Renault Duster

Autocar India

•13m

Your history of Corollas tells us that you want a reliable, fuss-free experience and that clearly points to the Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder. Given your limited use that is largely restricted to the city, the 1.5 NA petrol with the automatic will suit you fine. The strong hybrid will make more sense if you are covering larger distances every month, primarily in the city where it can run in pure EV mode and save a lot of fuel. Also worth noting is that the strong hybrid has a smaller boot, which might be a problem if you need to carry a wheelchair. The seat height and floor are not too high, the rear door opens wide, and the back seat is easy to slide into, which helps when guiding someone from a wheelchair.The Duster is a great choice if you are willing to try something new. It is more powerful, rides well on bad roads and feels very surefooted, but its ownership costs and resale are less certain given that it is a brand-new car. Overall, for your use, the Hyryder automatic fits best without stretching the budget too far.

Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder

Renault Duster

Autocar India

•3d

With 90:10 city to highway use and an upgrade from your 2015 Hyundai i20, the Maruti Suzuki Victoris strong-hybrid automatic is the best fit. In slow city traffic it can move on electric power a lot of the time, so it feels very quiet and smooth and uses less fuel. The automatic makes daily driving easy, the seat is higher than your i20 Active so you see out better, and Maruti's service reach is wide, which helps for long-term peace of mind.Know the trade-offs: the hybrid’s battery eats into boot space, and when you press hard on the highway the engine can sound loud and you may need a bit more planning for fast overtakes.If you prefer the Toyota badge, the Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder strong-hybrid gives you the same smooth city drive with a different cabin feel. If you want a sedan, look at the Honda City and pick the hybrid variant if available near you; it is very smooth and efficient in town, but the boot is smaller than the standard City. Overall, for mostly city driving, the Victoris hybrid lines up best.Renault will be out with the Duster hybrid later this year and that could be an option to consider if you're not in a rush to bring home a new car.

Maruti Suzuki Victoris

Renault Duster

Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder

Hyundai i20

Autocar India

•4d

For your brief, the Skoda Kushaq 1.5 TSI DSG would be our first recommendation. Coming from a Grand i10, it will feel like a massive upgrade in performance, sophistication and overall driving experience. The 1.5 TSI is genuinely fun, the DSG is quick and smooth once on the move, and the Kushaq still manages to be comfortable enough for family duty. The rear seat is also more accommodating, which matters when you are dealing with a child seat and all the associated family luggage on longer trips.A slightly more value-focused but equally appealing alternative is the new Renault Duster 1.3 turbo DCT. It is also genuinely enjoyable to drive, rides brilliantly, and the wet-clutch DCT is actually better suited to Bangalore traffic than the dry-clutch DSG in the Skoda. The only caveat is rear seat space, which is not as generous as the Kushaq, so if rear seat comfort with a child seat is a big factor, the Skoda has the edge.

Skoda Kushaq

Renault Duster

Autocar India

•3d

Since you are a happy Renault Duster owner, the best upgrade for you is the new Duster hybrid. The new-gen Duster really does feel like an upgrade in terms of its interior ambience, features and tech. Age-old Duster traits like the steering shock have been fixed, and in top-spec form, there is a premium vibe to the otherwise rugged package. The only catch is that the space is about the same as your Duster. A larger 7-seat version of the Duster is also due for launch and could bring with it a roomier cabin too.As for the 1.8-litre strong hybrid powertrain, it sure has the makings of a very enticing option. The engine is strong and coupled to electric motors; real-world fuel efficiency should be very good, too. We would definitely wait for Renault's hybrid before finalising any SUV in the Rs 20 lakh plus price band.FYI - The next-gen Hyundai Creta that comes by early 2027 is also expected to launch with a strong hybrid powertrain.

Renault Duster

Autocar India

•5d

The new Renault Duster 1.3 turbo manual is the enthusiast’s choice. It will be the most enjoyable to drive of the lot, feels robust, rides very well and has that proper SUV character many buyers still love. If your fiancé enjoys driving, we completely understand the appeal. Your concern is valid, though. Resale value is unlikely to be as strong as a Kia, Toyota or Maruti-backed product, and Renault’s aftersales network is not as wide or as confidence-inspiring as Kia or Toyota.The Kia Seltos is the balanced all-rounder here. It feels more premium inside, is easier to recommend from a resale and ownership confidence perspective, comes with a richer feature set and is simply a very polished product overall. It may not have the same rugged SUV flavour as the Duster, but as a first car for a young couple, it is probably the easiest to live with.The Toyota Hyryder takes a different route. If long-term ownership, reliability and fuel efficiency are high on your priority list, it makes a lot of sense. But if you are comparing the naturally aspirated petrol against the turbo Duster or even the Seltos turbo, it will not feel nearly as exciting or as effortless from behind the wheel.

