Autocar India
JE

Jerry

•17w

Which naturally aspirated car is best under ₹16.5 lakh?

Autocar India team

Autocar India

Verified
•17w
There are quite a few options that fall under your budget. However, without knowing your exact requirements, it will be hard to recommend one. That being said, Honda's 121hp, 1.5-litre, four-cylinder i-VTEC petrol engine is one of the best around and stands out for its peppy nature and strong high-rev performance. This engine is offered with either a 6-speed manual or a CVT automatic in the Honda City sedan (₹11.95 lakh - 16.07 lakh) and the Honda Elevate SUV (₹11.60 lakh - 16.57 lakh), ex-showroom.
Alternatively, there's Maruti's 103hp, 1.5-litre petrol engine that can be found in a number of models and its known for its relaxed nature and fuel efficiency. Hyundai's 115hp, 1.5-litre petrol unit is also another option that can be found in a number of Hyundai-Kia models, and it impresses with its refinement.
Honda City

Honda City

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Honda City

Honda

City

from ₹14.19 Lakh

Honda Elevate

Honda

Elevate

from ₹13.73 Lakh

NA

Navneet

•9w

Need Advice on Petrol Automatic SUV (CSD Purchase) – Budget ~₹16–17L ex-showroom - it is equivalent to CSD on road I am quite confused about my car purchase decision and would really appreciate expert guidance. My Requirements • Fuel: Petrol • Transmission: Automatic • Body type: SUV • Seating: Comfortable for 5 people (preferably usable for 3 adults in rear). Even though mostly it will be used for 2 people, but as I will be keeping it for 8+ years I would like to have a big SUV. • Ownership period: ~ 8 years / 80,000 km • Usage pattern: • 80%: Delhi NCR city driving • 20%: Hills and highways • Priorities: • Good drivability & pickup (especially for highway/hill overtakes) • Safety • Reliability • Comfortable ride Budget • Buying through CSD • Budget: ₹16–17 lakhs on-road CSD (which is roughly equivalent to ex-showroom price). Can stretch to 17.5 lakhs maybe. Cars I Evaluated Rejected options Creta CVT S(O) Seltos CVT HTK(O) Elevate ZX CVT     •    All are under 16 lakhs • All felt underpowered for quick overtakes on highways and hills. Taigun /Kushaq • Loved the driving dynamics • Options considered: 1.0 TSI AT (₹15–16L CSD) and 1.5 TSI DSG (₹17–18L CSD; extra discount for old models) • Concern: Rear seat not comfortable for 3 adults and car felt small, almost same like Kylaq which I can get for 13 lakhs. Grand Vitara /Hyryder • 1.5 NA felt underpowered • Hybrid variants too expensive (~₹19L CSD) Thar Roxx MX5 • Ride quality felt bouncy • Mileage concerns • Scorpio N lower variants not listed in CSD. Duster looks promising but not yet listed in CSD, so availability may take time. Also Considered Harrier Pure X - 17.5 lakhs /Tata Sierra Adventure Plus - 18 lakhs (1.5T TC) • Driving experience felt good • Concern: Long-term reliability.     •    It will get listed soon on CSD.  My Current Dilemma: The only option that seems to tick most boxes is Kia Seltos 1.5 Turbo DCT, but that would mean stretching my budget to ~₹19L+ CSD, which is about ₹2.5L extra. 1.5T with TC is the best combo I think for me which is offered only by Tata. But then reliability is a big question. My Question Should I: 1. Stretch the budget and go for Seltos Turbo DCT, or 2. Compromise on rear seat comfort and choose Taigun/Kushaq/Kylaq 3. Wait for the new Duster, or 4. Go for Harrier/Sierra

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More questions on similar cars

HA

Hari

•2d

I am planning to purchase an automatic car with a budget of around Rs. 15 lakh, although I can stretch it slightly if needed. My priorities are excellent long-term reliability with minimal maintenance issues, strong safety standards without compromising on build quality, good resale value after 6-8 years, as I may upgrade later. A usage pattern that consists of approximately 50% city driving and 50% four-lane highway driving. Considering the current Indian market, which automatic car would you recommend? I would appreciate your suggestions based on reliability, safety, driving comfort, fuel efficiency, and resale value.

