I’m looking to buy an automatic car with a budget of ₹10.0–15.5 lakh (on-road). I’ll drive mostly in the city with occasional weekend highway trips. My priorities are safety, fuel efficiency (average), and useful features. Which automatic models (and variants) should I consider and why?

At the lower end of your budget, there is the Maruti Suzuki Dzire AMT. It's been rated 5 stars by Global NCAP on adult occupant protection, fuel economy is very good, and it also packs in plenty of features. There is more than enough boot space for your weekend trips as well. The AMT is not the smoothest automatic gearbox, but in all other areas, the Dzire makes for a great choice.

There are a lot more options at the upper end of your budget, but it's the Mahindra XUV 3XO Petrol AT AX7 that is worth a look for you. It's a 5-star Global NCAP-rated compact SUV and packs in lots of features for the money. Fuel economy is decent, but like other turbo-petrol engines, mileage is very dependent on your driving style.