I earn Rs 70,000 in hand and live in a village. My office is 15 km away. What would be an appropriate budget for a car, as I am completely new to this? My priority is low maintenance, and it should be a family car. As I am a government field officer, there will be regular travel.

Autocar India

•8m

Keep your budget around Rs 6-8 lakh and go for a simple petrol car. With a Rs 70,000 in-hand salary, the idea is to keep ownership easy and stress-free rather than stretching your budget, especially since your job involves regular travel and you are new to owning a car.

For your usage, a petrol car makes the most sense as it is easier to maintain and better suited to mixed driving. Since you live in a village, focus on comfort, durability and ease of use over features or performance, because what will matter most is how reliably the car handles daily travel.

Within this, go for the Maruti Suzuki Wagon R if you want maximum practicality. It is spacious, simple and extremely easy to live with, making it a perfect first car for both family use and regular travel. If you want something that feels a bit more modern and stylish while still being easy to own, then the Maruti Suzuki Celerio is a good alternative.

Explore cars mentioned

Maruti Suzuki

Wagon R

from ₹5.92 Lakh

Maruti Suzuki

Celerio

from ₹5.58 Lakh

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Rajesh

•3d

Hi, I am currently using a 2017 Maruti Wagon R AMT, which has run around 84,000 km. I am planning to upgrade within a budget of ₹16 lakh and have shortlisted the Tata Nexon Creative Plus (1.2 DCA), Kia Sonet 1.0 GTX Plus, and Skoda Kylaq 1.0 TC. My usage will be approximately 70% highway and 30% city, mostly on weekends. My key priorities are driving comfort, safety, and real-world mileage. I would appreciate your expert advice on which option would be the best fit for my needs.

Autocar India

•2d

We would suggest going for the Skoda Kylaq. With your 70 percent highway use, it is the most comfortable and fun to drive compared to the Tata Nexon and Kia Sonet. Coming from a Wagon R AMT, you will notice a big step up in how stable and secure it feels at 80-100 km/h. Also, how well it absorbs bad patches, and how smoothly the 6-speed torque converter automatic shifts without the slight jerk you sometimes feel in an AMT. The 1.0 turbo petrol also has strong mid-range pull, so overtakes are easy even with family and luggage. Safety is another strong point, and its high-speed stability stands out on long drives.Do keep in mind that Skoda’s service network is smaller than Tata's and Kia's, and since all three are turbo petrols, fuel efficiency will not be very high. Also, the rear seat in all three cars is best suited for two adults rather than three, unlike your Wagon R.

Skoda Kylaq

Tata Nexon

Kia Sonet

Maruti Suzuki Wagon R

Chandan Jha

•3d

I currently own a Maruti S-Cross and a Honda Brio, and I plan to replace both. My budget for a 5-seater SUV is around 15-16 lakh, and for a compact hatchback, around 6 lakh. Both cars will be used in the city, and I want petrol options that are easy to maintain and fun to drive. The SUV will occasionally be used for family trips with four people (2 adults and 2 kids). My must-have features include a rear parking camera, steering-mounted controls, automatic climate control, rear AC vents (in the SUV), and keyless entry. I really like my current cars, especially the Brio.

Autocar India

•2d

The Skoda Kushaq 1.0-litre turbo-petrol with the 8-speed automatic transmission is a fun-to-drive mid-size SUV that you can replace your Maruti S-Cross with. Its compact size makes it ideal for 2 adults and 2 kids, and the Classic+ variant will fall within your Rs 16 lakh budget, and it has most of the features listed, except a rear parking camera. You can also consider a Honda Elevate V CVT, which will be very easy to maintain and is fun to drive.With your Rs 6 lakh budget, though, you will only be able to get entry-level variants of the Hyundai Grand i10 Nios or mid variants of a Maruti Celerio and Tata Tiago. Between the three, the Nios has the nicest interior, while the Celerio's engine will be more efficient. Do keep in mind that neither of the three cars will be as fun to drive as your Brio. So, if your car is in good condition, you should retain it.

Skoda Kushaq

Maruti Suzuki Celerio

Tata Tiago

Honda Elevate

Krishna Das P

•6d

I would like to buy a smaller car than the Baleno I am currently driving. I prefer an automatic/AMT, as I am 64 years old and a retired banker. My budget is under ₹9 lakh. What do you recommend?

Autocar India

•3d

Opt for the Maruti Suzuki Wagon R ZXi+ AMT. It fits your brief for a smaller, easy automatic under Rs. 9 lakh. Compared to your Baleno, the Wagon R feels much easier in the city. It is shorter, turns in a tighter space, and is simple to park. The AMT is tuned well here, so starts and slow traffic are smooth enough, and the steering and pedals are very light. The seat is set at a friendly height, so getting in and out will be easier than in many low cars. Maruti’s service network is everywhere, which means stress-free ownership.One thing to be aware of is that the cabin will feel simpler than your Baleno, and on rough roads, you may feel more movement. It is fine for daily city runs, but on highways, it might not feel as solid as bigger cars. If you want a plusher cabin and a bit more comfort, look at the Hyundai Grand i10 Nios Sportz (O) AMT. It too has a smooth AMT, but is a tad larger in size than the Wagon R.During the test drive, try some stop-and-go traffic and tight parking situations to assess smoothness and visibility.

Maruti Suzuki Baleno

Maruti Suzuki Wagon R

Hyundai Grand i10 Nios

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