Howrah

•14w

I want to buy my first car and am looking for a CNG option, as my daily travel is around 50 km. My budget is between Rs. 10 lakh and 11 lakh. I am quite confused between the Tata Punch CNG, Hyundai Exter CNG, and Tata Nexon CNG (if I stretch my budget a bit), as I do not want to compromise on boot space. Kindly suggest the best car in this segment. I have also heard that the Maruti Suzuki Brezza may come with a dual-cylinder setup similar to the Maruti Suzuki Victoris. Should I wait for it as I am planning to purchase the car by August 2026.

•14w

If you can stretch your budget, go for the Nexon CNG, as it has two key advantages. For one, as you mentioned, it has the bigger boot, and thanks to the dual-cylinder setup (as in the Punch and Exter too) lets you use most of the space effectively. Secondly, it uses a turbocharged engine, which addresses a big complaint with CNG cars, namely a lack of power. It also has far more space in the cabin which makes it a proper five seater, whereas the Exter and Punch will not be as comfy for rear passengers. The disadvantage, of course, is that even with a small budget stretch, you will still only get a mid-range variant of the Nexon CNG, but you should still get all the essentials. The Punch and Exter CNG will be available in their top-spec variants in your budget, and the Punch even gets an AMT option. However, this being your first car, we feel the bigger Nexon will feel like more of a statement while still keeping running costs in check. Yes, it's likely the Brezza facelift will get a dual-cylinder CNG setup, and it should launch before August, but how it will be priced remains unknown.

Explore cars mentioned

Tata

Punch

from ₹6.19 Lakh

Tata

Nexon

from ₹7.96 Lakh

Hyundai

Exter

from ₹6.25 Lakh

•13w•

Kia seltos petrol or diesel

•13w•

You should wait for the new brezza, if not go for the nexon cng as it offers a turbocharged engine and has the identical torque of 170 Nm like the regular petrol. Yes power is down a bit at 100hp but I think that will be enough for most situations.

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•1d

I’m planning to purchase a car that can accommodate 3-4 adults. There will be some city driving, but high-traffic conditions will be less frequent. I will also be taking occasional family trips of 300-1,000 km, possibly slightly more, on plains and hilly terrain such as Himachal and Jammu & Kashmir, but not Ladakh. I’m not looking for rapid acceleration, but I do want decent pulling power with the AC switched on, usually at around 24-25°C. I currently have an old Maruti Alto (not the K10 series). I haven’t taken it to Himachal, but it performs okay on moderately hilly terrain with the AC on mildly. Would the Tata Punch petrol manual be a decent purchase? What about the AMT version? I’m concerned that it might feel underpowered. Or would the Tata Punch petrol be a better option? What other options would you suggest? My first choice is to keep my budget between Rs. 10-11 lakh on-road, though I could stretch it by another Rs. 2-3 lakh if essential. Thanks in advance.

•9h

For your usage, the Punch petrol manual would be a better fit than the Altroz petrol. Its 193mm ground clearance and good ride quality make it better suited to Himachal and Jammu & Kashmir roads, while the 88hp 1.2-litre petrol has enough pulling power for three to four adults as long as expectations are realistic.The Punch AMT would not be our pick for this usage. The 1.2 petrol is already not particularly strong when fully loaded and climbing, and the AMT can feel slow when you need a quick response. The turbo petrol is considerably stronger at 120hp and 170Nm, but it is manual only, so the 1.2 manual is the sensible choice if you want to stay close to Rs 10-11 lakh.If you are willing to stretch towards Rs 12 lakh, the Skoda Kylaq 1.0 TSI AT would also be worth considering, particularly if you want stronger highway performance and an automatic.

I am looking for a car with a budget below Rs 10 lakh. My usage will be mostly on highways, with a 500-600 km trip to my native place and back from Bangalore approximately once every two months. I don’t need the car much for daily city commuting, as my office is nearby. I have shortlisted the Maruti Swift, Maruti Baleno, Toyota Glanza, and Hyundai i20. Considering my usage, I would like to know which car would be the best overall, especially in terms of: Highway comfort and stability Low body roll Low driver/passenger fatigue on long journeys Comfortable suspension and seats Highway performance and overtaking ability Safety and build quality Fuel efficiency Ease of driving for a beginner If there are any other cars under Rs 10 lakh that you think would suit my requirements better, please suggest those as well. I would like to keep them in consideration.

