I am planning to buy my first luxury car for a family of three. My priorities are safety first, then luxury. My monthly running in the city will be around 200-300 km. I’m confused between the new Volvo S90, the ES90, and the Lexus 300h. I want a car without a sunroof, but with ventilation for both front and rear seats, and good under-thigh support in the back seat. Please advise.

Autocar India

•9h

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

•10h

If you have home charging available, the Mahindra XEV 9e Pack 2 makes a lot of sense. Electric cars are extremely smooth in city traffic, offer instant torque and have much lower running costs compared to petrol SUVs.However, if home charging is not easily available and you prefer the convenience of quick refuelling for occasional long trips, the Mahindra XUV 7XO automatic is the safer and simpler choice. It removes the need to plan charging stops and will feel more convenient for highway travel.Choose the XEV 9e if you have home charging and want lower running costs with a smoother city drive. Choose the XUV 7XO automatic if you want maximum convenience for long trips without worrying about charging.

Mahindra XEV 9e

Mahindra XUV 7XO

Autocar India

•11h

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