I am looking to buy a new car for my wife. She has been using a Volvo XC90 T8 Excellence for the past 6-7 years. She enjoys driving herself but also uses a chauffeur at times. Most of her travel is within the city, typically around 30-50 km per day. I currently drive a Range Rover Sport Autobiography. She prefers an SUV, so we are looking for something in that segment. Could you please suggest the best SUV options suitable for her usage?

Autocar India

•43m

Global NCAP hasn't crash tested the new Seltos yet, but Bharat NCAP has, and the 2026 Kia Seltos has secured a 5-star safety rating. It scored 31.70 points out of 32 and 45 points out of 49 in adult and child occupant protection tests, respectively, which is an impressive feat.

Kia Seltos

Autocar India

•1h

You're right, the BMW 5 Series LWB is probably your best bet. For a self-driven upgrade, it delivers the best mix of performance, driving feel, luxury and long-distance comfort. The hip point is noticeably higher, and the doors open wider than your 330Li, so getting in and out is easier, and the ride is comfy over broken Delhi roads while still feeling stable out on the highway. It also has the features you're looking for, including ventilated seats.Downsides are that it is a significantly larger car and not as exciting to drive as your 330Li, and since you enjoy driving, that might feel like a step backwards. Also, while ingress and egress are better than the 3 Series, it's still a low-slung sedan, so try it out, and if it's a bother, the BMW X3 30 might suit you better. Same engine, even more features, and almost as much fun to drive. The Sealion 7 is an excellent EV alternative, but it won't be as nice to drive as the BMWs, and though a 400km trip is manageable on a single charge, range anxiety will always hang over the journey.If you're happy with the Jeep, hold on to it for a while. Diesel cars are becoming rarer these days, and you've already taken the depreciation hit, so you might as well enjoy it as long as you can.

BMW 5 Series LWB

BMW X3

BYD Sealion 7

Autocar India

•2h

Go for the Mahindra XUV 7XO diesel automatic. Your guaranteed highway running every year is exactly what a DPF likes, and the diesel will be cheaper to run and nicer to cruise with its strong torque. With your usage, the diesel should return clearly better highway economy than the petrol and feel more relaxed on long trips.Your pattern is low-risk for DPF trouble. Those steady highway stretches will keep the filter clean via passive regen, and Mahindra’s active regen will step in if needed. A workshop 3 km away also means any rare forced regen is easy to sort.The car sitting Monday to Friday does not create soot. Soot builds only when driving, especially on repeated cold starts with short, crawling trips. Your weekend 15-20 km runs are long enough to get the exhaust hot unless they are pure bumper-to-bumper. The monthly 150 km city loop adds a good safety margin.Between diesel AT and petrol AT for you, diesel wins. Expect lower fuel costs on highways and stronger pull when loaded.

Mahindra XUV 7XO