Autocar India
AB

Amit Bodh

•13w

I am planning to buy my first car. My budget is a maximum of ₹7 lakh. I am thinking of Ignis, but I am also confused, as it has not received any major updates in a long time.

Autocar India team

Autocar India

Verified
•13w
The Maruti Suzuki Ignis, for some reason, never really clicked as a mainstream car and isn’t among Maruti-Suzuki’s big sellers. The quirky styling is not to everyone’s taste, and that’s probably why it hasn’t found mass appeal like the Maruti Suzuki Swift. That said, underneath it uses the same tried-and-tested 1.2-litre K-series petrol engine, so mechanically it’s proven and easy to live with.
In fact, the Ignis is quite an interesting car. The part-hatch, part-compact-SUV design gives it a distinct character, and the tall stance and good ground clearance are definite advantages on bad roads. It feels compact to drive, but you sit a bit higher than in a regular hatchback, which many first-time buyers appreciate.
The reason Maruti-Suzuki hasn’t updated it significantly is simple: average monthly sales of around 2,000 units are low by Maruti standards, so it doesn’t justify heavy investment. The company seems content to let it continue as a niche offering. That, however, shouldn’t dissuade you if you genuinely like the car. It’s reliable, relatively affordable to maintain and fits comfortably within your Rs 7 lakh on-road budget.
If you want something more mainstream and easier to resell later, you could also consider the Maruti Suzuki Wagon R or even the lower variants of the Swift, which are hugely popular. But if the Ignis appeals to you, there’s no strong reason to avoid it.
Maruti Suzuki Wagon R

Maruti Suzuki Wagon R

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Maruti Suzuki Ignis

Maruti Suzuki

Ignis

from ₹6.34 Lakh

Maruti Suzuki Wagon R

Maruti Suzuki

Wagon R

from ₹5.92 Lakh

Maruti Suzuki Swift

Maruti Suzuki

Swift

from ₹6.84 Lakh

SA

Satyajit

•13w

Don't worry about updates, just go for it. Honestly, if you are ok with a 3 cylinder car and 1000cc engine, the Renault Kiger is a good option in the budget, but has to be the Automatic varient. The manual is just horrible. But if you are a light driver, the suspension is really unmatched.

PG

Prateek Goyal

•13w

As you are buying your first car, I suggest going with the Ignis top-end. I have two Ignis cars at home: a manual Delta and an AMT Zeta. It's a value-for-money car, even better than the Wagon R. Plus, you will get a 4-cylinder engine. They have already started replacing 4-cylinder engines with 3-cylinder engines, and with this engine, there is some sound and a little bit of vibration.

AT

Amit Trivedi

•13w

There have been rumours that it might be replaced by XBEE or some other car from the Suzuki stable. I do not know if that is true. But I, too, am interested in the top trim MT of IGnis. My reasons are a small zippy car that is good on mountains and decent on highways. And a rear wiper and washer, smooth engine, low cost of ownership, projector headlamps, and a working fog light (halogen, not an LED one). This would be my second car and would be used personally, but mostly on open roads and highways. As an alternative, Baleno Delta, Fronx Sigma, and Swift VXi (opt) are there at a similar price. The i10 and Tiago/Punch I want to avoid for different reasons. What do you say, Autocar?

AV

Avilash

•13w

Bro definitely go for Ignis it's a great car. 4 cylinder rocks. You will really like it

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More questions on similar cars

JA

Jay

•4d

I am a first-time car buyer with a budget of Rs. 12 lakh. I would appreciate one suggestion each for an EV and an ICE vehicle, with different cars and not variants. My requirements are that the car should have an automatic transmission, a rear camera with parking guidelines, and should comfortably seat a family of four. It will be used primarily for city commutes, generally under 30 kilometers, and should have good air conditioning. I am absolutely flexible regarding rear AC vents and a blind spot monitor, as these are not necessary features. My EV options include the Tata Tiago EV 2026 facelift and the Tata Punch EV. My ICE options include the Suzuki Baleno, Hyundai i10, and Suzuki Swift. Please prioritize the EV option.

Autocar India team

Autocar India

Verified
•9h

Among the electric options, shortlist the Tata Punch EV. As an automatic, any EV will be far smoother than any comparable ICE vehicle. In the mid variants you get a rear camera with guidelines. And being a high-riding car, getting in and out is easy. The Punch EV is also comfy to seat four. From the ICE options, choose the Maruti Baleno AMT. It has the roomiest back seat, so space for four adults is better (than even the Punch EV), and its ride comfort is also nicer than the Swift or i10. Higher trims add the rear camera with guidelines, so just pick the one that fits your budget. Keep in mind that while the AMT gets you the convenience of an automatic, it will not feel as smooth or seamless as the EV.In summary, if you can arrange for home charging, pick the Punch EV. Else, the Baleno AMT is a good buy.

VehicleTata Punch EV
VehicleMaruti Suzuki Baleno
VehicleMaruti Suzuki Swift
SA

satish

•2d

I want to buy the new 2026 facelift version of the Tata Tiago. Is it a good option within this budget, or should I consider any other brands?

