Upcoming Honda cars in India (4)

autocar.india

•21h

Good for city use, the Honda Amaze VX manual is easy to drive and park thanks to a light clutch and steering, a smooth-shifting gearbox, and its compact size. Ride comfort over broken roads is quite sorted and visibility is clear, so stop-go traffic feels less tiring.In real city traffic you can expect around 12-14 kpl. The official figure is 18.6 kpl, and on calmer suburban runs you should see about 15-17 kpl if you drive gently.One thing to keep in mind: the 1.2 petrol is not the most powerful especially with a full load, so quick gaps often need a downshift. It is happy at city speeds but feels a bit out of breath for fast highway overtakes. If most of your running is within town with the odd ring-road stretch, it fits well. If you plan heavy highway use with a full load, you might wish for more punch.

Honda Amaze

autocar.india

•21h

Buy an EV if you have a parking spot with a plug, because your 20-30 km daily run is exactly what EVs are best at. You will top up at home once or twice a week, spend far less than petrol, and enjoy a quiet, easy drive in traffic. Since you rarely go out of town, the odd highway trip can be planned around chargers, or you can just borrow or rent a petrol car when needed. In your budget, Tata Punch EV and Tata Nexon EV fit well.If home charging is not possible, buy a simple petrol automatic and skip hybrids. With your low running, the hybrid premium takes ages to recover, and most strong-hybrid trims that make sense cross Rs. 20 lakh on-road. Good petrol picks around Rs. 15-18 lakh are Honda Elevate, Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Skoda Kushaq or VW Taigun. They will be easy in the city and stress-free for the rare road trip.

Tata Punch EV

Tata Nexon EV

Honda Elevate

Hyundai Creta

Kia Seltos

Skoda Kushaq

Volkswagen Taigun

autocar.india

•16h

Yes, switch to an EV if you have a fixed parking spot where you can install a home charger - for a pure city, second car, the Tata Punch EV fits best. Stop-go traffic is where EVs save the most, and with low maintenance and cheap electricity, the math works out over a few years. If you cannot charge at home, skip the EV idea.As a city commuter, the Punch EV is easy. Light steering, smooth creep, strong regen that lets you use the brake less, and ground clearance for bad roads. In real use, the Medium Range handles a typical week of school runs and errands on a single charge; the Long Range provides more buffer if others in the family do longer loops. Tata’s EVs have held up well so far, and support is wide. For variants, pick the Medium Range if your daily running is short and you can top up at home; choose the Long Range only if you want to charge less often. The 7.2 kW home charger is nice to have, not a must-have.Also, look at the Tata Tiago EV for a lower price, and the MG Comet if you want something compact. If you stay petrol, the Hyundai i20 IVT or Amaze CVT automatics are the easiest city alternatives.

Tata Punch EV

Tata Tiago EV

MG Comet

Hyundai i20

Honda Amaze

autocar.india

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We'd recommend the Skoda Kylaq Signature+ Manual. With a budget of Rs. 15 lakh, a manual gearbox and the car being used primarily for weekend getaways, it offers one of the most enjoyable driving experiences in this price range. The 1.0-litre TSI engine is now well proven, and the Kylaq's ride and handling make it particularly rewarding on winding roads and long highway drives.Another car worth considering is the Honda Elevate Manual. It trades some of the Kylaq's driving excitement for a more spacious cabin, a simpler naturally aspirated petrol engine and Honda's excellent reputation for long-term reliability. If your priorities lean more towards relaxed ownership than enthusiastic driving, it's a compelling alternative.

Skoda Kylaq

Honda Elevate

autocar.india

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The Hyundai Verna HX8 Turbo-petrol manual is a good option. The turbo-petrol engine is refined and delivers strong performance. Its clutch and gearbox are buttery smooth, and it rides well too, so overall the Verna feels very user-friendly for your daily commutes. Moreover, it is feature-loaded and delivers good value-for-money.Alternatively, you could consider the recently updated Honda City ZX Plus MT, which will fall within your Rs 20 lakh budget. While its feature list is similar to the Verna's, the Honda also gets ADAS, which the Verna manual misses.

