Hi Autocar team, please suggest an EV for elderly parents. Usage will mostly be in the city, with occasional highway trips of 200 to 250 km. Budget is approximately ₹10 to 17 lakh.

Autocar India

•1d

Go for the Tata Punch EV Long Range. For school runs, pick-ups and short daily trips, the Punch EV works very well. It is compact, easy to park and effortless to drive in traffic, with smooth and silent performance that suits stop-and-go conditions. The long-range version gives you enough real-world range to cover multiple days of city use without needing to charge frequently. It also offers good ground clearance, so you will not have to worry about bad roads or speed breakers. Coming from an S-Cross, you will find it much easier to manoeuvre in tight lanes and parking spots, though you will notice the smaller rear seat and boot.If you want more space and stronger performance, you can consider the Tata Nexon EV. It feels quicker and more substantial, but it is more expensive and not as easy to park in tight areas. At the other end, if your usage is strictly short trips in very tight urban conditions, the MG Comet is the easiest to drive and park, but its two-door layout makes rear seat access less convenient for daily use.

Tata Punch EV

Tata Nexon EV

MG Comet

Autocar India

•13m

Go for the Mahindra XUV 3XO diesel manual. It fits your brief best because the 1.5 diesel delivers strong pull from low speeds, making city driving easier without constant downshifts, and it has a solid mid range for quick highway overtakes, while also offering a comfortable ride and well weighted steering with selectable modes to suit your preference. The Tata Altroz diesel is a good alternative if you want something smaller and easier to park with similarly strong low and mid range, and it also has a capable chassis that makes it feel confident and enjoyable to drive, along with a sportier, lower seating position. The only drawback with the Altroz is that its diesel engine is not as strong or as refined as the Mahindra car and it is not as spacious, so overall the XUV 3XO remains the better fit for your needs.

Mahindra XUV 3XO

Tata Altroz

Autocar India

•4h

Opt for the Mahindra XEV 9S, and buy now rather than wait. It best matches your brief because it gives you the size, comfort and feature set you want while also offering strong real-world range and improving highway usability, which is key if you plan to use it as your primary travel car, and with a diesel backup in place, you already have a safety net for tougher routes. In your case, prioritise range and charging ecosystem over outright features, because that is what will actually determine how stress-free your long trips from Bangalore are. Today, the main corridors are reasonably well covered if you plan stops, though you still need to be slightly more mindful compared to an ICE car.BH registration will not be an issue for usage in Bangalore as long as documentation is in order, and it actually adds flexibility if you relocate. While we would also have suggested the Kia Carens Clavis EV as a more polished and comfortable option, its smaller battery pack may not suit your need for longer highway drives.

Mahindra XEV 9S

Kia Carens Clavis EV

Autocar India

•2d

You want a car that is comfortable in the city, easy to drive and capable of doing long trips for the next 10 years. The Toyota Innova Hycross fits this very well. The hybrid system makes it very smooth and quiet in city driving, and the automatic gearbox is effortless, which becomes more important with age. On highways, it is stable, comfortable and built for long-distance travel, which is what the Innova name has always stood for.What really works in your favour is long-term ownership. Toyota’s reliability, strong service network and resale value make it one of the safest bets if you plan to keep the car for many years. The Hycross also offers excellent space, easy ingress and egress and a comfortable ride, which are important for everyday use and for passengers as you grow older.

Toyota Innova HyCross

Autocar India

•6d

Mostly highway use, about 1,000 km a month, safety first, and an automatic in the Rs 12-13 lakh range, in that brief, we would suggest the Skoda Kylaq Signature. Its torque converter is much smoother than an AMT or DCT, so city driving feels easy, and performance from the 1.0 TSI makes highway overtakes effortless. The Kylaq has a 5-star crash score from Bharat NCAP and feels steady at highway speeds, which builds confidence. It also rides well over broken patches, so you are not tossed around.Two things to keep in mind: while the front seats are comfy and supportive, space in the back seat is a bit tight. It makes up for it with a large boot and a low loading lip. If you want more space, look at the Nissan Magnite Tekna Turbo CVT, which has a 5-star safety rating from Global NCAP.Overall, for highway-heavy use with safety at the top, the Kylaq lines up best in your budget.

Skoda Kylaq

Nissan Magnite

Autocar India

•5d

With a 70 km daily mix of traffic and highway use, we would lean towards the Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder strong-hybrid. Your usage is high, and the hybrid will use far less fuel in city traffic while staying calm and smooth. It pulls away on electric power at low speeds, so stop-go driving feels quiet and easy.You like the Seltos for its cabin and stronger shove, and that is fair. The Seltos diesel feels stronger when you press the throttle for quick passes, and its cabin does look and feel richer. If most of your 70 km is open highway and you really value that strong pull and the Kia car interior, the Seltos diesel automatic is still a solid pick.On a Kia Seltos hybrid: Kia does intend to introduce a hybrid, but timing is not yet decided as they are trying to localise components. We estimate it could arrive in 2027, but that could change. For your mix of city and highway, the Hyryder strong-hybrid lines up best with what you need right now.

Kia Seltos

Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder