I currently drive a manual Baleno and am considering upgrading to a reliable automatic SUV for easier ingress and egress. I prefer a 360° camera, but I would like to avoid a sunroof, as I feel it's a costly feature that I won't use. Please suggest a car with good city mileage and an on-road price below ₹18 lakh.

autocar.india

•47m

Go for a new Nissan Magnite, at your Rs. 10 lakh budget, you will get a decently equipped variant. As a sub-4 meter SUV, you will find the car easy to manage within the city and on the highway. The suspension delivers a stable ride, making it a confident cruiser. This is something you will appreciate on your twice-a-year long drive. You can also consider the Hyundai Exter. This Hyundai car is smaller in size, but that would make it a bit easier to park, and it's also more refined and within your budget, you will get a variant with all the basic features.

Nissan Magnite

Hyundai Exter

autocar.india

•2h

For an electric car to deliver a real-world range of 500 km or more, it needs a fairly large battery. Since the battery is the single most expensive component in an EV, a larger pack directly increases the price. That’s why options with a claimed 500+ km range typically sit well above the Rs 20 lakh mark.Within your budget, choices are limited, but the closest fit is the Maruti e-Vitara Zeta. It gets a 61 kWh battery with a claimed range of 543 km (MIDC), and its on-road price is just over Rs 18 lakh, depending on the state.The e-Vitara comes across as a sensible, no-nonsense EV. It focuses on efficiency, ease of use and is backed by Maruti Suzuki’s widespread service network, which remains a strong advantage, especially for first-time EV buyers or those outside major metros.That said, there are a couple of compromises to be aware of. The boot space is on the smaller side, and rear seat space isn’t particularly generous for a car of this size. Also, as with most EVs, real-world range will be lower than the claimed figure, so expect closer to around 450 to 470 km depending on driving conditions.If your priority is genuinely achieving 500 km in everyday use, you may need to stretch your budget slightly or consider upcoming models. Otherwise, the e-Vitara remains one of the most practical options currently available near this price point.

Maruti Suzuki e Vitara

autocar.india

•2h

For your wife, consider the Hyundai Exter. At 5'1", she will benefit from its good all-round visibility, light steering and compact dimensions, which make it very easy to manoeuvre in city traffic and tight parking spaces. This Hyundai car also gets driver's seat height adjustment from the base trim, which will be very handy for your wife. The AMT gearbox is smooth enough for daily commuting, and the car is very easy to drive. Fuel efficiency is decent; expect 9 to 10kpl in the city and 15kpl on the highway.If you want something a bit more efficient, consider the Maruti Suzuki Swift. In our testing we managed 12.7kpl in the city and 19kpl on the highway with the AGS. However, height adjustment for the driver's seat is only available on the ZXi trim onwards.Overall, the Hyundai Exter AMT is the better fit for your requirements. It is simple, reliable, easy to drive and well-suited to both city use and occasional highway trips.

Hyundai Exter

Maruti Suzuki Swift