I am planning to buy my first car and, as a new driver, I am looking for an automatic car within a budget of ₹10-12 lakh. I have shortlisted the Hyundai i20 Sportz (O) IVT and the Kia Sonet HTK (O) DCT. Could you please suggest which one would be a better choice for me and why?

Autocar India

•1d

The Maruti Suzuki Brezza VXi AT is the best fit among your options. It uses a smooth torque converter automatic, which is ideal for city traffic and more reliable in the long run. The engine is simple, proven and efficient, and Maruti’s service network and low maintenance costs make ownership very easy. It also offers good ride comfort and a spacious cabin, which adds to its family appeal.The Hyundai Venue and Kia Sonet are more feature-rich and feel more modern inside, but both use turbo petrol engines with DCT gearboxes in the automatic versions. These are quicker and more fun to drive, but in heavy city traffic, they are not as smooth and can feel slightly jerky at low speeds.On stretching your budget, the Kia Seltos is a segment above and a better all-round car, but the petrol automatic will go well beyond your budget. The Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara is also appealing, especially in strong hybrid form, but again requires a significant stretch.For your usage and priorities, there is no strong reason to stretch. The Brezza already fits your needs very well.

Maruti Suzuki Brezza

Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara

Hyundai Venue

Kia Seltos

Kia Sonet

Autocar India

•3d

With your kind of usage of 30,000-40,000 km a year, mostly city driving, long-term ownership and an 8 kW solar setup, going electric makes a lot of sense. Running costs will be significantly lower, especially since you can charge at home using surplus solar, and the smooth, silent nature of an EV suits city driving perfectly.The Tata Nexon EV Long Range is still one of the most well-rounded options here. It offers a good balance of range, practicality and ease of use, and can handle your occasional 300-500 km trips with one planned charging stop. It is also a proven product with a wide user base.However, since you have concerns about Tata’s service, it is worth considering alternatives. The MG Windsor EV with the larger battery pack is a strong option. It offers more space, a more premium feel and a bigger battery, which helps with range and reduces charging stops. The Maruti Suzuki e-Vitara is another promising option, especially from a long-term ownership perspective, thanks to Maruti’s strong service network and reliability.Diesel is still a valid fallback. If you prefer complete flexibility and do not want to depend on charging infrastructure at all, options like the Hyundai Creta diesel automatic or Kia Sonet diesel automatic make sense, offering strong mileage and effortless highway performance.So, the decision comes down to priorities. Given your high running and solar setup, an EV is clearly the smarter long-term choice. Among EVs, the Nexon EV is the proven option, the Windsor EV offers more space and range, and the e Vitara is the safest bet for long-term ownership. Diesel should only be considered if you want maximum convenience without planning charging stops.

Tata Nexon EV

MG Windsor

Maruti Suzuki e Vitara

Hyundai Creta

Kia Sonet

Autocar India

•2h

The Chery-based Jetour T2 will be the first product from JSW Auto, and it is expected sometime before the festive season this year. JSW is planning to launch the Jetour T2 with a fairly high spec, so it won't be cheap and is expected to cost around Rs 38-40 lakh. For that money, you get a 380hp plug-in hybrid variant with around 610 Nm of torque. It is larger than both the Mahindra XUV 7XO and the Tata Harrier/Safari in most dimensions and boasts a 580-litre boot. So if you are looking at the Jetour T2, you need to put aside a budget of Rs. 40 lakh

JSW Motors Jetour T2

Mahindra XUV 7XO

Tata Harrier

Tata Safari