Hi Autocar, my budget is Rs. 20 lakh or less, and I am looking for an automatic car. My usage is quite low, with only around 15-30 km of driving per week, along with occasional long-distance trips. I usually travel with a family of five, and at times, one or two additional members may join us. Based on my requirements, could you please help me choose the most suitable option and variant from Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara, Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder, Kia Seltos, Kia Carens Clavis and Honda Elevate. Which one would you recommend, and which variant should I consider?

Autocar India

•53m

Get the Kia Carens Clavis diesel automatic. It fits your family size, is easy for a senior to get in and out of, and stays well under Rs. 25 lakh. For your 50 km daily city run, the diesel engine is refined, the torque converter automatic is smooth, and it is very easy to drive. On your monthly highway trips, it cruises calmly, feels secure at speed, and you get a genuinely usable third row and decent boot space. The Carens Clavis can be had as a 7-seater or a 6-seater, with individual captain's chairs in the middle.Cabin comfort is a strong point. The second row is spacious, the ride is comfortable enough over bad roads, and the panoramic roof in the higher variants makes the cabin feel airy. It is also a bit smaller outside than the big SUVs, so parking and driving in traffic is less stressful.One catch is that with all three rows up, the boot is tight, so you'll have to plan your way around it.

Kia Carens Clavis

Autocar India

•1d

The Kia Carens Clavis is probably the closest match to your requirements at this price point. The challenge is that the combination of features you're looking for is typically found on higher variants. In the Clavis, you'll need to move up the variant ladder to get most of these features, and that means accepting the sunroof as part of the package.As for the petrol versus diesel debate, your usage pattern actually favours petrol. Your monthly running is relatively low, and the frequent 3km city trips are not ideal for modern diesel engines. The occasional 500km highway journeys are easily handled by a petrol automatic. Ethanol blending should not be a major concern either, as modern petrol cars are engineered to run on the fuels currently available and planned for India.

Kia Carens Clavis

Autocar India

•3h

The Skoda Kylaq Signature AT would be the recommendation here. Among the cars you've shortlisted, it offers the best balance of comfort, performance and long-distance ability. The rear seat is spacious enough for five adults on shorter journeys, the torque-converter automatic is smooth in city traffic, and the turbo-petrol engine feels effortless on highways. It also rides well and feels more substantial than the hatchbacks in your list.If rear-seat space is the absolute priority, then the Hyundai i20 Sportz IVT deserves consideration. It has one of the widest rear benches in the segment, a smooth CVT automatic and a very easy-going nature in Delhi traffic. However, it doesn't feel as robust or versatile as the Kylaq on longer highway drives.The Toyota Glanza V AMT is the efficiency champion and will likely be the cheapest to run, but the AMT gearbox is not as polished as the automatics in the Hyundai or Skoda. The Hyundai Exter SX Tech AMT is a good urban runabout and gets a sunroof, but it feels narrower inside and isn't the most comfortable choice for five adults.

Skoda Kylaq

Hyundai i20

Toyota Glanza