Upcoming MG cars in India (2)

Autocar India

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Daily 100 km in Kolkata with a Rs. 15 lakh cap points to the Tata Punch EV with the larger 40kWh battery version as the best fit. It covers your full day with a healthy buffer, so you are not hunting for a plug each evening. The car is small and easy to park in tight city lanes, yet feels confident at typical city speeds. Tata also has wide service reach and plenty of public chargers in and around Kolkata, which makes living with it simpler. If you can install a home charger, you’ll top it up overnight and forget about range in daily use.A trade-off to note: the rear seat is fine for two passengers but three at the back will be a squeeze. You could also consider the MG Windsor. It is significantly larger and roomier than the Tata Punch EV. Your budget would get you the entry level spec so you will have to compromise on battery size and some comfort and convenience features.

Tata Punch EV

MG Windsor

Autocar India

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While your preference is for a diesel, we suggest you consider the Skoda Kodiaq, which is a petrol-only model. Its 2-litre turbo-petrol engine is strong and punchy, and the SUV's good high-speed stability makes it a great road trip car. The third row is tight on space, but this shouldn't be a deal breaker given your occasional use of the last row. With the last row down, the Kodiaq offers loads of room for luggage. The Kodiaq is also well kitted out, and you'll like the sound quality from the Canton sound system. Do note, fuel economy isn't great in town, but the Kodiaq returns reasonable numbers on highway drives. If a diesel is a must, the new MG Majestor is an option for you. It's a size or two larger than your Tata Safari and scores big for road presence. The large size also means the Majestor is big on space. Performance is good, and there are also loads of features packed in. The only question mark for now is the price, but we expect it to be within your budget.

Skoda Kodiaq

MG Majestor

Tata Safari

Autocar India

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Since you want a city-friendly EV under Rs 10 lakh and don't want to go for either the Tata Tiago EV or MG Comet, you should consider the entry-level Tata Punch EV Smart. It's priced around your budget, it is small enough to drive and park comfortably in the city, and you can easily do a few days of your running on a single charge. The Punch EV also has an elevated seating position, so you get a great view out, the cabin is practical and comfy and being an EV, you'll appreciate the quiet and refined drive. As for upcoming models, Vietnamese manufacturer Vinfast is considering launching its smallest EV, the VF3, in India, but that is yet to be confirmed. So as it stands, your best bet is the Tata Punch EV Smart.

Tata Punch EV

Tata Tiago EV

MG Comet

Autocar India

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The Tata Punch EV is an excellent option. It feels solid on broken roads, has good ground clearance, and its small size makes tight city lanes and parking easy. The range is more than enough for your 60-65 km daily run with a safe buffer.The MG Windsor you mentioned is significantly larger in size, so unless you need that extra cabin and boot space, we'd recommend opting for the more compact Punch EV instead.The Kia Syros EV is likely to be launched in August. If you can, wait for it. It could be worth considering.

Tata Punch EV

MG Windsor

Autocar India

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For your daily running of 10-20 km in Hyderabad and with a budget of Rs. 10 lakh, you should consider the base Tata Punch EV Smart variant. It suits short city use best because it is small and easy to park, feels smooth at low speeds, and has enough range to do your commute multiple times on one charge. The tall seat gives you a good view out, and the good ground clearance makes dealing with speed breakers and broken patches easy.Meanwhile, the Tata Curvv EV, Maruti Suzuki e-Vitara and MG Windsor are larger and pricier, and will go well past your budget. As for your concerns, Tata's service quality varies by outlet. In Hyderabad, the EV network is among the widest, but pick a dealer with strong Google reviews, choose their bigger workshop, and take an extended warranty to keep peace of mind.Alternatively, you could even consider the MG Comet EV as an urban runabout.

