Maruti Suzuki Swift 1.2 Petrol CNG VXI

Autocar India

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Go for the Maruti Suzuki Wagon R VXi 1.0 AMT - for a short 12 km office run, it uses less fuel, is very easy in traffic, and gives all the basics without spending extra. Since you already have a Hyundai Verna for longer trips, the Wagon R’s small size and tall seat make daily city driving and parking simple. The AMT's shifts are relatively smooth, if a bit slow, but it will make driving in stop-and-go traffic a lot less tiresome. If you don't encounter much traffic on your route, then the manual will be fine too. The VXi has the basics: good AC, power windows, remote locking, rear parking sensors, and a simple Bluetooth music setup with a Smartplay dock available to mount your phone. Maruti’s wide service network and low-cost parts also make it a safe and easy second car to own.One thing to be aware of: the Wagon R can feel a little basic, and if you want something with a bit more style, then the Maruti Suzuki Swift is a better bet.Test drive both the manual and AMT and see which works better for your use.

Maruti Suzuki Wagon R

Maruti Suzuki Swift

Autocar India

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You're right, it's difficult to find a car at this price that's suitable for a tall driver. Try the Maruti Suzuki Baleno, which does offer a bit more space than its counterpart, the Maruti Suzuki Swift. Moreover, it uses the older 1.2-litre four-cylinder K12 petrol engine, which is smoother than the three-cylinder Z12 engine in the Swift. You could also consider the Maruti Suzuki Fronx, in which you can get the option of a punchier 1.0 turbo-petrol engine, although space remains the same as the Baleno. Finally, also consider the Nissan Magnite or Renault Kiger, which could offer a bit more space, and if you don't mind a sedan, there's also the Honda Amaze, which is known for its interior packaging efficiency.

Maruti Suzuki Baleno

Maruti Suzuki Swift

Maruti Suzuki Fronx

Nissan Magnite

Renault Kiger

Honda Amaze

Autocar India

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Choose the Mahindra XUV 7XO diesel; for seven-up highway trips, it combines strong torque, planted high-speed manners, and tougher bad-road ability than an MPV like the Kia Carens.Since the Maruti Suzuki Swift will handle city duty, your new car will mostly cruise highways with a full load of 7. The XUV’s diesel pulls strongly in the 60-100 km/h band even when packed, and its suspension and clearance will cope better with the rough stretch to your village. The Mahindra diesel is a well-proven unit and delivers well on the refinement front too. Your highway use also keeps the DPF healthy. Aim for 20-30 minutes at about 60+ km/h on each long run. The one thing you give up is third-row and boot practicality versus the Carens; with all three rows up, you’ll fit only 1-2 cabin bags at the rear.If third-row comfort for adults and luggage space matter more than SUV stance, consider the Kia Carens Diesel AT Prestige Plus, which carries a bit more luggage with all seats up.

Kia Carens

Mahindra XUV 7XO

Maruti Suzuki Swift

Autocar India

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We would suggest you go for the Maruti Suzuki Fronx Delta+ AMT. The Fronx has a fuel-efficient 1.2-litre engine mated to an AMT gearbox that is well-tuned and smooth enough for daily driving. It is also fairly spacious, offers a large boot and a comfortable ride, which makes it an ideal companion for everyday city commutes and occasional highway drives.If you want something smaller and easier to manoeuvre, you can consider the Maruti Suzuki Swift AMT. It is a more compact car, which makes it even easier to drive and park in the city. However, the new Swift now comes with a 1.2-litre three-cylinder engine, which feels a bit less powerful compared to the Fronx’s four-cylinder engine. Because of this, the AMT gearbox also works better with the Fronx engine than it does with the Swift.Within your budget, you can also consider the Hyundai i20 IVT/CVT in the Magna variant. The CVT gearbox is very smooth, which elevates the overall driving experience and makes the car extremely easy to drive in traffic. The interiors of the i20 also feel quite premium. The only downside is that you will have to trade a bit of fuel efficiency for that smoothness, which is something to keep in mind since efficiency is an important factor for you.

Maruti Suzuki Fronx

Maruti Suzuki Swift

Hyundai Venue

Autocar India

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We would recommend sticking to the Maruti family and upgrading to the new Swift. The Swift, in its ZXI AMT guise, will fit in your budget and deliver your requirements. It is compact, which makes it easy to handle, and has enough power at 82hp for the city and the highway from the 1.2-litre engine.In terms of efficiency, the AMT version returns 12.7kpl in the city and 19.7kpl on the highway. The AMT is one of the nicer versions in the segment and makes light work of city driving. The ride comfort is good too, and the Swift is tuned for bumpy Indian roads. The ZXI will also get you a good kit like 15-inch alloy wheels, touchscreen infotainment with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless charging and rear AC vents.

