I want to buy a new car with a maximum budget of ₹7 lakh. Which option should I go for: Tata Altroz, Maruti Baleno, or Citroen C3? My priorities are good drive quality, mostly city use, reliability, and low maintenance. If I choose Baleno or Glanza, which is the most value-for-money variant?

Question

Autocar India team · Accepted Answer

All three options on your shortlist are nice to drive in their own ways. The Maruti Suzuki Baleno is very comfortable at city speeds with excellent bump absorption and a peppy engine. Tata's Altroz feels the toughest of the three cars and drives with a big car feel out on the highway. The Citroen C3 has a nice engine, and it also balances ride and comfort very well.

However, for reliability and ease of service, the Baleno is your best bet. The Baleno is known to be a trouble-free car, and Maruti's vast network means you are never far from a service centre. Service costs are also competitive.

The Toyota Glanza is essentially a rebadged version of the Baleno, but does cost more for similarly-specced variants. We'd recommend sticking to the Baleno. Within Rs 7 lakh, you'll get the Sigma variant, though we'd recommend upping your budget a bit (and bargaining hard with your dealer!) to get the higher-spec Delta trim.

It packs in extras such as a powered mirror adjust as well as a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system that would add greatly to your experience.