I have not yet purchased the Mahindra Bolero Neo Plus 9-seater P10. Is it good for long road trips across India?

Autocar India

•2d

Yes, it’s doable in a Punch EV 40kWh, but you’ll need three DC fast‑charge stops; keep a fourth short top‑up as backup. Hyderabad to Chennai is about 630 km. In the Punch EV, you can expect roughly 240km per full charge on the highway if you cruise at about 80-90kph with AC. Start at 100%, and stop every 200kms or so at a DC fast charger.There are plenty of chargers along the way, but plan your stops in advance along with alternatives if they are out of order or occupied. Aim for 30-50 kW DC wherever possible; 20-80% typically takes about 40 minutes. The drive is already about 11 hours and with charging stops, it will be closer to 14 hours. If that seems like too much time on the road then plan a night halt on the way.

Tata Punch EV

Autocar India

•2h

The Tata Sierra is a large and capable SUV, and for your work, would give loads of space for camera gear and garment boxes alike, but in your budget of Rs 15-16 lakh, you will only get the base model. Moreover, the downside of it being a large and heavy vehicle is that the mileage is not great compared to rivals, whether comparing the petrol or diesel versions. However, should you go with the Sierra and want to get the maximum mileage, the diesel is probably the best way to go, and if possible, we would recommend stretching the budget by at least Rs 1-1.5 lakh to get a few more features.Consider the Kia Seltos instead - it too has a large and spacious cabin, almost as big as that of the Sierra, and good boot space as well. However, its engines, comparable to what you get in the Sierra, offer better real-world mileage. And, as safety is another concern, the Seltos has scored a 5-star Bharat NCAP crash test rating, just like the Sierra. What's more, you can get mid-spec variants, at least with the petrol engines, in your budget of Rs. 15-16 lakh, so you don't necessarily have to increase it so much. If you want even more space, and don't mind picking an MPV over an SUV, the Kia Carens Clavis is a far more practical option.

Tata Sierra

Kia Seltos

Kia Carens Clavis

Autocar India

•4h

Pick the Kia Carens Clavis petrol automatic for your use case. You sometimes need six or seven seats, and your running is low, so a petrol automatic with a roomy 3-row cabin makes far more sense than a 5-seat SUV.The Carens Clavis gives you proper family flexibility: five can ride in comfort, and when one or two more join, you have a usable third row for short trips. With the third row folded, the boot is big enough for plenty of luggage. The ride is comfy, it comes feature-loaded and getting in and out is easy for elders. Go for the 1.5 petrol with the automatic in a mid trim to stay near your Rs. 20 lakh cap.

Kia Carens Clavis