I am 65 years old and will be superannuating from service soon. My current car is chauffeur-driven. I am now looking for a comfortable automatic car for city use that I can drive myself, with occasional long trips of up to 300 km. My budget is ₹8 lakh on-road. Please suggest suitable options.

Autocar India

•15h

We would suggest the Honda Amaze CVT as the primary pick. Since you already have a large SUV, this second car’s job is to be an easy, fuss-free city runabout, and the Amaze fits that brief really well. It gives you a proper automatic rather than an AMT, so smoothness in stop-and-go traffic is far better, and the latest Amaze has a 5-star Bharat NCAP safety rating, making it a strong fit given your safety priority.If you would prefer something hatchback or compact SUV-like, the Tata Punch AMT is worth considering, but the gearbox simply is not as smooth or polished as the Honda’s CVT.If you are open to electric cars and have reliable home charging, a Tiago EV is actually a very smart fit for this exact use case because your usage is overwhelmingly city based. That said, if you are specifically considering the Tiago EV, we would suggest waiting a little, as an update is expected and could bring better range value.

Honda Amaze

Tata Punch

Tata Tiago EV

Autocar India

•7h

If strong performance is high on your priority list, we would be cautious about the Renault Duster 1.0 Techno. While we have experienced this 1.0 turbo petrol engine in the Magnite, where it feels punchy and capable, the Duster is a significantly larger and heavier SUV, so we do not expect it to feel particularly quick or effortless, especially if you are looking for a meaningful upgrade from a Kwid in outright performance.If your heart is set on the Duster, the smarter move would be to stretch slightly for the 1.3 turbo petrol, which sits only a little above your budget and will feel substantially stronger and more satisfying to drive, especially on rural roads where effortless overtaking and usable performance matter.If you are open to alternatives, the Skoda Kushaq Classic+ 1.0 TSI is a very strong option. The turbo petrol engine feels punchy, the Kushaq is genuinely nice to drive, has good rear seat space, solid build and safety credentials that you are looking for.If fuel efficiency matters more than outright performance, then the Kia Seltos 1.5 petrol HTE(O) is worth considering as well. It will not feel as punchy as the turbo petrol options, but it is the most premium feeling of the lot, more efficient in everyday use and a very sorted family SUV overall.

Kia Seltos

Skoda Kushaq

Renault Duster

Renault Kwid

Nissan Magnite

Autocar India

•1d

For your requirement, check out the Tata Punch. It sits higher than the Dzire, the doors open wide, and the seat base is set at a nice hip height, so you don’t drop down into it or climb up too much. It also feels tougher over bad roads than your Wagon R, yet is still short and easy to park, which helps in tight city spots. The best part is that the Punch is available in a wide variety of flavours, and since you haven't specified a budget, there's bound to be something for you. There are many variants to choose from, as well as petrol, turbo petrol, CNG, manual gearbox, AMT and even an electric version, in case that suits you.Two things to note: the base petrol engine (or its CNG counterpart) isn’t very quick for fast highway runs, and the automatic can feel a little jerky when moving slowly; the manual is smoother in traffic. If you want the same easy cabin access but a smoother engine and gearbox, look at the Hyundai Exter mid trim. It also has a tall seat and the city-friendly size, but there isn't as much choice or variety as in the Tata car.Overall, for your “high seat, easy entry” need, the Punch fits best without jumping to a much bigger, costlier car.

Tata Punch

Maruti Suzuki Dzire

Hyundai Exter

Maruti Suzuki Wagon R