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Asked by: DINESH P I’m planning to buy a new car within a budget of ₹10 lakh (extendable to ₹11 lakh). My driving will be mostly in the city, with occasional highway trips of around 1,000 km once in two to three months. I want good performance, superior quality, good features, low cabin noise, and decent mileage. Kindly suggest a suitable car. For your budget, and assuming good performance is your topmost priority, your best bet is the N-Line N6 MT variant of the Hyundai i20. It's got a strong 120hp, 1.0 turbo petrol engine, a slick 6-speed manual gearbox with a light clutch that's easy to use in traffic, and good suspension too. Plus, it's got quite a substantial features list and mileage is not bad either.If you want a compact SUV that meets these needs, try a Skoda Kylaq or a Hyundai Venue, but you will likely have to stretch your budget considerably for features. Asked by: Sanket Parsekar I’m looking for a car for my wife, who is turning 30. Her daily usage will be short city drives, about 8 km to and from the gym, along with grocery runs and mall visits. Our budget is ₹15 lakh, and we already own an i20 and an XUV700. Is the Thar 3-door RWD a good option for her, or would something more practical and fuel-efficient be better? Considering her use is mostly in the city, the Mahindra Thar 3 Door is not a great idea as it's too large and bulky. It is best suited to the off-road track, or at least if you travel out for weekend picnics or getaways often.Consider a compact SUV like the Skoda Kylaq, the Kia Sonet, or the Hyundai Venue, as they are the right size, but also practical and feature-loaded enough, with efficient engines. Given the limited usage and considering you have two other cars, you could also consider a compact electric car like the Tata Punch EV. Asked by: Manisha We own a 2014 Hyundai i20 Elite purchased in 2016, and we've driven under 60,000 km in the last 9 years. Due to traffic in Bengaluru, we want to switch to an automatic SUV. Our budget is ₹15 lakh max. We are considering the Hyundai Venue, but are also confused about the Kia Carens Clavis, since it seems to fall in a similar price band, if I am not wrong. We are a family of 3 with a teenage child and want a long-term car. Kindly advise. Unfortunately, the Kia Carens Clavis will not fit your budget as the automatic is available only in the HTK Plus variant, which costs almost ₹20 lakh on-road.Considering your requirement, the Hyundai Venue will be more than sufficient. It is spacious for four adults, and its turbo petrol engine paired with a dual clutch automatic works very well. Hyundai cars have also proven to be reliable, which suits your long-term ownership pattern. Asked by: PAM Hello Experts, I am a first-time buyer with some experience driving the XUV700. My budget is ₹15-16 lakh, and I need a new car for 60% city use and 40% weekend short/long trips. I want Level 2 ADAS and good performance. I am getting the XUV 3XO AX7L automatic petrol for ₹15.7 lakh on-road. Should I go for it? Kindly suggest alternatives too. For the price, the Mahindra XUV 3XO is a strong package and offers good value, especially with features like Level 2 ADAS. However, if you can stretch your budget a bit, the newly launched Hyundai Venue 1.0 Turbo DCT is worth considering. It feels a notch more premium in every respect, from the quality of materials to the overall refinement.The turbo-petrol engine of this Hyundai car is smooth and responsive, and the dual-clutch automatic gearbox complements it well, making it easy to drive both in the city and on highways. Ride quality is well-judged too.Where the Venue really pulls ahead is in the cabin. The materials feel top class, the ergonomics are spot-on, the latest infotainment system is crisp, responsive, and logically laid out, and the centre console has a good mix of physical buttons. In contrast, navigating through the 3XO’s menus takes a bit more effort and isn’t as intuitive.Overall, the XUV 3XO is a good buy for its price, but if you value interior quality, polish, and a smoother user experience, the new Venue 1.0 Turbo DCT feels a class higher. Asked by: Keshav Karekkadu Of the two SUVs, Tata Safari & Toyota Innova Crysta, which one would you recommend? The Tata Safari and Toyota Innova Crysta are 6/7 seaters but are fundamentally very different kind of vehicles. The Tata Safari is an SUV that uses a front-wheel drive layout and monocoque construction. It is significantly more modern than the Innova Crysta and packs in more tech and features. This Tata car also got a more powerful engine that delivers stronger performance.A light steering also makes it easier to drive than the Innova Crysta in the city. Terrain modes do give it some rough road ability, but it is not an off-roader, and in some scenarios, its front-wheel