I have a Kia Syros diesel manual and am planning to buy a second car with a budget of ₹12 lakh. Please suggest a car that offers good handling, is easy to drive, and is compact in size.

Autocar India

•9w

Check out the Citroen C3 X, which is one of the most dynamically sorted cars at its price, and quite underrated too. Typical of French cars, the suspension setup is superbly tuned for a mix of exceptional comfort and sharp handling, and it also features a communicative steering system for a car in this class. Combine that with a punchy and smooth 1.2-litre turbo-petrol engine, and you have a car that's a lot of fun to drive.

With the recent C3 X update, it now gets the features it was missing previously, but you can still get a fully-loaded model - with a smooth 6-speed AT gearbox, if you like - in your budget of Rs 12 lakh.

You could also consider the Skoda Kylaq, which is a bit more spacious, but in your budget, you will only get a mid-spec model.

Explore cars mentioned

Citroen

from ₹5.53 Lakh

Skoda

Kylaq

from ₹8.62 Lakh

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Latest questions people are discussing

Umang Jaiswal

•1d

Within a budget of around ₹12 lakh (could extend some), I want to buy a petrol manual car which is fun to drive, reliable and will not be so heavy on my pocket for fueling and maintenance. My monthly usage is around 400km, mostly city and occasional road trips. Which car will you suggest?

Autocar India

•1d

You can consider the Maruti Suzuki Fronx or the Toyota Urban Cruiser Taisor in their top turbo petrol manual variants. The engine, despite being turbocharged, has hardly any turbo lag and offers good punch. It also comes with a light clutch and a slick gearbox, which makes it easy to drive in the city. Even on an open road or around a ghat section, both these cars are surprisingly fun to drive, and over bad roads, the suspension delivers a comfortable ride as well. For a turbo petrol engine, efficiency is also quite impressive. Overall, there is actually not much to fault here.If you want something that feels a bit more premium, you can look at the Skoda Kylaq, the Signature+ MT variant. The Kylaq is a fun car to drive, but the clutch is heavier, and you will feel more turbo lag. It will also not be as efficient as the Fronx turbo petrol, and the peace of mind ownership experience may not be as strong.

Maruti Suzuki Fronx

Toyota Urban Cruiser Taisor

Skoda Kylaq

Srujan

•5d

I really like the Skoda Kylaq 1.0 TSI AT, but I am unable to finalize my decision because of the rear seat space and a few other compromises. My other options within a ₹14 lakh budget are the Mahindra XUV 3XO RevX and the Nissan Magnite CVT. Considering these choices, which would be the best option overall? Also, what should I prioritise more in this segment - space and practicality or driving performance?

Autocar India

•1d

It's a shame that the Skoda Kylaq's rear seat space is not quite up to the best in the segment, because otherwise it is a superb compact SUV that scores highly on most other counts. Of the other options, the Nissan Magnite, while capable and a great value for money, feels like a sub-segment lower in terms of quality, space and performance. The Mahindra XUV 3XO RevX should be your best bet because it offers both - performance and rear-seat space. In fact, it has one of the most spacious cabins in the segment, although the boot is a bit smaller than others. The RevX offers a good feature set as well, along with a few unique styling embellishments, and overall, we feel this is the one you should pick.

Vigneshwar S

I am planning to buy a new car under ₹7 lakh. I am looking for a car with smooth engine performance and enhanced safety features.

Autocar India

•1h

We would recommend you look at the Maruti Suzuki Celerio. Refinement from the 1.0 litre engine is much better than you would expect from a three-cylinder engine, and minimal vibrations filter into the cabin. The overall performance is smooth and easy for normal everyday driving, and at low city speeds, it even feels a bit eager, and it is thus quite enjoyable to drive. In terms of safety, the car is well equipped with safety features like 6 airbags, anti-locking brakes (ABS) and electronic stability program (ESP). It also scored a three-star crash safety rating in the GNCAP test. You can get cars with a better crash rating, like the Tata Tiago, for instance, but you will not find the engine as smooth.

Maruti Suzuki Celerio

Tata Tiago

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