Home run

 The Santro Xing is one of the best small/city runabouts money can buy anywhere in the world today - so treat that as chosen. Instead of a mid-size sedan, let us recommend you the Baleno Altura, a cut-price estate (Rs 7.5 lakh ex-showroom Mumbai) which is extremely capable, despite the age of the design.  On the SUV front, we urge you to spend more and buy the Honda CR-V at Rs 14.5 lakh (ex-showroom Mumbai). Between the Scorpio and the Safari, the former is more powerful but the latter has more comfortable interiors and ride quality going for it - choose the one that suits your needs best. So there you are, all set for a brand-new garage.  Safest bet  Which car under Rs 10 lakh comes with all the security features like ABS, EBD, SRS airbags for driver and passenger, height adjustable seat belts with pre-tensioners for all and brake pedals that fold on collision? In short, which is the safest car on Indian roads within this budget, or which car on Indian roads at this price has highest safety rating from Euro NCAP or NHTSA?

Deepak Darshan, via email

 Brilliant question indeed. Just under Rs 6 lakh, you get the Fiat Palio 1.6 GTX PS SP model which comes with ABS and driver airbag. Spend a little more and you can get a three box Siena 1.6 PS SP (till stocks are available, since a new model, the Fiat Petra, is due any time) which again features ABS and airbag. In the same price range, you can get a clutch of Hyundai Accents and even a Santro model with just ABS.  At just above the 10 lakh mark you can get the Skoda Octavia Ambiente which sports ABS, front airbags and an Euro NCAP rating of four (which is not bad at all). It also has height-adjustable seat belts with pre-tensioners and collapsible pedals too - so it is the most ideal car for you.  That said, if you can live with an SUV, for roughly Rs 10 lakh, you can get the Tata Safari EXI Petrol which offers ABS and airbags too. If you want the safest bet on Indian roads today at your budget, let us also recommend pre-used Mercedes-Benzes - there are some excellent deals out there.  Planning to buy a car or bike?Ask us at bijoy@business-standard.com