Hyundai cars in India (10)

There are a plethora of automatic petrol cars available within your budget. Given your monthly travel is just 200-300km, we will give less weightage to fuel economy and more weightage to driving comfort. As we don't know other preferences, here's a shortlist of the best options by body style -  

Hatchback - Hyundai i20 IVT Asta (O), Citroen C3 X Shine AT
Compact sedan - Honda Amaze CVT ZX
Compact SUV - Nissan Magnite Turbo CVT, Renault Kiger Turbo CVT Emotion

Since you are a Hyundai car owner, it would make sense to upgrade to another Hyundai. Since you are familiar with the brand and your dealer, who might give you a good exchange offer. 

We suggest you consider the new Hyundai Venue, which drives well and is well-equipped too. The Venue HX8 variant with the 1.0 litre turbo and DCT auto will suit most of your needs.
 

Since mileage is important to you, we would suggest the Hyundai Venue. We have yet to put the new generation car through our standard fuel efficiency test cycle. 

However, given that it carries over its powertrains, we expect it to perform better than the Mahindra XUV 3XO. The Mahindra car is tuned more for a peppy throttle response, and this drops its real-world fuel efficiency. 

Yes, the Volkswagen Taigun is a lot of fun to drive, however if you are open to going electric, you could sell one and get an EV. That way, you will still have an internal combustion car for any occasional highway trips. 

Since both you and your wife's daily drive is within the city, either of you could use the EV, and range would not be an issue. Also, besides the lower running costs, you could also benefit from things like toll and parking fee waivers for EVs in certain cities. 

Consider the Hyundai Creta EV, which is a no-nonsense and practical car. However, if you do want a fun-to-drive electric, check out the Mahindra XEV 9S, or even the Mahindra BE6, which is very exciting to drive but has quite a few ergonomic issues.    

Since you already drive a Hyundai car, it's best to stick with the brand, and in your budget, the new Hyundai Venue makes sense. It's the latest car in its segment, and as such, offers the newest tech and features. 

While it hasn't been crash tested yet, it uses a new-gen platform and features plenty of safety kit, so we expect it to perform. Its rear seat and boot are both pretty spacious for the class, and if you choose the N Line variant, as you prefer, you'll get some sporty design elements as well. 

The Tata Sierra and new Kia Seltos would have been better options for your requirements, but sadly, automatic versions of those cars will be outside of your budget.

For cars and bikes, purely from a financial standpoint, buy only if you truly need to; an emotional need counts too. 

If your current car is running fine, there’s no reason to replace it. As long as it’s not giving you any trouble, it should comfortably last another 20,000-30,000 km. By then, you’ll also have many more new models to choose from.

The Toyota Glanza is a rebadged Maruti Suzuki Baleno, and the only difference between the two is the badge, some interior trim colours and the warranty. The Glanza is sold with a 3-year/1,00,000km warranty, while the Baleno gets a 2-year/40,000km warranty.

The Glanza is a good option if you like the way it looks, and the UV cut glass is a must-have feature for you. However, if you are looking for a car that will hold its value better, then the Maruti Suzuki Baleno is the better option, and also features UV cut class.

The Tata Altroz does get you the option of a diesel engine, and a DCT automatic, which is the more sophisticated auto gearbox here. However, you could also consider the new Hyundai i20, which comes with a CVT auto or a DCT with its powerful turbo engine.