Mumbai

•13w

I either want a 7-seater EV or a hybrid. My annual running is around 20,000 km, with most of the usage in the city and one outstation trip every month. I am confused about which would be the best overall choice in the ₹20 lakh segment.

•13w

With 20,000 km a year, mostly in the city, and a hard cap of around ₹20 lakh, the Kia Carens Clavis EV is the most sensible 7-seater for you. However, your budget will get you the 42kWh variant, which is fine for city use and short highway trips. If you want longer range, you will need to stretch your budget by about ₹4 lakh for the 51.4kWh variant.

For your daily city runs, it will feel smooth, and an EV takes the stress out of traffic jams. It is light to drive and not too big, so parking is easier than in larger 7-seaters. For once-a-month trips, it has enough space for family and luggage if you travel light, and the third row can accommodate adults.

There are no hybrid 7-seaters in your budget. The Toyota Innova HyCross hybrid starts upwards of ₹30 lakh, but if you want to stick to an ICE vehicle, the Carens Clavis with the 1.5-litre turbo-petrol and DCT is a good alternative. Do note though, the DCT can hesitate at slow speeds and won’t feel as smooth or as stress-free as the Clavis EV.

Overall, for your budget and city-heavy use, the Kia Carens Clavis EV fits best.

Explore cars mentioned

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Innova HyCross

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•12w

Need to finalise between seltos turbo petrol AT, elevate VXCVT, Alcazar platinums turbo AT hyryder G optional hybrid for family of 4 with 700km city and 300km highway run NCR under 20 lakhs budget

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More questions on similar cars

•1w

Following my previous question about replacing my Tata Hexa, which has covered 1.25 lakh km, with a new SUV or MPV within a budget of Rs. 35 lakh and for a daily commute of around 85 km, I test-drove both the Tata Safari and the Toyota Hycross. However, I found both to be lacking in power. Could you suggest some other suitable options? I am also open to considering 5-seater SUVs, although a diesel remains my preference. Additionally, would the Mahindra XUV 7XO Diesel be a good choice for my requirements? If so, which variant would you recommend?

•1d

Given your daily 85 km commute and the fact that you're coming from a Tata Hexa, a diesel car still makes the most sense. The Toyota Innova Hycross is a petrol-hybrid MPV, so it was never going to feel as powerful as a diesel. The Tata Safari, while offering good torque, isn't the most responsive diesel SUV in its segment.The Mahindra XUV 7XO Diesel is the option we would recommend. It is one of the most powerful diesel SUVs in its segment, with strong mid-range performance and a genuinely engaging driving experience. It also strikes a good balance between comfort, space, and features, making it a well-rounded replacement for the Hexa. As for the XUV 7XO variants, the AX7 is the sweet spot, offering most of the key features without pushing the price too close to your Rs. 35 lakh budget.

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•1d

Hi Autocar Team, I am planning to buy my first car and am still learning to drive. My expected running will be around 1,000 km per month, and my budget is Rs. 10-15 lakh on-road. Could you please suggest some good options for a first-time buyer in this budget, considering ease of driving, safety, comfort, and running costs?

•2h

For a first-time buyer with around 1,000km a month and a Rs 10-15 lakh on-road budget, the Skoda Kylaq is a good option to consider. This Skoda car is compact, easy to drive, and has a high seating position and compact dimensions, making it ideal for learning and daily use. The 1.0-litre TSI petrol engine is smooth and low maintenance, and the 6-speed automatic is one of the smoothest in the segment. The interior quality is very good, the feature set is strong, and the Prestige trim, which is second from top, will fit in your budget and offer a good amount of kit. Moreover, the Kylaq has also been rated 5-star in Bharat NCAP's crash test ratings, which adds another layer of assurance.

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•1w

Hi, my weekly usage is around 650 km as I drive approximately 600km on weekends and 50km in the city during weekdays. My budget is less than Rs. 20 lakh. Which car would be best for me among EV, diesel, or petrol? My main concerns are maintenance and decent mileage.

