Autocar India
MU

Murugan

•5w

Hi Sir/Madam, I am planning to buy a new 7-seater automatic car within a budget of ₹15 lakh, mainly for long drives. My primary focus is on safety and comfort. Which would be the right choice for me? Please advise.

Autocar India team

Autocar India

Verified
•5w

Pick the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga ZXI AT for a 7-seater under Rs. 15 lakh; it is the easiest to live with for long trips, feels steady on the highway, and Maruti’s service reach makes ownership stress-free. 

The gearbox is a smooth, torque converter automatic, so driving in traffic and hill starts are easy, and on the open road, it cruises calmly. The cabin is roomy for five, the third row works for kids or short adults, and the ride stays comfortable on broken roads. For family use, this balance of space, comfort and peace of mind is hard to beat at your budget.

One thing to be aware of: with all seven on board and luggage, it won’t feel very strong on steep hills, so plan overtakes. Alternatively, you can even consider the Toyota Rumion automatic, which is essentially Toyota's version of the Maruti Ertiga.

Maruti Suzuki Ertiga

Maruti Suzuki Ertiga

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Maruti Suzuki Ertiga

Maruti Suzuki

Ertiga

from ₹9.97 Lakh

MA

Manish

•4w

Hi Sir/Madam, I am planning to buy a new 6-seater automatic car within a budget of ₹15 lakh, mainly for long drives. My primary focus is on safety and comfort. Which would be the right choice for me? Please advise.

AB

Akshay B

•4w

Mauri XL 6

DI

Dileep

•5w

Kia cerens diesel car is best for

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More questions on similar cars

MB

Mousumi Bhattacharya

•6d

Which is the better option among the Maruti Suzuki Wagon R ZXi manual petrol top variant, the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga with similar features, or the Maruti Suzuki Dzire top variant petrol manual? I drive around 24 km daily in a metropolitan city. I am 57 years old and have a family of four.

Autocar India team

Autocar India

Verified
•23m

With mostly 24 km a day in city traffic and a family of four, the Maruti Suzuki Dzire top petrol manual fits your use best. It rides smoother than the Wagon R on broken city roads, so you and your family feel less tired. The steering and clutch are light, and the car feels steady on the highway. You also get a big boot for bags, while the car still stays easy to park in tight spots.Two small trade-offs: the seat is lower than the Wagon R, so you sit less upright, and you need to bend a bit more to get in and out.If a high, easy step-in seat is your top need, the Wagon R ZXi works well for short city trips and narrow lanes, but it can feel bouncy on bad patches and is not as wide for two adults in the back. Skip the Ertiga unless you often carry six or seven people; for four in a metro, its extra size just adds parking and traffic hassle. For your daily city use, pick the Dzire top petrol manual.

VehicleMaruti Suzuki Wagon R
VehicleMaruti Suzuki Dzire
VehicleMaruti Suzuki Ertiga
BK

Bibek Kumar Patro

•2d

I want to buy a petrol car under 20lac. Please suggest to me a few cars which have a 5-star safety rating, a powerful engine, and good mileage.

Autocar India team

Autocar India

Verified
•3h

For under Rs. 20 lakh, petrol, a strong engine, and a 5-star crash rating, the Renault Duster would be a good option. The 1.3 litre turbo coupled with the automatic is a fun car to drive. The powertrain is quick, and the Duster feels nice and lively to drive, even when driven in a regular manner efficiency is decent too. As an option, consider the Skoda Kushaq 1.0 petrol. It too has a 5-star crash test rating, the 1.0 turbo feels quick enough and returns a good fuel efficiency too. Like the Duster, the Kushaq is also a fun-to-drive car.

VehicleSkoda Kushaq
VehicleRenault Duster
CD

Chinmay Deo

•1w

I am planning to buy a sedan under 20L in the Mumbai region. It's going to be used mostly for city roads and sometimes on highways. I prefer an automatic transmission. Please suggest.

Autocar India team

Autocar India

Verified
•4h

Mostly city use in Mumbai, with the odd highway run and a Rs. 20 lakh cap points to the Honda City automatic as the best fit. The CVT automatic is very smooth, which makes stop-start traffic easy, and the light steering and clear view out help in tight lanes and parking. It rides comfortably over broken patches and speed bumps common in Mumbai, yet feels steady on the highway. Cabin space is generous, so family rides stay relaxed.Two things to note: the NA engine won't have the punch of a turbo petrol, and you still need to slow for very tall speed breakers when the car is full.If you want an alternative with a stronger punch for highway use, the Skoda Slavia 1.0-litre automatic is the lively pick and still easy to drive in town. Overall, for your mix, the Honda City automatic lines up best.

