Sedan picks under ₹20 lakhs
Among the many sedans that offer automatic transmission these days, we present to you four feature-packed options under ₹20 lakh for this festive season.
For those perpetually vexed and traumatised by traffic congestion while travelling in the city, switching to a car with automatic transmission might be a good idea. The convenience of an automatic gearbox takes away much of the headache of traffic woes. And that is why, if you’re looking for a feature-packed, performance-forward sedan to bring home this festive season, we’ve researched and picked four options under ₹20 lakh.
Honda City
This segment stalwart has a sporty yet elegant appearance, thanks to its honeycomb grill featuring a chrome bar, a front bumper that comes carbon-wrapped towards the bottom, a rear diffuser and a boot lip spoiler. The front and rear seats offer comfortable cushioning with excellent under-thigh support. The dashboard features an eight-inch touchscreen infotainment system. Leatherette upholstery, wireless phone charging, auto headlamps, rain-sensing wipers, a sunroof and connected car technology make it a complete package.
Performance
Among the powertrain options, the car offers a 1.5-litre petrol engine, mated to continuously variable transmissions (CVT) with pedal shifts. The pedal shifters perform the best in the Sports mode, but engine vibrations frequently make their way into the cabin, especially when the engine is revving rapidly. Overall, the gearbox offers near-flawless shifts. Be it for broken roads or potholes, the sedan takes it all in, thanks to its well-sorted suspension. The ride and handling is top-notch, as always. The Honda City can navigate curves and twists on the road with ease. The model also comes equipped with ADAS (Autonomous Driving Assistance System). The other engine option in the City happens to be a 1.5-litre strong-hybrid powertrain paired to an e-CVT transmission.
Price: ₹13,75,900 to ₹16,18,900; ₹18,89,000 to ₹20,39,000 for the e:HEV version
Hyundai Verna
With a futuristic look, the latest version of this eye-catching sedan is a head-turner — all thanks to its striking horizontal LEDs in the front and towards the rear. Sharp cuts on its bodywork and a fastback-like profile add a lot of character to its exterior design. All seats are comfortable for occupants needing extra leg, shoulder and headroom. The Verna is equipped with a ton of goodies, including heated/ventilated front seats, a power-adjustable driver’s seat, a solid audio system and more.
Performance
The Hyundai Verna comes equipped with two petrol engine options. The first is a 1.5-litre unit mated to an IVT (Intelligent Variable Transmission), while the second happens to be the 1.5-litre petrol turbo engine mated to a DCT (Dual Clutch Transmission). There are three drive modes on offer: Eco, Normal and Sport. In Eco mode, the car feels sluggish, but in the Normal mode, it is quite well-balanced in terms of performance and power delivery. In the Sport mode, the engine feels torquey, though it does have a rubber band effect that can be avoided with the use of paddle shifters. As for the ride and handling, the sedan offers you the confidence of tackling potholes and broken roads with ease. In terms of tech, it offers Level 2 ADAS. Price: ₹14,23,500 to ₹16,19,500 (1.5-litre); ₹16,08,000 to ₹17,37,900 (1.5-litre Turbo)
Skoda Slavia
This car has an assertive and sporty front end with a large chrome grille. The side profile appears broad and has sharp lines that extend all the way to the C-pillar. The rear highlights the car’s elegant LED tail lamp clusters. On the inside, the seats offer ample cushioning, under-thigh support and ample head, shoulder and legroom. The feature list includes height-adjustable and ventilated front seats, auto AC, wireless charging, digital instrument cluster, a 10-inch infotainment system and more.
Performance
There are two engine choices available with the Skoda Slavia. The first is a 1-litre petrol engine mated to a 6-speed automatic gearbox while the second is a 1.5-litre petrol engine coupled with a 7-speed DSG (direct-shift gearbox). When necessary, the engine pulls hard and effortlessly, and the performance feels refined. It offers a smooth ride since the suspension easily absorbs the impact of the potholes and broken roads. The gearbox is smooth, along with a paddle-shifter, and does the job well. This 1.5-litre petrol engine has the cylinder-deactivation technology when running light and it works so smoothly that you don’t realise the shift from four to two and then back. As a result, the variant offers superior fuel efficiency. Price: ₹13,79,000 to ₹16,24,000 (Skoda Slavia 1.0-litre); ₹16,29,000 to ₹18,58,000 (Skoda Slavia 1.5-litre)
Volkswagen Virtus
An ace sedan by Volkswagen, the Virtus is an attractive looking four-wheeler. Its front grille is lined with chrome, as is the massive air dam, which also has chrome trim. On the inside, its dashboard design is uncluttered with an excellent fit and finish. The comfort factor is right there as occupants get a good amount of cushioning. In addition, the leg, shoulder and headroom is also decent. A digital instrument cluster, a 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system, auto AC, height-adjustable and ventilated front seats are all part of the feature list.
Performance
The Volkswagen Virtus offers two engine options: a 1.0-litre petrol engine mated to a 6-speed automatic gearbox and a 1.5-litre gasoline unit coupled with a 7-speed DSG (direct-shift gearbox). Its gearbox provides smooth shifts, and with the inclusion of paddle shifters, the drive becomes more enjoyable. The ride quality on this sedan is smooth and the suspension is tuned in such a way that going over potholes and broken surfaces is not an issue. The cylinder-deactivation technology in the 1.5-litre petrol engine, when running light, works very smoothly, too. Price: ₹14,67,900 to ₹16,19,900 (1.0-litre); ₹16,19,900 to ₹18,56,900 (1.5-litre GT)