Hyundai cars in India (12)

Autocar India

•10m

While both the Mahindra XUV 3XO and Hyundai Venue are competent compact SUVs, the Mahindra offers a more complete package for your budget. The diesel engine is strong and refined, making it well-suited to both town driving and highway trips. It also feels more spacious inside, especially in the rear seat, and offers a richer feature set for the money.The Venue's strengths lie in its proven ownership experience, widespread service network and easy-to-drive nature. However, it feels narrower inside and does not offer the same level of cabin space or overall value as the XUV 3XO.Since you will be using the car both in town and on highways a few times a month, the XUV 3XO's more powerful diesel engine, roomier cabin and better overall value give it an edge.However, if you are specifically considering an automatic diesel, the recommendation shifts towards the Hyundai Venue. The Venue uses a torque-converter automatic gearbox, which is smoother and more refined in everyday driving than the automated manual transmission (AMT) offered on the XUV 3XO diesel. For frequent stop-start driving, the Hyundai's gearbox delivers a noticeably better experience.

Mahindra XUV 3XO

Hyundai Venue

Autocar India

•5h

Pick the Hyundai Creta 1.5 diesel automatic - it is the one that best suits your 1,000km a month usage. On Chennai’s outskirts and your 400km trips to your native place, the diesel’s readily available torque at low revs makes highway cruising and overtaking effortless. Hilly sections are also taken with ease even with family and luggage, and it cruises at low revs, so fuel use on the highway will still be low. The 6‑speed automatic is smooth and well suited to the engine, and the suspension is a great mix of softness and stability.However, the diesel variants cost more and the engine is a bit noisier than the petrol engine. Plus, Hyundai's 1.5-litre diesel engine is not as punchy or exciting as its 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine. Do also note that a new-gen Hyundai Creta is going to be launched next year, in case you are able to wait for that. Another alternative you can buy now is the Kia Seltos, which is a new-gen model, with similar strengths as the Creta and a more spacious cabin.If budget allows, choose a mid or top variant with all safety kit and ADAS functions, including adaptive cruise control - both will help on your long highway drives. If your budget is tight, maybe consider the diesel manual, rather than the automatic, which is also smooth and easy to drive.

Hyundai Creta

Kia Seltos

Autocar India

•9h

Go for the Creta SX petrol manual. With your usage pattern, you'll appreciate the Creta's smoothness and stress-free ownership experience, which will feel familiar to your Baleno manual. It has a roomy cabin, it rides well over bad roads, and Hyundai service is everywhere.The Tata Curvv EV will be cheaper to run and nice to drive in the city - quiet, quick and single-pedal friendly. But your highway runs will require some planning for charging stops, and it also isn't as proven as the Creta.One honest catch with the Hyundai Creta is that you will spend more on fuel, and a manual can tire you in heavy traffic. If you are okay with that, the Creta is the safer, easier choice today.

Hyundai Creta

Tata Curvv EV

Autocar India

•6h

Pick the Hyundai Venue automatic - it will make your 30 km daily city drive far easier and still handle your once-in-3-months trips calmly. Two-pedal ease in traffic saves fatigue, it’s compact for tight parking, and Hyundai’s service reach is wider than most, so ownership is simple. It also gives you a change from your old Sonet without feeling alien.If you loved your Sonet’s feel and features and don’t mind a repeat, the Sonet automatic is still a strong pick. Choose the Venue if you want a slightly more relaxed ride and a fresh cabin and more space. Amaze works if you really want a sedan’s boot and lower price, but you’ll miss the higher seat and ground clearance that help on bad roads and speed breakers.Go automatic for your usage. The manual is cheaper and can return a bit better kpl, but in stop-go traffic the automatic is worth the extra Rs. 1-1.5 lakh and a little fuel penalty.

Hyundai Venue

Honda Amaze

Kia Sonet

Autocar India

•3h

Modern cars from both Honda and Hyundai have significantly improved corrosion protection, and under normal ownership conditions, rust should not be a major concern.If the Honda City was your preferred choice after the test drive, there is little reason to change that decision based on a single comment. The City remains one of the most well-rounded sedans in the segment, offering excellent ride comfort, rear-seat space, visibility and a proven naturally aspirated petrol engine that is smooth, refined and reliable.The Hyundai Verna offers a more modern interior, a stronger feature list and a wider powertrain choice. While the turbo-petrol version grabs most of the attention, the 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol paired with the CVT is also a very smooth and relaxed combination. It is easy to drive in traffic and suits buyers looking for comfort and refinement rather than outright performance.

