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Asked by: Abhishek K I’m looking to buy a new or used car with a monthly running of about 2,000 km (mostly city with a few Mumbai-Pune trips). The car will be mostly chauffeur-driven, so rear-seat comfort and smooth low-speed performance are important. Daily use will be for 2-3 passengers, but I need occasional seating for six. I prefer Hybrid, Diesel, or Electric. My priorities are comfort, reliability, low running costs, and strong service support. My budget is around 25 lakh. Please suggest 3-5 options and include used choices if suitable. With your extensive usage, we cannot recommend an EV, as you would have to charge it frequently, and that is not good for battery health. In your budget of Rs 25 lakh, there aren't any 6-seater hybrids, either; your only option there is to move up to the Rs 30-lakh-plus Toyota Innova Hycross or Maruti Suzuki Invicto - both of which are excellent choices. In your budget, the best option is the Kia Carens Clavis diesel. It's well equipped, comfortable and surprisingly spacious for its size. Plus, there are both six and seven-seat versions, so you can choose which configuration suits you best. Asked by: Nitesh Harmalkar Hi, I’m planning to buy a new SUV. My daily running is about 50 km. Should I choose an EV, petrol, or diesel? I’ve shortlisted the Harrier EV, Mahindra XEV9S, the upcoming Mahindra XUV 7XO diesel, and the Tata Sierra petrol. Please help me decide. An EV will surely offer a smooth driving experience with the lowest running cost. However, it does have its challenges when it comes to long-distance trips. The charging infrastructure needed for a hassle-free road trip is not yet in place, and therefore, if you choose to take your SUV on a long-distance trip, it will require a lot of planning. Considering your 50km running, a petrol SUV will do the job well, and in that case, the new Tata Sierra is a good option. It has a strong road presence, a strong petrol engine and a roomy cabin with a lengthy feature list as well. Unlike the XUV 7XO, it isn't a 7-seater. So if you don't need the third row, the Sierra is a good option to consider. Asked by: prateek nagpal Hi Autocar. I drive an Elite i20 petrol and want to upgrade to an SUV. My daily driving is up to 10 km, and I rarely use highways, but I want a vehicle with strong performance and top safety. My budget is up to ₹20 lakh, and I have no fuel type preference. Please suggest suitable options. Since your driving is very little and almost all of it within the city, we would recommend the Skoda Kylaq automatic version. Most automatics in this segment come with an automated manual transmission (AMT), which are not smooth shifters. The Kylaq, on the other hand, comes with a torque converter (TC), which is the smoothest type of automatic transmission around. As for performance, the 1.0-litre turbo petrol is lively and strong enough, especially for the city. As for safety, it is well kitted out with safety features like standard 6 airbags, and it also secured a 5-star crash rating in the BNCAP tests. Asked by: Suraj S I am looking for a car in the Rs 12 to 14 lakh on-road range in Bangalore. My requirements include good ground clearance, good boot space, decent to good features, a petrol engine, and strong performance. I am not looking for a sedan, but rather a hatchback, compact SUV, or midsize SUV if the budget allows. Service costs should also be reasonable. Please suggest suitable options. We would suggest you consider the new Hyundai Venue. The new version has grown in size, liberating more passenger room as well as luggage space. Performance is good, and you have two petrol units to choose from.We would recommend the turbo petrol since you are keen on performance. Feature-wise - as is typical of Hyundai - the car is very well equipped, though if you opt for the turbo petrol, you might have to spend a bit more to get a well-equipped car. Again, being a Hyundai car, service costs would not be very high. Asked by: laksh Bhasin I am planning to buy a new car and will also be shifting to a new place that is about 12 to 15 km from my workplace. I will need to travel to and from work almost two or three times a day. I am confused about whether I should choose an ICE vehicle or an EV. Please help me decide, along with the reasons. Thank you. I love your content! You could go for either ICE or EV, as both have their own pros and cons. Assuming your daily, repeated commute is within city confines, then an electric car is a good bet. Apart from zero tailpipe emissions while sitting in traffic, and the obvious lower running costs, if you don't do long distances in a single go, then you won't have to worry about range limitations either. Moreover, an EV powertrain is smoother than even the smoothest ICE and auto gearbox combo, which will make your commute more relaxing.Bear in mind, however, that it is essential you have a wallbox charger either at your home, or office, or both, as you don't want to be burdened with relying on public charging infrastructure, which can be unreliable or busy when you need it the most. We appreciate the love for our work; thank you. Asked by: Prathibha We are looking for an EV car in the budget of 25 lakh. We received great offers in December for the XEV 9E, but the XEV 9S has also been launched now. We booked a 79-kilowatt XEV 9E pack 2. But we are thinking of going for pack 2 XEV 9S around the same price. It is confusing to know which car is better. We don’t need a seven-seater, but we also don’t mind extra seats. We need a comfortable car out of the two. Also, I get car sickness often. The Scorpio N suspension is good, but body roll is there. So I decided 9e. Your suggestions, please. The Mahindra XEV 9S is a fantastic value proposition considering its rivals. While the XEV 9e is swanky-looking with its unique form factor, the sloping roofline sacrifices roominess inside the cabin. The XEV 9S, on the other hand, has a roomier cabin, and even if you don't need the third row, you can always fold it down and use it as a big boot space.The 9S is a newer car and has the same level of sophistication as the Mahindra XEV 9e. However, it has a slightly floaty ride, and the suspension is on the softer side. As a result, you will feel the movements inside the cabin compared to a 9e. Considering your needs and the fact that you don't require a third row, we would suggest sticking to the 9e. Asked by: Nishaant Prasad I own a Kia Seltos turbo petrol (purchased March 2020) and use it for my office commute and out-of-station travel. My daily round trip is about 60-61 km. I currently carpool with my parents two to three times a week, but from next year, they will retire, and I will commute alone every day. Should I replace this car with a strong hybrid or switch to an EV? With less than six years under its belt, your Kia Seltos should still be in good condition, especially since you seem to use it sparingly. The ideal answer is to continue to use it and take care of it, so that you get the most out of it before selling it. If, after six months to a year of commuting 60km each day, you feel like the running costs of a turbo petrol are too high, you can always sell it then, and the difference in resale value won't be that much. If you do decide to get a new car, a strong hybrid is a good option, as it gives you the best of both worlds - smooth, refined driving with low running costs. Also, it will give you the freedom to travel long distances without the worry of charging. The Maruti Suzuki Victoris is a good option, but Kia's own new Seltos will be getting a hybrid option, likely in late 2026 or early 2027, if you don't mind waiting for that. Can’t decide which car to buy? Ask our experts and get answers to all your car related queries. Ask experts 
