Hi, I own a 2024 Tata Punch and it’s my first car. Although I am reasonably happy with it, it lacks punch and, being a small car, feels unsettling over bumps and bad roads. I am planning to upgrade to a more enthusiastic car with some heft. Is the Citroen Basalt X a good choice? Other models I’m considering are the Tata Nexon Turbo and Hyundai Venue Turbo.

Yes, the Citroen Basalt X will be better in both aspects that you desire. The turbo-charged engine is very peppy and is nice to drive, and the ride of the car is excellent, a typical Citroen hallmark. We would rule out the Tata Nexon turbo as the power delivery isn't very strong like other typical turbo engines. If you want to consider something other than the Citroen, test drive the turbo version of the Nissan Magnite. The 1.0-litre unit has a good mid-range punch and is something that you would enjoy.

Your worry around charging infra is well-founded. While the infrastructure is growing fast, it remains unreliable. EVs make good city cars if you have home charging, highway driving requires planning. Tata Motors is is actively working to improve service perception and quality. However, it continues to be a common concern among buyers.Given your priorities of good after-sales support and fuel efficiency, you can go for the Kia Seltos 1.5-litre NA petrol. The claimed mileage of around 17 km/l is competitive in this segment, and if you drive with a light-foot, you can get good mileage.

Mahindra XEV 9S Pack Two above 70 kWh, battery pack can be a good option for you. It is a spacious and practical EV, and if you don’t plan to use the third row, you benefit from a larger boot as well. Mahindra has spread the features well across the range, so even the lower variants feel adequately equipped. The car supports fast charging, which helps reduce charging time on highway runs. While the claimed range is 600km, the real-world range will be lower, but it should still be good for your kind of highway usage.

Both the Tata Sierra and Kia Seltos are good picks. The powertrain to pick in the Sierra lineup is the turbo petrol variant, however this iteration is only available in top variants. But this will be a couple of lakhs above the price band suggested by you. The 1.5-litre NA engine in the Sierra lacks the punch and is noisy. Instead, we would suggest going for the Kia Seltos, which gets well-equipped lower variants, and even the 1.5-litre NA is smooth and responsive.