I want to buy a new car for daily drive ( ~20km) & once or twice a year long drive (~1000km). Looking within a budget of 30-40lacs max - a bit of luxury wanted as I'm in my mid-40s & from the medical profession.

Autocar India

•1d

The Skoda Yeti was a unique and very special SUV, and there's nothing quite like it on the market anymore. In fact, the entire Rs 30-40 lakh space is virtually empty at the moment, with only a few electric cars filling it, and diesel options on the whole are becoming fewer by the day.You should definitely retain the Yeti for as long as you can, but with the knowledge that it will become more difficult and expensive to maintain with each passing year. 130,000km is a lot of mileage, and the model has long been discontinued globally, after all.Your best bet in that price range that will give you something close to that tough, adventurous feel the Yeti was so good at delivering is the Jeep Meridian. Like the Yeti, it feels solid yet luxurious, has a strong diesel engine and comes with the option of 4x4; the advantage here is that it gets an automatic option as well.

Jeep Meridian

Autocar India

•6h

Go for the Honda City ZX CVT. For chauffeur‑driven parents, it offers the comfiest rear bench, ample legroom, and a smooth CVT for Bengaluru traffic within your ₹20-21 lakh budget.Rear comfort is its strength: the 2,600 mm wheelbase helps knee-room, the rear seat is well-cushioned with good thigh support, and the ride is tuned soft for long trips. The 506‑litre boot easily swallows luggage for highway runs. ZX adds 6 airbags and ADAS with adaptive cruise control, useful on long highways. The CVT’s smooth creep and no shift‑shock make occasional city use easy. Versus your shortlist, Elevate’s rear bench feels upright, while Slavia/Virtus ride firmer and are more driver‑centric for back‑seat comfort.The one thing you give up is ground clearance in comparison to the Elevate. Also, if getting in and out is a concern, the Elevate's high-set seats would make it easier. A test drive should sort that out. For now, we recommend the City for its hassle-free ownership experience, reliability and most of all, a refined and comfortable cabin.

Honda City

Honda Elevate

Skoda Slavia

Volkswagen Virtus

Autocar India

•8h

We would recommend sticking to the Maruti family and upgrading to the new Swift. The Swift, in its ZXI AMT guise, will fit in your budget and deliver your requirements. It is compact, which makes it easy to handle, and has enough power at 82hp for the city and the highway from the 1.2-litre engine.In terms of efficiency, the AMT version returns 12.7kpl in the city and 19.7kpl on the highway. The AMT is one of the nicer versions in the segment and makes light work of city driving. The ride comfort is good too, and the Swift is tuned for bumpy Indian roads. The ZXI will also get you a good kit like 15-inch alloy wheels, touchscreen infotainment with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless charging and rear AC vents.

Maruti Suzuki Swift