Safe bet

WHICH CAR?

I am planning to buy a new car for around Rs 8 lakh. We are a family of five "" my wife, three children and myself. The car will be self-driven. It will be driven approximately 25 km daily, and once a month we will go on a 300-km trip out of town. I am looking for a car with safety features, fuel economy, good resale value and less or no maintenance.

Himanshu Agarwal, Mumbai

The car that suits your needs best is the Maruti Suzuki SX4, particularly the ZXi version. At a little over Rs 8 lakh on-road, it fits your budget perfectly. The ZXi version comes with ABS and dual airbags, so it's safe. Though it may not give you fuel economy that's comparable to the Honda City, you can expect 10 kpl in the city with AC "" besides, your daily commute is not too long either. Maruti Suzukis are generally reliable and hold their value too. Go for it.

Spouse on wheels

My wife need to choose a car for her daily use "" about 13 km one way. It needs to be in the Rs 6 lakh bracket. Our preference is for a three-box petrol and it will be chauffeur driven. Can you please suggest a suitable car?

Harish Laddha, via email

The Chevrolet Aveo 1.4 can be a good option for your wife. It is good looking and offers decent rear seat comfort. Check out the LS version which comes pretty well-loaded in terms of kit.

Big dilemma

I need your help in selecting a car for my family. We are a family of four adults. Our budget is between Rs 12 and Rs 14 lakh, though it can be adjusted by 10 per cent. The car will be driven during weekdays for about 100 km in Mumbai. The major criteria are fuel efficiency, maintenance and cost of spare parts and comfort, in that order. I have test driven the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla and Skoda Octavia.

Though I prefer the Civic, I am unable to take a decision. even though I feel both the Corolla and the Octavia are older models compared to the Honda. Also, all the versions which I have test driven are petrol. Looking at the daily running of the car, does it make sense to get a diesel car instead? Also, recently there has been news that Honda has recalled 1.8 lakh units of the Civic in the USA. Does it have any impact in India?

Abhishek Ganeriwala, Mumbai

The Civic is a good car for you, and there is no news from Honda regarding right-hand drive cars being recalled. It is fuel efficient for a car of its size, so your 100 km daily drive shouldn't pinch your pocket. However, if you would rather opt for a diesel luxury saloon, the Hyundai Sonata Embera CRDi is just up your street. It is a well-built and reliable machine, fuel efficient and offers a comfortable ride as well. Why don't you test drive the Sonata Embera and then take a call?

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