I'm looking to buy a car primarily for city driving with a budget of 10 lakh or less. I'm considering the Honda Amaze, Maruti Suzuki Dzire, Mahindra XUV 3XO, and Skoda Kylaq. Would you recommend any of these, or is there another option I should consider?

autocar.india

•19h

Yes, switch to an EV if you have a fixed parking spot where you can install a home charger - for a pure city, second car, the Tata Punch EV fits best. Stop-go traffic is where EVs save the most, and with low maintenance and cheap electricity, the math works out over a few years. If you cannot charge at home, skip the EV idea.As a city commuter, the Punch EV is easy. Light steering, smooth creep, strong regen that lets you use the brake less, and ground clearance for bad roads. In real use, the Medium Range handles a typical week of school runs and errands on a single charge; the Long Range provides more buffer if others in the family do longer loops. Tata’s EVs have held up well so far, and support is wide. For variants, pick the Medium Range if your daily running is short and you can top up at home; choose the Long Range only if you want to charge less often. The 7.2 kW home charger is nice to have, not a must-have.Also, look at the Tata Tiago EV for a lower price, and the MG Comet if you want something compact. If you stay petrol, the Hyundai i20 IVT or Amaze CVT automatics are the easiest city alternatives.

Tata Punch EV

Tata Tiago EV

MG Comet

Hyundai i20

Honda Amaze

autocar.india

•1d

Good for city use, the Honda Amaze VX manual is easy to drive and park thanks to a light clutch and steering, a smooth-shifting gearbox, and its compact size. Ride comfort over broken roads is quite sorted and visibility is clear, so stop-go traffic feels less tiring.In real city traffic you can expect around 12-14 kpl. The official figure is 18.6 kpl, and on calmer suburban runs you should see about 15-17 kpl if you drive gently.One thing to keep in mind: the 1.2 petrol is not the most powerful especially with a full load, so quick gaps often need a downshift. It is happy at city speeds but feels a bit out of breath for fast highway overtakes. If most of your running is within town with the odd ring-road stretch, it fits well. If you plan heavy highway use with a full load, you might wish for more punch.

Honda Amaze

autocar.india

•1h

Since you will be driving between Chennai and Coimbatore often, we recommend that you consider the upcoming 2026 Maruti Suzuki Brezza 1.0 Turbo. While its launch is scheduled in the coming weeks, the turbo-petrol engine is likely to address one of the Brezza's biggest shortcomings - lack of outright punch, and bring its performance at par with rivals. The turbo will add some much-needed oomph to the Brezza, which is otherwise a spacious, practical, and comfortable family car. It will feel tough, secure and long-distance drives will be a breeze.Alternatively, you can shortlist the Skoda Kylaq and Mahindra XUV 3XO. Between the two, the former will feel a bit nicer to drive, while the latter is more spacious.

Maruti Suzuki Brezza facelift

Skoda Kylaq

Mahindra XUV 3XO