We are planning to buy our first car under ₹10 lakhs. I am new to driving and learned in a driving school. Once I become comfortable, I will train my father and brother to drive as well. We drive occasionally and are located in a rural area, with occasional trips to suburban (10-15 km) and urban (40 km) areas. I need a fuel-efficient, low-maintenance, and safe car. I am considering the Alto, Wagon R, or Punch. I plan to keep the car for more than 10 years. Please advise.

Autocar India

•4w

The Tata Punch is a good option for you. The car is small and, for new drivers, will be easy to manage. It also scores well on the safety front - which is one of your priorities - with a 5-star BNCAP crash rating.

However, since you are also looking for fuel efficiency, low maintenance and want to keep the car for more than 10 years, we think the Maruti Suzuki Celerio would be a good option. While it may not match the crash safety score of the Punch, it still managed a 3-star GNCAP rating, which is good given that you will not be using the car mainly on highways.

Moreover, it would better meet your requirements of fuel efficiency and low maintenance, something the Maruti Suzuki brand has consistently delivered on. Also, it is a car that is easy to drive and is quite spacious inside.

Explore cars mentioned

Tata

Punch

from ₹6.22 Lakh

Maruti Suzuki

Celerio

from ₹5.25 Lakh

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Latest questions in the community

•1d

I am looking for a compact car under ₹6 lakh. I am open to buying either a new car or a second-hand one, but my main condition is that the car should not have very low or very high seating, as there is a knee problem in the family. Please suggest which car would be a good option to buy within this budget.

Autocar India

•22h

For your needs, either the Tata Punch or the Maruti Suzuki Ignis would be a good option. The Tata Punch sits at a comfortable height, and its doors open up to almost 90 degrees, which makes ingress and egress easier. The seating position is also not too tall, so it should feel comfortable even for someone with knee issues.If you want something that feels more spacious, especially in the rear seat, then the Ignis ticks all the boxes as well. Its 1.2-litre four-cylinder engine is smoother, more responsive and nicer to drive too.To buy these cars brand new, even the base variants will be slightly above ₹6 lakh on-road. If you are okay with stretching the budget a little, you can go ahead with a new car. Also, you can consider used versions of higher variants within your budget.

Tata Punch

Maruti Suzuki Ignis

srikanth p

•1d

We are expecting the HX10 turbo manual Verna. Is it possible?

Autocar India

•1h

Hyundai has only introduced the HX8 variant of the Verna with the turbo-petrol-manual combination, and if the company sees substantial demand for the top-end, it could possibly be introduced down the line, but not in the near future.The good news is that even the HX8 variant is well-equipped, with a vast list of features including Level 2 ADAS. The only additional features the HX10 variant gets are 7-airbags, 360-degree camera, blind-view monitor, 4-way powered front passenger seat, powered boss mode for the front passenger seat and a 10.25-inch digital driver's display. If you can live without these features, the HX8 is a great option to consider.

Hyundai Verna

Ankit

•1d

Hi, first of all, thanks to Autocar for always replying to each query. I am looking for an automatic car. It should have a peppy engine and be fun to drive with proper safety. I will be driving my car mostly in the city and occasionally on the highway on weekends. I prefer petrol. I already own a Kia Sonet iMT. Kindly suggest any other car apart from the Kia.

Autocar India

•1h

The Mahindra XUV 3XO will meet your requirements of a car with a peppy engine and good safety. The petrol automatic comes paired with a torque convertor gearbox, which is the smoothest autobox around, and since your driving is mostly in the city, you will really appreciate this.We would recommend the 1.2-litre MPFi turbo engine, which would offer you more than enough pep and a slightly better mileage than the direct injection unit, though bear in mind that on the whole, mileage will still be lower than something like the Brezza, as Mahindra tunes all its engines for a peppy feel.If mileage isn't a priority and you simply want a very peppy and lively drive feel, opt for the direct injection unit. The 3XO will also meet your requirements for safety as it comes well-equipped with 6 airbags and ESP as standard, and has secured a 5-star rating in the BNCAP crash tests.

Mahindra XUV 3XO

Maruti Suzuki Brezza

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