I am 42 years old and recently suffered a slipped disc, so I can no longer drive a manual car. I want to buy a used automatic car with a budget of ₹3 to ₹4 lakh that offers decent mileage. Please suggest.

autocar.india

•9h

For your requirements, from your shortlist, the Renault Kiger is the most sensible choice. Your usage is predominantly city driving with occasional village visits and a few trips a year, which means you need a car that is compact and easy to drive in the city, but also robust enough to handle rough roads and occasional bad patches. As you plan to travel with your family too, space is also important, as well as boot volume for luggage. The Kiger strikes that balance very well. It offers a higher ground clearance than hatchbacks like the Wagon R, which makes it more confidence-inspiring on broken village roads, and its compact dimensions make it easy to manoeuvre and park in the city. It also offers more space than most of the other options in this price range. You also get a choice of naturally aspirated and turbocharged petrol engines, and given that you travel with family and do occasional long drives, we recommend the turbo petrol, which has some additional punch, yet can be fuel efficient when driven carefully.The Wagon R, Exter and Punch are a size down on the Kiger and thus won't be as suitable for your family, while the Nexon and Fronx will require you to settle for a low variant in your budget. The Renault Kiger is the best value for money you can get at this price, and alternatively, for a similar price, you can also look at its sister car - the Nissan Magnite.

Renault Kiger

Tata Punch

Hyundai Exter

Maruti Suzuki Fronx

Tata Nexon

Nissan Magnite

Maruti Suzuki Wagon R

autocar.india

•1d

Given your daily running of 50-70 km with a mix of city and highway driving, rising fuel costs and the increasing inconvenience of driving a manual in traffic, moving to an electric car makes a lot of sense. The Mahindra XUV300 diesel is still a very capable car, but at 50,000 km it is already well into its depreciation curve, and the cost savings from switching to an EV will start to add up quickly given your usage.The bigger question is which car to replace. Since your father needs a high seating position and easy ingress/egress, the Maruti Suzuki Wagon R is actually a good fit for him, and it makes more sense to replace the XUV300. For your requirements of safety, ride comfort and suspension, the Tata Nexon EV is the best fit. It has a comfortable ride, a robust suspension setup and a proven track record as a daily workhorse. The Nexon EV will significantly reduce your running costs, and the instant torque of the electric motor will make city driving far less stressful. With your daily running, the payback period on the higher upfront cost will be relatively short. The only caveat is that you will need to have access to home charging to make the ownership experience seamless.

Tata Nexon EV

Maruti Suzuki Wagon R

autocar.india

•3d

The Maruti Suzuki Celerio is the best fit for your requirements. It is one of the most fuel-efficient petrol cars in the segment, has a proven ownership track record, and Maruti's service network ensures low maintenance costs over the long term. The 1.0-litre petrol engine is simple, reliable and well-suited to both city use and occasional highway runs. You even have the option of an AMT automatic for greater convenience. If you are open to CNG cars, the Celerio CNG is also worth considering, as it will significantly reduce running costs on your longer trips. The only drawback is that the Celerio is a compact hatchback, so if you regularly carry more passengers or luggage, you may want to look at the Maruti Suzuki Wagon R instead, which offers more space while retaining the same low maintenance and reliability advantages. Overall, the Celerio strikes the best balance between fuel efficiency, reliability and low ownership costs for your usage pattern.

Maruti Suzuki Celerio

Maruti Suzuki Wagon R