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Kartik Chaudhary

8w

My father is currently using a 2016 Maruti Swift. In 10 years, he has driven only 60,000 km. We are just planning to upgrade. The car will be driven 80% in the city & 20% on the highways. We prefer Indian or German brands, as we want a solidly built car this time (no Korean or Japanese models). So please suggest a car under an 8 lakh budget. Preference SUV petrol MT.

Autocar India team

Autocar India

Verified
7w
The Tata Punch is your best bet. It feels tough, ride comfort is good, and highway stability is impressive, too. On the whole, it is a practical and user-friendly sub-compact SUV. The only downside is its petrol engine, which feels a bit lacklustre.
Tata Punch

Tata Punch

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Latest questions people are discussing

SM

SM

1d

I am looking for a compact car under ₹6 lakh. I am open to buying either a new car or a second-hand one, but my main condition is that the car should not have very low or very high seating, as there is a knee problem in the family. Please suggest which car would be a good option to buy within this budget.

Autocar India team

Autocar India

Verified
23h

For your needs, either the Tata Punch or the Maruti Suzuki Ignis would be a good option. The Tata Punch sits at a comfortable height, and its doors open up to almost 90 degrees, which makes ingress and egress easier. The seating position is also not too tall, so it should feel comfortable even for someone with knee issues.If you want something that feels more spacious, especially in the rear seat, then the Ignis ticks all the boxes as well. Its 1.2-litre four-cylinder engine is smoother, more responsive and nicer to drive too.To buy these cars brand new, even the base variants will be slightly above ₹6 lakh on-road. If you are okay with stretching the budget a little, you can go ahead with a new car. Also, you can consider used versions of higher variants within your budget.

VehicleTata Punch
VehicleMaruti Suzuki Ignis
AS

Ashish

1w

Hi Autocar Expert, I currently own a Tata Nexon XZA diesel and am planning to upgrade. However, I have a major parking constraint at my home. I am interested in the Toyota Innova Hycross, but if it is parked in my parking space, the doors cannot be opened properly due to limited space. Because of this, I am considering buying a car that offers an automatic or self-parking feature. Could you please guide me on which cars offer this feature and would suit my situation?

Autocar India team

Autocar India

Verified
18h

Auto parking might not solve your problem if your parking space is too narrow to open the doors. The summon feature that the Tata Harrier EV gets could be of some use, but it won’t fit your requirements if you need a three-row vehicle like the Toyota Innova Hycross.Instead, we suggest you take a look at the Kia Carens Clavis. It is narrower than the Hycross by about 45-50mm and is roughly the same width as your Nexon, so it should fit in your parking space. In terms of interior volume, while it is not as spacious as the Hycross, it offers plenty of room in the second row and a genuinely usable third row.

VehicleTata Harrier EV
VehicleToyota Innova HyCross
VehicleKia Carens Clavis
VA

Vaibhav

5d

I currently own a 2012 Hyundai i10 Era and am planning to upgrade to an SUV. My budget is ₹15-17 lakh (on-road). My annual driving is around 3,000 km, mostly in the city with occasional long drives. My priorities are low maintenance, good mileage, and better rear seat and boot space. I am more inclined towards an automatic transmission and would also prefer ADAS Level 2 features. At the moment, I am considering the Hyundai Venue HX10 and the Honda Elevate ZX. I am not considering Tata or Mahindra models. Could you share your opinion on choosing automatic versus manual transmission for city driving in a place like Ahmedabad? Also, how useful are ADAS features in city traffic? Please suggest any alternative models based on your experience.

Autocar India team

Autocar India

Verified
18h

Since most of your driving is in the city, an automatic gearbox makes the most sense. Compared to a manual, it brings a lot more convenience and generally makes driving less stressful. ADAS is good to have, but it should be treated as an added safety net rather than something you depend on completely.Between your two choices, the Hyundai Venue is a compact SUV, and the Honda Elevate is a midsize SUV. Naturally, the Elevate is the larger of the two, but if you want ADAS, you will need to opt for the top ZX trim, which costs around Rs 19.5 lakh on-road, putting it out of your price range. The new Venue HX10 with the turbo-petrol DCT combination is a good fit for your budget and even has more ADAS features than the Elevate. However, it cannot match the larger Elevate in terms of interior space, which is why we also suggest you take a look at the Kia Syros.In the compact SUV segment, it is the most spacious vehicle. It uses the same powertrain and has most of the same ADAS features as the Venue. It is more expensive than the Venue, but it also gets features like a panoramic sunroof and ventilated rear seats.

VehicleHyundai Venue
VehicleHonda Elevate

Posted on: 22 Jan 2026