Since you currently have a Maruti Suzuki Baleno, we would suggest you upgrade to something like the Honda Amaze or the Skoda Kylaq. Both cars come in under 4 meters in length and so are better suited to crowded city conditions.  

The Amaze's CVT automatic gearbox is smoother than many AMTs that come at this price point. Especially when driven at low, constantly changing speeds in the city and being a sedan. It will feel like an upgrade and offer you more boot space, too, should that be a requirement for you. 

If you don't like the idea of a sedan, you can opt for the Skoda Kylaq, which will offer you a higher seating point and better ground clearance. Also, the automatic gearbox on the Kylaq is a torque convertor, which is the smoothest autobox around.   

The Brezza, on the other hand, feels better to drive thanks to its larger 1.5 litre petrol engine paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission. However, the most affordable automatic Brezza is available only in the VXI variant, which costs close to Rs 13 lakh on road, putting it well above your stated budget.

A more affordable alternative is the Skoda Kylaq in the Signature variant, priced at around Rs 12 lakh on road. The Kylaq is engaging to drive, and its 1.0 litre turbo petrol engine paired with a 6-speed torque converter automatic offers smooth performance with enough power for both city and highway driving.

If you want to stay well within a Rs 10 lakh budget, the Hyundai i20 is also a strong option. It is powered by a 1.2 litre petrol engine and comes with a smooth CVT transmission, making it suitable for daily urban use.

The Maruti Suzuki Dzire is the most complete sedan that you can get within Rs 10 lakh. It packs in quite a few features, and cabin space is impressive, though rear headroom could be an issue for tall passengers. 

What also works in the Dzire's favour is its peppy and efficient 1.2-litre petrol engine. Good ride comfort rounds off the package.

If you are looking for an automatic sedan within Rs 10 lakh and you value smooth gearshifts, consider the Honda Amaze CVT. The CVT gearbox is much smoother than the Dzire's AMT.    

That's a very varied set of cars in your shortlist, and it would be hard to pinpoint one without knowing your specific requirements. The Mahindra Thar is a good option if you want a rugged SUV to take on bad roads. If you really like the image, if not its not better than the others as a daily driver, as the ride over medium bumps and patchy city streets is very busy.  Also, the refinement, too, will not be as nice as the Honda City in particular. 

The Tata Curvv will be more refined than the Mahindra Thar and will feel more premium inside, too. Plus, it will have sufficient ground clearance for most bad roads in and about the city. So this is a good buy if very rough roads are not something you encounter. 

The Honda City would be best if you like to drive, as the handling of a sedan will feel better than the Thar and the Curvv. Also, we assume you live in an area with reasonably good roads. 

Sadly, there are no all-new Rs 25-30 lakh sedans lined up for launch this year. However, slightly lower down the price ladder, we will see the launch of updated versions of the Hyundai Verna, Honda City, Skoda Slavia and Volkswagen Virtus over the year. 

There's way more choice for the same budget in SUVs with options spanning petrol, diesel, hybrid and EV powertrains as well as with two and three rows of seating, and 4x2 and 4x4.  

Unfortunately, there are very few sedan options available today, and between Rs 20 to 30 lakh, you would only find the Honda City Hybrid. The City will meet your requirements of good mileage and low maintenance cost, however this variant isn't really value for money at all. 

Thus, we would suggest you consider the Hyundai Verna instead. The car may not be as fuel-efficient as the Honda, but it is efficient enough. 

We put the 1.5 litre turbo petrol auto through our standard test cycle, and it returned 10.76kpl in the city and 16.05kpl on the highway. The Verna is also well equipped and offers good value, and will be reliable and low on maintenance costs. It also secured a 5-star rating in the GNCAP crash tests.