Autocar India
•17w

I wish to purchase an ICE vehicle in the Rs. 8-10 lakh price range during this Diwali. I have shortlisted the Hyundai i20, Maruti Suzuki Baleno, and Honda Amaze. My monthly driving is around 900-1,100 km, with approximately 60% highway usage and 40% city driving. My priorities are engine refinement, safety, and low maintenance costs. I am not interested in Tata vehicles, and I would also prefer to avoid brands such as Renault, Citroën, and Nissan, as they do not have service centres in my district. Based on these requirements, which car would you recommend?

Verified
•17w

Go for the Honda Amaze. The Amaze has a full 5-star crash safety rating from Bharat NCAP, and the sedan feels stable on the highways. This Honda car comes with a 1.2 i‑VTEC petrol engine that is peppy and smooth, and Honda’s service costs stay sensible over time. The big boot makes road trips easier, and its ride keeps passengers comfortable on mixed roads. Mid trims should sit close to your Rs. 8-10 lakh window.

One catch with the Amaze is the power. With a full load, you will need a downshift for quick overtakes, and this petrol car gets a bit vocal when revved hard. If that is fine, it best fits what you want: a smooth engine, stable and confident on the highway, and low, predictable maintenance from a brand with a wide network. The Honda Amaze price starts at Rs 7.51 lakh (ex-showroom).

Honda Amaze

Honda Amaze

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•1w

Hi, I want to buy my last car as I am 66 years old. I have been driving a Honda City for the last 12 years without any major hiccup. The Honda City engine and its reliability is excellent although its ground clearance is an issue. I have looked at Elevate and given its ground clearance as an SUV, I am impressed although the issues on E20 and abrupt blending issues are surely technical issues. Windsor EV was a great test drive but all controls on screen could be a bottleneck for me at my age and am planning to move to an automatic. Please recommend as experts. My monthly running will not be more than 500 km. Should I also look at Seltos. I will appreciate a feedback from experts. I want a reliable, easy to drive car with low maintenance cost and good family value with. There won't be any great pick ups or many highway drives will not be there.

Verified
•6d

Given your 12 years of trouble free City ownership, the Elevate is the most natural replacement. It retains Honda’s simple 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine, adds substantially better ground clearance and gives you the easier ingress and SUV driving position you liked. The CVT is also very well suited to your low speed, low running usage and should make the transition to an automatic easy.On your E20 concern, we would not treat it as a reason to avoid the Elevate. Honda says all its cars manufactured in India since January 2009 are E20 material compatible, and the current Elevate is officially certified for E20. Honda also says E20 should not cause durability concerns or require any component changes. There can be a marginal reduction in fuel economy because ethanol contains less energy than petrol, but with your 500km monthly running, that is unlikely to be significant.The Seltos is worth a look, particularly if you want a more feature rich and premium cabin, but given your priorities of reliability, easy driving, low maintenance and long term ownership, the Elevate fits your requirements more naturally. The Windsor EV is also an interesting option, but at just 500km a month, there is little financial reason to move to an EV, especially when you have concerns about its touchscreen heavy interface.

VehicleHonda City
VehicleHonda Elevate
VehicleMG Windsor
VehicleKia Seltos

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Posted on: 3 Jun 2026