I am looking to buy a new car with a budget of up to ₹30 lakh. I live in a town and have my own parking space both at home and at the hospital. My daily driving is less than 10 km, but I go on long drives once a month, usually within a 500 km range. I am looking for a car that offers an excellent driving experience and high comfort levels. A good sound system and effective air-conditioning are important to me, but I am not interested in flashy interiors or excessive features. I want a car that makes me fall in love with driving every time I get behind the wheel.

Autocar India

•2d

If you can install a charger at home and have charging stations on the route to your destination, an EV does make sense for your heavy use. Under Rs. 20 lakh, consider the Tata Curvv EV with the 55kWh battery pack. In our real world tests, it managed 352km on the highway which means your 350km journey is possible with a quick stop in between to top up. It also has good ground clearance and rides well, so it will deal with village roads nicely.For under Rs. 30 lakh, consider the Mahindra XEV 9e with the 79kWh battery pack. In our tests, it managed 488km on the highway meaning with some care, your 350km journey is possible in one go. You will need to charge at your destination though. EVs are less efficient on the highway and particularly with a full load require care to ensure the battery doesn't deplete too quickly. Your charging stops will also need to be planned in advance and there is possibility that you will have to wait at a stop for charge to become available. If this seems like too much work, then stick to a diesel. Under Rs. 20 lakh, consider the Kia Seltos diesel or the Hyundai Creta diesel. Under 30 lakh, you could consider the Mahindra XUV 7XO or the Scorpio N. All of these will comfortably manage village roads and do long highway stints without worries.

Mahindra XEV 9e

Tata Curvv EV

Hyundai Creta

Mahindra XUV 7XO

Mahindra Scorpio N

Autocar India

•4h

Get the Tata Punch EV 40kWh Adventure. It fits closest to Rs. 12 lakh and comfortably does a 100 km daily city run with AC, leaving a buffer so you are not range-watching. It is easy to park in tight spots, and you still get fast charging for quick top-ups if plans change. Running costs are low, and Tata’s EV network is the widest today.The honest catch is that the rear seat is comfortable for two but a squeeze for three because of the narrow width.If you want a smaller footprint for city use, then the updated Tiago EV 24kWh is also a solid choice. It can now also charge at up to 30kW, so quick top-ups are possible, but total range will be significantly less than the Punch EV.

Tata Punch EV

Tata Tiago EV

Autocar India

•8h

The Tata Sierra is a large and capable SUV, and for your work, would give loads of space for camera gear and garment boxes alike, but in your budget of Rs 15-16 lakh, you will only get the base model. Moreover, the downside of it being a large and heavy vehicle is that the mileage is not great compared to rivals, whether comparing the petrol or diesel versions. However, should you go with the Sierra and want to get the maximum mileage, the diesel is probably the best way to go, and if possible, we would recommend stretching the budget by at least Rs 1-1.5 lakh to get a few more features.Consider the Kia Seltos instead - it too has a large and spacious cabin, almost as big as that of the Sierra, and good boot space as well. However, its engines, comparable to what you get in the Sierra, offer better real-world mileage. And, as safety is another concern, the Seltos has scored a 5-star Bharat NCAP crash test rating, just like the Sierra. What's more, you can get mid-spec variants, at least with the petrol engines, in your budget of Rs. 15-16 lakh, so you don't necessarily have to increase it so much. If you want even more space, and don't mind picking an MPV over an SUV, the Kia Carens Clavis is a far more practical option.

Tata Sierra

Kia Seltos

Kia Carens Clavis