Hyundai Verna

Honda City

autocar.india

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The biggest reason isn't the Rs 35,000 price increase, but the fact that you won't be able to take delivery for another two months and that your experience with the dealership has already left a bad impression. Buying a new car should be an exciting experience, and if the ownership journey has started on the wrong note, there's little reason to rush into it.By the time you're ready to buy again, you'll have more options to consider. The Honda Elevate facelift is expected to arrive soon, while the recently launched Nissan Tekton also looks promising. Diwali is traditionally a period when manufacturers and dealers offer attractive discounts and schemes, so you may be able to offset some or even all of the recent price increase.

Honda Elevate

Nissan Tekton

autocar.india

•3d

We'd recommend the Skoda Kylaq Signature+ Automatic. For a first-time buyer who will mostly use the car for weekend drives, occasional long road trips and relatively little weekday running, the Kylaq is the most rounded choice. It offers excellent ride and handling, feels secure at highway speeds and is enjoyable to drive without compromising on comfort.We wouldn't be overly concerned about the 1.0 TSI turbo-petrol engine. It is now a well-proven powertrain, and the 6-speed Aisin torque-converter automatic has a strong reputation for smoothness and reliability. As for maintenance, Skoda's ownership costs have become much more competitive in recent years, especially if you opt for one of its service packages.The Honda Elevate is a strong alternative if you value long-term simplicity and reliability above all else. Its naturally aspirated petrol engine and CVT are proven, easy to live with and should offer complete peace of mind, though it isn't as engaging to drive as the Kylaq.

Skoda Kylaq

Honda Elevate

autocar.india

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The Honda Elevate's engine is stronger, and the dynamics are slightly better. If you enjoy driving, go for the Honda. But do keep in mind that fuel efficiency won't be as strong as the Maruti, the CNG kit is fitted at the dealer level, unlike Maruti's factory-fitted unit, and boot space (like in the Grand Vitara CNG) will be compromised.If you want an efficient CNG powertrain without sacrificing boot space, then we'd recommend you opt for the Victoris CNG instead. Thanks to its tank placement beneath the boot floor, you don't sacrifice practicality, and you also get the peace of mind of a factory-fitted CNG kit.

Honda Elevate

autocar.india

•4d

Pick the Hyundai Venue diesel. Your driving is mostly on the highway and hills, and the diesel pulls strongly at low revs, making climbs easier. It will also save you money on long runs thanks to far better fuel economy than a petrol car. Your highway use will also keep the DPF or diesel particulate filter running at its best. The flip side is size. The downside is that the Venue is smaller than the Elevate. The rear seat is not as spacious, and the boot capacity is also lower.If you want a more relaxed highway feel and a roomier cabin, the Honda Elevate is the comfier mile‑eater. It's simple petrol is fuss‑free to own for years, but you will downshift more on steep climbs, and your fuel bills will be higher. The automatic also feels busy uphill.Other options worth checking are the Skoda Kylaq (strong engine and fun to drive, but a touch small for rear seat occupants) and the Mahindra XUV 3XO diesel. If cabin space is a key requirement, consider the Kia Syros diesel, which offers a very roomy interior.

Hyundai Venue

Mahindra XUV 3XO

Skoda Kylaq

Honda Elevate

autocar.india

•4d

Get the Honda City petrol, V trim, because you already like how a City drives, and this keeps the same easy, calm feel with a telescopic wheel, simple cabin and Honda reliability. The screen is modest, and there are still proper buttons and knobs, so it does not feel like a tablet on wheels. It is quiet, comfy over bad roads, and the petrol is smooth and efficient in real life, around 12-17 kpl depending on traffic.Safety kit is strong with 6 airbags, ESC and ISOFIX, and Honda’s service network is painless if you plan to keep the car long. One honest catch: there is no diesel now, but with your usage, the petrol will suit you just fine.If top-tier crash rating matters more than anything, look at the Skoda Slavia or VW Virtus 1.0 with lower trims for fewer screens. They are 5-star rated and drive well, but their ride is a bit firmer and long-term ownership can be fussier than Honda.

Honda City

Skoda Slavia

Volkswagen Virtus