Automatic gearboxes are quite popular among urban buyers thanks to the convenience they offer in our notoriously congested cities. Today, nearly every car on sale is available with the option of an automatic gearbox. Here, we’ve compiled a list of some of the cheapest automatic cars in India, capping the starting price of the models at under Rs 10 lakh (ex-showroom).
1. Maruti Suzuki S Presso
Price: Rs 4.75 lakh to Rs 5.25 lakh
The S Presso is Maruti Suzuki’s most affordable car to offer an automatic transmission, with a 5-speed AMT available on the top two trims – VXi (O) and VXi+ (O). This gearbox is paired with the S Presso’s 1.0-litre 3-cylinder petrol engine, which makes 69hp and 91Nm.
In our Maruti S Presso review, we found that the AMT is surprisingly smooth and takes much less time to switch gears compared to prior iterations. A quick downshift to overtake does require mashing the throttle, but this problem can be solved by using the gearbox’s manual mode.
Maruti Suzuki S-Presso specs Engine Power Torque Gearbox 998cc, 3 cyls, petrol 69hp 91Nm 5-speed AMT
2. Maruti Suzuki Alto K10
Price: Rs 4.95 lakh to Rs 5.45 lakh
While the Maruti Suzuki Alto K10 is the second-most-affordable car with an automatic gearbox in India, its automatic variants place it at number two on our list, falling just 20,000 rupees short of the S Presso. The Alto K10 gets a 5-speed AMT in its top-spec VXi and VXi+ trims, with the sole engine option being a 1.0-litre 3-cylinder petrol unit producing 67hp and 89Nm.
Our Maruti Alto K10 review noted that the AMT feels a bit lethargic, with noticeable pauses when shifting between lower gears. However, the transmission is fairly smooth overall and works well in city traffic.
Maruti Suzuki Alto K10 specs Engine Power Torque Gearbox 998cc, 3 cyls, petrol 67hp 89Nm 5-speed AMT
3. Renault Kwid
Price: Rs 5 lakh to Rs 5.99 lakh
An automatic gearbox on the Renault Kwid is available from the mid-spec Evolution trim onwards, which costs a few thousand rupees more than the Alto K10’s AMT trims . The Kwid’s transmission is a 5-speed AMT unit that’s mated to a 1.0-litre 3-cylinder petrol engine developing 69hp and 92.5Nm.
We tested this gearbox in the pre-facelift Renault Kwid and noted that it largely works well, but the typical AMT ‘head nod’ effect does show up during sudden throttle input. Renault also includes a function dubbed Traffic Assist in the Kwid AMT, which allows the hatchback to creep forward in traffic without engaging the throttle, although in real life, it was a bit slow to move off the line.
Renault Kwid specs Engine Power Torque Gearbox 999cc, 3 cyls, petrol 69hp 92.5Nm 5-speed AMT
4. Maruti Suzuki Celerio
Price: Rs 5.61 lakh to Rs 6.73 lakh
The Maruti Suzuki Celerio is offered with a 5-speed AMT in its VXi, ZXi and ZXi+ trims. Under the hood, the Celerio gets the same 1.0-litre petrol engine as the Alto K10 that puts out 69hp and 91Nm. More interestingly, the Celerio AMT is the most fuel-efficient car currently on sale in India, with an ARAI-claimed mileage figure of 26kpl for the automatic variants.
As we noted in our Maruti Celerio review, the AMT's gearshifts are timely and the pause between them is well-contained, with manual intervention also possible via the gear lever.
Maruti Suzuki Celerio specs Engine Power Torque Gearbox 998cc, 3 cyls, petrol 69hp 91Nm 5-speed AMT
5. Maruti Suzuki Wagon R
Price: Rs 5.97 lakh to Rs 6.95 lakh
The Maruti Suzuki Wagon R is the first car in this list to offer two engine options – a 1.0-litre 3-cylinder petrol and a 1.2-litre 4-cylinder petrol. Both engines are available with a 5-speed AMT in the VXi, ZXi, and ZXi+ trim levels. The 1.0-litre unit makes 69hp and 91Nm, while the 1.2-litre motor produces 91hp and 114Nm.
Urban buyers will be satisfied with the AMT, as we found in our review of the Wagon R. The transmission responds nicely to manual inputs, and the ‘head nod’ effect is mostly constricted between the first and second gears.