•4d

For your usage pattern, the Maruti Baleno or Toyota Glanza would be the most sensible choices. Both cars are essentially the same underneath, so the decision comes down to dealership experience and after-sales support in your area. The Baleno/Glanza offer a more spacious cabin than the Maruti Suzuki Swift, making them better suited to long-distance highway runs, and now get the same 3-cylinder engine too - the Toyota Glanza facelift is soon to launch. The suspension is well-tuned for Indian roads, and the seats are comfortable enough for extended journeys, which will help reduce fatigue on your 500-600 km trips.The Hyundai i20 is also a strong contender, with a more premium interior and a slightly more planted feel at higher speeds. However, the Baleno/Glanza has a more spacious rear seat and better fuel efficiency, which makes it a more practical choice for your requirements. In terms of safety, all three cars offer similar levels of equipment, but this Hyundai Car feels slightly more solidly built.If you are open to considering other options, the Tata Altroz is worth a look. It has a 5-star Global NCAP safety rating, a solid build, and good highway stability. And if you stretch your budget slightly, you can get the diesel engine, which will be hugely beneficial on the highway in terms of performance and mileage, and is also better than the Altroz's own petrol engine.It's worth noting that all the hatchbacks you've shortlisted use naturally aspirated 1.2-litre petrol engines, which, though adequate, might feel lacking out on the highway, where you will do most of your driving. Thus, we would also recommend checking out some turbo-petrol options that fall in your price range, such as the Nissan Magnite, Renault Kiger, Renault Triber, Hyundai i20 N-Line and Tata Punch, which all meet your needs well.

Hi, I am planning to buy a CNG SUV and am considering the Tata Nexon CNG and Maruti Suzuki Brezza CNG. I will be driving around 150km every day for office, so my main concerns are fuel economy and maintenance costs. Many people have suggested the Brezza because of its mileage and lower running costs, but Tata is also a large company and has a wide service network. So, why do buyers generally recommend the Brezza over the Nexon CNG? I personally prefer the Nexon, but I am confused about whether it would be the right choice for my daily usage. Which one would make more sense for my requirements?

•3d

Go with the Tata Nexon CNG if that is your preference. At 150 km daily, CNG is the right fuel choice, and both the Nexon and Maruti Suzuki Brezza are factory CNG cars, so reliability and safety are not a concern. The Nexon CNG is a strong product with good performance, a comfortable ride and a well-equipped cabin. The reason many people suggest the Brezza is Maruti's reputation for low maintenance costs, wide service reach and a long-standing reputation for hassle-free ownership. The Brezza CNG is also a very reliable and efficient package. However, the Nexon CNG is the more modern car and feels more premium inside.At 150 km daily, the key is to choose the car you will enjoy driving every day. The Nexon CNG is a solid choice, and there is no reason to change your decision.

Tata Nexon

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•2d

I am confused between Creta SX IVT and Elevate CVT for 8000 km of annual running with long trips of 1200 km 3-4 times in a year for a family of 4. Apart from this, day to day usage is less than 100km per month. I am looking for a car for long term ownership and travel comfort.

•2d

The Creta SX IVT is the better fit for your requirement. It offers a quieter, more refined cabin, comfortable rear seats and a smoother CVT, which are particularly valuable when spending several hours on the highway with four people and luggage. Autocar's long term experience with the Creta petrol IVT also found it refined, comfortable and particularly well suited to road trips.The Honda Elevate CVT has advantages of its own. Its 220mm ground clearance, long travel suspension and large 458-litre boot make it particularly good on poor roads, while its naturally aspirated 1.5-litre engine and CVT make for a relatively simple powertrain. However, the cabin is noticeably noisier, particularly when accelerating hard, and the CVT can produce the typical rubber band effect.

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•19h

Hi Autocar Team, I am confused between the XUV 7XO AX7T diesel manual and automatic. My current ride is a Fluidic Verna diesel manual, which is nearing 15 years of ownership and has clocked nearly 2.5 lakh km. My usage consists of mixed city and highway driving, with around 40km daily and weekend highway runs of about 400km. For long-term ownership, which would be the better choice: the manual or automatic?

•17h

Go for the XUV 7XO AX7T diesel automatic. The diesel engine is well suited to your high running, and the automatic gearbox is a proven torque converter unit that is reliable and well matched to the engine. This Mahindra car will make your daily city driving far less tiring, while still being smooth and efficient on the highway. Coming from a 15-year-old Hyundai Verna diesel manual, the automatic will feel like a significant upgrade in terms of comfort and ease of use, without compromising on long-term reliability. The manual is still a good option if you strongly prefer the engagement, but for your usage and ownership horizon, the automatic is the smarter choice.

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•2d

I have a budget of Rs. 16 lakh and I am getting Victoris ZXI AT and Creta S (O) iVT automatic in petrol. My monthly running is around 1000 km. Please suggest as this will be my first car.

•2d

Go for the Maruti Suzuki Victoris ZXI automatic. It is a well-rounded SUV with a reliable naturally aspirated petrol engine, a smooth automatic gearbox and Maruti's extensive service network, which makes ownership stress free. The Creta S Optional IVT is a good car, but at this price point you are getting a lower variant with fewer features, whereas the Victoris ZXI is a higher trim with a better overall value proposition. The Victoris also offers a comfortable ride, good fuel efficiency and a hassle-free ownership experience, which is exactly what you want from your first car.

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