortlist buy the Seltos 1.5 petrol automatic. With 20 km a day in Bengaluru traffic, diesel won’t pay back its higher price and short city runs can mess with modern diesels’ particulate filters. The Seltos 1.5 with the IVT automatic is smooth and quiet at low speeds, and its roomier than the Creta. For daily errands, the Seltos’ light steering, easy ingress and calm cabin make life simpler. The Elevate CVT is also fuss free and very dependable, but it feels a touch firmer and it’s not as relaxed. The catch is mileage will be in the low double digits in town, and fast highway passes need a firmer press.

Kia Seltos

Hyundai Creta

Honda Elevate

autocar.india

•2d

Pick the Hyundai Creta. It is the smoothest step-up from your i20 and the most complete long-term choice here, with a calm CVT automatic for city traffic, a comfortable ride, and Hyundai’s wider service reach and resale backing you over 8-10 years.The Creta gets ADAS on the top automatic trims, and you still get the big sunroof and all the tech you’d want. However, it does miss out on a powered tailgate, which the Duster gets. If you're okay with not having that feature, the Creta represents the best option here.

Hyundai Creta

Renault Duster

autocar.india

•3d

Go for the Maruti Suzuki Celerio AMT. It fits under Rs. 8 lakh, is one of the most fuel-efficient petrol automatics you can buy, and its light steering and small size make life easy in dense city traffic and tight parking.You are moving from a Swift, so expect a simpler cabin and a bit less space, but the Celerio makes up for it with very low running costs and easy driving. The automatic is fine for the city, just know that at crawling speeds it can feel a little jerky if you stomp the accelerator - be gentle, and it’s smooth enough.If you want something closer to your Swift in size and feel, and can stretch a bit, the new Swift VXi automatic or Hyundai Grand i10 Nios automatic feel nicer inside and rides better, but you will spend a bit more.

Maruti Suzuki Celerio

Maruti Suzuki Swift

Hyundai Grand i10 Nios

autocar.india

•3d

With an annual running of just 5,000km, fuel efficiency shouldn't be the deciding factor. Instead, you should prioritise comfort, reliability, ease of ownership and how well the car will age over the next 10 years. That's why we wouldn't prioritise the Victoris Hybrid. While it is an excellent strong hybrid, the price premium will be difficult to justify with such low annual running.Between the remaining options, the Seltos strikes the best balance. It offers a refined and proven naturally aspirated petrol engine, a smooth IVT automatic, a spacious and premium cabin, excellent comfort and a strong ownership experience. It also feels newer and more upmarket than the Elevate and 3XO, while the current Creta is due for a generational update sooner.The Honda Elevate deserves a mention for its simplicity and reliability. If absolute mechanical simplicity is your priority, it is arguably the safest long-term bet. However, it doesn't feel as premium as the Seltos, and the engine and CVT combination isn't quite as refined.As for ethanol blending, we wouldn't let it influence your purchase decision. While there is plenty of discussion around E25, E27 and E30 fuels, there is currently no confirmed roadmap for such a transition. More importantly, all of these cars are E20 compliant, and manufacturers have engineered a degree of tolerance beyond that. The most likely effect of higher ethanol blends would be a small reduction in fuel efficiency and slightly accelerated wear of certain fuel-system components over a very long period, not a major reliability issue.

Kia Seltos

Honda Elevate

Mahindra XUV 3XO

Hyundai Creta

Maruti Suzuki Victoris

autocar.india

•3d

Since you plan to keep the car for 10-12 years, cover 80% highway driving and live in a Tier II town where both the Honda and Skoda service centres are 60km away, long-term reliability and ease of ownership become more important than outright performance. The Amaze has a proven naturally aspirated petrol engine paired with a smooth CVT, is known for its dependable reliability and should require fewer unscheduled visits to the workshop. Scheduled servicing is also straightforward and maintenance costs are generally very reasonable.The Skoda Kylaq Signature AT is an excellent SUV and offers better ground clearance, a stronger turbo-petrol engine and a more engaging driving experience. However, given the distance to the service centre, we'd still give the edge to the Honda car for long-term peace of mind.You could also consider the Maruti Suzuki Brezza Automatic. It has a smooth torque-converter automatic, excellent reliability, low maintenance costs and Maruti Suzuki's unmatched service network, which is a significant advantage in a Tier II town. Another option is the Hyundai i20 CVT, which offers a refined petrol engine, a smooth CVT and a premium cabin, while Hyundai's widespread service network makes ownership easier.

Honda Amaze

Hyundai i20

Skoda Kylaq

Maruti Suzuki Brezza