As a new driver, should I buy a used car to learn first and then purchase a new one, or should I go directly for a new car? I am looking for an automatic car that will be used mostly for city driving. It should be easy to park and not too bulky. I am primarily interested in Tata cars, with a budget of around ₹14 lakh. The car should also be comfortable for long highway drives and offer good fuel efficiency. A sunroof and the latest features would be an added advantage. I am currently most inclined towards the Sierra.

autocar.india

•16h

Pick the Honda City SV. With 30 km a day in Bengaluru traffic and quarterly 300 km runs, it will feel easier, smoother and cheaper to live with. Honda’s reliability and service consistency are stronger, the petrol is smoother in stop-go traffic, and you will see better mileage than the Nexon petrol. On the highway, the City sits more calmly at speed and its rear seat and ride comfort make those long trips less tiring.Safety is where the Nexon has the edge on paper, and its ground clearance and smaller footprint help over nasty speed breakers and tight parking. It also packs more features for the price. But your order of priorities puts reliability, handling, comfort and mileage before gadgets, and the City nails those every day.One honest caveat: the SV variant is light on features, and you must slow for big speed breakers with a full load. If that worries you more than fuel costs and smoothness, the Nexon Creative makes sense, but for your use, the City gives better long-term value.

Honda City

Tata Nexon

autocar.india

•2d

If you can stretch your budget, go for the Nexon CNG, as it has two key advantages. For one, as you mentioned, it has the bigger boot, and thanks to the dual-cylinder setup (as in the Punch and Exter too) lets you use most of the space effectively. Secondly, it uses a turbocharged engine, which addresses a big complaint with CNG cars, namely a lack of power. It also has far more space in the cabin which makes it a proper five seater, whereas the Exter and Punch will not be as comfy for rear passengers. The disadvantage, of course, is that even with a small budget stretch, you will still only get a mid-range variant of the Nexon CNG, but you should still get all the essentials. The Punch and Exter CNG will be available in their top-spec variants in your budget, and the Punch even gets an AMT option. However, this being your first car, we feel the bigger Nexon will feel like more of a statement while still keeping running costs in check. Yes, it's likely the Brezza facelift will get a dual-cylinder CNG setup, and it should launch before August, but how it will be priced remains unknown.

Tata Punch

Tata Nexon

Hyundai Exter

autocar.india

•6h

An 8kpl city figure for a Tata Nexon Petrol AMT in Hyderabad's traffic is on the lower side, but it isn't unheard of if most of your driving is in heavy, stop-start conditions.A few things can help improve fuel efficiency. First, ensure your tyre pressures are maintained at the manufacturer's recommended levels, as underinflated tyres can noticeably affect mileage. Try to accelerate progressively rather than using sudden throttle inputs, as the turbo-petrol engine tends to consume more fuel under hard acceleration. If your journeys are mostly short trips where the engine doesn't fully warm up, mileage will also suffer. Using good-quality fuel from trusted outlets and keeping up with scheduled servicing, as you already do, are also important.It may also be worth asking your Tata service centre to check whether the car has any pending ECU software updates and to inspect the air filter and spark plugs during the next service, as these can have an impact on fuel economy if they're not in good condition.

Tata Nexon