I’ve just joined the corporate workforce and want to buy a new car for my daily commute. I currently drive a 2020 S-Presso AMT for a 20 km one-way commute with a mix of highway and city driving. My budget is ₹17-21 lakh, and I’m open to sedans, SUVs, MPVs, and hatchbacks. My priorities are safety and reliability, and I’m fine with petrol, electric, or hybrid options. Though I’m open to all body styles, I prefer sedans.

Asked by: Neel Chakraborti

Great to hear there are still people who like sedans! You’ll really enjoy the Skoda Slavia automatic. It offers two strong petrol engine options, the 1.0 TSI and the 1.5 TSI.

If you enjoy driving and want punchy performance, the 1.5-litre engine is the one to go for. If you want a bit more efficiency, stick to the 1.0 TSI, which still delivers good power and performance.

The Slavia’s ride comfort, smooth automatic gearbox, practicality, and excellent sound system make it a very balanced package.

Skoda Slavia

Skoda Slavia

Answered by

Autocar India Team

Nov 08, 2025

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Asked by: prateek I have a budget of ₹7-8 lakh, and the Nissan Magnite CNG is one of my choices, but I am worried about its resale value. Can I switch to the Maruti Fronx CNG by increasing my budget to ₹9 lakh? However, I am concerned about safety there. Please suggest the best approach. The Nissan Magnite CNG is available with a 1.0-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine, which is barely adequate to power this car. Furthermore, while running on CNG, performance will be lacklustre, and efficiency will also be low. And as you mentioned, resale value will be poor, hence it is best that you look at other options.The Maruti Suzuki Fronx gets all the basic safety features like ABS with EBD and ESP, which prevent an accident from happening in the first place. Additionally, there are 6 airbags to keep you protected in case of an impact. Do note that the Fronx's petrol engine is much smoother, and overall, it is much nicer to drive. However, if you want a proven, safe CNG car, go for the Tata Punch or Tata Altroz. While their powertrain isn't as smooth or as good as Maruti's, these are practical and spacious alternatives.

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Asked by: Navneet kumar Hi Autocar, I currently ride a Yamaha FZ and want to replace it with a Triumph Speed 400, but the problem is that the Triumph dealership is not in my city (Bathinda). My question is: should I purchase it from a dealership located about 130 km away? Will it be a sensible choice considering service and maintenance? The Triumph Speed 400 is a largely reliable machine with few sporadic cases of big failures reported in the 2.5 years. It has been on sale, so by and large, you won't need to visit the service centre very often. Additionally, its long 16,000km / 1 year service interval means that unless you ride a lot, you only need to service it once a year - after the first service, at least. However, if something should go wrong, not having an authorised service centre nearby will be troublesome. You should speak to the dealership if a mechanic will be willing to visit your residence to service it. Otherwise, you have to transport it to the authorised workshop every time something like this occurs. Ideally, we would recommend buying a machine that has a dealership and service presence in your hometown and close to your residence or office.

Autocar India Team

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