Hi, I recently sold my second-hand car and am planning to buy a new one. My budget is between ₹8-10 lakh. I am 6’1” tall, and many cars in this segment, such as the Tata Punch, Maruti Suzuki Swift, Tata Altroz, and Hyundai i20, are not comfortable for me as the steering tends to touch my legs. Could you please suggest a car within this budget that would be comfortable for my height? Thanks.

autocar.india

•17h

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

•20h

The Maruti Suzuki Brezza is the best fit. It is a simple, dependable car with good ground clearance and a comfortable driving position. It is easy to get in and out of, handles bad roads well and is backed by Maruti’s strong service network and low maintenance costs. The naturally aspirated petrol engine is efficient and reliable. The Brezza is also a sensible upgrade from the Baleno, offering a more commanding driving position without being difficult to drive in the city. You can keep this Maruti Suzuki car for many years with minimal fuss. However, you might have to stretch your budget a little past Rs 10 lakh to get more features and an automatic gearbox.If you want something even more compact and easy to park, plus with more features for the price, the Maruti Suzuki Fronx is also worth considering, but the Brezza feels more substantial and comfortable for long-term ownership. There is a facelifted version coming out very soon, but the changes are expected to be minor, so if you can haggle with your dealer for a good price on the outgoing model, you should try to get a discount.

Maruti Suzuki Brezza

Maruti Suzuki Fronx

autocar.india

•1d

Go for the Tata Tiago EV. As a first-time driver with a dedicated home charging spot and heavy city traffic, it is the most sensible choice. The Tiago EV is extremely easy to drive, with smooth, linear acceleration and no gear changes to worry about, which makes stop-start traffic far less stressful. It is also quiet, refined and very cheap to run compared to petrol cars. The range is more than adequate for daily city use, and with home charging, you will never have to worry about fuel stations.The Hyundai Grand i10 Nios and Maruti Suzuki Swift AMT are both reliable and easy to drive, but their AMT gearboxes can feel jerky at low speeds, especially in bumper-to-bumper traffic. The Tiago EV, by comparison, is seamless and far more relaxing to drive in the city. The only real drawback is that long highway trips require more planning, but for your usage pattern, that is not a major concern.If you are open to a slightly higher budget, the Tata Punch EV is also worth considering as it offers a higher seating position and better visibility, which can be reassuring for a new driver. Overall, the Tiago EV is the best fit for your needs.

Tata Tiago EV

Tata Punch EV

Hyundai Grand i10 Nios

Maruti Suzuki Swift