My budget is up to Rs. 15 lakh, so which car would be the best option? My daily running is not more than 30-50 km.

Autocar India

•27m

Among the electric options, shortlist the Tata Punch EV. As an automatic, any EV will be far smoother than any comparable ICE vehicle. In the mid variants you get a rear camera with guidelines. And being a high-riding car, getting in and out is easy. The Punch EV is also comfy to seat four. From the ICE options, choose the Maruti Baleno AMT. It has the roomiest back seat, so space for four adults is better (than even the Punch EV), and its ride comfort is also nicer than the Swift or i10. Higher trims add the rear camera with guidelines, so just pick the one that fits your budget. Keep in mind that while the AMT gets you the convenience of an automatic, it will not feel as smooth or seamless as the EV.In summary, if you can arrange for home charging, pick the Punch EV. Else, the Baleno AMT is a good buy.

Tata Punch EV

Maruti Suzuki Baleno

Maruti Suzuki Swift

Autocar India

•1d

Flex fuel vehicles, as well as the fuel itself, will arrive for sure, but it's anybody's guess by when the authorities and manufacturers will make this happen. When it does arrive, there is also the matter of pricing. While the Government has indicated that E85 fuel would be cheaper, the car would return a lower efficiency. Plus, buying it would also come at a premium, so you need to see how this price equation works out. There's also the matter of choice. Thus, be prepared to wait for a while and for the situation to unravel in a phased manner. If you would rather not wait, you can go ahead with an E20 purchase today, as when E85 fuel does arrive, the Government will have to provide a lower ethanol blend fuel too for existing cars. This blend should stay at 20 percent or might go upto 25%, at which level current E20 cars should not face material compliance issues but would see a drop in efficiency.If you would like to side-step the entire fuel mess and have the ability to charge at home or your place of work, consider an EV. The Tata Punch EV would make for a good first car and is ideal in the city.

Tata Punch EV

Autocar India

•2d

The logical spiritual successor to the Volkswagen Polo for many owners has been the Skoda Kylaq, and we think it meets your needs as well. It retains that solidly built, fun-to-drive nature and also comes with a punchy 1.0-litre TSI turbo-petrol engine and has received a 5-star Bharat NCAP crash test rating. In your Rs 13 lakh budget, you'll get a mid-spec Signature+ variant, which gets you all the essentials and not too many gimmick features.Another often-overlooked option is the Citroen Basalt X, which offers a similarly punchy engine, fun chassis and European solidity as the Skoda and Volkswagen, but is a size up and much more spacious. However, it also costs more, and in your budget, you'll get a lower variant with fewer features than the Kylaq.If you want to skip fuel-blend questions entirely and your driving is mostly city, look at the Tata Punch EV. It’s quiet, quick off the line, and fits the budget. Just remember, highway trips need a bit of charging planning.

Skoda Kylaq

Citroen Basalt

Tata Punch EV