Renault Duster

Kia Seltos

Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder

Autocar India

•4d

For your priorities, we would suggest the Renault Duster 1.3 turbo DCT. Coming from an Ignis AMT, this will feel like a massive upgrade in every meaningful way. The wet clutch DCT is a big advantage in Bangalore traffic because it is smoother and less prone to overheating than the dry clutch DCT setups used in rivals like the Seltos and Creta, while still delivering quick responses when you want to drive enthusiastically.More importantly, the Duster is genuinely enjoyable from behind the wheel. It feels involving to drive, has strong performance from the 1.3 turbo petrol and the ride quality is very absorbent and comfortable, which matters on Bangalore’s mixed road conditions. The one trade off is rear seat space, which is not as generous as some rivals in this segment.If rear seat space matters more, the new Tata Sierra 1.5 turbo petrol automatic is also worth considering. It is practical, spacious and still nice to drive, though it is not quite as driver focused as the Duster.If your absolute priority is playing it safe from an ownership familiarity perspective, the Kia Seltos turbo DCT is the safer mainstream pick.

Kia Seltos

Renault Duster

Tata Sierra

Hyundai Creta

Maruti Suzuki Ignis

Autocar India

•1w

Coming to the first part of your question, you mentioned that you loved the driving experience of the Renault Duster 1.3 Turbo DCT, you are planning to skip it because your family wasn't happy with the space at the back. We would strongly advise you to reconsider.Yes, space is tighter than most rivals in this class, and ingress/egress (for rear passengers) is a bit difficult, but if you're rarely going to have passengers at the back, it shouldn't be a deal-breaker for you. If you really enjoyed the drive experience, it is certainly worth going for. The turbo-DCT isn't very fuel efficient, but keep in mind that the hybrid is likely to command a significant premium over it, so unless your usage is over 1500km per month, it is worth opting for the turbo-petrol DCT.The Kia Seltos is an excellent all-rounder, when it comes to space, comfort, interior quality and it is one that checks all the right boxes, however unlike the Duster, it lacks that emotional appeal, so it won't tug at your heartstrings. If you go for it, you won't go wrong with it.Your concern of whether the petrol engine will be capable of handling higher Ethanol blend is valid, so opting for an EV could be an option, but be prepared to pay a premium for an electric powertrain. As far as the Hyundai Creta Electric goes, yes, it does feel a bit old compared to the modern offerings, however it is an excellent car - one that we easily recommend.

Renault Duster

Kia Seltos

Hyundai Creta

Autocar India

•1w

The Renault Duster is the only one of the options shortlisted to get Level 2 ADAS, specifically adaptive cruise control. So if these are a must-have for you, then go ahead with the Duster. It is a good option with excellent ride comfort, and a large boot, similar to your outgoing car. The steering now feels lighter, the cabin feels modern, the turbo-petrol engine is strong and the DCT is smooth, with the only downside being fuel efficiency which won't be as good as your outgoing car.

Renault Duster

Autocar India

•6d

Your observations are quite right, and given your requirements, the Kia Seltos diesel automatic seems to be the best fit. It takes care of your ethanol worry because diesel avoids that issue entirely, and your regular highway trips will keep the diesel particulate filter (DPF) healthy. Your family already likes its comfort and smooth, steady feel, and on the highway, it has strong enough pull for quick passes. As you have noted, it won’t feel as eager as the Renault Duster or the VW turbo petrols when you floor it, and the 1.5 diesel - though refined amongst rivals - is a bit louder than a petrol overall. Also, higher tech features come on costlier trims, so a top-spec trim could push that Rs 22 lakh limit on the on-road price.If driving fun is the top priority and you rarely use the back seat, the Renault Duster 1.3 turbo automatic still makes sense over the hybrid, which is as yet untested, but will likely sacrifice some punchiness given its naturally aspirated Atkinson-cycle petrol engine. If the hybrid lands around Rs 24-25 lakh, it may not add enough value for your use. As for the rear seat, the Duster doesn't offer as much as rivals despite its grown dimensions (it seems to have gone into the boot), and the hybrid's battery could even hamper this further. Overall, for your requirements, the Seltos diesel auto still feels the better choice.

Kia Seltos

Renault Duster

Autocar India

•1w

If strong performance is high on your priority list, we would be cautious about the Renault Duster 1.0 Techno. While we have experienced this 1.0 turbo petrol engine in the Magnite, where it feels punchy and capable, the Duster is a significantly larger and heavier SUV, so we do not expect it to feel particularly quick or effortless, especially if you are looking for a meaningful upgrade from a Kwid in outright performance.If your heart is set on the Duster, the smarter move would be to stretch slightly for the 1.3 turbo petrol, which sits only a little above your budget and will feel substantially stronger and more satisfying to drive, especially on rural roads where effortless overtaking and usable performance matter.If you are open to alternatives, the Skoda Kushaq Classic+ 1.0 TSI is a very strong option. The turbo petrol engine feels punchy, the Kushaq is genuinely nice to drive, has good rear seat space, solid build and safety credentials that you are looking for.If fuel efficiency matters more than outright performance, then the Kia Seltos 1.5 petrol HTE(O) is worth considering as well. It will not feel as punchy as the turbo petrol options, but it is the most premium feeling of the lot, more efficient in everyday use and a very sorted family SUV overall.

Kia Seltos

Skoda Kushaq

Renault Duster

Renault Kwid

Nissan Magnite