I am a first-time car buyer and planning to keep it for 10 years. Small family of 3. My budget is around ₹10 lakh on-road. Automatic is mandatory for my family. I will be driving in the city and on highways. I may cover 500 to 1000 km per month, including highway and city drives. Explored Punch, Exter, Glanza, Taisor, Baleno, and Magnite, all base variants or one above base. As I am going to use the vehicle for 10 years, which automatic variant is recommended from the above list? Any other suggestions, please?

Asked by: Chinni Rakesh Ba

While all the cars on your shortlist have their highlights, we’d suggest the Maruti Suzuki Fronx AMT. It has a nice and efficient engine, the AMT gearbox is good enough, and the extra ground clearance will come in handy on bad roads. More than anything else, however, it’s Maruti Suzuki’s stress-free ownership experience that you’ll really appreciate over the 10 years you plan to use your vehicle.

If you want a smoother gearbox and don’t mind compromising slightly on fuel economy, the Hyundai i20 iVT and Honda Amaze CVT are also worth considering.

Maruti Suzuki Fronx

Maruti Suzuki Fronx

Answered by

Autocar India Team

Nov 15, 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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