Maruti Suzuki Wagon R specs Engine Power Torque Gearbox 998cc, 3 cyls, petrol 69hp 91Nm 5-speed AMT 1197cc, 4 cyls, petrol 91hp 114Nm 5-speed AMT
6. Maruti Suzuki Ignis
Price: Rs 6.30 lakh to Rs 7.55 lakh
The Ignis is the most affordable model from Maruti Suzuki’s Nexa line-up. Much like the other Maruti Suzuki models on this list, the Ignis comes with a 5-speed AMT that's available in all trim levels except the entry-level Sigma trim. This gearbox comes mated to a 1.2-litre petrol engine that generates 83hp and 113Nm.
Our Maruti Ignis review notes that, like with most AMTs, shifts aren’t a problem with light throttle inputs or at low speeds in the city, but when you want to get a quick move on, the pause between shifts becomes apparent. You can work your way around the hiccups using the manual mode, which also lets you rev the motor till the redline.
Maruti Suzuki Ignis specs Engine Power Torque Gearbox 1197cc, 4 cyls, petrol 83hp 113Nm 5-speed AMT
7. Tata Tiago
Price: Rs 6.31 lakh to Rs 8.10 lakh
Tata offers a 5-speed AMT with the Tiago’s 86hp, 113Nm, 1.2-litre 3-cylinder petrol engine in its XTA and XZA trim levels. The more rugged Tiago NRG, meanwhile, comes with the AMT only in its XZA trim. When we reviewed the Tata Tiago AMT, we found that gearshifts are smooth in traffic, but they become a bit jerky at crawling speeds while modulating the throttle. The gearbox gets a creep function too, but there’s a delay before it begins moving.
Tata Tiago specs Engine Power Torque Gearbox 1199cc, 3 cyls, petrol 86hp 113Nm 5-speed AMT
Impressively, the AMT gearbox is also available in the Tiago's CNG variants, namely the XTA, XZA, and XZA NRG trims. This makes it one of the only hatchbacks in India to offer a CNG automatic option, alongside the Tata Altroz.
Tata Tiago CNG specs Engine Power Torque Gearbox 1199cc, 3 cyls, petrol/CNG 86hp (petrol mode) / 73hp (CNG mode) 113Nm/95Nm 5-speed AMT
8. Hyundai Grand i10 Nios
Price: Rs 6.85 lakh to Rs 7.92 lakh
Hyundai’s entry-level hatchback – the Grand i10 Nios – gets a 5-speed AMT in its Magna, Corporate, Sportz, Sportz(O), and Asta trim levels. This gearbox comes paired with a 1.2-litre 4-cylinder petrol engine putting out 83hp and 114Nm.
Our road test of the Hyundai Grand i10 Nios found that while the AMT still has the ‘head nod’ effect while shifting from first to second, it considerably smoothens out after that. The gearbox’s crawl function is very progressive too, which makes driving in bumper-to-bumper traffic easy.
Hyundai Grand i10 Nios specs Engine Power Torque Gearbox 1197cc, 4 cyls, petrol 83hp 114Nm 5-speed AMT
9. Maruti Suzuki Swift
Price: Rs 7.04 lakh to Rs 8.65 lakh
Now in its fourth generation, the Maruti Suzuki Swift comes equipped with a 5-speed AMT, which is available on the hatchback’s VXI, VXI(O), ZXI, and ZXI+ trims. While the gearbox is akin to every other Maruti Suzuki model on this list, the Swift’s engine is unique. It’s an all-new 1.2-litre 3-cylinder petrol unit dubbed K12E, which develops 82hp and 112Nm.
This output may be lower than prior iterations, but our review of the new Swift found that the K12E engine is much more responsive, peppy, and smooth in its power delivery. We also tested the Swift’s AMT gearbox and noted that it does a good job of swapping cogs in typical city conditions, with the creep mode working well too.
Maruti Suzuki Swift specs Engine Power Torque Gearbox 1197cc, 3 cyls, petrol 82hp 112Nm 5-speed AMT
10. Maruti Suzuki Baleno
Price: Rs 7.30 lakh to Rs 9.10 lakh
Although the Baleno is Maruti Suzuki’s most premium hatchback in India, it offers the same 5-speed AMT as the carmaker’s more affordable models. This automatic gearbox is available with the Baleno in three trim levels – Delta, Zeta and Alpha – and is paired with a 1.2-litre 4-cylinder engine producing 90hp and 113Nm.
In our long-term review of the second-gen Maruti Baleno, we found that the AMT functions smoothly in city traffic, but still has a noticeable hesitation and ‘head nod’ effect between the first, second and third gears. The AMT’s manual mode was a bit slower than expected.
