Mayiladuthurai

•5w

I’m planning to buy a new car for casual use with a budget of under Rs. 11 lakh. It will primarily be used for city driving, including daily office commutes and occasional weekend trips, with an expected monthly running of around 300 to 400km. My priorities are reliability, low maintenance costs, good fuel efficiency, and a car that is hassle-free to own over the long term. I’m currently confused between the Maruti Suzuki Dzire, Swift, Honda Amaze, New Brezza, and Fronx. I don’t specifically need a turbo-petrol engine, although I’m open to considering one if it offers good features. I would prefer a manual gearbox, but I’m also willing to consider an automatic or AMT if it delivers good mileage in city driving. The Dzire has caught my attention, but I’m slightly hesitant because of its three-cylinder engine. Please clear my confusion.

•5w

For your usage, the Maruti Suzuki Dzire is actually the most sensible choice. Your running is low, your usage is mostly city with occasional weekend trips, and you want reliability, low maintenance, and fuel efficiency. The Dzire is built exactly for this brief. The 1.2-litre 3-cylinder petrol engine is smooth enough in everyday use, and the car is light, easy to drive and very efficient in the city. Concerns about the three-cylinder engine are largely overstated. Modern 3-cylinder engines are well balanced and refined at city speeds, and the Dzire is tuned for efficiency and reliability rather than outright performance. In our real-world testing, the Dzire has managed 14.5kpl in the city and 20kpl on the highway.

The Maruti Suzuki Swift is essentially the same mechanical package in a hatchback body, so the decision there is simply whether a hatchback or a sedan better suits your needs. The Honda Amaze is a good alternative if you specifically want an automatic. If the Honda Amaze price fits your budget, it gets a CVT, which is much smoother compared to the AMT on the Dzire, but it's not as fuel efficient. In our standard test cycle, the CVT Amaze mileage is 9.94kpl in the city cycle and 16.62kpl on the highway loop. The Maruti Suzuki Brezza and Fronx are both good cars, but they will not be as efficient in the city as the Dzire.

Go for the Dzire manual and do not worry about the 3-cylinder engine – it is a well-proven, efficient and reliable package.

Explore cars mentioned

Maruti Suzuki

Brezza

from ₹8.70 Lakh

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Dzire

from ₹7.42 Lakh

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Fronx

from ₹8.05 Lakh

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Swift

from ₹6.87 Lakh

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Amaze

from ₹9.00 Lakh

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•1d

Hi, I want to buy an automatic car under a budget of Rs. 13.5 - 14.5 lakh. I want a low maintenance car that offers best mileage in this range and has hassle free service. My daily commute is around 30-40km. Sometimes, I also do highway driving. My options include Nexon Creative DCA petrol, Kia Sonet HTK Plus Diesel, Hyundai Venue HX 5 Turbo DCT and Maruti Suzuki Brezza VXi AT?

•21h

Go for the Maruti Suzuki Brezza VXi AT as it best fits your priorities of low maintenance, good mileage and hassle-free service. The Brezza is the most reliable and stress-free option out of all the cars you've mentioned. Maruti's service network is unmatched, running costs are low and the naturally aspirated petrol engine paired with the 6-speed torque converter automatic is smooth, proven and well-suited to your running. It is not the most feature-rich car in this list, but it is the one you will own with the least headaches.The Brezza VXi AT is the sensible, low-stress choice that will keep you happy over the long term.

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•19h

I am a first-time car buyer and relatively new to driving. Most of my travel involves highway driving, with occasional trips through city traffic. I am looking for an automatic car with a budget of under Rs. 12 lakh. Could you suggest a suitable car based on these requirements?

•17h

For a first-time buyer who is new to driving, prioritises highway use and wants an automatic under Rs 12 lakh, the Maruti Suzuki Brezza automatic is the most sensible recommendation. It is one of the easiest cars to drive in the segment, with good all-round visibility, a comfortable driving position and a smooth torque converter automatic gearbox that is far more refined than the AMT gearboxes found at this price point. On the highway, the Brezza feels stable and confidence-inspiring, while in city traffic the gearbox is smooth and the car is easy to manoeuvre. Maruti’s service network and low running costs also make it a stress-free ownership proposition, which is important for a first-time buyer. The only real drawback is that the Brezza is not the most feature-rich car in the segment, but it gets the basics right and is a easy car to live with. If you want something with a bit more space and a more premium feel, the Mahindra XUV 3XO automatic is also worth considering, but the Brezza remains the safer and more beginner-friendly choice.

