Maruti Suzuki Swift

The Maruti Suzuki Ignis and Baleno share the 1.2-litre 4-cylinder petrol engine, which is known for its smoothness, refinement, free-revving nature and fuel efficiency. The Ignis is relatively smaller in size than the Baleno, and with its light controls, will be a touch easier to drive and park in tight spaces. 

That said, the new Maruti Suzuki Swift is still an excellent, fun-to-drive option, with a nicer steering (it returns to centre more naturally than the Ignis' unit), and its darty nature. Its 3-cylinder petrol engine is also very good in terms of drivability; yes, it doesn't revv as freely as the 4-cylinder 1.2 unit, but if you don't regularly spin the engine beyond 4000rpm, it'll keep you satisfied. 

Do drive the new Swift once, it might just be the one for you.

While the Maruti Swift ZXI AMT is a good choice, we would recommend the Maruti Suzuki Baleno AMT Alpha, which costs a similar amount. The Baleno's engine feels stronger and will be more suited to highway driving. Like the Swift, the Baleno is also easy and cheap to maintain and delivers good fuel economy. 

Also worth looking at is the Maruti Suzuki Wagon R 1.2 AMT. It has the same engine as the Baleno, but what makes it worth considering for your parents is its higher seating and elevated driving position. Getting in and out of the car is easy and the large glass area makes visibility very good. Also, the high seating also gives confidence when driving on the highway.   

 

Since your intended usage will be in Kolkata traffic, we don't recommend a diesel engine, like you have in your other two cars. Depending on your budget, you could consider a petrol car or even an EV. Among petrol cars, you could get a Maruti Swift under Rs 10 lakh, which is easygoing and efficient. And if you're after an EV, consider the MG Comet EV if you don't need a lot of space - its compact footprint makes it ideal for traffic. An EV will always have lower running costs and a smoother drive than a petrol car, which is helpful in traffic.

If you are open to buying an electric vehicle, the Tata Tiago EV is a good option for city use. It's got a smooth powertrain and is much more practical than the MG Comet you also considered. There's also the option of the Tata Punch EV, though it is slightly out of your budget. 

Among petrol automatic cars within your budget, the Hyundai i20 iVT and Citroen C3 AT have the smoothest automatic gearboxes. The Maruti Suzuki Swift AMT is also a good city car, though the AMT gearbox isn't as nice.