Mumbai

Ram

•6w

Which is the best seven-seater car in the ₹15 lakh bracket? My usage is occasional long drives and limited city usage.

Autocar India

•6w

With occasional highway trips, limited city use, and a cap of around ₹15 lakh, the Kia Carens Clavis HTE EX 1.5 NA manual fits your needs best. It is a true seven-seater that is easy to live with and stays within budget.

Why it works for you: the petrol engine is smooth and quiet, and the light steering makes it simple to handle in the city. The middle row is roomy and comfortable, and roof vents help keep the cabin cool for everyone on hot days. Even the third row of this Kia car is surprisingly comfortable for adults.

Know the trade-off: With all seven occupants on board and luggage, you will need to plan overtakes on the highway. Also, the boot space with all three rows up is just 216 litres, so for longer trips, you may need to fold the last row.

If you don’t plan on using the third row often, then the Maruti Ertiga or Toyota Rumion are reliable picks. Maruti also has the largest dealer network if that is a concern for you.

Overall, for your use and budget, the Carens Clavis lines up best.

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More questions on similar cars

abhishek sharma

•4d

I bought a Honda City V MT about two years ago and absolutely love the car. At the time, it was the perfect choice for my usage. However, my circumstances have changed significantly since then-I now have two large dogs (a Labrador and a German Shepherd), and the City is no longer practical for transporting both dogs comfortably, especially on longer highway trips. I am trying to decide between keeping the City and buying a second EV primarily for dog transport and city use, or replacing the City altogether with a single-car solution. The vehicles I am considering include the Kia Carens Clavis EV, Mahindra XEV 9S, Mahindra XEV 9e, BYD eMAX 7, and Toyota Innova Hycross Hybrid. My priorities are: Comfortable transport for two large dogs Highway touring ability Ease of parking and city usability Long-term ownership (8–10 years) Good ride comfort Reasonable running costs Would you recommend: 1. Keeping the Honda City and adding a practical EV (such as the Clavis EV), or 2. Moving to a single-car garage and choosing something like the XEV 9S, eMAX 7, or Hycross? Also, is there a midsize SUV (EV, hybrid, petrol or diesel) that offers: A low boot loading lip, Rear seats that fold nearly flat, Enough cargo length and width for two large dogs to comfortably lie down on highway trips, While still being manageable in city traffic and parking? Which vehicle would you choose for this specific use case and why?

Autocar India

•1d

Pick a single-car solution and buy the Toyota Innova Hycross Hybrid. Your dogs get a low loading lip and a long, near-flat space with the third row folded, so they can actually lie side by side on highway runs. The hybrid makes touring simple with no charging hassles, calm cruising and a comfy ride, and Toyota’s durability fits an 8-10 year plan with sensible running costs.EV MPVs like the Kia Carens Clavis EV and BYD eMax 7 are great for city runs and dog space, but long trips with two dogs mean 30-40 minute fast-charge halts and patchy chargers once you leave big corridors. That’s a hassle you do not need. Mahindra XEV 9S and 9e are good choices, but their higher boot floors make them poorer dog haulers.You will wrestle with the Innova's size in tight parking, and it costs more upfront than adding a small EV, but day to day, it is still easy enough with light steering and cameras.If you must go smaller, the Kia Carens Clavis turbo petrol DCT is a solid choice, but fuel efficiency in the city won't be as good as the Hycross hybrid.

Toyota Innova HyCross

Anand Gaurav

I'm looking for a mid-size SUV under 20 lakh. I need a good engine and a spacious interior with good infotainment. Any suggestions?

Autocar India

•8h

Pick the Kia Seltos 1.5 turbo petrol. It gives you one of the strongest engines in this budget, a genuinely roomy cabin, and the slickest infotainment system for the money.The 150hp, turbo motor is quick when you want it, and it feels relaxed at 100-120kph, so city dashes and highway runs feel easy. The dual-clutch automatic suits city driving, while the manual feels light and easy. Inside, space is generous for a family of four plus luggage, the seats are supportive, and the boot is big enough for airport runs. The screen layout feels modern, the camera quality is clear, and smartphone integration is seamless.One thing to know is that the ride is a bit firm at low speeds on higher trims with the large alloys, and in many cities, the top variants will push past Rs. 20 lakh on-road. Mid trims still cover the essentials.

Kia Seltos

Charan

•18h

I drive a 2017 Creta, and I find its suspension super cool on bad roads and when driving fast on them. Now I am looking for a similar or better suspension car for EV. Budget is 20L, and for ICE 16L. Plz advise.

