I’m planning to upgrade my 2016 Baleno Sigma (petrol MT) to a petrol automatic. I’m looking for a safe, family-friendly car with ADAS/adaptive cruise, good mileage, and modern safety features. My usage is 70% city and 30% highway. Since I already own a Maruti, I’m exploring other brands for a family of 5 (older parents + kid). My budget is under ₹15 lakh, and I’m deciding between an SUV and a sedan. A few options checked were Honda Elevate, Kushaq, Slavia, Creta, Astor, Punch, etc.

Autocar India

•10w

Unfortunately, not many cars will fit all your requirements in a budget of Rs 15 lakh. Most notably, ADAS with adaptive cruise control, which is usually reserved for higher variants of cars in higher segments. The cars that do offer it within your budget, however, are the Honda Amaze, Kia Sonet and Tata Nexon.

Of these three, we would recommend the Tata Nexon, as it is the most spacious and comfortable, and best suited for travelling with 5 on board. Its mileage is not the best, but it does have all the features you would want and has scored a 5-star crash test rating from both Global NCAP and Bharat NCAP. If you don't mind foregoing ADAS, however, there are far more options that open up.

Explore cars mentioned

Honda

Amaze

from ₹8.49 Lakh

Kia

Sonet

from ₹8.30 Lakh

Tata

Nexon

from ₹8.32 Lakh

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Rachna Hans

•3d

I have been driving a Hyundai Santro (AMT) for the last six years, and now I am planning to upgrade with a budget of ₹12-13 lakh. My current car has done only 15,000 km in six years, so my usage is relatively low. In my next car, I am looking for features like a reverse camera, Android Auto, and voice commands to make driving easier. I am interested in the Kia Seltos, Kia Sonet, and Tata Nexon, but I am open to other suggestions as well. Which car would you recommend?

Autocar India

•2d

The Hyundai Venue will feel like a big upgrade from your Hyundai Santro AMT. The turbo petrol engine paired with the DCT gearbox offers strong performance and smooth shifts, which makes driving in the city effortless. It also gets features like a reverse camera, Android Auto connectivity and voice commands that you are specifically looking for. Overall, it will be a noticeable step up in terms of power, features, space and overall comfort.Among the other cars you mentioned, the Kia Sonet is also a good option. However, the Venue is the newer car and is more spacious. Also, a replacement for the Sonet is expected next year, which means it may feel dated sooner. The Tata Nexon petrol is another option that offers good space and a comfortable ride, but the Venue feels more refined and easier to drive and is the newer car as well. As for the Kia Seltos, it is a good SUV, but it belongs to a higher segment and will stretch well beyond your ₹12-13 lakh budget in comparable variants.

Yuvraj Shrivastava

I am planning to buy a car around ₹11 lakhs. I prefer top-end variants with automatic transmission. I tried Hyundai AMT, which I didn't like at all because of the jerks in gear shifts. Currently, I have a 2022 Venue Top End, so coming from DCT, AMT seems so sluggish. Please suggest some good options.

Autocar India

•21h

The Honda Amaze CVT is a good pick for you. Its CVT gearbox is smooth and delivers a pleasant driving experience, superior to what you'd get with AMTs in the same price band. The Amaze CVT in fully-loaded VX form fits your budget and is worth a look. You could also look at the Tata Altroz DCT in Accomplished S trim. It's well equipped and, while performance is unexciting, the gearbox is very smooth. Other options we'd recommend considering include the Nissan Magnite CVT, Renault Kiger CVT and Hyundai i20 CVT. Do note, their top-end versions are pricier than Rs 11 lakh.

Ashish

Hi Autocar Expert, I currently own a Tata Nexon XZA diesel and am planning to upgrade. However, I have a major parking constraint at my home. I am interested in the Toyota Innova Hycross, but if it is parked in my parking space, the doors cannot be opened properly due to limited space. Because of this, I am considering buying a car that offers an automatic or self-parking feature. Could you please guide me on which cars offer this feature and would suit my situation?

Autocar India

•18h

Auto parking might not solve your problem if your parking space is too narrow to open the doors. The summon feature that the Tata Harrier EV gets could be of some use, but it won’t fit your requirements if you need a three-row vehicle like the Toyota Innova Hycross.Instead, we suggest you take a look at the Kia Carens Clavis. It is narrower than the Hycross by about 45-50mm and is roughly the same width as your Nexon, so it should fit in your parking space. In terms of interior volume, while it is not as spacious as the Hycross, it offers plenty of room in the second row and a genuinely usable third row.

Tata Harrier EV

Toyota Innova HyCross

Kia Carens Clavis

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