Hi, I am planning to buy a new SUV and would appreciate your advice. My annual running is around 8,000-9,000 km, with approximately 90% of it on highways. I am considering petrol manual options and am confused between the Tata Harrier petrol manual and the Mahindra XUV7XO petrol manual. Which one would be a better choice for my usage, and why?

Autocar India

•21m

The Mahindra XUV 7XO petrol manual will make a great highway companion for your needs. With 8,000-9,000 km a year, petrol is the right call; diesel usually starts to make sense above about 15,000 km/year. The XUV 7XO’s 202hp turbo feels effortless for quick 80-120kph overtakes, which is helpful on open highways. Its long wheelbase keeps it planted at speed, and the wide, supportive seats are great for long stints. The ride and handling balance, with the new suspension setup it received with the facelift, is phenomenal too.

If you find that the third row is not spacious enough, then look at the Tata Safari petrol instead.

On the test drive, take it on the highway and check stability, ride comfort and overtaking performance.

Explore cars mentioned

Mahindra

XUV 7XO

from ₹16.14 Lakh

Tata

Safari

from ₹15.71 Lakh

Recommended questions for you

Ishu Asthana

•2d

Dear team, if annual running is between 8000 and 9000 km and 90% is highway, which car would you recommend between the Tata Harrier petrol manual and the Mahindra XUV 7XO diesel manual?

Autocar India

•6h

Go for the Mahindra XUV 7XO diesel manual. For your kind of usage, which is mostly highway driving, the diesel suits thanks to its strong low-end torque and effortless cruising ability, making long drives easier and more relaxed.If you are specifically looking at a petrol, then it is better to choose the XUV 7XO turbo petrol rather than the Tata Harrier petrol. The 7XO’s turbo petrol is a more proven engine, and the car itself is larger, more powerful and feels more effortless to drive.The only trade-off is that fuel efficiency will be lower compared to the Harrier’s smaller 1.5-litre petrol.

Mahindra XUV 7XO

Tata Harrier

Himanshu

•3d

Please suggest between Seltos IVT HTX/GTX petrol and Mahindra XUV 7XO automatic petrol AX5/AX7. The car will be mainly for driving in Mumbai city with occasional long-distance travel.

Autocar India

•1d

Choose the Kia Seltos IVT petrol in GTX guise. Its IVT smoothness and relatively compact size make it easier to drive in Mumbai traffic, especially important since that’s where you’ll be spending most of your time.The IVT (CVT) is smooth and seamless in operation and works rather well with the refined 1.5-litre NA engine. The engine feels responsive to light inputs and creeps smartly, making it very easy to drive in stop-and-go traffic. It also simulates shifts in eight steps, so it feels more natural than most CVTs and doesn’t exhibit too much of the rubber-band effect they are known for.What you do give up is the space and outright performance of the Mahindra XUV 7XO. It is significantly larger, has more room on the inside and even a third row suited for occasional use. The 2.0-litre turbo-petrol is also very powerful and hauls this big SUV with remarkable ease, but expect poor fuel efficiency in city use.On your test drive, spend 10 minutes in start-stop traffic to assess creep and brake feel, attempt a tight U-turn, and confirm if rear-seat space is adequate for your family.

Kia Seltos

Mahindra XUV 7XO

Rajat Sethi

•2d

Hi, I am planning to buy the new Tata Safari Petrol AX+, but I am concerned about the engine performance on highways and during hill driving, as we have a second home in the hills and travel there every two months. We need a spacious car within a 25 lakh budget, which is why we chose the Safari. I am also concerned about its overtaking ability on highways. I am not considering the Mahindra 7XO due to its recessed door handles. Please advise.

Autocar India

•5h

The Tata Safari petrol is a very good choice for your needs. During our first drive, we found its performance to be quite effortless despite the modest 1.5-litre displacement. We recorded a 0-100kph time of just 10.5 seconds, which is very respectable for a vehicle of this size. The engine has strong low-down grunt, which helps it pick up speed effortlessly, and it felt adequate even with six people on board. On the expressway, it maintained high speeds with ease and made quick overtakes when required. We haven’t yet driven it in the hills, but all evidence suggests it should be just fine.If performance is still a concern, the Mahindra XUV 7XO is a good alternative. The best way to address your concerns is to take an extended highway test drive with at least five passengers on board. Assess whether its overtaking performance feels adequate for your needs and, if possible, find a hill to do a gradient test.

Tata Safari

Mahindra XUV 7XO

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