•7h

With a weekly running of around 650km, you are clocking over 30,000km a year, which is well above the threshold where fuel efficiency and running costs become the most important factor. Your usage pattern is also very clear: long weekend highway runs of 300km each way, plus some city driving during the week. This is exactly the kind of usage where a diesel engine makes the most sense. EVs are not the right fit here. While they offer very low running costs, your 300km weekend runs would require careful planning around charging infrastructure. Petrol is also not ideal at this mileage, as the fuel cost difference compared to diesel becomes very significant over time.In terms of cars, the Mahindra XUV 7XO diesel is the best fit for your needs. It is a strong highway performer, comfortable for long distances, and well within your budget. If you want something slightly smaller, the Kia Seltos diesel is also a very good option. Both cars will give you the efficiency, reliability and comfort you need for your usage pattern.

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•1w

I want to buy my first car, and I have a strict budget of Rs 10 lakh. I will not use the car on a daily basis; I will drive it occasionally, and I live in Kolkata.

•5d

For a car under 10 lakh budget and occasional use, the Maruti Suzuki Baleno makes sense. It is a genuinely spacious hatchback with a comfortable ride. It's easy to drive in the city and has a proven ownership record. The naturally aspirated petrol engine is smooth and reliable, and Maruti’s service network in Kolkata is excellent, which keeps long-term running costs low.For occasional use, you want a car that is easy to live with, dependable and does not demand much attention, and the Baleno fits that brief perfectly. It also offers a good balance of features and practicality within your budget.If you prefer a slightly higher seating position, the Maruti Suzuki Fronx is worth considering.

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•6d

I am planning to buy the Tata Harrier Adventure X Plus Dark Petrol Manual, and I booked it two months ago. However, I am not sure whether I will receive the car within the promised timeline. Should I continue waiting, or should I start looking at other available options? Also, could you tell me the expected waiting period for the above-mentioned Harrier variant? My annual running is roughly 6,000 km, and the Harrier's size and space suit my requirements well.

•6d

With a running of just 6,000 km a year, a petrol engine is the right choice, and the Harrier petrol is a good fit if you like the size and space. The bigger question is the waiting period. Tata’s official waiting periods can vary by city and dealer, but for the Harrier petrol, it is not unusual to see waits of 2-3 months depending on demand and allocation. If your dealer is already saying it may not arrive on time, it is worth checking with other Tata dealers in your city to see if they have a shorter queue or a cancelled booking in the same variant.If you are happy with the Harrier’s space and comfort, it is worth waiting a few more weeks rather than switching to a different car. The only reason to change would be if you need the car urgently. In that case, the Mahindra XUV 7XO petrol is the closest alternative.

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•4d

Being a Maruti Suzuki customer for 15 years now and I am very much used to hassle free ownership considering Brezza ZXI+ Petrol AT NA engine compared to TCMPFI AT in 3XO or Nexon DCA (dropped due to DCA). However, considering upfront extra cost for Brezza coupled with smart hybrid replacement possibility and no spare wheel, I am simply unable to convince myself to go for Brezza top variant as I like 360 camera feature. With my congested traffic city driving around 500-800 km per month, will it be still worth to pay additional 2.30 lakh rupees compared to any car in segment, only for Maruti Suzuki brand especially when competition is offering so much more for such a lesser price than Brezza top variant. Lesser mileage costs also gets compensated for any turbo engine with lesser purchase cost than Brezza.

•4d

You should definitely go for the Brezza ZXi+ AT if you are used to Maruti's hassle-free ownership experience and running costs as no other car in the segment comes close on that front. It is not more expensive than top variants of the Nexon or XUV 3XO, which in fact cost around Rs. 1 lakh more, on road, and instead it is one of the more reasonably priced cars in the segment, despite not qualifying for small-car tax benefits with the 1.5-litre engine. With the latest version, you get a few more features too, like ventilated seats and some driver assist features, but overall, it is not as well equipped as others in the segment. Despite having a larger engine and a torque-converter automatic gearbox, the Brezza AT is more fuel efficient than most other cars in the segment, especially the turbo-petrols, which drink a lot when you drive them eagerly. We would recommend checking the prices again on our website or with your local dealers, as all things considered, the Brezza does seem like the best deal for you.

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