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Delhi
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I want to buy a new SUV. I often drive on rough, hilly roads. My budget is below 15 lakh. I need a car that will last a long time.

Asked by: Ghulam Mohd
There are two options for you to consider. The Maruti Suzuki Jimny is a good pick for many reasons. First and foremost is its ladder frame construction that makes the Jimny feel tough and capable to deal with the worst of roads and surfaces. There's also the added ability of 4x4.
The Jimny is great off-road and can take you to places where few other like-priced cars can. The Jimny is also narrow, which comes in handy on hilly roads. Maruti Suzuki's strong after-sales support and easy parts availability will also ensure years of stress-free ownership. Drawbacks on the Jimny are its large turning circle, small cabin (there's only space for 4) and unexciting engine. 

If you aren't in need of something as hardcore, the Honda Elevate is an option to consider. It stands out amongst front-wheel drive SUVs thanks to a tough build and robust suspension that feels absorbent even on big potholes and poor roads.
Compared to a Jimny, the Elevate is more upmarket inside and has comfortable seating. Being a Honda car, it will last long without giving any major mechanical issues.  
Honda Elevate

Honda Elevate

Answered by
AI
Autocar India team22 Nov' 25
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Latest questions

Asked by: Subra

I am planning to buy the XEV 9e Pack 3 with the 79kWh battery. I am a heavy-footed driver and tend to drive aggressively. Performance is the main reason I am considering this car. However, I saw a review where the XEV 9e was driven at around 170kph for about eight minutes, after which the power dropped by 14% from the initial. If performance is my priority and I am not concerned about range, should I still go for it? I am scared that it may underperform a lot after driving at excessive speeds for a long time.

Don’t be alarmed by the video you saw. All electric cars discharge very fast when driven at speed. And a fast discharge also heats up the battery and motor, so to protect the hardware, the battery management system (BMS) cuts the power, which explains the 14% drop you noticed.Because of aerodynamic drag, speed is the biggest enemy of range, and there is an exponential drop the faster you go. For example, if you drive at 160-170kph, the batteries will discharge 2.5 to 3 times faster than if you were driving at 90-100kph.Even EVs with large batteries can lose charge at the rate of 1-2% per minute with hard and sustained high-speed driving.So if all you want is performance and don’t care about range, the Mahindra XEV 9e in Race mode is very quick for short bursts of acceleration to overtake and fast highway runs. But no EV will give you full peak power indefinitely at extreme speeds.It all depends on how the BMS is calibrated, but after sustained high-speed driving, expect a drop in power, which is normal for an EV and not a flaw of the 9e specifically.
AI
Autocar India team
12 Jan' 26
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