I am a first-time car buyer with a budget of Rs. 12 lakh. I would appreciate one suggestion each for an EV and an ICE vehicle, with different cars and not variants. My requirements are that the car should have an automatic transmission, a rear camera with parking guidelines, and should comfortably seat a family of four. It will be used primarily for city commutes, generally under 30 kilometers, and should have good air conditioning. I am absolutely flexible regarding rear AC vents and a blind spot monitor, as these are not necessary features. My EV options include the Tata Tiago EV 2026 facelift and the Tata Punch EV. My ICE options include the Suzuki Baleno, Hyundai i10, and Suzuki Swift. Please prioritize the EV option.

Autocar India

•1h

Get the Tata Punch EV. For a 30-50 km daily city run, it is the least stressful small SUV to live with, it is compact to park, it's high seating gives you a clear view, and it rides over speed breakers and bad roads without scraping. Running costs stay low with the EV, you get a quiet and refined drive and considering your daily running is not a lot, you'll be able to do multiple commutes on a single full charge. The cabin also feels airy and it is also one of the safer-feeling small cars in this budget.However, if you don't want an EV, look at the Nissan Magnite turbo CVT. It comes with a peppy engine, a smooth gearbox and it comes reasonably well-equipped too.

Tata Punch EV

Nissan Magnite

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

Autocar India

•13h

The important thing to understand is that while the government has notified standards for fuels up to E30, it has not mandated an immediate switch to E30 fuel. In fact, the government has asked ARAI to conduct long-term testing on how E25 affects existing E10 and E20 vehicles before taking any further decisions. The study is expected to assess durability, mileage, engine health and long-term reliability over tens of thousands of kilometers.There is also a strong possibility that consumers will be offered a choice of fuel blends at petrol pumps rather than a sudden replacement of E20 with E30. Discussions are already underway around offering multiple ethanol blend options based on vehicle compatibility. Even if higher ethanol blends eventually arrive later in the decade, manufacturers, fuel companies and regulators will have to provide a transition path because millions of E20-compatible vehicles will still be on the road.Between the two cars, we would actually lean towards the Baleno AMT. The Baleno's 4-cylinder petrol engine is noticeably smoother and more refined than the Dzire's 3-cylinder unit, which makes a difference in everyday driving. It also has one of the better calibrated AMT gearboxes in the segment, feeling smoother and more predictable than many rivals. For elderly parents, the Baleno's wide-opening doors, comfortable ride and easy drivability are all strong positives.

Maruti Suzuki Baleno

Maruti Suzuki Dzire