Nissan cars in India (4)

autocar.india

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Go for the Hyundai Venue. It has a five-star Bharat NCAP rating, good features, a quality cabin and good reliability, with a wide-reaching service network and reasonable costs. You also have two petrol engines to choose from a 1.2 naturally aspirated, and a more powerful 1.0 turbocharged, both of which are smooth and efficient. The Mahindra XUV 3XO also offers a strong feature list, 5-star safety rating, good ride comfort and a powerful 1.2 turbo petrol engine. However it is not as fuel efficient as the Venue, and Mahindra's aftersales and service experience isn't as well reputed as Hyundai's. Overall, the Venue is a better all-rounder.Do note, however, that on your Rs. 12 lakh budget, both these SUVs will only be available in their mid-range variants, so you won't get all the features they could have on offer. If you want maximum bang for your buck, check out the Nissan Magnite 1.0 Turbo. It's spacious, reliable, feature loaded, powerful enough and you can even get an auto gearbox in your budget.

Hyundai Venue

Mahindra XUV 3XO

Nissan Magnite

autocar.india

•5h

The best car for your needs is the Nissan Magnite, which is the best all-rounder you can get under Rs 10 lakh budget. It's got a 5-star Global NCAP crash test rating, is comfortable for five passengers, and though Nissan's service network isn't as wide as other brands, maintenance is efficient, reliable and inexpensive. This Nissan car comes with a fuel-efficient 1.0-litre turbo petrol engine, which should fit in your budget, and it's also powerful enough for your occasional highway trips. It's an SUV with a high seating position, light steering and light transmission controls, so you should be able to learn to drive easily with it.Other alternatives are the Tata Punch, which has a good safety rating but isn't as fuel-efficient and whose aftersales service isn't as strong, and the Hyundai Exter, which is easier to drive but hasn't got a safety rating from any NCAP authority. Neither is as spacious as the Nissan Magnite.

Nissan Magnite

Tata Punch

Hyundai Exter

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Go for the new Kia Seltos. Your usage is just 5-8km a day, you are chauffeur-driven, and you want a car no bigger than the Seltos because of narrow streets and potholes. The Seltos fits that brief perfectly. It is a well-rounded SUV with a premium cabin, good ride comfort and a strong feature set. More importantly, it is a new car with a full warranty and predictable ownership costs, which matters over a five-year ownership period.The second-hand luxury car idea is tempting, but maintenance costs can be unpredictable. The Seltos will be easier to live with, cheaper to maintain and better suited to your daily routine.You have already ruled out the Duster/Tekton and VW/Skoda options, so the Seltos is the right choice. With limited running, the 1.5 NA petrol with either the IVT or the manual should suit you best. Just pick the variant that gives you the features you want without stretching the budget unnecessarily.

Kia Seltos

Renault Duster

Nissan Tekton

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For a tight budget of Rs. 10-15 lakh and requirement for a 7-seater primarily for Mumbai city use with occasional highway runs, the Nissan Gravite AMT is actually a sensible choice. It is one of the most affordable 7-seaters in the market and offers a genuinely usable third row, which is not always the case in this price bracket. The AMT gearbox is not the smoothest in stop-start traffic, but it is manageable and keeps the car within budget.That said, if you can stretch your budget slightly, the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga is the better long-term ownership proposition. It is more refined, more comfortable and has a proven track record for reliability and low running costs. The Ertiga's third row is also more comfortable for longer journeys, and Maruti's service network is a big advantage.If budget is absolutely non-negotiable, the Gravite is a perfectly reasonable choice. If you can stretch a little, the Ertiga is the car you will be happier with over the next 5-10 years.

Nissan Gravite

Maruti Suzuki Ertiga

autocar.india

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With a very low monthly running of 200- 300 km, petrol is the clear choice, and your priority should be a smooth, reliable automatic that will serve you well for 8-10 years. Between the Nissan Magnite Tekna Plus Turbo CVT and the Tata Nexon Creative AMT, the Magnite is the better fit for your needs. The CVT gearbox is far smoother and more refined than the Nexon's AMT, especially in city driving. The Magnite also offers good value for money and a decent feature set.The Nexon is a solid car, but the AMT gearbox is not as smooth as a proper automatic, and over a long ownership period, that can become tiresome in daily use. If you are open to other options, the Maruti Suzuki Brezza automatic is worth considering. This Maruti Suzuki car uses a 6-speed torque converter automatic, which is smoother and more reliable than an AMT, and Maruti's service network and low maintenance costs make it an excellent long-term ownership proposition.Overall, the Magnite Turbo CVT is the best fit from your shortlist, but the Brezza automatic would be our top recommendation for long-term peace of mind and affordable ownership.

Nissan Magnite

Tata Nexon

Maruti Suzuki Brezza