Well Dont even think about the Skoda,its an excellent car to drive. After i got the K&N on Harshal's insistence,i experienced boost in performance and FE.
I get around 16-17 Kmpl overall.
But trust me, the spares cost an arm n leg,seriously,not kidding.
Whatever you do, routine periodical service will set you back by a min 8-10k.Thats my personal gurantee
So overall,excellent car to drive,its quick but then the driver is the only person who is comfortable in the car, all other seats are pretty cramped.
About your new car, get the Verna dude,even though it goes above your budget,you will make it up with good mileage added with lower Diesel costs.
Trust me,get the Verna CRdi also the service is good,thats what i heard.
We were also thinking of getting it but financial situation has postponed the purchase.
I dont think getting a Petrol car makes sense if you are gonna do lot of long journeys.