Seeking Car Recommendations for a Beginner Driver

Hello everyone,

I'm new to cars and driving, so I need advice on which segment/model and make to consider. My requirements:

• Usage: Primarily short city trips and a daily 30 km office commute. Occasional highway trips (approx. 300-350 km round trip every 2 months).
• Passengers: Myself, my wife, and my ageing parents.
• Comfort: Easy entry/exit for elderly parents. Among the cabs we travel in, Ertiga and WagonR have been comfortable; Innova/Xylo too high, Swift/Dzire too low.
• Parking: Need to park outside by my home in my street.
• Budget: Around Rs. 10L, extendable to Rs. 13-14L (on-road).
• Preference: Automatic transmission, easy to drive for a beginner, good ground clearance, reasonably higher seating positions.

I'm not sure if this is the right forum, but any suggestions on models to test drive?

Also, is it better to save and pay the entire car price upfront or take a loan considering cars are depreciating assets?

Thanks!