I own a 2016 Maruti Suzuki Baleno Zeta AT that has covered only 56,000km, and I'm now looking to upgrade. I would like my next car to be under 4 metres in length, or at most 4.2 metres. My priorities are safety, comfort, and decent mileage, with nothing below 10 kmpl, as I live in a city with narrow roads. Should I get the new Baleno Zeta AT be the right choice, or are there better alternatives? The car will mostly be used for city driving, with occasional highway trips, around thrice a year.

autocar.india

•1d

Yes, the Maruti Suzuki Fronx is a sensible upgrade from your 2017 Xcent, especially if fuel efficiency is a priority. The Fronx is available with two petrol engine options: a 1.2-litre naturally aspirated petrol and a 1.0-litre turbo petrol. The 1.2-litre engine is the better choice for your needs – it is smooth, reliable and delivers good real-world fuel efficiency, making it a strong upgrade over the Xcent. This Maruti Suzuki car also offers a higher seating position, better ground clearance and a more modern feature set, which will make it feel like a meaningful step up from your current car. The 1.0-litre turbo petrol is more performance-oriented and not the best fit if mileage is your main concern. Overall, the Fronx 1.2 petrol is a well-rounded, efficient and easy-to-own upgrade within your budget.

Maruti Suzuki Fronx

autocar.india

•1d

For a first-time car buyer with a budget of Rs. 10 lakh, the Maruti Suzuki Baleno makes sense. It is a well-rounded hatchback that offers a good balance of space, comfort and ease of ownership. The Baleno is easy to drive in the city, has a spacious cabin, a comfortable ride and Maruti’s service network and low maintenance costs make it a stress-free ownership experience, which is exactly what a first-time buyer should prioritise.If you are looking for something with a slightly higher driving position and a more rugged feel, the Maruti Suzuki Fronx is also worth considering. It is essentially a crossover version of the Baleno with a higher ground clearance, which can be useful on bad roads and speed breakers. However, the Baleno remains the more value-for-money option within the budget.

Maruti Suzuki Baleno

Maruti Suzuki Fronx

autocar.india

•2d

We'd recommend a petrol automatic. With a daily running of around 46km and an ownership period of 15 years, it offers the best balance of low ownership costs, reliability and ease of use for a first-time driver.We wouldn't let E20 fuel influence your decision. Modern E20-compliant petrol cars are designed to run on it, and there is no official roadmap beyond E20. It isn't a reason to avoid buying a petrol car today. A CNG automatic will certainly reduce your fuel bills, but the higher purchase price, reduced boot space and limited automatic options make CNG car less attractive unless fuel savings are your overriding priority. An electric car will have the lowest running costs, but at your budget, you'll have to compromise on size or features, and recovering the higher upfront cost will take time.Given your budget and usage, we'd look at the Maruti Suzuki Brezza facelift automatic which will launch soon if you can stretch slightly, or the Maruti Suzuki Fronx Delta+ AGS if you want to stay within budget. Both are easy to drive, have good ground clearance for the 6km of rough village roads and come backed by Maruti Suzuki's extensive service network. If you prefer a smoother automatic, the Hyundai Exter SX AMT is also worth considering.

Maruti Suzuki Fronx

Hyundai Exter

Maruti Suzuki Brezza