Need Advice on Used Car based on safety Under 7 lakhs ?

I'm trying to help my son buy his first car. The requirements are simple:
(1) Under 7 lakhs
(2) Automatic
(3) Good safety
(4) Reasonable maintenance charges for cars this old.

I did some research and found these models on the internet.


Hyundai Santro Xing XL AT eRLX Euro III 2005, 2006
Hyundai Santro Xing XG AT 2004
Hyundai Santro Xing GLS AT 2007
Hyundai i10 Magna AT 2009
Hyundai i10 Sportz 1.2 AT 2008
Hyundai i10 Sportz AT 2010
Toyota Corolla H4 2004
Honda City 1.5 GXI CVT 2004
Honda Accord V6 AT 2006
Honda Civic 1.8 V AT Inspire 2006
Honda Civic 1.8 S AT 2006
Skoda Laura L and K AT 2007

So, generally, there are a lot of Hyundais, some Honda City/Civic/Accords and Toyota Corrolas (and a couple Camrys). There are also a couple of older Skodas. The issue with finding out safety ratings is that these safety tests started out only recently and we are looking at cars that are at least 8 years old at this point. I want something that is safe for my kid and wife as they travel together most of the time.

Any suggestions?

1) Strike off Corolla, Civic, Laura and Accord from the list. These cars are appropriate only for enthusiasts or those who intend to drive long distances on highways. Parking in the city might be an issue.

They might cost Rs. 7 Lakhs, but you will end up spending lot more in the first year. It might need new tyres (Rs. 25,000), new insurance policy(Rs. 10,000) and servicing (Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 50,000) depending on condition of the car. Lots of things would need fixingin a used car - clutch, brakes, suspension and so on.

2) Strike off non-airbag/ABS cars from the list (santro, i10, 2nd gen city etc). They won't meet your safety requirements.

3) Pre-owned Brio/Grand i10/Micra/Jazz etc is a good idea, but availability might be an issue.

4) 3rd gen City AT seems like a good compromise between hatchbacks & large sedans, in terms of both size and maintenance costs.

If you want (safety + low Maintenance + automatic), you have to adjust the price upwards. Increase your budget to Rs. 8 Lakhs and check out new Ignis AMT & Grand i10 AT. If no compromise can be made on the budget, new Celerio AMT is worth looking into or you can get a 2013 Ford Ecosport AT, for about 6-6.5 Lakhs. You won't get better safety than that, in all probability.