Best cars for first-time buyers in India

For people thinking about bringing their first car home, obtaining adequate knowledge of various vehicles available in the market is crucial. To help you make an informed purchase decision, this article compiles a list of the best cars for first-time buyers. This list will help you understand different cars based on their looks, performance, fuel efficiency, and safety. 

So, let’s dive right in!

1. Renault Kwid

Price: Rs. 3.32 lakhs - Rs. 5.48 lakhs

Exterior

If you are looking for an SUV-like stance at budget pricing, Renault Kwid would be a perfect choice. It has that beefy appearance many buyers look for in their first car. 

Interior

The interior of Kwid is spacious, has comfortable seats and 279 litres of boot space to make family journeys enjoyable. 

Performance

The Kwid runs on a 1-litre petrol engine mated to a 5-speed manual or automated manual transmission (AMT).

Fuel efficiency

The vehicle is capable of offering a fuel economy of 22 kmpl. 

Safety

For safety, you get airbags for the driver and passenger seats, an anti-lock braking system, and Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD).

2. Maruti S-Presso

Price: Rs. 3.78 lakhs - Rs. 5.36 lakhs

Exterior

S-Presso from Maruti is a micro-SUV that can also impress a new car buyer with its sporty exterior having a slim grille, good ground clearance, and upright stance. 

Interior

The large doors let you easily enter the cabin with seats that give you ample headroom and 270 litres of boot space. 

Performance

Like Renault Kwid, S-Presso also comes with a BS6 compliant 1-litre petrol engine available with a 5-speed manual and AMT gearbox options. 

Fuel efficiency

You can expect around 21 kmpl to 22 kmpl of fuel efficiency from this car.

Safety

Maruti’s S-Presso comes with a reverse parking sensor, driver airbag, ABS, and EBD.

3. Maruti Wagon R

Price: Rs. 4.80 lakhs - Rs. 6.33 lakhs

Exterior

Wagon R is the first choice for many people who prefer tallboy hatchbacks. The third-generation model is wider than the previous iterations and sports a quirky look.

Interior

The tallboy design allows Wagon R to create big doors for easy entry and exit from the cabin. The dual-tone black-beige dashboard layout contains a 7-inch infotainment system with a touchscreen feature. Plus, you get 341 litres of boot space. 

Performance

You can get Wagon R with 1-litre petrol or 1.2-litre petrol engine mated to manual or AMT transmission. 

Fuel efficiency

Ideally, the Wagon R offers a fuel economy of 20.52 kmpl. However, its fuel efficiency in the city is approximately 12.19 kmpl.

Safety

Maruti Wagon R has many features to ensure a safe driving experience, such as driver and passenger airbags, ABS, EBD, fog lights in the front and more. 

4. Maruti Ignis

Price: Rs. 4.95 lakhs - Rs. 7.36 lakhs

Exterior

You can have Maruti Ignis as your first car for its ultra-stylish compact hatchback-SUV crossover design. 

Interior

From the inside, Ignis has a clean and minimalistic design. Seat arrangement gives you enough knee room and leg room for comfortable seating. There is also 260 litres of boot space, enough to carry luggage for weekend trips.

Performance

You can choose between a 1.2-litre petrol engine or a 1.3-litre diesel engine for Ignis. Both engine options are available with 5-speed manual transmission and AMT gearbox choices. 

Fuel efficiency

Ignis offers 23.2 kmpl of fuel economy. 

Safety

There are a lot of safety features in Maruti Ignis, such as dual airbags, ISOFIX child seat mounts, ABS, EBD and reverse parking camera for top-spec variants. 

5. Tata Tiago

Price: Rs. 4.99 lakhs - Rs. 6.95 lakhs

Exterior

Tata Tiago is a stylish hatchback with an attractive front grille and sporty alloy wheels. You can have it with a contrasting black roof as well.

Interior

This 5-seater car will impress you with a classy dashboard and dual-tone interior. The boot has 242 litres of space. 

Performance

Tiago is available in a 1.2-litre petrol engine mated to a 5-speed manual or AMT gearbox. 

Fuel efficiency

You get 23.84 kmpl of fuel efficiency with this hatchback. 

Safety

This car has dual airbags, child safety lock, ABS, EBD, crash sensors, and corner stability control as well. 

6. Hyundai Grand i10 Nios

Price: Rs. 5.28 lakhs - Rs. 8.50 lakhs

Exterior

Hyundai Grand i10 Nios is a hatchback with 3 dual-tone and 5 single-tone exterior colour options. The roof offers a contrasting black colour.

Interior

You will find a dual-tone black or grey interior, depending on the selected variant. The cabin has 5 comfortable seats, 260 litres of boot space, and an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system.

Performance

You get three engine options for this car: 1-litre turbo-petrol engine mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox. Plus, 1.2-litre diesel and petrol engine options paired to a 5-speed manual or 5-speed AMT gearbox. 

Fuel efficiency

Depending on the selected variant and engine type, the Grand i10 Nios can return a fuel efficiency of 18.3 kmpl to 26.2 kmpl.

