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•52w

Hi, Hitesh Shah here from Mumbai. I want to buy my first car and I love the MG Hector Plus. Can I go ahead with it? My running is about 500 km per month.

•52w

The MG Hector Plus offers great value for money, especially considering its size at this price. The MG Hector price starts at 11.99 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). The first two rows of this MG car are extremely spacious. The third row, however, is best suited for short city trips, ideal for kids or shorter adults.

If you’re looking for a more versatile 7-seater, you could also consider the Kia Carens Clavis, which comes at a similar price. Kia Carens Clavis price starts with ₹13.12 lakh (on-road) for the base model in Mumbai.

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from ₹13.22 Lakh

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•3d

I own Toyota Etios and now want to purchase a new car under the budget of Rs. 20 to 25 lakh. I am planning to get a 7-seater as sometimes I need it (around 10% of the times). I am considering XUV 7XO (diesel). Please suggest a suitable vehicle.

•1d

Given your usage pattern, where only about 10 percent of your driving genuinely requires a third row, the Mahindra XUV 7XO diesel is a sensible choice. It is one of the most complete 7-seaters in the segment, offering a strong diesel engine, good highway manners and a genuinely usable third row when needed. The diesel engine is particularly well suited to long-distance touring and occasional heavy loads, which aligns with your requirement for a car that can comfortably accommodate seven passengers on demand. Alternatively, consider the Kia Carens Clavis diesel if you want a seven seater with a smaller footprint. However, it is worth considering whether a 7-seater is truly the best fit for your needs. If 90 percent of your usage is as a 5-seater, you may be better served by a more spacious and comfortable 5-seater SUV, such as the Kia Seltos or the Tata Sierra, both of which offer excellent comfort and practicality.If you genuinely need the third row even 10 percent of the time, the XUV 7XO diesel is a strong recommendation. If those occasions are rare and can be managed with alternative arrangements, a 5-seater may actually deliver a better ownership experience over the long term.

I am 36 years old and we are a family of 6 including 4 adults and 2 kids. I am looking for an automatic car under 25 lakh (on-road) that has low cost of ownership in the city of Ahmedabad. My yearly running is approximately 12000 km which includes 70% running in city and 30% running on highways. It should be fund to drive as I plan to own it for the next 8-10 years without worry. Please recommend me a car based on above criteria.

•3d

Go for the Mahindra XUV 7XO petrol automatic. It ticks the boxes that matter most to you. Its 5-star Bharat NCAP rating covers safety, and its 200hp turbo-petrol makes it properly quick, so it’s the most fun to drive in this space. With two kids in the family, the third row works well too. It’s tight for adults but perfect for children, so all six of you fit comfortably. The AX5 or AX7 automatic sits within your Rs 25 lakh budget, and the AX7 is the better buy if you can stretch to it.The trade-off is fuel. A big turbo-petrol SUV isn’t frugal, and in our test it averaged under 9kpl overall. At 12,000km a year, mostly in the city, you’ll spend noticeably more on fuel than in a smaller car.If running costs worry you more than driving fun, look at the Kia Carens Clavis turbo DCT. It’s cheaper, more efficient and has a roomier third row, but it hasn’t been crash-tested yet and it isn’t as engaging to drive. Take your family to drive both, with the kids in the back seats.

Mahindra XUV 7XO

Kia Carens Clavis

•1d

Hi, I own Volkswagen Virtus. Previously, I strictly used XP95 to meet the car's 95 RON requirement. However, with the introduction of E20 fuel, standard petrol now has a 95 RON rating, meaning the only distinction in XP95 now is its additive package. Are the these additives really helpful for TSI engines and is it worth spending extra money for XP95? Could you rank the top 3 petrol for VW TSI engines?

•1d

You’ve got it right, and our own testing backs you up. When we lab-tested fuels last year, regular E20 petrol measured 98.2 RON and XP95 98.8, almost no difference. XP95 is also an E20 blend, so the two are now much the same fuel.Are the additives worth it? Only marginally. Premium fuels carry extra detergents, but the ethanol in all E20 petrol is already a strong solvent that helps keep deposits down. Your TSI is also a direct-injection engine. The fuel goes straight into the cylinders and never passes over the intake valves, so no fuel additive can keep those clean. Regular servicing, the correct oil and the odd long highway run matter far more. Filling XP95 occasionally won’t hurt, but you don’t need it every time.Ranking the top three petrols. We haven’t tested fuel brands against each other, so we can’t fairly rank them, and the gap between them is small anyway. Pick a busy pump from a major oil company, where the fuel is fresh and the tanks are well kept, and stick with it.