VehicleHonda City

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Popular discussions right now

SU

Soumith Uppu

•4d

I am looking for a family car and am currently confused between the Tata Punch Accomplished AMT, Maruti Fronx Delta Plus AMT, and Hyundai Exter HX6 AMT. Could you please help me choose the best option?

Autocar India team

Autocar India

Verified
•3d

It's really hard to suggest a car without knowing a bit more about your requirements, like rear space requirements and the distance driven per month. Thus, as a good all-rounder for a small family, the Maruti Suzuki Fronx Delta Plus AMT fits your brief best. Pick this variant because it gives you the most rear-seat space and a bigger, more useful boot than the other two, so adults sit more comfortably, and you pack more for trips. It also feels light and easy to drive in traffic, and the ride is calm over rough roads, which helps passengers, especially elders or kids.Two things to note: this automatic can feel a bit slow to pick up when you press the accelerator hard, and you will miss a few fancy features that sit on higher trims. If you drive with a full load on steep hills often, you may want to try it once to see if the response suits you.If you value tough build and the best ride on broken roads above all else, the Tata Punch Accomplished AMT is the second choice. It also has a smaller footprint for tight parking and a feature-rich cabin at a price like the Hyundai Exter HX6 AMT, too. Overall, for family comfort and everyday ease, go with the Fronx Delta Plus AMT.

VehicleMaruti Suzuki Fronx
VehicleTata Punch
VehicleHyundai Exter
AP

AVINASH PARWANI

•4d

I have booked the Kia Seltos turbo DCT. My monthly running is around 900 km, mostly in Chennai traffic. Should I wait for the hybrid version? Is it expected soon? Also, how much price difference can be expected between the turbo-petrol and the hybrid?

Autocar India team

Autocar India

Verified
•3d

The Kia Seltos hybrid, as well as the new-generation Hyundai Creta with the hybrid tech, are both expected to arrive next year. If you can wait until then, it would be better to do so, as the hybrid would be far more fuel-efficient. As for the price difference, it's hard to pinpoint right now, but expect to pay about Rs. 50,000 extra over a turbo-petrol automatic.Thus, if the wait time and the premium are not ok with you, stick with the Kia Seltos. However, given that you are mostly driving in traffic, remember that a turbo petrol would not be very efficient, and for heavy, slow traffic, the DCT can feel a bit hesitant at crawling speeds and can run warm in long jams. The Seltos with the naturally aspirated 1.5-litre petrol with CVT is better suited to your use, as its smoother in the city, would be more fuel-efficient and would potentially be more reliable too.

VehicleKia Seltos
MW

Manik Walia

•1w

I want to buy a sedan. My usage will be approximately 25% city driving and 75% highway driving. My priorities are a fun-to-drive experience, good handling, strong highway stability, rear-seat comfort, and solid build quality. My budget is around ₹18-20 lakh.

Autocar India team

Autocar India

Verified
•20h

With 75% highway use and a Rs. 18-20 lakh cap, the Volkswagen Virtus with the 1.0 turbo petrol with the manual is the best fit. It feels quick when you press the throttle, so quick passes on the highway are easy, and it stays very steady at speed with a nice, weighty steering, which makes long drives calmer. The rear seat is wide with good legroom and a well-angled backrest, so two adults will be comfortable for hours. It also feels solid inside and out, and its crash test score is strong, which matches your build quality ask.A couple of things to note: at low speeds, the ride can feel a bit firm over sharp bumps, and Volkswagen’s service reach is smaller than Maruti or Hyundai in smaller towns, so check your nearest workshop.If you want the same driving feel but a slightly richer cabin vibe, look at the Skoda Slavia with the same 1.0 turbo. It shares the core strengths of highway stability and safety, and some find its seats a touch softer.For your brief, the Virtus 1.0 manual lines up best. However, do note that a facelift is expected later this year.

VehicleVolkswagen Virtus
VehicleSkoda Slavia

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Posted on: 10 Apr 2026