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Gokul

25w

Hi, please suggest a car around 7 lakhs for a family of four. It's mostly for highway use. So ride comfort, safety & good performance are the priorities. Also, this is my first car, and I won’t be changing it for at least the next 8 years. So it should age fine too.

Autocar India team

Autocar India

Verified
25w
The entry-level Maruti Swift is a great option, especially since this is your first vehicle, due to its smoothness, light controls, and Maruti's extensive support network, which promises a hassle-free ownership experience.
If you want an SUV-like vehicle, the Tata Punch 1.2P is an excellent choice, and the Pure Rhythm variant will fall within your budget. It scores well in terms of highway ride comfort and safety; however, performance isn't its strong suit.

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GA

Gautam

3h

Hi. I'm a first time car buyer. Want to buy a spacious and comfortable car within 11 lakhs. I don't have much of a driving experience so the car should be easy to drive and maintain. Much of the car use would be within the city and my monthly run of around 200kms. I'm considering both manual as well as automatic options. I would like to know your suggestions.

Autocar India team

Autocar India

Verified
29m

We would suggest you consider the Hyundai i20 IVT. The gearbox is smooth, the cabin is spacious, and within your budget, you can get the Sportz (O) variant. It is compact, easy to drive and park in the city, and also offers a reasonably large boot.If you want something slightly larger, you can consider the Maruti Suzuki Baleno. It is more spacious inside, more comfortable for a larger family and also has a bigger boot. The AMT gearbox is not as smooth as the CVT in the i20, but it is well-tuned and will also be more efficient.

VehicleHyundai i20
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SS

Shiv Singh

6h

I am looking for a new car recommendation for my work commute. My budget is 13 Lakh, and my monthly running is approximately 1,500-2,000 km. My typical schedule involves travelling from Mumbai to Goa and rural Konkan for three weeks out of the month, with the remaining week spent in Mumbai or Pune city traffic. My driving split is roughly 70% highway and 30% city traffic. Since I travel alone for work, my top priorities are low running costs and decent build quality. I have shortlisted the following options: 1. Kia Seltos (Base Diesel HTE) 2. Hyundai Venue (HX5 Automatic TC) 3. Maruti Suzuki Brezza CNG 4. Mahindra Thar RWD Please let me know if you suggest any of these or if there are other vehicles I should consider. Additionally, given my travel patterns, would you recommend a manual or an automatic (TC) transmission?

Autocar India team

Autocar India

Verified
1h

From the options you listed, we would recommend going for the Kia Seltos diesel manual. Even in the base variant, the Seltos still gets most of the essential features. Being a larger car, it will also feel more comfortable and stable on long highway drives. The diesel engine offers good performance and will feel effortless on the highway, which suits your usage pattern well.From a pure efficiency point of view, it makes sense to go for the manual transmission. Torque converter automatics tend to reduce fuel efficiency slightly, and with diesel efficiency already coming down due to tighter emission norms, the manual will help maximise mileage. Also, since 70 percent of your driving is on the highway, the manual transmission should not feel inconvenient.If the lowest running cost is your main priority, then the Maruti Suzuki Victoris LXi CNG is worth considering. The running cost will be much lower than that of even diesel engine cars. Thanks to smart packaging of the CNG tanks under the boot floor, the boot space, unlike most CNG cars, is not compromised.However, compared to diesel cars like the Seltos, the 1.5-litre naturally aspirated engine will not feel as effortless on the highway. Also, it does not come with a spare tyre, only a puncture repair kit, which is something to note, considering you spend most of your time on the highway.The Mahindra Thar will prove to be uncomfortable for your usage. Its ride quality tends to feel quite bumpy, especially on our less-than-perfect Maharashtra roads. Also, the amount of driving you do, it will become tiring over long distances. For your usage pattern, the Seltos diesel manual would be the better choice thanks to its comfort and strong highway performance. If your focus is purely on minimising running costs, then the Victoris CNG is the alternative to consider.

VehicleKia New Seltos
VehicleMaruti Suzuki Victoris
YG

Yogesh Gautam Kamble

2d

I need a car for my daily commute, and my travel will be around 50-60 km every day. Most of my driving will be within the city, along with occasional highway drives on weekends. My budget should allow for an EMI of less than ₹20,000 per month. Considering my usage, should I go for a diesel or a CNG car, and which option would you recommend?

Autocar India team

Autocar India

Verified
6h

With your daily running of around 50-60 km, your monthly usage will easily cross 1,500 km, so choosing a fuel with low running costs makes sense. In this case, CNG is generally a better fit than diesel, especially since most of your driving is in the city.One of the better options to consider is the Tata Nexon CNG. Unlike most CNG cars, the Nexon uses a turbo-petrol engine, which means it still feels reasonably strong and comfortable even on the highway. The turbo engine produces good torque, which helps maintain performance despite running on CNG. This makes the Nexon CNG a good balance between low running costs for the city and decent highway performance for weekend drives.Another practical option is the Maruti Suzuki Brezza CNG, particularly the LXi or VXi variants. The Brezza uses a 1.5-litre engine with factory-fitted CNG. It is known for being smooth and reliable while still offering good mileage and reasonable performance.

VehicleTata Nexon
VehicleMaruti Suzuki Brezza

Posted on: 16 Sept 2025