It was the year 2014 when Maruti launched Celerio as India’s first car with automated manual transmission (AMT), which did revolutionize the era of automatic cars in the Indian market, with many other cars from other manufacturers too following the suite.
While the AMT gearbox offered affordable and economic automatic driving experience on the table, it still falls short of driving pleasure, with shift shocks being the most noteworthy let-down. There are some budget cars which continue to rely on CVTs and torque converters, for a smoother and more relaxed drive.
Following is a list of the five best automatic cars under 10 lakh in India, which feel much more refined to drive than the AMT-equipped cars out there:
1. Honda Amaze CVT
The Mk2 Honda Amaze has garnered tremendous response as compared to the model it replaced for a number of reasons, one of which is the availability of a CVT option in even the diesel engine variant. Currently, it is the most affordable sedan in the country to be available with a CVT. It is also among the best automatic cars under 10 lakh in India.
The 1.2-litre i-VTEC petrol motor of the Honda Amaze CVT makes 90 PS of maximum power output and 110 Nm of peak torque output. The fuel efficiency of the Honda Amaze CVT with the petrol engine is rated at 18.3 km/l. The 1.5-litre i-DTEC diesel engine of the automatic sedan produces 80 PS and 160 Nm of torque. The fuel economy rating of the diesel engine variant is 21.0 km/l.
Read more: Honda Amaze Review
Honda Amaze automatic prices*
- S petrol - INR 7.99 lakh
- V petrol - INR 8.59 lakh
- VX petrol - INR 9.00 lakh
- S diesel - INR 9.24 lakh
- Special Edition - INR 9.36 lakh
- V diesel - INR 9.84 lakh
- VX diesel/Exclusive Edition Diesel - INR 9.99 lakh
2. Maruti Baleno CVT
While every other hatchback from Maruti Suzuki except for the Alto 800 offers the convenience of a 5-speed AMT optionally, the Maruti Baleno is available with a CVT option. That's understandable, given the fact that the Baleno caters to a more premium section of buyers.
The Maruti Baleno is currently available with two 1.2-litre petrol engines, one with mild hybrid technology and the other without it. The CVT gearbox is mated to the 1.2-litre petrol engine sans the mild-hybrid technology, which produces 83 PS of maximum power and 113 Nm of peak torque output. With Maruti Baleno CVT returns a fuel economy of 19.56 km/l.
Maruti Baleno automatic prices*
- Delta - INR 7,76,612
- Zeta - INR 8,33,112
- Alpha - INR 8,96,112
3. Toyota Glanza CVT
The exact replica of Maruti Baleno from Toyota’s stable, the Glanza, now replaces the Etios Liva as the company's most affordable car. It is the only hatchback from Toyota in India. Like the original model, the rebadged model is available with a CVT option.
The Toyota Glanza CVT has the same 1.2-litre petrol engine as the Maruti Baleno CVT, the one with 83 PS of maximum power and 113 Nm of maximum torque. So, the fuel efficiency is also the same - 19.56 km/l.
Toyota Glanza automatic prices*
- G - INR 8.54 lakh
- V - INR 9.30 lakh
4. Toyota Yaris CVT
The Toyota Yaris might not have struck the chord of Indians on a large scale as Toyota India expected at the time of its launch. However, what actually commanded a lot of respect for Toyota India is the fact that the Yaris was offered with seven airbags and optional CVT gearbox right from the most basic variant.
The Toyota Yaris is equipped with a 1.5-litre petrol engine, which can be had with a CVT across the range. The petrol engine makes 107 PS of peak power and 140 Nm of peak torque. Toyota promises a fuel economy of 17.8 km/l in the Yaris automatic.
Toyota Yaris automatic prices*
- J-Optional - INR 9.86 lakh
- J - INR 11.98 lakh
- G-Optional - INR 11.26 lakh
- G - INR 13.15 lakh
- V-Optional - INR 13.59 lakh
- VX - INR 14.60 lakh
5. Maruti Ciaz AT
The only BS6 sedan within the INR 10 lakh mark which is available with a conventional automatic gearbox (torque converter) is the Maruti Ciaz. It is also one of the highest-selling automatic sedans in the country today.
The Maruti Ciaz, apart from a standard 5-speed manual transmission, is also available with a 4-speed automatic transmission. The premium B-segment sedan employs a 1.5-litre petrol engine that features mild-hybrid technology and pumps out a maximum power output of 105 PS and a peak torque output of 138 Nm. With the 4-speed automatic gearbox, the fuel economy of Maruti Ciaz is claimed to be 20.04 km/l. Maruti Ciaz is one of the best automatic cars under 10 lakh in India.
Maruti Ciaz automatic prices*
- Delta - INR 10.36 lakh
- Zeta - INR 11.05 lakh
- Alpha - INR 11.50 lakh
Also read: Top 5 most fuel efficient petrol cars between INR 5-10 lakh
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*Ex-showroom Delhi
