Hi, I want to buy a new car for a family of 5. Long drives will be once or twice a year. I am looking for longevity, low maintenance cost, a strong service network, and all necessary features. My budget is around ₹6.5 lakh on-road. Kindly suggest which brand and variant would be best for my requirements.

Autocar India

•1d

For your requirement of an automatic car under Rs 7 lakh for city driving, we would suggest going for the Maruti Suzuki Celerio VXI AMT.It is a proven product and well-suited for daily city use. The 1.0-litre petrol engine is refined for a 3-cylinder unit and feels responsive, with enough torque for typical city conditions. The AMT gearbox is well-calibrated and smooth, which makes it easy to drive in stop-go traffic.The Celerio is also compact and easy to park, which is important for city usage. At the same time, the cabin is surprisingly spacious and can comfortably seat four adults.If you want something with even more space, you can also consider the Maruti Wagon R VXI AMT, which just about fits within your budget.

Maruti Suzuki Celerio

Maruti Suzuki Wagon R

Autocar India

•13h

Since you are looking for a proven tension-free engine, pick the Honda Elevate, its 1.5‑litre naturally aspirated engine is a very reliable unit and coming from your Tata Altroz NA. You’ll appreciate the Elevate’s smooth, linear power delivery from a simple 4‑cylinder petrol, no turbo lag, fewer parts to worry about, and a decade of reliability in India. The steering is very light at low speeds, and this is also something you would like, given that you drive mostly in the city. What's nice, though, is that it weighs up nicely as speeds rise. The ride is a bit firm but not to the point of being uncomfortable. The 1.3 litre turbo direct injection engine on the Duster is also another good and reliable powerplant, and should you not like the Elevate, you could also look at this. You will have lower rear space, and the gearbox is a DSG unit, which in start-stop city traffic is not as smooth as the CVT on the Honda.

Honda Elevate

Tata Altroz

Autocar India

•14h

Check out the Maruti Suzuki Brezza. It has a relatively compact sub-four-metre footprint, but still manages to be spacious for five adults, thanks to its boxy and tall design. This design also affords it a tall seating position, and visibility is great all around. And since you're already in the Maruti Suzuki ecosystem, it will be an easy transition, and you could even ask them for a loyalty bonus. The Brezza's 1.5-litre petrol is not exceptionally powerful, but it is sufficient, and its 6-speed automatic gearbox is smooth and seamless with its shifts. The best part, however, is that it's incredibly fuel-efficient, which should make your annual long drives a little easier on the pocket. Ground clearance is a substantial 198mm, and the suspension is well-tuned for comfort and stability. Another alternative is the Mahindra XUV 3XO, which also has a wide second row bench and strong petrol and diesel engines as well. But its driving position isn't as tall, and it isn't particularly fuel efficient.

Maruti Suzuki Brezza

Mahindra XUV 3XO