Safety

There are airbags for driver and passenger seats with ABS, EBD, and front fog lights.

7. Maruti Dzire

Price: Rs. 5.98 lakhs - Rs. 9.02 lakhs

Exterior

If you are looking for a compact sedan, Maruti Dzire can be a suitable pick. The upgraded version has a hexagon grille, alloy wheels and redesigned bumper in the front. 

Interior

The cabin has a 5 seating capacity with 378 litres of boot space. The interior looks classy with natural gloss and a premium wood finish. 

Performance

The Dzire gets its power from a 1.2-litre petrol engine mated to a manual or AMT transmission.

Fuel efficiency

The fuel efficiency of this sedan is decent, with 24.12 kmpl.

Safety

For safety, there are dual airbags, child safety lock, ABS, EBD, reverse parking camera, speed alert, and hill climb assistance as well. 

8. Honda Amaze

Price: Rs. 6.32 lakhs - Rs. 11.11 lakhs

Exterior

The Amaze is an economical subcompact sedan from Honda with stylish headlamps, LED lights, and sleek alloy wheels. 

Interior

The interior has a dual-tone theme, multifunctional steering wheel, cruise control, and a 6.9-inch touchscreen infotainment system. 

Performance

The power source of the Amaze is a 1.2-litre petrol engine paired to a 5-speed manual or a 5-speed CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) gearbox. Along with that, you can get the vehicle with a 1.5-litre diesel engine mated to a 5-speed manual or 5-speed CVT transmission. 

Fuel efficiency

Depending on the fuel type and selected variant, Honda Amaze can offer fuel efficiency between 18.3 kmpl to 24.7 kmpl. 

Safety

Honda Amaze gets a dual horn, dual airbags, ABS and EBD along with a key-left reminder. 

9. Hyundai Venue

Price: Rs. 6.99 lakhs - Rs. 11.85 lakhs

Exterior

Hyundai Venue is a 4-metre compact SUV available in seven colours. It has a sporty appeal due to the 17-inch wheels with flared arches.

Interior

The all-black single-tone cabin of the Venue impresses with features like projector headlamps, electric sunroof, AC vents for rear passengers, automatic climate control and more. 

Performance

The Hyundai Venue has 2 petrol (1-litre and 1.2-litre)  and 1 diesel (1.4-litre)  engine choice. You can get a 5-speed manual gearbox with a 1.2-litre engine and a 6-speed manual gearbox with 1-litre petrol and 1.4-litre diesel options. However, its 1-litre petrol engine can also be had with a 7-speed Dual-clutch Transmission (DCT). 

Fuel efficiency

Based on the selected engine option and variant, Honda Amaze offers a fuel efficiency between 17.52 kmpl to 23.4 kmpl.

Safety

For safety purposes, there are a total of 6 airbags, reverse parking sensors, hill assist, ABS, EBD and more. 

10. Tata Nexon

Price: Rs. 7.19 lakhs - Rs. 13.23 lakhs

Exterior

The Nexon is another impressive first-car option from the compact SUV segment with a contrasting roof, sleek grille, and alloy wheels. 

Interior

The cabin is spacious and offers features like an all-digital instrument cluster, cruise control, and a sunroof. 

Performance

The Tata Nexon draws power from a 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol engine or 1.5-litre diesel engine. Both engine options can be had with either a 6-speed manual or 6-speed AMT transmission. 

Fuel efficiency

The fuel economy can be between 16 kmpl and 22.4 kmpl, depending on the fuel type and variant. 

Safety

For safety, you get dual airbags, ABS, EBD, front fog lamps with cornering assistance, and more. 

Note: All the prices mentioned in this article are ex-showroom, Delhi and the fuel efficiencies mentioned are as per the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI).

Frequently asked questions

FAQs

How should I choose the right car body type?

The car’s body type defines its exterior look, interior design, space, and seating capacity. Apart from that, a new car buyer should consider the purpose for which he/she wants to purchase a vehicle. For example, a hatchback’s compact size makes it suitable for a small family of 3-4 members and everyday city traffic. On the other hand, a sedan can offer better interior space and comfort than hatchbacks. However, if you are looking for a 5-6 seating capacity, an SUV would be a better choice. 

How to choose between a petrol and a diesel engine?

Both petrol and diesel options come with their pros and cons. A diesel-driven car can have high NVH (Noise, Vibration, Harshness) levels, and the maintenance can be expensive due to the complex nature of diesel engines. 

But if you go on short trips regularly, diesel would be a good choice as it delivers more power. On the other hand, a petrol-driven car costs less than a diesel one to purchase and maintain. Hence, you should make a choice based on your usage requirements. 

What necessary safety features should I look for in a car?

While looking at all attractive features, you should not forget about the safety aspect of a car. Features such as Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic brake-force Distribution, driver and passenger airbags, reverse parking sensors and others are necessary for safety assurance while driving. 

Which car should I buy for the best fuel efficiency?

You can consider Hyundai Grand i10 Nios, Honda Amaze, Hyundai Venue, and Tata Nexon for the best fuel economy. 

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