I want to buy a new automatic car within an on-road budget of ₹12–14 lakh. My monthly running is around 200 km in heavy city traffic, with only a couple of highway trips each year. I prefer a car with good interiors, reliable service support, and features like a 360° camera. Which models should I consider?

Autocar India

•1d

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.

Maruti Suzuki Fronx

Tata Punch

Hyundai Exter

Autocar India

•2d

Considering your requirements, you should take a look at the Tata Punch Pure+ CNG AMT. It costs Rs 10 lakh on-road, and being an AMT automatic, you'll appreciate the convenience on your city drives. The Punch also comes with a dual cylinder setup that's placed under the boot floor, so you don't have to compromise on boot space on your highway drives. Furthermore, it still gets a spare wheel too which should give you additional peace of mind. The Punch CNG AMT is compact and feels easy to drive in the city and it feels planted and composed at highway speeds, which is exactly what you'd want. Alternatively, you can consider the Maruti Fronx Delta CNG. While the Maruti will be more efficient than the Tata car, it only comes with a manual gearbox and you loose out on boot space as the CNG tanks are placed there.

Tata Punch

Maruti Suzuki Fronx

Autocar India

•2d

You should go for the Hyundai i20 Sportz IVT for your next car. It costs just over Rs 10 lakh on-road, but it comes with a refined 1.2-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine paired with a seamless CVT automatic gearbox, which is what you're looking for. The Hyundai also has the nicest interior of the lot, a comfy ride and even though it hasn't been crash tested yet, it does come with 6 airbags, traction control and more safety features. Being a Hyundai, the i20 will also be reliable and stress-free to maintain. Alternatively, if safety is your top priority, go for the Tata Altroz DCA as it has received a 5-star crash safety rating from both Bharat and Global NCAP. Do note, the Altroz DCA won't be as smooth to drive as the i20 IVT, and as you mentioned, it only comes with a non-turbo, three-cylinder engine.

Hyundai i20

Tata Altroz

Autocar India

•5d

If you are waiting for the Tata Sierra EV, the good news is that it does not seem too far away. Current indications suggest a launch could happen either later this month or in June.Expect it to slot below the Tata Harrier EV in Tata’s electric line-up, likely with multiple battery pack options and a more premium positioning than the Tata Curvv EV. Tata has also indicated that both Rear Wheel Drive and All Wheel Drive versions are planned, which should make it one of the more interesting mainstream electric SUVs in India.

Tata Sierra EV

Tata Harrier EV

Tata Curvv EV

Autocar India

•5d

With the kind of mileage you are already seeing from your 4th generation Honda City, I would not rush to fit a CNG kit. Around 16 kpl over 85,000 km is actually a healthy real world figure for a petrol sedan, and since the City is known for its smoothness and refinement, adding an aftermarket CNG kit will inevitably change the character of the car. Honda does not offer a factory CNG option for the City, so any retrofit will be third party, which means compromises in boot space, some loss in outright performance and the added variable of installation quality and long term reliability. Honda also recommends using fuel that meets the vehicle specifications, and aftermarket modifications can complicate warranty or support considerations on newer cars.A CNG conversion only starts making strong financial sense if your running is very high and you plan to keep the car for several more years to recover the kit cost. If your annual usage is moderate, the payback period can be longer than expected. The only real case for going CNG here is if fuel cost reduction is your absolute top priority. Otherwise, given how well your City is already performing, I would leave it as is and enjoy the refinement rather than fixing something that is not really broken.

Honda City

Autocar India

•4d

We would pick the Volkswagen Virtus GT now and keep it for a while because you already prefer the sedan feel and, over the next 5-6 years, cars like this are likely to become fewer while taller cars will only get more common. The 1.5 turbo with the DSG, which is a quick-shifting automatic, gives the Virtus a lively, smooth feel that makes daily drives and highway runs special. Also, if you truly enjoy sitting low and feeling connected to the road, the Virtus delivers that better than the Skoda Kushaq, so you’ll smile more every day you own it. And looking ahead, SUVs and hybrids will grow fast, but sporty petrol sedans will likely shrink in choice, not vanish overnight. So it makes sense to buy the one you really want now; the “practical” taller car will be easy to find later if your needs change. Moreover, the Virtus has plenty of ground clearance, especially for a sedan, so that should not be a worry either. Do bear in mind, though, that both the Virtus and its sister model, the Skoda Slavia, will be updated later this year, so if you can wait for just a few months, we would recommend doing so.

Volkswagen Virtus

Skoda Kushaq