I am looking to buy a second-hand car within a budget of Rs 3 lakh. My usage is very low and limited to short family trips on weekends. We are a family of four. What should I buy?

autocar.india

•6h

It isn't clear from your question whether your 4,000-5,000 km highway usage is per year or per month, and whether you have a home charging provision. If your monthly usage is high, and you have a charging provision, the Clavis EV is a no-brainer. You can expect a real-world range of around 350km (on the highway), and with 60kW DC fast charging along the way, you can easily add 100km of additional range in 30 minutes. However, with a home charging, your running costs will be much lower than public charging.On the other hand, if your 4,000-5,000 km is annual usage, pick the Kia Carens Clavis petrol - the fuel bill difference won’t recover the EV’s higher price premium for a long time, so you’re paying more up front for savings you may not fully use. For long highway runs, the simple truth is petrol gives you certainty - five-minute refuels anywhere and no planning around chargers, especially while travelling with family on board.

Kia Carens Clavis EV

Kia Carens Clavis

autocar.india

•7h

Pick the Tata Nexon EV 45. It fits your Rs. 18 lakh on-road target, is super easy to drive and park, and its high seating and ground clearance take bad roads and speed breakers in stride. For your moderate use, the larger 45kWh battery is enough for a week of city runs, and those occasional roadtrips with just one planned charge stop, and Tata’s charging and service network is the widest right now, which makes EV life simpler outside big cities. It is light on upkeep, too - no oil changes, fewer wear parts, and Tata’s EV service costs have been reasonable.

Tata Nexon EV

autocar.india

•11h

Get the Skoda Kushaq 1.0 TSI automatic because, for Bangalore, it nails the tough-build, sorted ride and sharp handling you asked for while staying near Rs.15 lakh ex-showroom in Signature trim. The turbo-petrol engine has real shove at city speeds, so gaps are easy to exploit, and on your twice-a-year highway runs it cruises calmly with enough punch for quick overtakes. It feels solid, has strong crash-test ratings, and its suspension handles broken roads and speed breakers without the nervous bounce you get in some rivals.Go for the automatic over the manual since it will make your life a lot easier in heavy Bengaluru traffic. NVH levels are generally good; at idle, the three-cylinder thrum is a bit audible, but it fades once you're moving.Alternatively, consider the Kia Seltos 1.5-litre petrol IVT in HTK (O) trim. It fits your budget, is a physically larger car with more interior space than the Kushaq, and is very smooth and effortless to drive in the city. The catch is that it won't have the turbo-petrol punch of the Kushaq on the highway. Test-drive both to see which you prefer.

Skoda Kushaq

Kia Seltos