I need an automatic 7-seater, and my budget is a strict 17 Lakhs on-road price. I have no interest in Ertiga or XL6. I am worried about buying the Citroen Aircross due to its low brand value in India. Is there any news about the launch of the Hyundai Star Gazer in India? I can wait up to Dec 2026.

autocar.india

•1d

Go for the Kia Carens Clavis petrol automatic. With only 8,000 km a year and mostly city runs, the diesel’s DPF will be the bigger headache than any fuel savings. Short commutes are exactly what trigger frequent regens; yes, you can do manual regeneration, but stopping to run that cycle now and then gets old fast, and ignoring it can put the car in limp mode. Your two highway trips a year will not balance this.The petrol will be smoother and quieter in town. Although it delivers lower fuel efficiency, the annual fuel cost difference at your level of usage is relatively small. You also avoid the higher servicing costs associated with a diesel.If you still lean diesel, be ready to add a proper 20-30 minute highway spin once a week to keep the DPF happy. Otherwise, pick the petrol and drive with a light foot in traffic to keep mileage reasonable.

Kia Carens Clavis

autocar.india

•35m

Get the MG Comet for this job - it is the easiest EV to live with in tight city traffic and parking. Your commute is short, and this is a second car, so the Comet’s tiny footprint, light steering and smooth drive make daily runs stress-free. Its range easily covers a full work week of short trips, and a simple home socket overnight top-up keeps it ready without chasing chargers. The cabin feels airy and modern, two adults fit very comfortably, and four can manage for short hops.Be aware of two things. It has only two doors and a very small boot, so carrying luggage or regularly loading rear passengers is a bit of a squeeze. And it is happiest in the city, not on fast highways.If you do need proper rear doors and a bigger boot while still staying compact, the Tata Tiago EV is the sensible step up, but for pure city commuting, the Comet suits your use better.

MG Comet

Tata Tiago EV

autocar.india

•5h

Get the Tata Punch iCNG. It fits your Rs. 10 lakh budget, looks like a proper small SUV, and the factory CNG keeps running costs very low. Tata’s twin-cylinder CNG tanks free up more boot space than other CNG SUVs, so your luggage will still fit. It rides well over bad roads, and the higher seat makes city driving easy. Pick a mid variant, and you still get the basics you want, like touchscreen with Android Auto, steering controls, rear camera, and decent safety kit.Do note that the CNG version feels slow, especially with a full load or on highways. But for your use case, the Punch iCNG is the most balanced choice.

Tata Punch