Autocar India team

Autocar India

Verified
•2d

Pick the Honda City automatic. Over 6-8 years, it simply causes the least drama, holds value well, and its smooth automatic makes daily traffic easy while cruising quietly at highway speeds.For your 50-50 city and four-lane use, a sedan actually rides and tracks better than most small SUVs. The City is roomy, has a supportive back seat, and its engine-gearbox combo is relaxed and efficient - expect roughly 12kpl in town and 16kpl on highways. Honda’s reliability record and nationwide service mean low, predictable running costs, and resale after 6-8 years will be good. Safety is solid with a robust structure and a good spread of active and passive kit. It is not the newest 5-star poster child, but it feels secure at speed and the basics are well covered.One thing to be aware of: ground clearance is sedan-typical, so huge speed breakers taken fast will need care, and you may stretch above your Rs. 15 lakh budget. If that’s manageable, the City automatic is the most stress-free, future-proof choice for what you want.If you want to stay within your budget, opt for the Hyundai Venue 1.0 litre turbo AT, the compact SUV will also meet your criteria of reliability, good service, good resale value and safety with the new car scoring a 5-star rating in the Bharat NCAP tests.

VehicleHonda City
VehicleHyundai Venue
SK

Senthil Kumar

•3d

I own a Grande Punto MJD 2012 Dynamic and am planning to upgrade. Don't want to go for pure ICE cars. Hence, I am left with a few options, and I am inclined towards Toyota. However, they don't have any Hybrids (own badge) in that segment. Thought they would launch Corolla Sedan or Cross with Hybrid engines. Hence, I am now left with the Honda City Hybrid in the upgrade space. Or I need to go for a higher budget Innova Hycross or UC Hyryder (which I am in dilemma). What would be your suggestion? Will Toyota launch the Corolla Cross surprisingly in the Indian Market, or go with the currently available Hybrid models?

Autocar India team

Autocar India

Verified
•2d

Given your situation, we wouldn't wait for a Toyota Corolla or Corolla Cross Hybrid. While Toyota is evaluating additional hybrid models for India, neither appears likely to arrive anytime soon.Among the cars available today, the Honda City e:HEV is a very compelling option. Its hybrid system is proven, fuel efficiency is excellent, and the driving experience is more refined than most strong hybrids in its price range. If you enjoy sedans and don't specifically need SUV-like ground clearance, it remains one of the best hybrid packages on sale today.If you want an SUV, the decision comes down to the Urban Cruiser Hyryder Hybrid and stretching your budget for the Innova Hycross Hybrid. The Hyryder is efficient, reliable and easy to recommend, but if your hesitation is that it feels too closely related to a Maruti product, that perception is unlikely to change after purchase. The Hycross, on the other hand, feels like a more substantial upgrade and offers significantly more space, comfort and road presence.

VehicleHonda City
VehicleToyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder
VehicleToyota Innova HyCross
TU

Tushar

•3d

I want to buy a car with the following features in mind within the next 2 to 3 months. I had a Nexon XZA+ Lux, but due to an accident, it is now under total loss. I am looking for something better. I have a budget of Rs. 20 lakh in mind. Please suggest a car with: smooth automatic transmission, preferably CVT/DCT, TPMS for individual tires, cornering lights, wireless android auto, climate control, adaptive cruise control, remote access and GPS monitoring, 360-degree camera, ADAS with collision avoidance, ventilated seats and 5-star safety rating

Autocar India team

Autocar India

Verified
•13h

You could consider the Honda Elevate CVT ZX variant. Its petrol engine is powerful, and it drives well. It is the only car that falls within your Rs. 20 lakh budget, while still having most of the features that you're looking for except for the ventilated seats. If all these are must-haves, then we'd suggest you to increase your budget slightly and either pick Renault Duster 1.3 DCT Iconic or the Kia Seltos Petrol IVT HTX A, both of which are good, more modern, feature-packed alternatives.