Autocar India

•51m

Since your priority is a good ride for your EV, pick the Hyundai Creta Electric. The suspension is stiffer than the ICE version’s to support the extra weight, but remarkably, it doesn’t translate into a crashy or uncomfortable ride experience. You can feel some firmness at low speeds, but road shocks are still well in check, and what’s nice is that the stiffness has eliminated unnecessary (secondary) body movements, and even at highway speeds, the Creta Electric doesn’t lose its composure. If a pure cushy feel is your only goal, then the Citroen eC3 rides even softer, but it’s smaller, slower and not as settled at higher speeds as the Creta. As for your ICE vehicle, we would recommend you look at the Mahindra XUV 3XO, which offers very good damping, so it stays composed on craters and doesn’t float when you’re quick over bad patches. Steering and stability inspire more confidence than most small SUVs in this price. The trade-off is size - cabin and boot are smaller than your Creta.

Hyundai Creta Electric

Citroen eC3

Mahindra XUV 3XO

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Popular discussions right now

Balaji

•4d

I am looking to buy a 6/7-seater EV. My primary usage will be as a 4-seater, with occasional 6-seater use. I will mainly drive it in the city for my daily office commute and undertake long-distance trips of around 500 km once every two months. I have a solar setup at home and can charge the vehicle comfortably. My budget is Rs 30-40 lakh, although I can stretch it slightly if required.

Autocar India

•3d

You should go for the Mahindra XEV 9S. It's a proper three-row EV, and it fits your use case perfectly. With home solar charging, your running costs are very low, and the smooth, quiet drive is just right for city runs as a 4-seater. When you do need six or seven seats, the third row is reasonably spacious, and for your 500 km trip every couple of months, you’ll need just one quick top-up at a highway charger.Do note that with all three rows up, boot space is tight, so your highway trips will require some planning.Alternatively, consider the Kia Carens Clavis EV. It isn't as feature-rich and doesn't have as much range as the XEV 9S, but its third row is more comfortable for adults.

Mahindra XEV 9S

Kia Carens Clavis EV

Anshuman Mishra

•4d

I am planning to buy an automatic car for my family and am confused between the Kia Sonet and the Skoda Kylaq. Could you please advise which one would be the better choice and explain the pros and cons of each?

Autocar India

•3d

Skoda Kylaq is the better family automatic, mainly because it gives you a bit more cabin and boot space and a calmer ride over bad roads. It feels more secure at highway speeds with a full load, and its turbo engine with the automatic pulls cleanly, so hills and quick overtakes are easy even with the AC on. The petrol Kylaq automatic uses a torque convertor gearbox which is also smoother than the dual clutch unit on the Sonet so it would fare better in city traffic. Kia Sonet makes sense if you want more features and need Kia’s service reach which is wider. For weekend trips with four on board it will do the job too, but rear seat width and long-journey comfort are not its strong points and within a year it will get a major update, thus buying it now would not be ideal.

Skoda Kylaq

Kia Sonet

Sandeep

•3d

I want to buy a car under Rs 12 lakh. It should be a petrol automatic and will be my first car. I need good ground clearance, a good engine and gearbox combination for 70% city and 30% highway use, and my daily running is around 30 km in Bengaluru traffic. Comfort, space, decent fuel efficiency, ease of driving, and long-term ownership are important to me. I do not want a Fronx, Baleno, i20, Exter, Punch, or Nexon. Please suggest a value-for-money option. Thank you.

Autocar India

•2d

Given your exclusions, the Skoda Kylaq automatic would be our first recommendation. Specifically, the Signature automatic is if you can stretch slightly. The 1.0 TSI turbo petrol and torque converter automatic are a very good combination for Bangalore traffic. The gearbox is smooth, the engine has enough punch for highway overtakes, and the car feels more premium and substantial than most options in this price range. Ground clearance is good, it is easy to drive, and it has the solid feel that many first-time buyers appreciate.Another strong option is the Mahindra XUV 3XO MX2 Pro automatic. It has a wider rear seat, feels bigger inside and is one of the most spacious compact SUVs in the segment. The torque converter automatic is smooth, and it is comfortable for city use. The downside is that fuel efficiency is not that great, and the boot is on the smaller side.If you are willing to consider a sedan, the Honda Amaze CVT is also worth a look. The CVT is exceptionally smooth in traffic, reliability is excellent, and it is the kind of car you can comfortably keep for a decade. The only reason it is not our primary recommendation is that you specifically mentioned wanting good ground clearance.

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Mahindra XUV 3XO

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Posted on: 23 Apr 2026