Autocar India team

Autocar India

Verified
•23h

The 2026 Tiago gets more cosmetic enhancements, new interiors and more features, and like the outgoing car, it feels very user-friendly, thanks to its light controls, compact size and good visibility all around. If you like the Tiago, go ahead with it.For similar money, you'll also get a Maruti Suzuki Wagon R, which has more cabin space, and its engines are also smoother and more efficient. You can also get a Hyundai Grand i10 Nios with a four-cylinder petrol engine which is more refined, and its controls are smoother than the Tata's. The Nios also has better interior quality and fit-finish.

VehicleTata Tiago
VehicleMaruti Suzuki Wagon R
VehicleHyundai Grand i10 Nios
PA

Prasheel Aradhya

•1w

Is the New Seltos safe as per Global NCAP?

Autocar India team

Autocar India

Verified
•5h

Global NCAP hasn't crash tested the new Seltos yet, but Bharat NCAP has, and the 2026 Kia Seltos has secured a 5-star safety rating. It scored 31.70 points out of 32 and 45 points out of 49 in adult and child occupant protection tests, respectively, which is an impressive feat.

VehicleKia Seltos

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Popular discussions right now

BA

Balaji

•6d

I am looking to buy a 6/7-seater EV. My primary usage will be as a 4-seater, with occasional 6-seater use. I will mainly drive it in the city for my daily office commute and undertake long-distance trips of around 500 km once every two months. I have a solar setup at home and can charge the vehicle comfortably. My budget is Rs 30-40 lakh, although I can stretch it slightly if required.

Autocar India team

Autocar India

Verified
•5d

You should go for the Mahindra XEV 9S. It's a proper three-row EV, and it fits your use case perfectly. With home solar charging, your running costs are very low, and the smooth, quiet drive is just right for city runs as a 4-seater. When you do need six or seven seats, the third row is reasonably spacious, and for your 500 km trip every couple of months, you’ll need just one quick top-up at a highway charger.Do note that with all three rows up, boot space is tight, so your highway trips will require some planning.Alternatively, consider the Kia Carens Clavis EV. It isn't as feature-rich and doesn't have as much range as the XEV 9S, but its third row is more comfortable for adults.

VehicleMahindra XEV 9S
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Abhishek Das

•3d

I am planning to purchase a new automatic car and am confused between the Honda Amaze ZX CVT and the Skoda Kylaq Signature Plus AT. My usage will be around 90% city driving, primarily for office commuting between Dwarka, Delhi and my office near IFFCO Chowk, Gurugram (approximately 25 km one way). However, I will not be driving daily, as I often use the Metro as well. The car will also be driven by my 69-year-old father, so ease of driving, comfort, visibility, ingress/egress, and reliability are important considerations. Our previous car was an Alto K10 Manual, so this will be our first automatic car and a significant upgrade. Considering my usage pattern, family profile and the fact that we intend to keep the car for a long period for around 10 years, which of these two would you recommend?

Autocar India team

Autocar India

Verified
•1d

Based on your requirement, we would recommend the Honda Amaze ZX CVT over the Skoda Kylaq Signature+ AT. The reason is that your priorities are not outright performance or driving excitement. You are looking for a car that will spend 90% of its life in city traffic, will also be driven by your 69-year-old father, and is expected to stay with the family for around 10 years. In that context, Amaze's strengths line up perfectly with your requirements. The CVT is smoother than the Kylaq's torque converter automatic in stop-and-go traffic, visibility is excellent, the car is easy to place on the road, ingress and egress are straightforward, and Honda's long-term reliability record is hard to fault. Coming from an Alto K10, it will already feel like a substantial upgrade in comfort, refinement and features.The Kylaq Signature Plus AT is the more desirable car from an enthusiast's perspective. The 1.0 TSI turbo petrol has more punch, the higher seating position is nice, and the overall package feels more substantial. However, it is also a larger vehicle to manoeuvre, and while the automatic is good, it is not quite as seamless in everyday traffic as Honda's CVT.Another point in Amaze's favour is that the ZX variant gets Honda Sensing ADAS, which adds useful safety features without making the car complicated to operate. Since your father will also be driving it, that extra layer of safety is a nice bonus.

VehicleHonda Amaze
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AM

Anshuman Mishra

•6d

I am planning to buy an automatic car for my family and am confused between the Kia Sonet and the Skoda Kylaq. Could you please advise which one would be the better choice and explain the pros and cons of each?

Autocar India team

Autocar India

Verified
•6d

Skoda Kylaq is the better family automatic, mainly because it gives you a bit more cabin and boot space and a calmer ride over bad roads. It feels more secure at highway speeds with a full load, and its turbo engine with the automatic pulls cleanly, so hills and quick overtakes are easy even with the AC on. The petrol Kylaq automatic uses a torque convertor gearbox which is also smoother than the dual clutch unit on the Sonet so it would fare better in city traffic. Kia Sonet makes sense if you want more features and need Kia’s service reach which is wider. For weekend trips with four on board it will do the job too, but rear seat width and long-journey comfort are not its strong points and within a year it will get a major update, thus buying it now would not be ideal.

VehicleSkoda Kylaq
VehicleKia Sonet

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Posted on: 4 Mar 2026