India, March 2 -- When you're on the lookout for a car for senior members of your family, or someone you might know, start with one question: What is their need? For most Indian cities, the answer points to compact cars which can be manoeuvred around and parked with ease. Also, operating a clutch for the prime timers can be difficult, especially on jam-packed roads. Hence, an automatic gearbox becomes a necessity.

Below is a roundup of five cars I'd recommend today for senior citizens. I've deliberately left AMT-style transmissions off this list because they are mechanically a manual gearbox with an automatic clutch actuator. That design keeps costs and consumption low, but it often produces noticeable, sometimes repeated, shift-jerks an...