I want to buy an automatic car. My daily running is around 100 km, with 90% highway use and 10% city driving. I am confused between the Tata Punch CNG AMT and the Kia Sonet Diesel AT. Kindly suggest which one would be the better choice for my usage.

Autocar India

•2d

With 80 km of mostly city driving and a clear move to a petrol automatic, the Maruti Suzuki Brezza automatic best fits your needs. Its automatic is smooth and calm in traffic, so that it will feel like a big upgrade from your current AMT. The engine is easy-going and does not feel stressed on long commutes, and Maruti’s wide service network helps when you are piling on daily kilometres.A few trade-offs to note: it is not the quickest in this group, and the cabin is not as flashy as some rivals. But for daily ease, comfort over bad roads, and low-stress ownership, it nails the brief.Why not the others for your use: the Tata Nexon with AMT still has a slight jerk and slow shifts in stop-go, which can get tiring over 80 km a day. The Kia Sonet automatic is quick but can feel a bit fussy at very low speeds. The Hyundai Venue CRDi is diesel, so it does not match your petrol ask.If you want stronger pick-up and more features, look at the Mahindra XUV 3XO automatic; it’s brisk and still smooth, though city mileage may be lower. Overall, pick the Brezza automatic.

Maruti Suzuki Brezza

Tata Nexon

Kia Sonet

Mahindra XUV 3XO

Autocar India

•2d

Yes, some manufacturers like Maruti Suzuki and Volkswagen Group have moved away from diesel passenger cars in India. But that was largely a business decision driven by tightening emissions norms, development costs and their own product strategy, not because diesel is being banned nationally. India is clearly pushing cleaner mobility and stricter efficiency norms, but there is no announced nationwide policy to suddenly ban diesel car sales in the near future.What is true is that diesel may gradually become a smaller part of the passenger car market over time, especially in cities with stricter pollution rules. Delhi NCR already has separate age-based restrictions for older diesel vehicles, but that is a local policy, not a national template.As for resale, yes, diesel resale values could soften over the long term if policy becomes stricter, but it is highly unlikely to be a sudden overnight collapse across India. The bigger question is your usage. If you do high monthly running, regular highway trips and value effortless torque plus efficiency, the Kia Sonet diesel still makes a lot of sense and remains one of the strongest diesel compact SUVs available. If your usage is mostly city commuting with lower annual mileage, then the petrol makes more sense, not because diesel is “dying”, but because your ownership pattern may not justify it.Tesla's entering India does not materially change this equation for a Sonet buyer today. EV adoption will grow, but India’s transition will be gradual, not abrupt.

Kia Sonet

Autocar India

•17h

A daily 50 km commute in heavy stop-and-go traffic is exactly the kind of usage where an automatic makes the biggest difference, so upgrading from your 9-year-old i20 manual to an automatic is a sensible move for better comfort and lower driving fatigue. In your Rs. 10-12 lakh budget, the Maruti Suzuki Baleno AMT is the neatest fit. It is very easy to drive in traffic, the steering is light, the gearbox takes the hard work out of slow moves, and the ride is comfortable over broken roads. Coming from your older i20, it will feel quieter and more relaxed, and it’s also easy to park. Running costs and service reach are simple too, which matters when you drive every day.Two things to note: the AMT's shift can feel slow, and if you want a higher seat and extra ground clearance, you may want a taller car instead.If you prefer to stay with Hyundai, look at the i20 CVT as well. For a higher seating position within budget, the Tata Punch AMT is a good second choice. Overall, for your city commute, the Baleno AMT lines up best.

Maruti Suzuki Baleno

Hyundai i20

Tata Punch