I have two dogs and want to take road trips of up to five hours. Ideally, I want a vehicle where the rear seats either can be removed or the backrests can fold flat to fit a mattress. What car or SUV would you recommend, including both EV and internal combustion engine options?

Autocar India

•22h

The closely related Renault Triber and new Nissan Gravite are the best options for you. Both compact MPVs are well within your budget and will surprise you with the versatility and practicality they offer within a small footprint. There's plenty of seating flexibility with middle row slide and recline functions, making it easy to balance space for the third row of passengers. You also have the option to remove the third row seats when not in use to create space for luggage.The interiors are also well designed with enough new-age features like a touchscreen, digital dials, wireless charging, auto climate control and AC vents at the back. The 1-litre engine isn't big on power but is fine for city use. It does feel underpowered on highway drives, though. While you can get fully-loaded AMT auto versions within your budget, we'd recommend opting for the manual gearbox.The differences between the Renault Triber and Nissan Gravite are merely cosmetic. You could base your buying decision based on proximity to a dealer and service support. In case you want something larger, there is the option of the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga. However, only the base LXI trim is available under Rs 10 lakh.

Maruti Suzuki Ertiga

Renault Triber

Nissan Gravite

Autocar India

•1h

With your budget of Rs 15 lakh, you can move past the Kia Carens and up to the Carens Clavis, which is essentially a facelift of the Carens, with more features and an additional engine option. The trickier choice is which engine to choose, between the 1.5-litre petrol and 1.5-litre diesel, both of which are available with a manual.The diesel is the more obvious choice, given that your usage is 80% on the highway, where the additional torque will be beneficial, not to mention the better mileage. However, in your budget, you'll only get it in the base HTE spec. If that's fine with you, then you should go ahead with that; otherwise, note that the Carens 1.5 petrol MT is available in the higher HTE (EX) trim, with more features.You could also consider the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga, which comes in petrol and CNG guises, has lower maintenance costs, and is far more affordable than the Kia.

Maruti Suzuki Ertiga

Kia Carens Clavis

Kia Carens

Autocar India

•1d

Since you don't drive much, paying a premium for a Kia Carens Clavis diesel version doesn't make much sense. Yes, diesel is more efficient, but to offset the initial premium, you will have to drive considerably more. Hence, we recommend the naturally aspirated petrol engine. The 115hp engine has enough power for city driving and holds its own on the highway. The manual gearbox is smooth, the clutch is light, and overall, it is an easy car to drive. The HTE (O) gets you a decently appointed cabin with a touchscreen infotainment system, sunroof, rear AC vents, and more. The third row is spacious for adults, and the middle-row seat height is ideal for the elderly to get in and out.

Kia Carens Clavis