Maruti Suzuki Swift

Autocar India

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The Swift's 1.2L 3-cylinder petrol engine is very drivable and is likely to deliver slightly better fuel efficiency compared to the Baleno's/Glanza's 1.2L 4-cylinder unit. The Maruti Suzuki Swift is quite peppy up to 60kph of speed, after which you will find performance to be a bit lacklustre. And since you've mentioned you want a car for city and highway usage both, we recommend you opt for the Baleno or Glanza instead, for its more effortless performance.There's little to choose between the Baleno and Toyota Glanza, as both are nearly identical. Though the Glanza's beige-black interior colour scheme looks a touch more upmarket than the Maruti's.

Maruti Suzuki Swift

Maruti Suzuki Baleno

Toyota Glanza

Autocar India

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While there are quite a few petrol automatic options within your Rs 12 lakh budget, the most fuel-efficient options include the Maruti Suzuki Baleno AMT (and its twin the Toyota Glanza), Maruti Suzuki Dzire AMT, Maruti Suzuki Swift AMT, Maruti Suzuki Fronx AMT (and its twin the Toyota Taisor). All feature AMT gearbox options. While AMTs aren't the most sophisticated or smoothest type of automatic transmission, they are fine for average city driving. What sets AMTs apart from other automatics is real-world fuel economy, which is on par and sometimes even better than a comparable manual's. Of the above options, we'd choose between the Baleno, Glanza, Fronx and Taisor. Their larger 1.2-litre four-cylinder engine makes them feel a bit zippier than the Swift and Dzire that use 1.2-litre three-cylinder units.

Maruti Suzuki Baleno

Toyota Glanza

Maruti Suzuki Dzire

Maruti Suzuki Fronx

Maruti Suzuki Swift

Toyota Urban Cruiser Taisor

Autocar India

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The Maruti Suzuki Ignis, for some reason, never really clicked as a mainstream car and isn’t among Maruti-Suzuki’s big sellers. The quirky styling is not to everyone’s taste, and that’s probably why it hasn’t found mass appeal like the Maruti Suzuki Swift. That said, underneath it uses the same tried-and-tested 1.2-litre K-series petrol engine, so mechanically it’s proven and easy to live with.In fact, the Ignis is quite an interesting car. The part-hatch, part-compact-SUV design gives it a distinct character, and the tall stance and good ground clearance are definite advantages on bad roads. It feels compact to drive, but you sit a bit higher than in a regular hatchback, which many first-time buyers appreciate.The reason Maruti-Suzuki hasn’t updated it significantly is simple: average monthly sales of around 2,000 units are low by Maruti standards, so it doesn’t justify heavy investment. The company seems content to let it continue as a niche offering. That, however, shouldn’t dissuade you if you genuinely like the car. It’s reliable, relatively affordable to maintain and fits comfortably within your Rs 7 lakh on-road budget.If you want something more mainstream and easier to resell later, you could also consider the Maruti Suzuki Wagon R or even the lower variants of the Swift, which are hugely popular. But if the Ignis appeals to you, there’s no strong reason to avoid it.

Maruti Suzuki Wagon R

Maruti Suzuki Ignis

Maruti Suzuki Swift

Autocar India

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Unless you buy a strong hybrid vehicle, no other vehicle larger than your petrol Maruti Swift will deliver better fuel efficiency. That said, since your daily commute is only 25km, paying a premium for a hybrid vehicle or EV (over a similar petrol vehicle) doesn't make much financial sense.If you like the Tata Sierra, we'd recommend stretching for the turbo-petrol version only. However, the fuel efficiency is likely to be low due to its 1.5-tonne kerb weight. Alternatively, you can opt for the 1.5 petrol (mild-hybrid) versions of Maruti Grand Vitara, Victoris or Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder, which are fuel-efficient and have good ground clearance.

Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder

Maruti Suzuki Swift

Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara

Maruti Suzuki Victoris

Autocar India

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You can consider the Tata Altroz. While it may not be as fuel-efficient as something like a Maruti Swift, it is efficient enough, and if driven well, it should get you low double-digit real figure KPL figures in the city. Moreover, its ride quality is very good, and it soaks up road imperfections with ease and while always retaining good control. In terms of safety, there's a host of features like 6 airbags and ESP standard, as well as a 5-star BNCAP crash rating. Within your budget, you should get the higher-end petrol variant, and you would thus enjoy some nice-to-have features too. We would say the 'Creative' variant would do you well.

Tata Altroz

Maruti Suzuki Swift