Maruti Suzuki Brezza

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•21h

Currently, I own Maruti Suzuki Baleno Alpha 1.3 (2017) diesel that has crossed 12,000km and its current mileage is 14kpl in the city. At what price should I sell this as I currently have an offer for Rs. 3 - 3.5 lakh. Once I sell my car, which SUV should I buy for my family under Rs. 15 lakh ( maximum on-road budget). I prefer comfort, space, mileage and performance and I prefer to keep the car for at least 10 years. My 85% usage is in the Kanpur city (Tier-2 city) and my monthly driving is 1000-1100 km. In 4-5 months, I travel from Kanpur to Delhi or from Kanpur to Jaipur. I am confused about what should I do with issues like the current ethanol blending scenario in India, diesel bio mixing, diesel DPF problem, EV infrastructure issue as well as range problem and battery degradation. Which fuel variant should I be looking at?

•18h

Since your diesel Baleno is nearing 10 years, and you're being offered Rs 3-3.5 lakhs for it, it makes sense to sell it. Keeping your usage in mind, we'd recommend you to shortlist the Maruti Suzuki Brezza CNG and the Mahindra XUV 3XO Diesel. Both these are very sensible, comfortable choices, and are likely to return strong efficiency. The Mahindra has an edge as far as performance goes. In summary, if you don't mind the long CNG queues at refilling pumps, the Brezza CNG will be an economical option, which is further backed by Maruti's widespread network. However, if you want a fill-it, shut-it, forget-in option the XUV 3XO diesel is a good choice.

Maruti Suzuki Baleno

Maruti Suzuki Brezza

Mahindra XUV 3XO

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Popular discussions right now

•3d

I have a Tata Nexon Creative AMT that is only a year old, but I have already had to replace the spark plugs four times and the ignition coil once. I am still facing engine misfires and vibrations inside the car. I am honestly fed up with Tata's service, as they have been unable to resolve the issue. I am therefore planning to sell the Nexon and buy a Kia Seltos with a manual transmission this time. My priority was safety earlier, and it remains my top priority. However, I now also want peace of mind and a hassle-free ownership experience. Would selling the Nexon and switching to the Seltos be a good decision?

•2d

Yes, it is a good decisionYes, it is a good decision to sell the Tata Nexon and move to the Seltos manual. The Nexon is generally a safe and well-engineered car, but if you are facing repeated engine issues and the service centre is unable to resolve them, it is understandable to lose confidence in the ownership experience. The Kia Seltos is a very well-rounded SUV with a strong safety package, a more refined ownership experience and a good service network. The manual transmission is also a good choice if you want to avoid any potential automatic gearbox-related issues. Overall, if peace of mind and a hassle-free ownership experience are your top priorities, the Seltos is a sensible upgrade.

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•6d

I currently drive a Grand i10 Manual petrol and am now planning to buy a new compact SUV that is comfortable, fuel efficient and has low maintenance. My usage is 35km of daily office commute in Delhi-NCR traffic. Please advice which option is best fit amongst Hyundai Venue HX 6T, SONET HTK+O and XUV 3XO.

•5d

Go for the Hyundai Venue. With your daily 35km commute in Delhi NCR traffic, comfort and low maintenance are key, and the Venue delivers on both. The 1.2 NA petrol is smooth, refined and easy to drive in stop-start conditions, while Hyundai’s service network and ownership experience are among the best in the segment. The HX6T variant also gives you a good balance of features without pushing the budget too far.The Sonet HTK+O is mechanically very similar, but the Venue is a newer model and offers a more spacious cabin. The XUV 3XO is also a good option, but its turbo petrol engine won't be as efficient as the Hyundai’s.Overall, the Venue is the most sensible upgrade from your Grand i10 for daily city use.

I am planning to buy a sub-compact SUV. My budget is Rs. 13-14 lakh, and my priorities are a smooth automatic transmission and good mileage. I am considering the Brezza ZXi AT, Sonet HXT DCT, and Venue HX6 DCT. I am very confused because the Brezza’s torque-converter automatic offers good fuel efficiency but lacks some features, while the Sonet and Venue offer all the features I need. However, I am concerned that the DCT may be less fuel-efficient and could involve higher maintenance costs. My daily commute is around 30 km, mostly in heavy bumper-to-bumper traffic. Please suggest which one would be the best choice for my requirements.

•4d

Go for the Maruti Suzuki Brezza ZXI AT. Your priorities are a smooth automatic, good fuel efficiency and a daily 30km commute in heavy bumper-to-bumper traffic. The Brezza’s 6-speed torque converter automatic is the best fit for this usage. It is smooth, reliable and well suited to stop-start conditions, and the naturally aspirated petrol engine is efficient and easy to live with. Maruti’s service reach and low maintenance costs add to the ownership peace of mind.The Sonet and Venue DCTs are good cars, but the DCT gearbox is not ideal for heavy traffic. It can feel jerky at low speeds.Alternatively, if you can arrange for home charging, the Tata Punch EV is an excellent option.

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