Autocar India
•3d

I'm planning to buy a small automatic car for my wife, who is 5'1" tall. The car will be used mostly in the city, with occasional highway trips. Which would be the best option?

Verified
•1h

For your wife, consider the Hyundai Exter. At 5'1", she will benefit from its good all-round visibility, light steering and compact dimensions, which make it very easy to manoeuvre in city traffic and tight parking spaces. This Hyundai car also gets driver's seat height adjustment from the base trim, which will be very handy for your wife. The AMT gearbox is smooth enough for daily commuting, and the car is very easy to drive. Fuel efficiency is decent; expect 9 to 10kpl in the city and 15kpl on the highway.

If you want something a bit more efficient, consider the Maruti Suzuki Swift. In our testing we managed 12.7kpl in the city and 19kpl on the highway with the AGS. However, height adjustment for the driver's seat is only available on the ZXi trim onwards.

Overall, the Hyundai Exter AMT is the better fit for your requirements. It is simple, reliable, easy to drive and well-suited to both city use and occasional highway trips.

Hyundai Exter

Hyundai Exter

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Hyundai Exter

Hyundai

Exter

from ₹6.71 Lakh

Maruti Suzuki Swift

Maruti Suzuki

Swift

from ₹6.69 Lakh

•14m

@bpiyush You can choose Maruti Fronx Automatic - it's easy to drive, has a higher seating position for better visibility, and is comfortable for both city commutes and occasional highway trips.

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More questions on similar cars

•1d

Can I get the mirror-to-mirror width with both the mirrors open and folded? My parking space is only 8 ft wide.

Verified
•17h

The width of your parking space is 8ft, which is about 2.44 metres. That is quite tight for most modern cars, especially with the mirrors open. For example, a typical midsize SUV like the Kia Seltos or Hyundai Creta is around 1.8 metres wide without mirrors, and with mirrors open, the width can go up to around 2.1 metres. With an 8ft width, you'll have very little clearance on either side, especially if you need to open the doors, so you'll need to park close to the passenger-side wall to have enough space for the driver to open the door and enter/exit. The good news is that most modern cars have electrically folding mirrors, so you can fold them in before entering the parking space. With mirrors folded, the width drops back to the body width, which is usually around 1.8 metres for most SUVs and 1.7 metres for smaller hatchbacks and sedans. If you want a car that is genuinely easy to park in an 8ft space, you should look at smaller hatchbacks like the Maruti Suzuki Swift, Hyundai Grand i10 Nios or Tata Tiago. These are around 1.7 metres wide with mirrors folded and will give you more breathing room. The key is to make sure the car you choose has electrically folding mirrors and to get into the habit of folding them before entering the parking space.

VehicleKia Seltos
VehicleTata Tiago
VehicleHyundai Grand i10 Nios
VehicleMaruti Suzuki Swift
•2d

I am planning to upgrade the Swift Car 2016 petrol variant to a Hyundai Creta and need advice based on my usage. My daily commute is 10 - 15 km within the city, with occasional outstation trips totalling about 600 - 800 km per quarter. Low maintenance and generous boot space are my top priorities. Given this driving pattern, which engine and variant would you recommend? Should we go for a hybrid car or a petrol one?

Verified
•1d

Based on your usage, the Hyundai Creta petrol IVT is the most sensible upgrade from your Swift. Your daily running is low, and your highway trips are occasional, so a petrol engine is the most cost-effective and hassle-free option. The IVT automatic is smooth in city traffic and reliable over the long term, which aligns well with your low-maintenance priority. The Creta also offers a generous boot, making it a practical choice for your outstation trips.A hybrid does not make financial sense in your case. Your running is not high enough to justify the additional cost, and the fuel savings would take a long time to recover. The Creta petrol IVT strikes the right balance between comfort, practicality and ownership costs, making it the best fit for your requirements.

VehicleHyundai Creta
VehicleMaruti Suzuki Swift
•1h

Will Volkswagen launch the Virtus facelift and the new Tera this year, or are they expected to arrive next year? I am planning to buy a car this December.

Verified
•17m

The Volkswagen Virtus facelift is expected to arrive in the coming months, so if you are planning to purchase in December, it should be available by then. The Tera is a different story. Volkswagen has not officially confirmed a launch date for the Tera in India, but according to our sources, we expect it to launch in mid-2027. If you are planning to buy in December, the Virtus facelift is the more realistic option. If you are specifically interested in the Tera, it would be better to wait for an official announcement rather than planning your purchase around a December timeline.

VehicleVolkswagen Virtus facelift

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Popular discussions right now

•5d

Is it worth waiting for the new BREZZA, or are there better alternatives for Mumbai city use and a few random trips outside, say 2 to 3 in a year, up to Pune, Panchgani, etc

Verified
•4d

Go for the Brezza, but wait for the new model as it's just a few weeks away. The Brezza is easy to drive in traffic, rides well over broken roads and speed breakers, and the automatic is smooth and stress-free. The cabin is airy, the visibility is good, and Maruti service reach in the city makes ownership simple. For the odd Pune or Panchgani run, it feels stable enough if driven in a relaxed manner. A point to consider if you often go up the ghats with four people and luggage: the 1.5 petrol is smooth but not very strong, so overtakes need a little planning.If that bothers you, the Skoda Kylaq with the automatic is the better alternative. It feels quicker in the hills and in gaps, and the gearbox responds a bit faster, which helps both on the ghats and in stop-go Mumbai traffic. You will trade a slightly firmer ride and a lower city mileage for that extra shove.For mostly city use, though, buying the Brezza is the sensible call.

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•2d

My budget is around 14 lakhs, and I am confused between the MG Windsor exclusive, the Tata Nexon Empowered 45 and the Tata Punch Empowered S40. Please Suggest.

Verified
•2d

Go for the MG Windsor Exclusive. At Rs 14 lakh, it offers the best ownership experience of the three. The Windsor is a genuinely spacious family car with a comfortable ride, a premium cabin and a strong feature set. It feels like a proper step up from your 2018 Nexon, with a more mature driving experience and a much more spacious rear seat. The Nexon Empowered 45 is a good car, but it is essentially an evolution of what you already own, and the Windsor simply feels like a bigger upgrade for the money. The Punch Empowered S40 is a solid value proposition, but it is a smaller car and does not feel as premium or as spacious as the Windsor. The only real drawback with the Windsor is that MG's service network is not as extensive as Tata's, but it is still a well-supported product in most major cities. Overall, the Windsor Exclusive is the best fit for your budget and your upgrade expectations.

VehicleMG Windsor
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•1w

I am considering the Skoda Kushaq, but am confused between the 1.0 and 1.5 variants. Around 80% of my driving is within the city, with occasional highway trips. I also want to know how effective the air conditioning is in the facelifted model, both in the 1.0 and 1.5 variants.

Verified
•5d

Pick the Skoda Kushaq 1.0. Your driving is mostly in the city, and the 1.0 feels easier and smoother at low speeds, uses a bit less fuel in traffic, and costs a lot less. It still has enough go for occasional highway runs. The 1.5 only really pays off if you do frequent long trips with a full load or you enjoy driving and value the added performance. One catch with the 1.0 is that it sounds a bit gruff when pushed.About the AC, the facelift’s system is the same across 1.0 and 1.5. Skoda has addressed the early cars’ cooling complaints. The upgraded compressor now delivers best-in-class cooling, rapidly bringing the temperature down even on the hottest of days.

VehicleSkoda Kushaq

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Posted on: 15 Jul 2026