Autocar India
•24w

I am looking to buy a hatchback under 6 lakh. Which one should I buy? Currently, I am driving a Santro 2019 model and am pretty much happy with it.

Verified
•23w
For mostly city use and with a hard cap of Rs. 6 lakh, the Maruti Suzuki Celerio LXi (manual) fits you best. It keeps the same easy, light feel you’re used to in the Santro, so traffic and parking stay simple. Space is good for a hatchback at this price, with a rear seat and boot that work better than those of very small cars, so daily chores and the odd airport run won’t feel tight. And like Hyundai, Maruti has a wide service reach and low running costs, which suits someone who just wants a simple, fuss-free car.
Know that the LXI is the base version, so it is quite basic inside and does not come with a music system or wheel covers, though these can be added through dealer accessories. If you want a bit more style and features at this price, the Renault Kwid is also worth a look, but first check service support in your area.
Overall, for your city use and budget, the Celerio LXI lines up best with what you described.
Maruti Suzuki Celerio

Maruti Suzuki Celerio

More posts on similar cars

•2d

I have been driving Renault Kwid for the past 8 years for daily commute within the city. I have owned Scorpio, Sumo, Tata Indica and Santro in the past. Now, I want to upgrade to another car for daily city and highway driving. On an average, average monthly city driving is 600-800 km and with 3 long drives of 1500 to 1800 km annually on average. We are family of 3 and working professionals. My son is 20 years old. We plan to buy the car in October under a budget of 23 lakh. Please advise which vehicle, variant and fuel type should I opt for.

Verified
•2d

Based on your usage, a petrol automatic SUV is the most sensible choice. Your monthly running is around 600-800 km with three long highway trips a year, which does not justify a diesel. Given your budget of up to Rs. 23 lakh, the Kia Seltos 1.5 petrol IVT is the recommendation. It offers a good balance of comfort, space and features, making it a significant upgrade from the Kwid. The Seltos is also well-suited for both city driving and long highway journeys, and it will be comfortable for a family of three adults.If you want to stick with Renault, the new Duster is a good option. It feels more solid than the Seltos, has strong turbo petrol engines and a massive boot for your outstation trips. It gets all the bells and whistles and is priced very competitively, so your Rs. 23 lakh could go a lot further. Do note that the fuel efficiency won't be as good, however, and the rear seat isn't as spacious. Overall, the Seltos is your best bet.

VehicleKia Seltos
VehicleRenault Duster
VehicleRenault Kwid

Popular discussions right now

•1w

Hi, I want to buy my last car as I am 66 years old. I have been driving a Honda City for the last 12 years without any major hiccup. The Honda City engine and its reliability is excellent although its ground clearance is an issue. I have looked at Elevate and given its ground clearance as an SUV, I am impressed although the issues on E20 and abrupt blending issues are surely technical issues. Windsor EV was a great test drive but all controls on screen could be a bottleneck for me at my age and am planning to move to an automatic. Please recommend as experts. My monthly running will not be more than 500 km. Should I also look at Seltos. I will appreciate a feedback from experts. I want a reliable, easy to drive car with low maintenance cost and good family value with. There won't be any great pick ups or many highway drives will not be there.

Verified
•6d

Given your 12 years of trouble free City ownership, the Elevate is the most natural replacement. It retains Honda’s simple 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine, adds substantially better ground clearance and gives you the easier ingress and SUV driving position you liked. The CVT is also very well suited to your low speed, low running usage and should make the transition to an automatic easy.On your E20 concern, we would not treat it as a reason to avoid the Elevate. Honda says all its cars manufactured in India since January 2009 are E20 material compatible, and the current Elevate is officially certified for E20. Honda also says E20 should not cause durability concerns or require any component changes. There can be a marginal reduction in fuel economy because ethanol contains less energy than petrol, but with your 500km monthly running, that is unlikely to be significant.The Seltos is worth a look, particularly if you want a more feature rich and premium cabin, but given your priorities of reliability, easy driving, low maintenance and long term ownership, the Elevate fits your requirements more naturally. The Windsor EV is also an interesting option, but at just 500km a month, there is little financial reason to move to an EV, especially when you have concerns about its touchscreen heavy interface.

VehicleHonda City
VehicleHonda Elevate
VehicleMG Windsor
VehicleKia Seltos

Upcoming launch buzz

Community discussions on upcoming launches

Posted on: 17 Apr 2026