Toyota Glanza

Autocar India

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The Honda Amaze CVT has the smoothest gearbox compared to the AMT units of the Baleno and Dzire. Its ride comfort is good, and its larger boot is its strength. That said, refinement and seat comfort aren't as good as the two Marutis.As you've rightly mentioned, the Maruti Suzuki Dzire could feel a touch underpowered, and since your usage is primarily on the highway, we'd recommend the Baleno instead. The Baleno's four-cylinder engine delivers stronger performance (than the Dzire), and it is spacious and well-equipped. If you don't mind its relatively smaller boot, this is the one to go for.You could also consider the Toyota Glanza, which is essentially a Baleno with brighter, beige interiors.

Honda Amaze

Maruti Suzuki Baleno

Maruti Suzuki Dzire

Toyota Glanza

Autocar India

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There is a wide range of sub-4m cars available in your budget. We've listed the best city cars for each body style:1) Hatchbacks: Maruti Suzuki Baleno and Toyota Glanza 2) Compact sedans: Maruti Suzuki Dzire3) Crossover/compact SUV: Maruti Suzuki Fronx, Citroen C3

Maruti Suzuki Baleno

Maruti Suzuki Dzire

Maruti Suzuki Fronx

Toyota Glanza

Citroen C3

Autocar India

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There's actually quite a variety of automatic hatchbacks within your budget. The Maruti Suzuki Baleno and its twin, the Toyota Glanza, are well-rounded products. Good ride comfort and excellent fuel economy are highlights, and the AMT gearbox is good enough for average driving. However, gearshifts aren't the smoothest, and you'll feel this over a quick overtaking manoeuvre. If you are open to the Citroen brand, the C3 is a great option. Its 1.2-litre engine and torque converter auto gearbox combo is excellent, and ride comfort is also very good.You could also look at the Tata Altroz DCA in Creative S trim. The dual-clutch auto gearbox is very smooth and well-suited to city use. There's also a toughness to the package that gives great confidence at highway speeds.We are also fans of the smooth and polished Hyundai i20 CVT, but the Sportz(O) that fits your budget isn't an ideal choice as it misses out on the safety of a rear wiper. Finally, if you have the option to install an EV charger at home or office, the Tata Tiago EV is also an option to consider. Being all-electric, it's super smooth and very refined. However, it works best as a city car.

Maruti Suzuki Baleno

Toyota Glanza

Citroen C3

Tata Altroz

Hyundai i20

Tata Tiago EV

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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Since you've already owned a 2021 Maruti Baleno and you've been happy with the car, you could consider the top-spec Toyota Glanza - it is a badge-engineered new-generation Baleno, which will feel like a prominent upgrade.An added advantage of the Glanza is its beige-black interior colour scheme, which is brighter and looks more upmarket than the Baleno. Also, the Glanza is powered by a smooth and refined 1.2-litre petrol engine, which feels adequately powerful for the highway, and it is very efficient. So while the car will feel very familiar to your outgoing car, in a way, it will feel amply different, to give you a new car feel.You could also consider a Tata Nexon for its high seating, turbo-petrol engine, spacious cabin and boot, and an overall tough feel, all of which you will appreciate on your highway drives. Fuel efficiency, however, isn't likely to be as impressive as the Glanza.

Toyota Glanza

Maruti Suzuki Baleno

Tata Nexon

Autocar India

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The Hyundai i20 N Line is the sportiest hatchback for the money. It is powered by a 1.0-litre turbo-petrol engine that's zippy, and its 6-speed manual transmission is slick in operation. Moreover, the N Line drives well and certainly feels more special than anything else in the market.As far as maintenance costs go, the i20 N Line is likely to be slightly more expensive than the standard i20 petrol, but the difference should not be significant. In terms of fuel efficiency, the i20 N Line is likely to return around 10-12 kpl in the city and 15-17 kpl on the highway.Sure, the N Line is a bit pricey, but it is more of an emotional buy. If you love to drive, go for it. However, if you are trying to rationalise this purchase, there are more affordable and more fuel-efficient, equally (if not more) practical hatchbacks that are cheaper to maintain, such as the Maruti Baleno/Toyota Glanza, Tata Altroz, or even the standard i20 petrol.

Hyundai i20

Maruti Suzuki Baleno

Toyota Glanza

Tata Altroz

Autocar India

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Since your buying decision hinges on the rear seat, we will eliminate options that miss out on adjustable rear seat headrests, which are critical for safety. Sadly, versions of the otherwise likeable Hyundai i20 IVT and Tata Altroz AMT within your budget make do with fixed headrests only, and hence have not been considered. Your best options among hatchbacks include the Maruti Suzuki Baleno AGS Alpha and the slightly pricier Toyota Glanza AGS V. The sister models (both are made by Maruti) score well for seat comfort, ride comfort and rear legroom. Rear headroom, though, could be an issue for taller occupants. Performance in town is pleasant and decent enough for highway use, so long as you adopt an easygoing driving style. The AGS (AMT gearbox) isn't suited to sporty driving, just in case that's important to you. Between the two, the differences inside are down to the Glanza's use of lighter colours that help make the cabin seem airier.

Maruti Suzuki Baleno

Toyota Glanza

Autocar India

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Get the Maruti Suzuki Baleno petrol AMT. If you want something that's a bit more stylish and has a crossover-esque look, then opt for the Maruti Fronx petrol AMT, or their Toyota equivalents - Glanza and Taisor, respectively.These are powered by a smooth and efficient petrol engine; the 5-speed automated manual gearbox is convenient; and they are equipped with a 360-degree camera too. These are compact and user-friendly, and will easily fall into your budget.

Maruti Suzuki Fronx

Maruti Suzuki Baleno

Toyota Glanza

Toyota Urban Cruiser Taisor

Autocar India

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You can consider the Maruti Suzuki Baleno or the closely related Toyota Glanza. Their 1.2-litre petrol engine is not only very efficient but delivers good performance for city duties. What also strengthens the Baleno and Glanza's case is the comfortable ride and roomy cabin they offer. You could also consider the Maruti Suzuki Swift, whose engine is very fuel-efficient. There's ample zip for city driving, but it offers less space than the Baleno and Glanza while costing similar money.

Maruti Suzuki Baleno

Toyota Glanza

Maruti Suzuki Swift