Hi Autocar, I live in Bengaluru, and my daily travel is around 35 km in moderate to very heavy traffic. I am looking for a premium EV for both city and highway use, and it will be my primary car. I am really confused between the Mahindra XEV 9e and XEV 9S (also considering the VinFast VF7). My priorities are driving feel, comfort, and a good ownership experience. Your advice would be very helpful. Thank you.

Autocar India

•1d

Pick the Mahindra XEV 9e unless you truly need the extra size of the 9S. It's slightly easier to drive day to day and should deliver slightly better range on a full charge. The 9S makes sense only if you carry family and luggage often and need the third row. One thing to keep in mind, early Mahindra electric cars have been reported to have software niggles, though these should have been ironed out by now, and make sure your home charging setup is sorted and check local fast-charger reliability before you commit.If you want the best all-rounder at an even more affordable price, the Hyundai Creta Electric is an easy pick. It may not look or feel particularly special, but for the job of being an EV, it is hard to fault at this price. Though it has a smaller battery than the Mahindra's, it is more efficient, and therefore its real-world range is actually higher. Its powertrain is smooth and refined, it's loaded with features, the controls and ergonomics are incredibly friendly, and its smaller size offers a great mix of space and driving convenience.

Mahindra XEV 9e

Mahindra XEV 9S

Hyundai Creta Electric

Autocar India

•1d

Consider the Hyundai Creta Electric 51.4kWh. Your 35 km daily city run is a breeze - one home charge can cover most of your week - and it has enough real highway range to handle your 500 km a month with one quick DC stop on longer trips.Coming from a City ZX, you will like the smooth, quiet drive and strong low-speed pull in traffic. Cabin space is good, features are plenty, and the Hyundai service network si wide spread.If you want a second option in the same price band, the Mahindra XEV 9e is a good choice, though your budget will only get you the smaller 59kWh battery pack.Overall, the Creta Electric is the sensible option for your budget and a good upgrade over your City.

Hyundai Creta Electric

Honda City

Mahindra XEV 9e

Autocar India

•18m

Of your three shortlisted SUVs, the Hyundai Venue 1.0 T-GDi makes the most sense as it's the best all-rounder in the segment. It's got a good blend of performance and efficiency, maintenance is relatively cheap and hassle-free, and there are loads of features on offer, even in mid-level variants. It offers a good mix of rear-seat space and boot volume, which are both big improvements on the last-gen Venue. If there's a downside, it's that its DCT automatic can be jerky in low-speed traffic, and needs to be driven with this in mind. The manual, meanwhile, has a light and smooth clutch and gearshift action, so consider it as well.The Mahindra XUV 3XO scores high on performance, with the strongest engine in the class, and it has great space inside the cabin. Its downside, however, is that boot space is not so great, and neither is fuel economy. The Tata Nexon is also a decent all-rounder, but in most areas, it can't quite keep up with the newer and more polished Venue. Overall, the Venue is the one we think you should go for.Diesel is certainly a feasible option if you plan to keep the car for 5 years, and the mileage will certainly be better. But these engines are nowhere near as refined or punchy as their petrol counterparts, and thanks to newer emissions mitigation technology, they're far more expensive to buy, and require extra maintenance to run. Thus, for your usage, and for a first car, we would stick to petrol.

Hyundai Venue

Mahindra XUV 3XO

Tata Nexon