I am planning to purchase an EV with a budget of up to Rs. 26 lakh. Could you please suggest the best options available in this price range?

Autocar India

•3h

Pick the Honda City automatic. Over 6-8 years, it simply causes the least drama, holds value well, and its smooth automatic makes daily traffic easy while cruising quietly at highway speeds.For your 50-50 city and four-lane use, a sedan actually rides and tracks better than most small SUVs. The City is roomy, has a supportive back seat, and its engine-gearbox combo is relaxed and efficient - expect roughly 12kpl in town and 16kpl on highways. Honda’s reliability record and nationwide service mean low, predictable running costs, and resale after 6-8 years will be good. Safety is solid with a robust structure and a good spread of active and passive kit. It is not the newest 5-star poster child, but it feels secure at speed and the basics are well covered.One thing to be aware of: ground clearance is sedan-typical, so huge speed breakers taken fast will need care, and you may stretch above your Rs. 15 lakh budget. If that’s manageable, the City automatic is the most stress-free, future-proof choice for what you want.If you want to stay within your budget, opt for the Hyundai Venue 1.0 litre turbo AT, the compact SUV will also meet your criteria of reliability, good service, good resale value and safety with the new car scoring a 5-star rating in the Bharat NCAP tests.

Honda City

Hyundai Venue

Autocar India

•5h

The Nissan Magnite CVT is worth serious consideration. For a relatively new driver in Mumbai, its light steering, compact dimensions, and smooth CVT automatic make it easy to manage in traffic and simple to park. The turbo-petrol has enough pull for the Pune, Lonavala and Mahabaleshwar ghats, so it cruises on the expressway without feeling strained with family and luggage. It rides well on broken roads, has useful ground clearance, and the cabin and boot work fine for a small family. With only 300-350 km a month, petrol keeps costs simple, and the Magnite fits your Rs. 10-12 lakh budget.The flip side is the cabin feels a bit basic, and Nissan’s service network is smaller than Maruti or Hyundai, so check how close your nearest service center is.If you like sedans and want an even silkier automatic for the city, the Honda Amaze CVT is also worth a look, but you will give up some ground clearance and the SUV-like view you get in the Magnite.Alternatively, you could look at the Maruti Suzuki Fronx turbo petrol automatic, but it will need you to stretch your budget to about Rs 13 lakh.

Nissan Magnite

Honda Amaze

Maruti Suzuki Fronx

Autocar India

•6h

Our first recommendation would be the Kia Seltos 1.5 petrol automatic. With 70% highway driving, you will appreciate its comprehensive ADAS suite with adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assistance. It also has a 5-star Bharat NCAP safety rating, a wide service network, and you’ll get the full spread of modern features inside your budget. The honest catch is that the automatic is tuned for calm progress, not thrills. The honest catch is that the automatic is tuned for calm progress, not thrills.The Hyundai Creta 1.5 petrol automatic lands very close. It matches the features and ADAS you want, rides a touch softer for family comfort, and Hyundai’s service reach is the strongest. Highway economy is similar to the Seltos, and it is E20-ready.The Honda Elevate is a strong choice, too, giving you ADAS and a very easy drive. It also offers slightly quicker performance than the above two. It stays within your price range and is proven on long runs.All three are E20-compliant. No mainstream brand here officially guarantees E30 yet, so that is the one future-proofing gap today.

Kia Seltos

Hyundai Creta

Honda Elevate