Honda cars in India (3)

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Coming to your question, the Honda Amaze, while practical and comfy, does not have the driving thrill you would want. 

The Volkswagen Virtus, while impressive, will not fit in your budget apart from the base variant, which isn't too impressive. The Citroen Basalt X will be a good pick out of this lot. It has a punchy turbo-petrol engine that is lovely to drive, the ride comfort is excellent, and it has a large boot as well. 

Also, while it is feature-packed, it isn't unnecessarily complicated, and the functions are easy to use. The Basalt X would be our recommendation. 

Between the Honda H'ness CB350 and the Triumph Scrambler 400 X, we would steer you toward the Triumph bike purely because it offers you significantly higher performance for not that much more money. The Scrambler is also a smooth, comfortable do-it-all motorcycle which has good passenger accommodations as well. The H'ness is also comfortable for two-up riding and is a good city bike, but it will not be able to match the Triumph's performance advantage. 

We would advise you not to go for the Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 because it is a rather heavy bike at 240kg, which will not be the best fit on traffic-riddled city roads. Moreover, its stiff rear suspension will be the bigger reason to look elsewhere. If you want a RE 650, we would recommend taking a look at the Royal Enfield Interceptor, as that has more pliant suspension and is also much lighter. 

The Honda Elevate ZX CVT (Elite Pack) will be the right choice for you as it will suffice your requirements. It has a sorted petrol-CVT powertrain and is excellent to drive in the city. The ZX trim also gets good safety tech like automatic braking, lane departure, 6 airbags and more. 

Moreover, the ride comfort is good, and the cabin feels plush as well. It also gets an air purifier, a reversing camera with sensors and wireless connectivity, along with a large 10.2-inch touchscreen. Also, being a Honda car, it scores high on reliability, too. 

Given your requirement and budget, you currently have four options. The Skoda Slavia and Volkswagen Virtus are mechanically identical, and they stand out for their punchy turbo petrol engine options and ride and handling balance. 

The Honda City has a refined 1.5-litre naturally-aspirated petrol engine and has the best back seat. The Hyundai Verna, meanwhile, has the most features, and it can be had with either a turbo-petrol or a naturally-aspirated petrol engine. 

The Slavia, Virtus and Verna have also received a full, 5-star safety rating from Global NCAP.    

The Honda Elevate would be a better choice between the two. It has a smooth and refined petrol engine that has more power than the Citroen Aircross, and the CVT gearbox is excellent in the city. Also, it is a well-sorted car that will do the job without any drama. 

The equipment kit and the ride comfort are also good, while not as good as the Aircross, it is still quite nice. Honda cars are also better in terms of their network, and after-sales touchpoints. Moreover, it also holds its future value better than the Aircross. 

The Hyundai Creta, Maruti Suzuki Victoris and Honda Elevate are all competent midsize SUVs. Given your requirements, you should consider the Hyundai Creta. It comes with a refined 115hp, 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine that can be had with either a slick 6-speed manual or a smooth CVT automatic. 

While it might not have outright performance, the Creta 1.5 petrol is easy to drive, and it's proven to be reliable as well. And since you already own a Hyundai car, you'll appreciate the familiarity in regards to the car and the after-sales service. Since your usage is minimal, you can opt for the manual as it'll be more affordable and fuel-efficient than the CVT. But if you want the convenience, especially in the city, go for the CVT automatic.