I am planning to buy a car for my 22-year-old son, who will primarily be driving in the city in Mumbai. He has just learned to drive. Should I go for a new or a used car? My budget is below ₹20 lakh.

Autocar India

•59s

We would recommend you shortlist the Skoda Kylaq 1.0 Turbo-AT and the Hyundai Venue N Line 1.0 Turbo-AT. Given that your son has only recently learnt to drive, it will be better to buy him a 'relatively' compact car that's both user-friendly. It has a good audio system, and at the same time has the 'cool' factor that a young driver would be looking for.

Both the Kylaq and Venue N Line fit the bill. Also, the 1.0-litre turbo-petrol engines in these cars will be adequately powerful and fun to drive, without feeling overwhelming for a new driver.

A hatchback alternative that you could consider is the Hyundai i20 N Line Turbo-DCT, which should cost you around Rs 14 lakh for the top-end version.

All these will comfortably fall within your Rs 20 lakh budget with some cash to spare, which you could utilise to upgrade the vehicle down the line, once he has mastered the art of driving, and wants a bigger car.

Explore cars mentioned

Skoda

Kylaq

from ₹8.62 Lakh

Hyundai

i20

from ₹6.66 Lakh

Hyundai

Venue

from ₹9.07 Lakh

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Aarti B

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I am a beginner driver and am planning to buy a car with a budget of around ₹15 lakh. My primary usage will be city driving for personal use. I am looking for a car that is easy to drive, safe, and offers a smooth driving experience.

Autocar India

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Hyundai Venue 1.0-litre Turbo-DCT - the drive experience is smooth, ride comfort is good, steering is light, and on account of its raised seating position, visibility is good too. All of these factors make it very user-friendly and ideal for a new driver. Alternatively, you could also consider a Skoda Kylaq 1.0 Turbo-AT, which feels as good, although its service network isn't as wide as Hyundai's. You'll be happy to know that both Venue and Kylaq have scored 5 stars in BNCAP crash tests.

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Dr Prodipta Roy

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We are driving diesel since 2009, Ritz followed by ecosport. Unfortunately lost the ecosport last month after a bad accident. Am 62+, retired, live in outskirts of hosur, in a village. Driving restricted to maximum 500 km per month, most trips to bangalore and hosur, occasionally beyond. Need suggestion for a petrol automatic with sturdy build, high ground clearance, easy to maintain and easy to get in and out option. Budget onroad 15lks. Don't want to miss out the robustness of ecosport. Sub 4 meter SUV category is the band of choice. Kindly suggest options.

Autocar India

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Pick the Skoda Kylaq Prestige+ AT. For your use and budget, it feels like the best upgrade from your EcoSport.You drive mostly to Hosur and Bengaluru, at low monthly distance, so the smooth 6-speed automatic suits you well. It moves off briskly, has no jerks in slow traffic, and makes city driving simple. The Kylaq sits high and the seats are at a nice height, so getting in and out is easy. Ground clearance is good for village roads and speed breakers, and the suspension handles broken patches without fuss. It also has a strong 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine that will feel like a good upgrade from a diesel. Coming from an EcoSport, the Kylaq feels sturdy, and for a bit of peace of mind, it has achieved a 5-star Bharat NCAP crash test rating.For another alternative, look at the Mahindra XUV 3XO AX5 Luxury AT. It too is robustly built and safe, but it may stretch your on-road budget and isn't quite as refined as the Skoda.

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Malwinde Singh

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I am planning to buy a new car with a budget of ₹12-13 lakh. My usage will be primarily city driving

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Go for the Hyundai i20 Sportz IVT automatic for your 12-13 lakh budget and mostly city driving, it is the easiest and most stress-free choice right now. The IVT is Hyundai-speak for a CVT automatic gearbox, and it's a smooth and seamless unit. The car is compact, the steering is light, and visibility is good, which makes driving in tight lanes and parking simple. It rides well over speed breakers and broken patches, and Hyundai’s big service network means ownership is easy in most cities.One thing to be aware of: if you often go with five adults, it will feel tight as the back seat is best for two.If you prefer a taller car with a higher seating position, more ground clearance and a punchier engine, look at the Nissan Magnite Turbo CVT. If you have access to home charging and mostly go on short city trips, the Tata Punch EV is also a great option with low running costs.

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