Yes, you're right, the Hyundai Exter AMT is not great on the highway, but frankly, given your budget, it's not the best for the city either. The AMT gearbox gets the job done, but is nowhere as smooth as more sophisticated automatics.The Kia Sonet turbo-petrol DCT, sadly, does not fall in your budget, but it is well-equipped and upmarket, if you are willing to make the stretch. The best value options within your budget are the Renault Kiger and Nissan Magnite, which not only offer a 100hp 1.0 turbo-petrol engine but also a smooth CVT gearbox within your budget. However, they both lack the same level of quality and refinement that Hyundai and Kia offer.Interestingly, the new Hyundai Venue is offered in 1.0 Turbo DCT HX5 guise, which is around the Rs 12 lakh on-road mark. It's more spacious and comfortable than the others and comes with a decent feature list. This is your best bet, but if you don't mind a hatchback, the Hyundai i20 is even better, as you get the choice of two petrol automatics - 1.2 CVT and 1.0 Turbo DCT - well within your budget.

Between the diesel Mahindra XUV 7XO and the electric XEV 9S, we think you would be better off with the XUV 7XO since your main purpose of the new car is to go on family trips. Highway charging infrastructure is still developing, and quite a few times, existing chargers are either occupied or not operational. Thus, if your trips are over 300 km long, you would need to stop and charge. This will ensure you can make it back or even have sufficient charge to drive around when you get to your destination.Moreover, if these trips involve hill climbs, you will lose battery charge much faster. Conversely, the diesel Mahindra XUV7XO will be just right for these conditions. The torquey engine is powerful enough to tackle climbs, and with diesel being the fuel of choice, there will be no range anxiety.

With your budget set at Rs 17 lakh, we would advise you to go with the new Kia Seltos as it is a great all-rounder. Also, you would get a mid-spec car like the petrol manual HTK(O), which, besides the basics, would also get you a few niceties. The petrol engine is also a good performer, delivering a good blend of performance, refinement and efficiency. The lower spec Tata Sierra, on the other hand, will come with the 1.5 litre naturally aspirated engine. It is a very sluggish performer, and while the Mahindra XUV 7XO will deliver on this front, it would not be as efficient as the Kia.

Yes, if you are very unsure about your driving, then a used car would be better. You could look at a Maruti Celerio, which is a compact car and has very light controls. The view outside is also good, so getting familiar with driving will be easy in this car. However, if you think you will get confident pretty soon, then yes, a Maruti Baleno will be just fine, or we would suggest you look at the Fronx. It is essentially based on the Baleno, so you will get the same amount of interior space. Moreover, you will get the same powertrain but with a lifted body and better ground clearance, which will help you in case your drives to the hills involve some bad roads.