VehicleHonda Elevate
VehicleKia Seltos
VehicleRenault Duster

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Popular discussions right now

BA

Balaji

•5d

I am looking to buy a 6/7-seater EV. My primary usage will be as a 4-seater, with occasional 6-seater use. I will mainly drive it in the city for my daily office commute and undertake long-distance trips of around 500 km once every two months. I have a solar setup at home and can charge the vehicle comfortably. My budget is Rs 30-40 lakh, although I can stretch it slightly if required.

Autocar India team

Autocar India

Verified
•5d

You should go for the Mahindra XEV 9S. It's a proper three-row EV, and it fits your use case perfectly. With home solar charging, your running costs are very low, and the smooth, quiet drive is just right for city runs as a 4-seater. When you do need six or seven seats, the third row is reasonably spacious, and for your 500 km trip every couple of months, you’ll need just one quick top-up at a highway charger.Do note that with all three rows up, boot space is tight, so your highway trips will require some planning.Alternatively, consider the Kia Carens Clavis EV. It isn't as feature-rich and doesn't have as much range as the XEV 9S, but its third row is more comfortable for adults.

VehicleMahindra XEV 9S
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Abhishek Das

•2d

I am planning to purchase a new automatic car and am confused between the Honda Amaze ZX CVT and the Skoda Kylaq Signature Plus AT. My usage will be around 90% city driving, primarily for office commuting between Dwarka, Delhi and my office near IFFCO Chowk, Gurugram (approximately 25 km one way). However, I will not be driving daily, as I often use the Metro as well. The car will also be driven by my 69-year-old father, so ease of driving, comfort, visibility, ingress/egress, and reliability are important considerations. Our previous car was an Alto K10 Manual, so this will be our first automatic car and a significant upgrade. Considering my usage pattern, family profile and the fact that we intend to keep the car for a long period for around 10 years, which of these two would you recommend?

Autocar India team

Autocar India

Verified
•1d

Based on your requirement, we would recommend the Honda Amaze ZX CVT over the Skoda Kylaq Signature+ AT. The reason is that your priorities are not outright performance or driving excitement. You are looking for a car that will spend 90% of its life in city traffic, will also be driven by your 69-year-old father, and is expected to stay with the family for around 10 years. In that context, Amaze's strengths line up perfectly with your requirements. The CVT is smoother than the Kylaq's torque converter automatic in stop-and-go traffic, visibility is excellent, the car is easy to place on the road, ingress and egress are straightforward, and Honda's long-term reliability record is hard to fault. Coming from an Alto K10, it will already feel like a substantial upgrade in comfort, refinement and features.The Kylaq Signature Plus AT is the more desirable car from an enthusiast's perspective. The 1.0 TSI turbo petrol has more punch, the higher seating position is nice, and the overall package feels more substantial. However, it is also a larger vehicle to manoeuvre, and while the automatic is good, it is not quite as seamless in everyday traffic as Honda's CVT.Another point in Amaze's favour is that the ZX variant gets Honda Sensing ADAS, which adds useful safety features without making the car complicated to operate. Since your father will also be driving it, that extra layer of safety is a nice bonus.

VehicleHonda Amaze
VehicleSkoda Kylaq
AM

Anshuman Mishra

•6d

I am planning to buy an automatic car for my family and am confused between the Kia Sonet and the Skoda Kylaq. Could you please advise which one would be the better choice and explain the pros and cons of each?

Autocar India team

Autocar India

Verified
•5d

Skoda Kylaq is the better family automatic, mainly because it gives you a bit more cabin and boot space and a calmer ride over bad roads. It feels more secure at highway speeds with a full load, and its turbo engine with the automatic pulls cleanly, so hills and quick overtakes are easy even with the AC on. The petrol Kylaq automatic uses a torque convertor gearbox which is also smoother than the dual clutch unit on the Sonet so it would fare better in city traffic. Kia Sonet makes sense if you want more features and need Kia’s service reach which is wider. For weekend trips with four on board it will do the job too, but rear seat width and long-journey comfort are not its strong points and within a year it will get a major update, thus buying it now would not be ideal.

VehicleSkoda Kylaq
VehicleKia Sonet

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Posted on: 6 Feb 2026