Best deal

Which SUV would be the best in the used car market for a price range of Rs 10-15 lakh? The vehicle should be not more than two years old and should not have done more than 20,000 km. My second query is which SUV is good but as a new vehicle in the price range of Rs 15-20 lakh. Diesel is preferable for economy though I don’t drive much (about 100 kilometres in a week). Kindly suggest.

Sandeep Dembi, via email

For 100 km a week, you genuinely could do without a diesel. A used CR-V 2.4 should be available for around Rs 13-15 lakh, while you could also look at the Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara 2.0 which should be available for around Rs 9-11 lakh. Our pick would be the CR-V since it’s a better performer and has better build quality. Considering new SUVs, the Grand Vitara 2.4 makes up for the power deficit, but still lacks quality. You could then look at the Honda CR-V 2.0-litre which might stretch your budget to a little over Rs 20 lakh, yet give you a good overall experience.

Diesel confusion

I want to buy a diesel sedan and am confused between the Fiat Linea Multijet Emotion and the Hyundai Verna SX. I travel roughly 1500 km a month and 60 per cent of the time will be spent in city traffic. I enjoy driving so an enthusiast oriented car is preferable. Please suggest the best one from the two.

Sanjay Rastogi, via email

Considering your requirement, look at the Hyundai Verna 1.5 SX. It’s good on performance, has decent space and is efficient. The Fiat Linea has good ride quality and has decent handling but lacks outright performance. If you can stretch that rupee a bit, look at the Verna SX CRDI automatic, which should be a boon in city traffic.

Traditional appeal

I am in the market for a Rs 20-22 lakh luxury saloon and I wanted to know which is the right car for me. I’m looking at a Japanese luxury car since my experience with them back in the United States has been quite good. I’ve researched and found the Nissan Teana and Toyota Camry to fit my budget. Friends suggested to choose between the Camry and the Accord, since Nissan’s service setup isn’t too big just yet. I am looking at a comfortable car that can seat five and provides decent performance and efficiency. Which one would you suggest?

Amit Lahiri, Mumbai

All three cars are good in their own respect, but yes, the Teana, though a good car isn’t well supported with an expansive after-sales network just yet. The Camry has recently gone through a facelift, is backed by a large Toyota service network, has a comfortable rear seat and is reasonably efficient too. It’s also the car which you should seriously consider.

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