Planning to buy my first car. Should we wait until flex fuel cars are released into the market, or should I go ahead and buy the Honda E20-compliant or the Mahindra? Or any other suggestions at this point? Given the messy situation of petrol and possibly diesel as well in the near future. What should be done?

Autocar India

•10h

The logical spiritual successor to the Volkswagen Polo for many owners has been the Skoda Kylaq, and we think it meets your needs as well. It retains that solidly built, fun-to-drive nature and also comes with a punchy 1.0-litre TSI turbo-petrol engine and has received a 5-star Bharat NCAP crash test rating. In your Rs 13 lakh budget, you'll get a mid-spec Signature+ variant, which gets you all the essentials and not too many gimmick features.Another often-overlooked option is the Citroen Basalt X, which offers a similarly punchy engine, fun chassis and European solidity as the Skoda and Volkswagen, but is a size up and much more spacious. However, it also costs more, and in your budget, you'll get a lower variant with fewer features than the Kylaq.If you want to skip fuel-blend questions entirely and your driving is mostly city, look at the Tata Punch EV. It’s quiet, quick off the line, and fits the budget. Just remember, highway trips need a bit of charging planning.

Skoda Kylaq

Citroen Basalt

Tata Punch EV

Autocar India

•1d

Go for the Tata Punch EV 40kWh, because your Jamshedpur - Odisha runs will be far easier with the bigger battery, and it still stays super handy in the city. In the real world, you can expect roughly 220-230km on the highway if you cruise sensibly, so most Odisha destinations will need two fast-charge stops depending on where you’re headed. In town, its small size, light steering and strong regen make daily driving simple, and the ground clearance handles broken roads and village links without drama.Be a bit honest about the highway bit. Charging on that corridor is improving but not perfect, so plan stops on the main highways and keep a 15-20 percent buffer. The Punch EV charges at a max of 50kW, so a 20-80 percent top-up can take around 30-35 minutes on a good DC charger.If you often do 400 km plus with four adults and luggage, it will feel small, and the total trip time will stretch. If those long runs are only occasional, the Punch EV 40kWh is a sensible, lower-cost way to go electric.

Tata Punch EV

Autocar India

•1d

Go ahead with the Tata Punch EV now, because an all-new Nexon EV is a long way off, and your Rs. 13-15 lakh budget cleanly fits the Punch EV. The current Nexon EV got a big update only recently, so a ground-up platform change is unlikely in the next 12 months. The next-gen Nexon is due likely in 2027, and even so, the ICE model will come first, with the EV likely to follow later, so your wait will be long. When it does come, expect it to be pricier than today’s Nexon EV, so it will likely sit well above your budget anyway.For your money today, the recently updated Punch EV gives you a modern EV package, a useful range for daily commutes, and it is easier to live with in tight city traffic and parking. If you truly need more cabin and boot space for family trips, the current Nexon EV exists, but getting a well-equipped one will push you beyond Rs 15 lakh on-road in most cities.

Tata Punch EV

Tata Nexon EV