Honda City

Hyundai Verna

Autocar India

•13h

Go for the Hyundai Creta because your 70% highway use and family of five will benefit most from its space, calm cruising and real-world efficiency. The 1.5 NA petrol with the automatic is smooth, stress-free and proven reliable, and the Creta’s big cabin and boot make family trips easy. Real-world mileage should be good too, and maintenance should be relatively low. In your budget, you should be able to get the mid-range S (O) CVT. Coming from a Maruti Jimny AT, you’ll love the greater refinement, more comfortable ride and stronger high-speed performance.From Maruti Suzuki, there are the Grand Vitara and Victoris, which are both excellent options too. Great mileage, smooth gearboxes and exceptional reliability, but for a family of five, space in the back seat isn't as good as the Creta, and the 105hp 1.5-litre petrol can feel overwhelmed under heavy load, especially on the highway, where you do 70% of your driving. Honda's 1.5-litre petrol in Elevate doesn't have this issue, but compared to the Creta, space and comfort aren't quite as good, and it lacks the same wow factor. However, if you don't mind a sedan, the City is a more compelling choice.Overall, though you won't get it in a higher variant with as many features as others, we feel the Creta is the best all-rounder for the money.

Hyundai Creta

Maruti Suzuki Jimny

Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara

Maruti Suzuki Victoris

Honda Elevate

Autocar India

•2d

Get the Hyundai Exter. For mostly city use and an upgrade from your 2015 Grand i10, it’s the easiest step up: higher seat and better ground clearance for speed breakers, yet small enough to park and thread through traffic without stress. The light controls and smooth petrol make daily commutes simple, and Hyundai’s wide service network will feel familiar. In your budget, you can land a lower or mid manual trim, so it fits the budget without feeling bare-bones.What helps you most is comfort and convenience in the city. The cabin is more airy than your i10, the ride handles rough patches better, and running 750-800 km a month, petrol makes far more sense than stretching for a diesel or an EV.

Hyundai Exter

Autocar India

•1d

Consider the Hyundai Venue DCT; its size makes it easy to drive in the city, Hyundai has a solid reputation for reliability and service, and efficiency is decent for the segment. It sits higher than the Amaze you tried, so getting in and out is easier, and the seats are comfortable for two adults. The narrow width means seating three abreast in the rear is a bit of a squeeze.Hyundai’s service reach and parts availability are big advantages for family use. Ride comfort is well judged for bad roads, and the cabin feels airy and easy to live with.One catch: the DCT can hesitate at times, but for normal city use, it will be fine. The Skoda Kylaq has a smoother torque-converter automatic, but the back seat isn’t as roomy as the Venue’s.If you want a more spacious cabin, the Kia Syros is an excellent alternative. It has the same turbo-petrol DCT combination as the Venue, but the cabin is significantly roomier. Kia also has an excellent reputation for after-sales service, so that shouldn’t be a concern.

Hyundai Venue

Skoda Kylaq

Kia Syros

Autocar India

•2d

Of your shortlisted cars, the Honda Amaze CVT feels like the best fit. It has a spacious interior, it's excellent on mileage and is compact and easy enough to drive around town. And instead of the VX model you have suggested, you can easily get the top-end ZX well within your budget. Did you mean the Hyundai i20 Sportz (O) IVT? The Grand i10 Nios uses an AMT, which is one of the gearboxes you have ruled out. The i20 is a great option, and in your budget you can even move up to the higher-spec Asta (O) IVT variant. It's nice to drive and has a premium interior, but is not as spacious, practical or fuel efficient as the Honda Amaze CVT.The Maruti Suzuki Brezza ZXI AT, while a more spacious and powerful option, is not available in your budget, and even the lower spec VXI AT will exceed it. The facelifted version is expected to launch soon, and you can expect prices to go up further. If you are willing to extend your budget, it might be worth checking out.Another option you can consider is, the Nissan Magnite Kuro 1.0 Turbo CVT. It's spacious, smooth, loaded with features and comes with a punchy turbo-petrol that is more powerful than the Amaze or i20, and has more torque than the Brezza. It is a great value-for-money option, but bear in mind, Nissan's service network is not as wide as the others'.

Honda Amaze

Hyundai i20

Hyundai Grand i10 Nios

Maruti Suzuki Brezza

Nissan Magnite

Autocar India

•2d

The Hyundai Venue HX5 Turbo MT will be our pick on account. The steering is lighter, clutch and manual gearbox feel smoother, and its backseat too is a bit more spacious than the Skoda Kylaq. If you're usage is primarily within the city, the Venue will be slightly easier to live with. However, if you drive on highways more often, the Kylaq feels more planted and more confident than the Hyundai. Additionally, the Kylaq's boot is also a bit better shaped, hence you can pack in some more luggage, useful during long drives or airport runs.As far as price goes, the Venue HX5 will be relatively more affordable than the Kylaq Signature Plus, while packing in similar (if not more) equipment. Hence, it comes across as better value.Overall, if you want an easy-to-drive, value-for-money pick, get the Venue. But if you drive on the highways regularly, you will enjoy driving the Kylaq, so be prepared to pay the premium it commands.

Hyundai Venue

Skoda Kylaq