I have a budget of ₹15–18 lakh and am seeking an automatic SUV that's easy for my parents to get in and out of. My monthly driving is around 700 km. Which models would you recommend? Electric options are also acceptable.

Autocar India

•1d

For your usage as a second car that will spend most of its life in the city, the Tata Punch EV Long Range would actually be the first choice. It is compact, easy to manoeuvre, offers more than enough range for daily duties and is based on a dedicated EV architecture rather than an ICE conversion. It also gets a modern feature set and feels purpose-built as an electric vehicle.If you want something larger and more spacious, the MG Windsor EV is the alternative to consider. It offers exceptional cabin space and comfort, and feels like a segment-above product for the money.As for the Mahindra XUV 3XO EV, it carries over the 39.4kWh battery pack and electric motor from the XUV400, rather than using the newer INGLO-based technology seen on the BE 6 and XEV 9e. So while it benefits from the new 3XO interior and feature set, the underlying EV hardware is not all-new.

Tata Punch EV

MG Windsor

Mahindra XUV 3XO EV

Mahindra XEV 9e

Autocar India

•1h

Get the Kia Carens Clavis diesel automatic. It fits your family size, is easy for a senior to get in and out of, and stays well under Rs. 25 lakh. For your 50 km daily city run, the diesel engine is refined, the torque converter automatic is smooth, and it is very easy to drive. On your monthly highway trips, it cruises calmly, feels secure at speed, and you get a genuinely usable third row and decent boot space. The Carens Clavis can be had as a 7-seater or a 6-seater, with individual captain's chairs in the middle.Cabin comfort is a strong point. The second row is spacious, the ride is comfortable enough over bad roads, and the panoramic roof in the higher variants makes the cabin feel airy. It is also a bit smaller outside than the big SUVs, so parking and driving in traffic is less stressful.One catch is that with all three rows up, the boot is tight, so you'll have to plan your way around it.

Kia Carens Clavis

Autocar India

•2h

The Skoda Kylaq Signature AT would be the recommendation here. For a first-time buyer with a family of four, it strikes an excellent balance between safety, comfort and ease of ownership. The Kylaq has strong safety credentials, a spacious cabin for its size and a smooth torque-converter automatic gearbox that is well-suited to Bengaluru's traffic conditions. Its turbo-petrol engine also feels effortless on highways and ghat roads, making it a more capable long-distance car than most hatchbacks or entry-level SUVs.With your relatively low monthly running, fuel efficiency differences between petrol automatics are unlikely to have a major impact on ownership costs. Instead, it makes sense to prioritise safety, comfort and overall driving experience, areas where the Kylaq performs very well.The Tata Punch remains a strong option from a safety and value perspective, but if concerns around service quality are weighing on your decision, the Kylaq is an easier recommendation.

Skoda Kylaq

Tata Punch