I really liked the Hyundai Verna 1.5 Turbo DCT during the test drive. I have been driving a Honda Jazz for the last 11 years. While the Verna is definitely more powerful than the Honda City, would it still be the better choice compared to the City in terms of ride and handling? Also, how reliable is the DCT in stop-and-go traffic in Chennai? My usage is 60% within Chennai city and 40% on highways, including occasional 1,000 km drives from Chennai to Kerala.

autocar.india

•2d

The Tata Punch EV makes for a sensible upgrade for your daily 45km use. It will be far more efficient and cheaper to run than your Honda City, and the compact size makes it easy to manoeuvre in city traffic. The question of whether to keep the City comes down to how you plan to use the car. If the Punch EV will be your only car, it is worth keeping the City as a backup for longer journeys. However, if the Punch EV will be dedicated to the school run and you have access to another car for longer journeys, it makes sense to exchange the City and reduce your overall ownership costs. This Tata car is a reliable and practical choice for your daily commute, but keeping the City as a backup gives you flexibility if you need it.

Tata Punch EV

Honda City

autocar.india

•55m

Go for the Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara. It is the more sensible family car and will give you a better long-term ownership experience. The Grand Vitara is a proven product with a comfortable ride, good real world fuel efficiency and Maruti’s strong service network, which makes it a very easy car to live with. It is also a well-rounded family SUV with enough space for five, a decent boot and a good balance between city and highway use.The Tata Sierra is a more interesting product with a more premium cabin and a more distinctive design, but it is a newer car with a shorter ownership track record and Tata’s service experience is still not as consistent as Maruti’s. For a family car under Rs.15 lakh, the Grand Vitara is the safer and more sensible choice.

Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara

Tata Sierra

autocar.india

•1h

Go for the Maruti Suzuki Brezza ZXI AT petrol. With your usage of less than 1,000km a month and 80% city driving in Bengaluru, the strong hybrid does not make financial sense unless you are getting a very substantial discount. The petrol automatic is smooth, reliable and well suited to city traffic, and the Brezza is a proven, fuss-free ownership proposition with Maruti’s service reach and low running costs. The Seltos HTK IVT and the Victoris VXI AT are good cars, but at Rs. 15 lakh ex-showroom you are at the lower end of their range and will be compromising on features, whereas the Brezza ZXI AT is a more complete package at that price point. The Seltos and Victoris are bigger, but not my much and the premium you pay does not justify the entry-level variants. The Brezza also has a comfortable rear seat and a decent boot, which will suit a family of four plus a pet dog and is a better deal overall.

Maruti Suzuki Brezza

Kia Seltos

Maruti Suzuki Victoris