Latest questions
Asked by: Debasis Kudos to the Autocar team for helping motorists. I appreciate all your guidance and help. I used to ride a Honda Unicorn, but switched to a scooter after becoming a father for safety and convenience. I’m not happy with the scooter and want to return to a motorcycle with a smooth ride, plush suspension, and low maintenance. I need a bike suited to Bengaluru city commuting. I’m 175 cm tall and on the heavier side, and I prefer a model that handles rough roads well. Please suggest suitable options. First of all, thank you for your patronage, we appreciate your kind words. Coming to what machine we would recommend, since you had such a lovely experience with your Unicorn in the past, you can look at the same bike even today because it is a no-nonsense, practical and fuel-efficient commuter. If you want to look at other options in the class, bikes like the Bajaj Pulsar N160 and TVS Apache RTR 160 4V are our top picks in the 150/160cc sporty commuter segment.Take a test ride of everything you shortlist so you can decide what suits you best. Asked by: Nimish S For daily city driving of 80-100 km within Mumbai, will the Tata Sierra diesel auto be a better choice? I have heard that DPF causes regeneration issues if the new diesel cars are not driven on long highway trips in their highest gear. The car will be mainly driven in Mumbai traffic and will take around 1,000 km outstation trips once every 4-5 months. Please explain whether a diesel auto, a good combination for convenience and mileage, can be troublesome (DPF troubles) in city use. Thank you. If your daily round covers 80 to 100km, the Tata Sierra diesel automatic is the one that fits your brief best. The diesel’s far more efficient than the petrol for that sort of running, and Tata’s six-speed Aisin torque-converter auto is a well-matched companion for the 1.5-litre engine. It keeps the motor in its sweet spot without feeling strained, whether you’re crawling through traffic or cruising along the coastal road.There’s often a bit of anxiety around diesels and their particulate filters, but that’s largely a non-issue in your case. The DPF’s job is to trap soot from the exhaust and burn it off once the system gets hot enough — something that happens naturally when the engine is under load for a reasonable duration. Problems usually arise only when the car is constantly driven short distances and quits before it can complete this self-cleaning process.Since your daily commute is fairly long, the exhaust will reach optimum temperature often enough for regeneration to go through smoothly. Even within Mumbai, stretches like the Sea Link or a run-down to south Mumbai allow the DPF to do its passive cleaning without any driver input. So with your usage, the diesel auto won’t just be easy on fuel — it should also remain hassle-free in the long run. Asked by: Amar J I have purchased the XUV 3XO AX5 Diesel AMT in white. My primary usage is my daily office commute, which is approximately 13km one way. I chose the diesel variant due to uncertainty around future fuel blends like E27, E30, E50, and E100. Please suggest what my driving habits should be to avoid DPF issues as much as possible. It’s unfortunate that a lot of half-baked stuff and wrong information online and on social media about E20 and ethanol has ended up confusing buyers — and, in your case, steered the decision the wrong way. There’s really no reason to worry about E20 with any new car. Every manufacturer has already set up their engines and fuel systems to handle it comfortably. Yes, you might see a drop in mileage, but there’s no question of faster wear or parts damage. Even when higher ethanol blends come in down the line, E20 will stay available as the regular grade, so compatibility isn’t going to be an issue.For the kind of driving you do, the Mahindra XUV 3XO turbo-petrol with the six-speed auto would’ve been the sweeter pick. It’s a smooth, effortless engine–gearbox pairing, far nicer to drive than the diesel-AMT combo. Given your daily run of under 30 km, the diesel’s lower running cost doesn’t really add up over time either.Now, about the DPF — that’s a system fitted to modern diesels to trap fine soot and burn it off once the exhaust gets hot enough. The catch is, on short city runs, the exhaust doesn’t reach those temperatures, which means the soot just keeps building up. The fix is simple: give it a proper highway run every few weeks so the system can heat through and clean itself.Still, the diesel 3X0 does score on economy, and when you stretch its legs, that lazy torque and low running cost won’t make you feel so bad about picking it over the petrol variant! Asked by: Anuj I own a 6-year-old Kwid and want to upgrade. My daily commute is 20 km, and I also do a 300 km one-way highway trip two or three times a year. I am looking for a family car that is sufficient for five people and easy to drive in the hills. My budget is ₹10 lakh, but I can extend it up to ₹12 lakh. Please suggest a good car. Currently, I am considering the Venue, Exter, and Kiger. From your shortlist, we would recommend the Hyundai Venue, it's a good all-rounder and will do well for your mostly city drives. However, we would also suggest you look at the Mahindra XUV 3XO as the car would offer you more space at the rear, which would be important since you have a family of 5.Its engines also deliver a strong performance, which would be handy for you when fully loaded and in the hills. Bear in mind, though, that the mileage would be lower than the Venue's, but if your overall running is not high, this should not be a concern. Asked by: Siddharth Rajeev Hi Autocar team, I am an amateur driver looking to buy my first car. I am planning to buy an automatic (AMT) car with a budget of ₹11 lakh in Bangalore. I will be driving this car 85% of the time in bumper-to-bumper city traffic. I am confused between the Toyota Glanza and the Hyundai Exter top variants. My top priorities are ease of driving for a new learner and decent city mileage. I know each car has its strengths, but which one do you think I should choose? Those are both excellent options, and as you said, each has its strengths. The Hyundai Exter has the advantage of a taller seating position and a more compact overall footprint, both of which should serve you well as an amateur driver. Since that is your main priority, the Exter should be your pick, as mileage too will be good (ARAI rating of 19.2kpl), although not quite as good as the Glanza (ARAI rating of 22.94kpl).The Toyota Glanza has a more premium and spacious interior, and a few more features too, but if that is lower down on your priority list, then stick with the Exter. Can’t decide which car to buy? Ask our experts and get answers to all your car related queries. Ask experts 
