I want to buy a base-model car for city use. Please suggest which is better between the Hyundai Aura and i20 Era, or recommend another car in the same price segment.

autocar.india

•4h

With a daily commute of 90km and monthly usage of around 2,500km, running costs become the most important factor. CNG is the right choice here, and among your options, the Maruti Alto K10 CNG is the most budget-friendly and efficient. It is simple and reliable, and it delivers excellent mileage, which is exactly what you need for high usage. The Celerio CNG is the better all-rounder, though. It offers a more comfortable cabin, better ride quality and a more refined driving experience, while still being very efficient.The Tata Tiago CNG feels more premium, but it is not as efficient as the Maruti car mentioned above, and Tata’s CNG network is not as widespread as Maruti’s. Given your usage, the Alto K10 CNG makes the most financial sense, but if you can stretch your budget slightly, the Celerio CNG is the better long-term ownership proposition.

Maruti Suzuki Alto K10

Maruti Suzuki Celerio

Tata Tiago

autocar.india

•5h

Go for the Maruti Suzuki Jimny. Your usage is exactly what the Jimny is designed for: mountain travel, offbeat locations and challenging terrain. It is a proven, purpose-built 4x4 with a low-range transfer case, compact dimensions and excellent off-road capability. That makes it ideal for Uttarakhand’s narrow mountain roads, broken tracks and unpredictable conditions. The Jimny is also reliable, easy to maintain and backed by Maruti’s strong service network, which is important in remote areas.The Mahindra Vision S is an interesting upcoming product, but it is not a direct rival to the Jimny. It is expected to be a larger, more premium SUV and is unlikely to be offered with a proper 4x4 system with low range. It will be more of a lifestyle SUV rather than a hardcore off-roader. If your priority is genuine off-road capability and mountain travel, the Jimny is the clear choice. If you want a larger, more comfortable SUV for family use with occasional soft-roading, then the Vision S could be worth waiting for. But for your specific use case, the Maruti car mentioned above is the right tool for the job.

Maruti Suzuki Jimny

Mahindra Vision S

autocar.india

•2h

A 2021 Tata Nexon EV with 55,000km on the clock can be a sensible used buy, but only if the price is right and the battery health is verified. The 30kWh Nexon EV was Tata’s first mainstream electric SUV and has proven to be a robust package, but it is important to go in with realistic expectations. The claimed range was around 312km, but real-world range is closer to 180-200km depending on driving style and conditions. At 55,000km, battery degradation is unlikely to be severe if the car has been well cared for, but it is essential to get a battery health report from Tata Motors before committing. Also check the service history and ensure the car has not been involved in any major accidents. The Nexon EV is a solid city car with low running costs and a decent ownership experience, but it is not a long-distance cruiser. If the price is attractive and the battery health is good, it can be a smart buy. If not, it is better to walk away.

Tata Nexon EV