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•1w

I am a 6 ft driver who loves driving. I've driven the Swift 2013 petrol, Creta 1.6 Diesel Auto and the XUV500 the most on long trips. Now that I am planning to buy a car with a strict budget, do you think the 3XO AX5 TCMPFI petrol variant will be a wise decision to make, as I will be travelling once a month for short trips from Bangalore to Coorg, Pondicherry, GOA, and Mangalore? Which other car can be a perfect match for me, keeping a budget of 12 lakhs max? Also, the 3XO AX5 I'm getting from a friend who has hardly driven 6k km for 10 lakhs.

•1w

Go for the Mahindra XUV 3XO AX5 TCMPFI petrol from your friend for Rs 10 lakh. At that price, it is a very good deal and a sensible upgrade from your Creta 1.6 diesel automatic. The 3XO is one of the most spacious compact SUVs in the segment, with a wide cabin and good rear seat comfort, which will make your long drives to Coorg, Pondicherry, Goa and Mangalore more comfortable. The turbo petrol engine is smooth and is well suited to both city driving and highway cruising. At Rs 10 lakh for a car with only 6,000 km on the clock, you are getting a nearly new car at a significant discount, which makes it a far better value proposition than buying new.If you are looking for alternatives under Rs 12 lakh, the Skoda Kylaq 1.0 TSI manual is the best option for an enthusiast driver. The new Brezza turbo-petrol could also be a good choice. Overall, the 3XO from your friend is the most sensible choice. It offers a good balance of comfort, reliability and value, and will serve you well on your monthly road trips.

I currently own a Jeep Compass and want to get an additional car for my father, with good reliability, unlike the Jeep. My father still drives a 2008 Honda City, and I am torn between a few choices: the Honda City, Skoda Slavia, Nissan Tekton and Toyota Hyryder. Or should I wait for the Virtus facelift or the new-generation Creta? His usage is low, at almost 500 km per month. Please suggest.

•4d

With just 500km a month, petrol is the clear choice, and reliability and ease of ownership become the most important factors. The Honda City is the safest recommendation here. It is a proven product with a strong reliability record, a comfortable ride and a familiar ownership experience that your father will appreciate, especially coming from a 2008 City. The Skoda Slavia and Volkswagen Virtus are both excellent to drive, but the 1.0 TSI engine can feel a bit laggy at low speeds, and the 1.5 TSI is overkill for this kind of usage. The Nissan Tekton is a good value proposition, but engines are not responsive at low speeds and Nissan's service network is not as strong as Honda's, which matters more for a low-running, long-term ownership scenario. The Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder is a solid option if you specifically want an SUV, but the hybrid premium does not make financial sense at this running, and the naturally aspirated petrol is not as refined as the City's engine. The new-generation Hyundai Creta is worth waiting for only if your father specifically wants an SUV; otherwise, the City remains the more sensible choice. Overall, the Honda City is the most reliable, comfortable and hassle-free option for your father's usage.

Honda City

Skoda Slavia

Volkswagen Virtus

Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder

Nissan Tekton

•1w

I’ve almost finalised the Skoda Kylaq Signature Automatic, and I really like the car. However, I’m a little worried about Skoda’s long-term service and maintenance costs, especially after the warranty period. I’m planning to keep the car for around 7–8 years. Would you recommend taking the Service Maintenance Package (SMP) along with the car? Is it worth the additional cost considering regular servicing and potential maintenance expenses? Also, compared with the Brezza and Nexon, how is the Kylaq Signature Automatic in terms of long-term reliability, service costs and parts replacement? Would really appreciate your advice before I make the final purchase decision.

•4d

If you like the Skoda Kylaq Signature Automatic, go ahead and buy it. It is a genuinely good car and one of the best driver’s cars in the segment. The 1.0 TSI engine paired with the 6-speed torque converter automatic is a proven combination, and Skoda’s reliability has improved significantly in recent years. The bigger concern is not reliability but long-term maintenance costs, which can be higher than Maruti or Tata once the car is out of warranty.This is where the Service Maintenance Package (SMP) makes sense. It locks in your service costs for the first 4-5 years, covers all scheduled maintenance and gives you peace of mind during the most expensive ownership period. If you are planning to keep the car for 7-8 years, it is worth the additional cost because it protects you from unexpected bills and helps you budget ownership costs more accurately.Compared to the Brezza and Nexon, the Kylaq is the better driver’s car with a more engaging driving experience and a stronger engine. The Brezza is the benchmark for long-term reliability and low maintenance costs, while the Nexon sits somewhere in between. The Kylaq is not unreliable, but parts and service can be more expensive once you are out of warranty.If you are buying the Kylaq, take the SMP and enjoy the car. If long-term ownership costs are your absolute priority, the Brezza is the safer financial choice.

Skoda Kylaq

Maruti Suzuki Brezza

Tata Nexon

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