Maruti Suzuki Baleno specs Engine Power Torque Gearbox 1197cc, 4 cyls, petrol 90hp 113Nm 5-speed AMT
11. MG Comet
Price: Rs 7.50 lakh to Rs 10 lakh
The MG Comet EV is not only the first electric car on this list, but it’s also the smallest and most affordable EV you can currently buy in India. By virtue of its electric powertrain, the Comet EV doesn’t require any driving gears, which means its entire variant line-up is represented here. The Comet EV is available in three trim levels – Executive, Excite and Exclusive. It gets a single-speed automatic gearbox paired with a 17.3kWh battery pack mated with a single-motor setup developing 42hp and 110Nm.
In our review of the MG Comet EV, we raved about how its minuscule dimensions make it a superb intra-city commuter with a funky and offbeat appeal. Prospective Comet EV buyers should also note that they can shave off a huge chunk from its upfront price by opting for MG’s Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) program, which excludes the battery cost and spreads it over a monthly subscription plan. Notably, this scheme drops the Comet EV’s starting price to Rs 4.99 lakh, which makes it one of the most affordable automatic cars in India for buyers interested in the program.
MG Comet specs Motor Battery Power Torque Gearbox Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor 17.3kWh 42hp 110Nm 1-speed automatic
12. Tata Altroz
Price: Rs 7.58 lakh to Rs 10.51 lakh
The first car on this list to offer an automatic gearbox that isn’t an AMT is the Tata Altroz premium hatchback. Entry-level trims of the Altroz – Pure, Pure S, Creative, and Creative S – get a 5-speed AMT, but starting from the Creative S trim, the hatchback can be had with a 6-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox (DCA). Both automatic transmissions are available solely with a 1.2-litre 3-cylinder petrol engine pumping out 88hp and 115Nm.
We’re yet to review the petrol-automatic versions of the facelifted Altroz, but given that its powertrains feature no changes compared to the prior model, it likely won’t be all that different to drive. To that end, our review of the pre-facelift Tata Altroz DCA noted that the transmission responds well to throttle inputs and is ready to drop a gear or two to grant you access to the power you need.
Tata Altroz specs Engine Power Torque Gearbox 1199cc, 3 cyls, petrol 88hp 115Nm 6-speed DCA / 5-speed AMT
13. Toyota Glanza
Price: Rs 7.74 lakh to Rs 9.15 lakh
The Glanza is a rebadged version of the Maruti Suzuki Baleno with some Toyota-specific changes inside and out, so it also has the same 5-speed AMT and 1.2-litre petrol engine. The Glanza’s automatic gearbox is available in the S, G, and V trims.
Our review of the Toyota Glanza found that its AMT is programmed to reach the highest possible gear at the earliest in the interest of efficiency, so downshifts for quick overtakes can take a tad too long. The gearbox also pauses and hunts for the correct gear in dense traffic, which can be annoying.
Toyota Glanza specs Engine Power Torque Gearbox 1197cc, 4 cyls, petrol 90hp 113Nm 5-speed AMT
14. Tata Tiago EV
Price: Rs 7.99 lakh to Rs 11.14 lakh
The second electric car on this list is the Tata Tiago EV, and much like the Comet, it gets a single-speed automatic gearbox across its range. Unlike the Comet, though, the Tiago EV comes with two battery pack options: 19.2kWh and 24kWh.
Both batteries power a sole front-mounted motor, with the smaller configuration developing 61hp and 110Nm, and the larger option putting out 75hp and 114Nm. Our Tata Tiago EV review noted that the hatchback has fairly mature driving manners and is very user-friendly thanks to its light steering, good visibility and small footprint.
Tata Tiago EV specs Motor Battery Power Torque Gearbox Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor 19.2kWh 61hp 110Nm 1-speed automatic Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor 24kWh 75hp 114Nm 1-speed automatic
15. Hyundai i20
Price: Rs 8.13 lakh to Rs 10.52 lakh
As the final hatchback on our list, the Hyundai i20 differentiates itself by not offering an AMT, but a more sophisticated CVT option, paired with a 1.2-litre 4-cylinder petrol engine that makes 83hp and 115Nm. The CVT gearbox is offered with the i20’s Magna, Sportz, Sportz(O), Asta (O) and the Knight edition trims.
In our review of the previous-gen Hyundai i20, we found that the CVT is smooth and offers a polished experience at part- and medium-throttle inputs. The typical CVT ‘rubberband’ effect does tend to rear its head under hard acceleration, but this can be mitigated by using the gearbox’s manual mode.
Hyundai i20 specs Engine Power Torque Gearbox 1197cc, 4 cyls, petrol 83hp 115Nm CVT