drive layout might not be able to cope with slippery terrain as well as an Innova Crysta. The Innova Crysta is an MPV with a rear-wheel drive layout and body-on-frame construction. Body-on-frame construction is generally more robust and better suited if you have to go on rough roads frequently. Also, rear-wheel drive helps when driving uphill, especially with a full load of passengers. The Innova Crysta makes for a good long-distance vehicle and is known to be reliable and efficient. Your choice of model essentially boils down to what you require. While both vehicles offer good comfort for all three rows of passengers, the Tata Safari is more modern and will be the better choice if you spend most of your time driving in the city.However, if the majority of your drives are long distances on the highway and over poor roads, the Toyota car is the one to pick. Asked by: umang yagyi I want to buy a sedan and I’m deciding between the Honda City automatic and the Skoda Slavia automatic. Which one should I choose? The Honda City has some inherent strengths. It's got a responsive 121hp, 1.5-litre petrol engine and a smooth CVT automatic gearbox that make it a great city car; the rear seat comfort is excellent, and it also comes with the peace of mind associated with Honda ownership. The City is a sedan you can’t go wrong with, and it’s the more level-headed buy. The Skoda Slavia has a lively 115hp, 1.0-litre turbo-petrol engine, quick-shifting 6-speed torque converter automatic gearbox, and crisp handling, making it the more engaging car to drive. It also comes better equipped and does well for itself on rear seat comfort, too. The Skoda also has the tougher build, the plusher ride and superior refinement. In our city and highway test loops, the Honda City mileage for the CVT variant stands at 12kpl and 16.4kpl, respectively, clearly outperforming the Slavia mileage, which delivers 10.5kpl and 13.4kpl.In terms of warranty, the Slavia comes with a standard four-year or 1,00,000km plan, while the City gets you three years/unlimited km warranty. In conclusion, go for the Honda City if you want rear seat comfort and will drive mainly in city confines, and opt for the Skoda Slavia if you prioritise driving pleasure. Read our full comparison review of the two sedans for a more in-depth understanding. Asked by: Rishabh Tiwari I want a powerful, well-equipped car with advanced ADAS. I’m considering the Sierra or the Mahindra XUV700 facelift as an upgrade from my Nissan Terrano (85 PS, rugged). I do 500–1,000 km/month on highways and 10–15 km daily in the city. I don’t want to spend above ₹30 lakh (I already own a second car and will receive another in 5 years from my job). Please differentiate the two and advise which suits my needs. The Tata Sierra and Mahindra XUV700 belong to completely different segments in terms of size, engines and price. We have yet to drive the Sierra, but based on confirmed details, it is a Creta-sized SUV at about 4.3 metres. It will offer three engines: a 1.5 litre turbo petrol, a 1.5 litre turbo diesel from the Curvv, and a 1.5 litre naturally aspirated petrol, which is likely to be the volume seller. Tata Sierra prices are expected to start around ₹11 lakh for the base variant and go up to about ₹20 lakh for the top trims.The XUV700, on the other hand, is a segment above and rivals the Tata Harrier and Safari. It is much larger, gets more powerful 2.0 litre turbo petrol and 2.2 litre turbo diesel engines and also offers a seven-seat layout. Naturally, it will be significantly more expensive than the Sierra, especially in the higher variants.Given that most of your driving will be on the highway and you want something powerful, the XUV700 will suit your needs far better. Asked by: sourav chatterje I am looking to buy an automatic or AMT car (on-road under ₹10 lakh) mainly for weekend trips with 2-4 people. I am interested in the Tata Punch, but I’m concerned about Tata’s after-sales service and reliability. What other options can I consider? There are plenty of options available under Rs 10 lakh and in different body styles. Since you were considering a small SUV like the Tata Punch, you could also consider the Hyundai Exter, which also comes with an AMT automatic gearbox, a smooth 1.2-litre engine, plenty of features, and it should be easier to live with too. Read our full comparison review between the Tata Punch and Hyundai Exter to get a more in-depth understanding. If you prefer a sedan, go for the Maruti Suzuki Dzire, which comes with a 1.2-litre petrol engine paired with an AMT auto gearbox, a comfy cabin and plenty of features. As for hatchbacks, the Hyundai i20 makes a good option as it comes with a smoother CVT automatic compared to the AMTs in the others. Can’t decide which car to buy? Ask our experts and get answers to all your car related queries. Ask experts 
