Looking to buy a vehicle for city use with a daily running of 40-50 km and a budget below 20 lakhs. My top priority is back seat comfort, as it will be chauffeur-driven since my wife doesn’t drive. Vehicle safety is also a top priority. I am open to any body style. Kindly suggest.

autocar.india

•5h

With a budget of Rs 18-20 lakh, a monthly running of around 500 km and a mix of city and highway driving, the Maruti Suzuki Victoris Hybrid is the most fuel-efficient option. The strong hybrid system delivers excellent fuel efficiency in both city and highway conditions, while the automatic gearbox is smooth and easy to live with. The Victoris also offers a comfortable ride, good rear-seat space and a strong safety package, though at your budget, you are looking at an entry-level trim.For your running, the Kia Seltos IVT is a better alternative. It isn't as efficient as the Victoris Hybrid but offers a more premium and feature-rich cabin. The IVT gearbox is seamless in operation, and the 1.5-litre NA engine is very refined, making it a very relaxed car to drive in the city.The Tata Sierra is also worth considering if comfort and space are your top priorities. It offers a very comfortable ride and a spacious cabin.Overall, if fuel efficiency is your absolute top priority, then the Victoris Hybrid is a solid choice. But otherwise, the Kia car is a more rounded package with a good balance of fuel efficiency, comfort, features, safety and long-term ownership experience.

Maruti Suzuki Victoris

Kia Seltos

Tata Sierra

autocar.india

•6h

Check out the Kia Carens Clavis, which, within your budget, gives you the most options in terms of engines and gearboxes to suit your needs. You could choose the punchy turbo petrol, or if fuel economy is a bigger concern, the smooth and refined diesel. Either should be good at handling uphill traffic, though if you're looking at an automatic gearbox, be advised that the turbo-petrol's DCT will fumble a bit on hill starts. Overall, it is a high-quality, spacious and practical seven-seater with reasonable maintenance costs and good reliability.If you want the ultimate hassle-free experience, though, get a Maruti Suzuki Ertiga, which will also be more fuel efficient than the Carens petrol. However, it won't have as many bells and whistles, nor the same premium interior as the Kia car.

Kia Carens Clavis

Maruti Suzuki Ertiga

autocar.india

•21h

Considering your usage, CNG car would be a better fit. While an electric car will be cheaper to run, the charging network in rural areas is patchy, which will limit your usage. CNG is more readily available where you are and, on longer trips where you don't find a pump, you can still revert to petrol.In your budget, the Maruti Suzuki Victoris is a solid choice. It comes with a dual-tank setup, so the boot is only slightly smaller than the petrol version. Maruti has also done a good job of tuning the car to run on CNG and its service network is the largest in the country. The downside is that highway performance on CNG will feel a bit dull, requiring a downshift for an overtake.Alternatively, you could continue with a diesel car, as you are already comfortable with that. Running costs will be higher than on CNG, but availability of diesel is not an issue and you avoid the queues at CNG stations. In your budget, the Kia Seltos diesel is the best bet. The manual will be fine for your use, but an automatic is available if you wish. The Creta diesel offers a similar experience, but Hyundai has a wider service network than Kia.Overall, the Victoris CNG makes the most sense for your needs but, if you want a bit more punch on the highway, the Seltos diesel is a good fit.

Maruti Suzuki Victoris

Hyundai Creta

Kia Seltos