Hi, My budget is 20 lakh, and I need a SUV-type manual car with a 5-star NCAP safety rating, CNG driven and having good mileage to cover a daily distance of 40km in city traffic. Can you please suggest some good options?

autocar.india

•2d

Pick the Kia Seltos mid variant. With half your running on highways, the Seltos feels calmer at speed, gives you more confidence, packs in more performance, and, as you mentioned, the cabin is more premium. At 1,000 km a month, the Victoris' better mileage likely saves only around Rs. 1,000-2,000 monthly, so the nicer drive and cabin may be worth more.Go mid variant rather than base-plus-accessories. Safety and basic features like a proper touchscreen with Android Auto, rear camera, cruise control and more come integrated, work reliably, and stay within the standard warranty. Aftermarket bits rarely work as well, and you cannot add some safety features later.If your main priority is fuel efficiency, the Maruti Suzuki Victoris will help keep costs low. Just know it is not as quick for highway overtakes and does not feel as rich inside. For your city-highway split, the Seltos mid variant is the sweeter long-term pick.

Kia Seltos

Maruti Suzuki Victoris

autocar.india

•2h

Stick with the Exter CNG, you liked its easy drive, light clutch and smooth shifts - that matters every single day in traffic. You also already have a good experience with Hyundai’s CNG with your Aura and so you can expect much the same experience with the Hyundai and keeping it healthy to 3 lakh km is realistic without surprises. The Nexon CNG is tempting for comfort and looks and yes the ride is better too, but Tata Motor's dealer network quality varies a lot from city to city and with your plan of keeping it for quite a few years and clocking 3 lakh kms you will need a good proven dealer support which may not be the case with the Tata dealer in your area. Go with the Nexon only if you are absolutely confident of the dealer reputation, else stick with the Exter.

Hyundai Exter

Tata Nexon

autocar.india

•2h

Go for the Tata Punch automatic. Its doors open almost 90 degrees, and the seat is at a friendly height, so getting in and out at 60 is genuinely easy. For your 15-20 km city runs, it is compact, has light controls, and rides over bad patches without fuss, so you will feel less tired. It also sits higher than most small cars, which helps with visibility and confidence.It fits your Rs. 12 lakh cap in mid trims, and you do not have to stretch for basics like rear sensors and a camera. Running costs are sensible too since it is a simple petrol.One thing to know: the automatic is not the smoothest when crawling in traffic, and the engine feels just okay on fast highways. If you value a silkier automatic more than the super-wide doors, the Nissan Magnite with the CVT also sits within budget, but its doors are not as wide as the Punch's.

Tata Punch