I am planning to buy an adventure bike but am confused between the Honda NX500 and KTM 390 Adventure. I used to ride a Suzuki Fiero about 25 years ago, from Thane to Nair Hospital in Mumbai Central. After a long gap, I purchased a Duke 390 about 7 years ago, which I used for around a year before selling it, as I didn’t find enough time to ride it. I am currently 52 years old and want to start riding again. My rides would be occasional city rides and weekend rides of around 25-50 km to start with. I have tried Royal Enfield bikes, but the engine didn’t click with me. Please suggest.

autocar.india

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For a first-time driver who is not very confident, the Nissan Magnite CVT and Renault Kiger CVT are the most natural fits, while the Honda Elevate CVT remains a good choice if the extra size is manageable. The Magnite and Kiger are compact, have light steering, good all-round visibility, around 205mm ground clearance and 360-degree cameras, making them particularly easy to place in tight traffic and parking spaces. The CVTs are also smooth and predictable, which is useful for a new driver. The Kia Seltos 1.5 IVT is another good option, and its IVT is essentially a CVT in operation, but the Seltos is larger and therefore not quite as unintimidating as the Magnite or Kiger. The Honda Elevate CVT has several advantages for a new driver, particularly its good bonnet visibility, upright driving position, 220mm ground clearance, light and predictable CVT and 5.2m turning circle. Its 4.3m length, however, will make tight parking slightly more challenging than in the Magnite or Kiger. The current Elevate's lack of a factory 360-degree camera is also a drawback, although the upcoming Elevate facelift is expected to get a 360-degree camera, which would make it a considerably better match for this requirement. An EV can be even easier in traffic because there is no gear changing and the response is very smooth, so the Punch EV is worth considering if home charging is available.

Nissan Magnite

Renault Kiger

Honda Elevate (2023-2026)

Tata Punch EV

Kia Seltos

autocar.india

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Go for the Maruti Suzuki Brezza petrol manual. It is the most sensible first car for your needs. The naturally aspirated petrol engine is smooth, easy to drive and forgiving for a new driver, while the clutch and gearbox are light and user-friendly in city traffic. The Brezza is also one of the most reliable cars in the segment, with Maruti’s strong service network and low maintenance costs, which is important for a first-time owner. It is also a safe car with a solid build and good crash test ratings. The rear seat is comfortable enough for three adults on short city runs, and the boot is adequate for your occasional long highway trips. In your budget, you can get the base LXi variant with the 1.5-litre naturally aspirated engine. While it misses out on fancy features, it covers all the essentials well.

Maruti Suzuki Brezza