Tata Punch EV

Tata Curvv EV

Maruti Suzuki e Vitara

MG Windsor

MG Comet

Autocar India

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The Tata Punch EV is the better long-term choice if you have a charging provision at your home. Running costs will be low, and the EV feels very smooth, quiet and zippy in traffic. Sure, the initial purchase price will be the highest from the options listed, however for the sheer peace of mind of owning a brand-new car backed by a manufacturer's warranty, it might be worth seriously considering.You could also consider an MG Comet, either new or used. It is tiny, but surprisingly practical and very convenient. As a secondary car, the Comet is an excellent buy.

Tata Punch EV

MG Comet

Autocar India

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For under Rs 18 lakh (on-road), there is no true 6/7-seat electric MPV on sale today. The closest fit that meets your needs well is the Kia Carens Clavis EV, though it will be a little above Rs 20 lakh on-road in Bengaluru.The smaller 42kWh battery should provide enough range for your city-heavy driving, but outstation trips will require a charging stop or two. It is easy to park, feels smooth and quiet, and handles broken roads well. It also has good space for a family, with a genuinely usable third row and a big boot for airport runs.If you want a more affordable 5-seater alternative, then the MG Windsor is a good choice too. Overall, the Kia Carens Clavis EV is your best bet for an electric MPV in this price range.

Kia Carens Clavis EV

MG Windsor

Autocar India

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We would recommend the MG Windsor. Within your budget, you should be able to get the top variant with all the features, along with the larger 52kWh battery pack. This battery should comfortably handle your daily 200km city commute with the AC running. In real-world conditions, the Windsor offers a range of well over 300km on a full charge. The car is comfortable and easy to drive; however, with most of the controls, like even outside rear view mirror adjustment located within the touchscreen, it's not a user-friendly experience. That aside, the space is plenty, and the ride is comfortable enough over bad city roads. As an option, you could consider the Hyundai Creta EV. At around Rs 20 lakh, you would be able to buy the base variant. While you will miss out on some features, you will still get a car that is very easy to drive. It has light controls, a well-tuned suspension, and a smoothly calibrated powertrain.

MG Windsor

Hyundai Creta Electric

Autocar India

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Go for the Tata Punch EV Long Range. For school runs, pick-ups and short daily trips, the Punch EV works very well. It is compact, easy to park and effortless to drive in traffic, with smooth and silent performance that suits stop-and-go conditions. The long-range version gives you enough real-world range to cover multiple days of city use without needing to charge frequently. It also offers good ground clearance, so you will not have to worry about bad roads or speed breakers. Coming from an S-Cross, you will find it much easier to manoeuvre in tight lanes and parking spots, though you will notice the smaller rear seat and boot.If you want more space and stronger performance, you can consider the Tata Nexon EV. It feels quicker and more substantial, but it is more expensive and not as easy to park in tight areas. At the other end, if your usage is strictly short trips in very tight urban conditions, the MG Comet is the easiest to drive and park, but its two-door layout makes rear seat access less convenient for daily use.

Tata Punch EV

Tata Nexon EV

MG Comet

Autocar India

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Of the two, for your needs, you should definitely go for the Kia Seltos GTX (A) 1.5 iVT. The iVT is a smooth automatic, so it works well in traffic and at lower speeds. The Seltos is the smaller car here, so it is easier to park and thread through tight lanes, and its steering feels lighter at low speeds. Kia also has a wider service network across cities and towns, which helps if you plan to keep the car long-term or travel outside your home city.On safety, both SUVs pack the basics like multiple airbags and stability control, and higher variants can add driver assists. While the MG Hector hasn't been tested by any crash test rating agency, the Kia Seltos has scored a 5-star Bharat NCAP rating. The 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol is not as strong as the 1.5-litre turbo petrol in the Hector, but it is more than sufficient for city use and decent on the highway too. The Kia is also much lighter than the MG, which affects performance, too.The MG Hector, which is not at all a compact SUV, scores higher on space in the back seat and boot, and is the better chauffeur-driven SUV, with a softer ride quality. However, a big drawback is fuel economy, which is considerably lower than what you will get from the Kia Seltos 1.5 petrol iVT.

Kia Seltos

MG Hector