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Asked by: Cedric Carvalho Hi. I own a 2017 TUV300 T6 Plus (9-seater), and I’m looking to upgrade. My requirements are- solid safety, ample space for 4-5 passengers with luggage (a roof carrier is an option), good driving ergonomics on bad roads and rough terrain (not necessarily 4x4), reasonable running and maintenance costs, and a relatively smaller vehicle. The T6 Plus is a beast and becomes difficult to manage on narrow rural roads, so I want something more practical. Considering all your requirements, the Tata Nexon would be a good option to consider. It has strong safety with a 5-star crash test rating, a roomy cabin for 5 passengers and a big boot as well. The driving ergonomics are good too, with a light steering and smooth powertrains and should you opt for the diesel, you can expect low running costs as well. The Nexon is a sub-four-meter SUV, so it has a small footprint, but the ride and suspension cope very well over bad and broken roads. Asked by: Dinesh Shah I want to change my car and am considering a compact SUV with a petrol CVT automatic. My annual running is 10,000-15,000 km (about 80% city, 20% highway). My budget is up to ₹20 lakh, and the car should have the latest safety features. What is the best option? The Honda Elevate ZX CVT (Elite Pack) will be the right choice for you as it will suffice your requirements. It has a sorted petrol-CVT powertrain and is excellent to drive in the city. The ZX trim also gets good safety tech like automatic braking, lane departure, 6 airbags and more. Moreover, the ride comfort is good, and the cabin feels plush as well. It also gets an air purifier, a reversing camera with sensors and wireless connectivity, along with a large 10.2-inch touchscreen. Also, being a Honda car, it scores high on reliability, too. Asked by: Dr T Durganna I want to purchase a 7-seater automatic with good ride comfort, strong suspension, and top safety. I’m considering the Innova Crysta, Innova HyCross, and XUV700. Which is the better choice? Both the Toyota Innova Hycross and the Mahindra XUV700 are good options considering your requirements. Between the two, however, the XUV700 would have the edge with respect to your two requirements for ride comfort and safety. Do bear in mind, though, that a facelift is due next month, and thus, if you are going in for the Mahindra Car, we would advise you to wait. Asked by: Ankush Agrawal I want to buy a car for Pune with high ground clearance. I have had past experience with excessive noise from a 3-cylinder engine. Is there any car with a 4-cylinder engine, high ground clearance (above 180 mm), under 4 metres in length, and an automatic transmission other than AMT? Please suggest. The Maruti Suzuki Brezza will fit your requirements really well. It is powered by a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine, which is mated to a 6-speed torque-converter transmission. The engine is smooth, and gearbox combination makes it easy to drive in traffic. There is ample ground clearance on offer as per your requirement.Another good and more reasonable option in terms of price would have been the Hyundai i20 with the iVT transmission. This Hyundai car has a smooth 1.2-litre four-cylinder engine paired to a CVT automatic transmission, which makes driving a pleasure. Yes, it doesn’t have as much ground clearance as the Brezza, but in our experience, for most situations in the city, you will be fine with the Hyundai hatch. Asked by: G Krishnan I am looking for a 7-seater that is spacious, including the third row, with a good balance of the latest tech, features, and boot space. As per your requirements, the Toyota Innova HyCross should be on your shortlist. The MPV has a spacious cabin, a decent sized boot with all seats up and comes with a smooth and efficient strong hybrid powertrain.This Toyota car also comes loaded with features like a sunroof, 360-degree camera, ADAS tech, ventilated seats and much more. Prices for the Toyota Innova HyCross range from Rs 18.06 lakh to 31.90 lakh (ex-showroom, India).Alternatively, you could also consider the Maruti Suzuki Invicto, which is mechanically identical to the Innova. Asked by: Avinash Jain My daily running is around 20 km, with 8 to 10 family short trips in a year. Please suggest whether I should buy a CNG, hybrid, or look for an electric car. My budget is around ₹20 lakh. All the powertrain options you have listed command an initial premium over their corresponding petrol versions. And going by your limited usage, it is difficult to justify this premium. Hence, opting for a petrol is your best bet.Still, if you want to keep running costs lower, consider getting a CNG car, which could cost you approximately Rs 80,000-100,000 more than a petrol car, which is a relatively smaller premium compared to a hybrid and electric car. Be prepared for relatively longer wait times while refilling at CNG pumps. Can’t decide which car to buy? Ask our experts and get answers to all your car related queries. Ask experts 
