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Anil Gupta

8w

I want to purchase a new automatic car for city driving with a budget of around ₹15 lakh. Please suggest suitable options.

Autocar India team

Autocar India

Verified
8w

Since you currently have a Maruti Suzuki Baleno, we would suggest you upgrade to something like the Honda Amaze or the Skoda Kylaq. Both cars come in under 4 meters in length and so are better suited to crowded city conditions.  

The Amaze's CVT automatic gearbox is smoother than many AMTs that come at this price point. Especially when driven at low, constantly changing speeds in the city and being a sedan. It will feel like an upgrade and offer you more boot space, too, should that be a requirement for you. 

If you don't like the idea of a sedan, you can opt for the Skoda Kylaq, which will offer you a higher seating point and better ground clearance. Also, the automatic gearbox on the Kylaq is a torque convertor, which is the smoothest autobox around.   

Maruti Suzuki Baleno

Maruti Suzuki Baleno

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UJ

Umang Jaiswal

1d

Within a budget of around ₹12 lakh (could extend some), I want to buy a petrol manual car which is fun to drive, reliable and will not be so heavy on my pocket for fueling and maintenance. My monthly usage is around 400km, mostly city and occasional road trips. Which car will you suggest?

Autocar India team

Autocar India

Verified
1d

You can consider the Maruti Suzuki Fronx or the Toyota Urban Cruiser Taisor in their top turbo petrol manual variants. The engine, despite being turbocharged, has hardly any turbo lag and offers good punch. It also comes with a light clutch and a slick gearbox, which makes it easy to drive in the city. Even on an open road or around a ghat section, both these cars are surprisingly fun to drive, and over bad roads, the suspension delivers a comfortable ride as well. For a turbo petrol engine, efficiency is also quite impressive. Overall, there is actually not much to fault here.If you want something that feels a bit more premium, you can look at the Skoda Kylaq, the Signature+ MT variant. The Kylaq is a fun car to drive, but the clutch is heavier, and you will feel more turbo lag. It will also not be as efficient as the Fronx turbo petrol, and the peace of mind ownership experience may not be as strong.

VehicleMaruti Suzuki Fronx
VehicleToyota Urban Cruiser Taisor
VehicleSkoda Kylaq
KR

Krishnav

2d

I have been looking for a secondary car, primarily to be driven in the city. A petrol automatic would be preferred. Mileage is not a very big criterion. Good engine performance, features and a hassle-free ownership experience are on the must-have list. We are looking for something compact and easy to maneuver in the city and park in tight spaces. Budget is around ₹15 lakh, plus or minus a lakh. A lack of dealerships in the city we reside in restricts us to only a few brands: Maruti Suzuki (Nexa too), Kia, Hyundai, Mahindra, Toyota and Tata. We test drove the Hyundai Venue (new gen), Kia Sonet and also looked at the Toyota Fronx and Nexon. Which car would you kindly suggest?

Autocar India team

Autocar India

Verified
3h

The Hyundai Venue is a good option to consider. It is compact, has a good feature list, and the 1.0-litre turbo-petrol engine is punchy and fun to drive. The DCT automatic gearbox is also smooth and quick to respond. Being the newest entrant to the compact SUV segment, it gets a modern cabin that is well-equipped and gets all the features you would want.This Hyundai car also has decent space at the rear, and the ride comfort and sales and service experience is good, too. Overall, it is a well-rounded package that does everything the way you'd want it to. The HX 8 trim is one shy of the top-spec, but it will fit in your budget and offer a long equipment list.

VehicleHyundai Venue
SR

Srujan

5d

I really like the Skoda Kylaq 1.0 TSI AT, but I am unable to finalize my decision because of the rear seat space and a few other compromises. My other options within a ₹14 lakh budget are the Mahindra XUV 3XO RevX and the Nissan Magnite CVT. Considering these choices, which would be the best option overall? Also, what should I prioritise more in this segment - space and practicality or driving performance?

Autocar India team

Autocar India

Verified
21h

It's a shame that the Skoda Kylaq's rear seat space is not quite up to the best in the segment, because otherwise it is a superb compact SUV that scores highly on most other counts. Of the other options, the Nissan Magnite, while capable and a great value for money, feels like a sub-segment lower in terms of quality, space and performance. The Mahindra XUV 3XO RevX should be your best bet because it offers both - performance and rear-seat space. In fact, it has one of the most spacious cabins in the segment, although the boot is a bit smaller than others. The RevX offers a good feature set as well, along with a few unique styling embellishments, and overall, we feel this is the one you should pick.

VehicleNissan Magnite
VehicleMahindra XUV 3XO
VehicleSkoda Kylaq

Posted on: 16 Jan 2026