Best Chauffeur Driven Cars Under Rs 20 Lakh

While many feel that self-driving is the way to go when buying your next car, there are a lot of buyers out there who prefer a more hands-off experience. Why bother with the grind of constantly jumping between pedals and having your eyes glued to the road as you crawl your way through city traffic when you could rather enjoy the back seat experience and have someone else drive you around? So if you are one of these people and want a vehicle primarily to be driven around in, here are our top picks in the sub-Rs 20 lakh segment.

Hyundai Verna

Price: Rs 10.69 – 16.98 lakh (ex-showroom)

The latest Hyundai Verna has come a long way compared to its predecessors, becoming not only a sedan you would enjoy behind the wheel but one that can take you around in comfort should you want to just use the back seat. There is space enough for two six-footers to sit one behind the other, and the back seat itself is nicely padded too to relax over long journeys. The top variants also get a sunshade for the rear windshield, and should you desire to sit beside the driver, the front seats are both ventilated and heated, too.

Buyers have two engine options to pick from – the 1.5 naturally aspirated petrol or a 1.5 turbo-petrol, both with manual and automatic gearbox options.

Honda Elevate

Price: Rs 11.00 – 16.47 lakh (ex-showroom)

Sharing its platform with the City, the Honda Elevate shares a lot of its strengths with the City, including a very comfortable rear seat. The Elevate gets all the basic right, it rides and drives well, the powertrain is smooth and refined, and it gets all the comfort and convenience features that one would desire at its price point. The Elevate is offered solely with a 1.5-litre petrol engine option paired either with a 6-speed manual or a CVT gearbox option.

Kia Carens Clavis

Price: Rs 11.07 – 19.27 lakh (ex-showroom)

The Kia Carens Clavis does a lot right for a modern MPV. It’s spacious, practical, and with its spread of powertrains, there’s bound to be a variant to catch your eye. Additionally, recent updates have also made the 6-seater variants with captain chairs in the second row more accessible. The option previously only offered on the top variant at the time of launch is now offered in mid-spec trims too. The MPV is a capable cruiser and rides well too, and the second row offers ample space to stretch out with the seats pushed all the way back – top variants even get a powered boss mode.

Buyers can pick from a naturally aspirated petrol, turbo-petrol and diesel powertrain options – with all save the NA petrol offered with an automatic gearbox option. Diesel buyers, however, will have to contend with the lack of a fully-loaded variant with the top HTX(O) and HTX+ trims exclusive to the turbo-petrol. Buyers can also pick an all-electric powertrain too with the new Clavis EV, though variant choice is limited under the Rs 20 lakh mark.

Maruti XL6

Price: Rs 11.52 – 14.48 lakh (ex-showroom)

The Maruti XL6 will appeal to the chauffeur-driven on multiple counts – it's spacious, practical, efficient, has a healthy feature list and most importantly, it won’t cost you an arm or a leg. The XL6 is one of the most affordable six-seaters in the market, with the captain seats in the second row offering ample space and comfort for those wanting to be driven around. Sure, if you’re on a tighter budget, you could consider the Ertiga too – which gives you almost identical features and a bench seat in the second row.

The 1.5-litre petrol engine with mild hybrid tech offers ample power to amble along in the city or cruise on the highway, or for those wanting lower running costs, there are factory CNG variants too.

Honda City

Price: Rs 11.95 – 19.48 lakh (ex-showroom)

The fifth-gen Honda City may be ageing in the market, but it's still got one of the best back seats in the compact sedan market. The 1.5-litre i-VTEC powertrain won’t get the pulse racing, but then again, performance isn’t the most important factor for a chauffeur-driven owner. The City offers a spacious cabin, a well-sorted ride and a powertrain that delivers power smoothly as well. Those willing to shell out a premium can opt for a strong hybrid powertrain, though at Rs 19.48 lakh (ex-showroom), it is pricey.

