Petrol, Diesel, EV, Hybrid or CNG: Is car ownership becoming more complicated than ever?

There was a time when buying a vehicle in India was a once-in-a-decade decision for the first time vehicle buyers. Families spent years saving for it. Delivery day felt emotional. A new scooter, motorcycle or car was not just a machine parked outside the house for commute or travel, it was a part of the family. People visited temples after taking delivery, did Pooja, tied garlands, broke coconuts as a sign of breaking all obstacles and proudly clicked photos with their first vehicle. And that vehicle stayed with the family for years, sometimes even decades. But today, that emotional equation is slowly changing. Across social media, there have been instances of angry customers abandoning, damaging or even setting their vehicles on fire over reliability concerns, service disputes, software glitches and failing trust in newer technologies, something that would have been almost unthinkable for Indian buyers a decade ago. Adding on to that, a car or a motorcycle bought just a year ago can suddenly start feeling old. A newer version arrives with bigger screens, more safety features, connected technology, ADAS, better fuel efficiency, improved battery range or an updated design. What once felt like a dream purchase now starts looking