I am planning to buy a hatchback. We currently own a Swift ZDi AMT and an Ertiga ZXi AT. The Swift has done around 1,30,000 km, while the Ertiga has only 12,000 km on the odometer. I am based in Bangalore. I mainly use the Ertiga for my daily commute to work, which involves a lot of bumper-to-bumper traffic and finding It difficult to drive Ertiga. I drive around 1,200-1,500 km per month, mostly for my daily office commute (around 20 km) and highway driving on weekends. I am considering trading in the Swift and upgrading to a new Swift ZXi+ AMT. My main priorities are hassle-free ownership and decent mileage. Before I finalise the Swift, are there any other hatchbacks that I should consider?

autocar.india

•2d

Go for the Honda Amaze VX CVT. With 80 percent city driving and this being your first automatic, the Amaze’s CVT is its biggest advantage. It is far smoother and more predictable than the Swift’s AMT, especially in stop-start traffic, and that makes a big difference to daily comfort and ease of use. Honda’s ownership experience is generally strong, and the car is well suited to long-term ownership.The Swift ZXI+ AMT is the more efficient car, but the AMT gearbox is not as smooth in city conditions. Being a hatchback, it also has a smaller boot than the Amaze. If that is a concern, look at the Dzire instead, which is essentially the Swift in sedan form.Overall, the Amaze VX CVT is the more refined driving experience, while the Swift/Dzire is the more fuel efficient choice.

Honda Amaze

Maruti Suzuki Dzire

Maruti Suzuki Swift

autocar.india

•14h

Your thinking is absolutely on the right track. Given your usage of less than 10,000 km a year, predominantly city driving with all six on board, and the fact that your family is on the shorter side, the Renault Triber Turbo is actually a very sensible choice. It is compact, easy to park and manoeuvre in the city, and the turbo petrol engine gives it enough punch for occasional highway runs. The sliding second row and flexible seating make it genuinely usable as a six-seater for shorter adults, and it will be far easier to live with in tight parking situations than something like a Clavis or HyCross.The Clavis and HyCross are excellent cars, but they are significantly larger and more expensive, and given your usage pattern, you are unlikely to see the value in that extra spend. Keeping the i20 diesel for highway runs with four people is also a smart move, as it is more comfortable and efficient for longer journeys.

Renault Triber

Kia Carens Clavis

Toyota Innova HyCross

Hyundai i20

autocar.india

•23h

The Tata Hexa is a genuinely good family car. It has a comfortable cabin, excellent ride quality, a powerful 2.2-litre diesel and plenty of space for seven. However, a 2017 or 2018 car with 80,000km has already done a significant portion of its life, and you are looking at another 70,000 to 80,000km of ownership. This is where we would be cautious. The Hexa has been discontinued for several years, and parts availability might become an issue.At Rs 6 lakh, the car can make sense only if it is exceptionally well maintained and you are prepared for occasional large repair bills. Before buying, get an independent inspection covering the turbo, clutch or automatic gearbox, injectors, suspension, steering, cooling system, AC, electricals and underbody. Insist on complete service records and check whether major wear items have already been replaced.If reliability until 150,000 to 160,000km is the primary objective, we would rather look for a newer and simpler seven-seater like a used Maruti Suzuki Ertiga, even if that means giving up some of the Hexa's size and performance.

Maruti Suzuki Ertiga