Mahindra XUV 700

Price: Rs 13.66 – 23.71 Lakh (ex-showroom)

Mahindra’s XUV 700 was a runaway hit when it first launched in 2021 and remains a popular choice amongst SUV buyers. The XUV 700 can play the part of both a self-driven as well as a chauffeur-driven vehicle with a spacious middle row seat and the option of captain chairs in the top variants. Buyers won’t find features lacking either with things such as Level 2 ADAS features, ventilated front seats, dual 12.3-inch displays, blind spot cameras and more. Rear passengers get comfort features such as rear AC vents and centre armrests, though it misses out on some features offered by similarly sized SUVs.

Buyers can pick between either a 197 bhp 2.0-litre turbo-petrol mill or a 2.2-litre diesel in either 153 bhp or 182 bhp state of tune, depending on the variant.

MG Windsor EV

Price: Rs 13.99 – 18.39 Lakh

MG’s compact EV may not win any design awards, but it can certainly make a good chauffeur-driven vehicle. The van-like proportions mean there is a lot of room in the Windsor's cabin, and the rear seat can uniquely be reclined to an angle of up to 135 degrees for added comfort. Should you really want it, remove the front seat headrest, recline the backrest flat, and you basically have a lounger to relax in comfort. The MG, however, lacks some features, such as sunshades for the rear window, though the AC is powerful enough to cool the entire cabin with ease.

Buyers have a choice of battery packs to pick from, with the Pro getting a larger 52.9 kWh battery than the standard’s 38 kWh. The Pro also gets some additional convenience bits, such as a powered tailgate and ADAS, though on the flip side, the ride is slightly firmer.

Hyundai Alcazar

Price: Rs 14.47 – 21.10 lakh (ex-showroom)

The Hyundai Alcazar will appeal to buyers wanting something spacious, comfortable and feature-rich while not buying an MPV. In typical Hyundai fashion, the Alcazar packs in all the creature comforts one could wish for, including the option for captain seats in the second row with extendable under-thigh support and a seat ventilation function.

Add in seat back tables for the second row, a wireless charging pad for the second-row passengers, sunshades built into the doors and a powered boss mode in top variants, the second row is a very nice place to be. Those buying the seven-seater shouldn’t be too disappointed either with a rear centre armrest and headrest cushions provided in place of set ventilation, though buyers who want a panoramic sunroof can only opt for the petrol.

Engine options include a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol and a 1.5-litre diesel engine, both with manual and automatic gearbox options.

Tata Safari

Price: Rs 14.66 – 25.95 lakh (ex-showroom)

Buyers looking for a chauffeur-driven SUV will like the Tata Safari for its feature-loaded cabin, spacious second row and well-judged ride quality, though in the sub-Rs 20 lakh price bracket, most will only be able to opt for models with bench seats in the second row. Go past the Rs 20 lakh limit and you can get your hands on the top model that gives you goodies such as ventilated second row seats, a powered boss mode, an illuminated panoramic sunroof and a 10-speaker JBL sound system with subwoofer.

Powertrain choices for now are limited to a 2.0-litre diesel engine paired with manual and automatic gearbox options, though a turbo-petrol engine option is just around the corner.

Toyota Innova Crysta/Hycross

Innova Crysta Price: Rs 18.65 – 25.36 Lakh (ex-showroom)

Innova Hycross Price: Rs 18.05 – 31.89 lakh (ex-showroom)

No chauffeur-driven list in this price bracket could be complete without the Toyota Innova. The once champion of the people mover segment, the Innova is still a workhorse in its latest Crysta avatar, while the more premium Hycross serves to entice buyers wanting more car-like dynamics.

The Crysta offers Toyota’s traditional rugged build and old-school reliability in a tough body-on-frame diesel MPV, though buyers lack the option for an automatic. The Hycross, in comparison, is an automatic only with buyers able to pick between a standard naturally aspirated petrol or strong hybrid set-up, though buyers in the sub-Rs 20 lakh segment will have to do without the latter.

Toyota Innova Hycross second row.

Unique to the Innova range is the option to pick between a bench seat or captain chairs in the second row from the base variant, though top variants get captain chairs as standard. Buyers in the Rs 20 lakh price range will have to satisfy themselves with the MPVs in rather basic entry or one-above entry spec, though there is no taking away the amount of space you’ll get in the second row.