We currently own a 2021 Swift, which has served us well, and we plan to keep it for daily commuting. However, there are seven members in our family, and our twin boys are now 4 years old, so they also need separate seats. Because of this, the Swift feels quite crowded when all seven of us travel together. The main purpose of buying a bigger car would be for long-distance journeys to our native village. These trips are mostly on highways, but a small portion of the route involves rough or mildly off-road conditions. The Swift will continue to be used for regular city travel. Initially, we were considering the Kia Carens, which is a proper 7-seater MPV. However, due to the road presence, looks, and expected ride quality, we are now leaning towards the next-to-base variant of the Mahindra XUV 7XO. We are also not interested in buying another Maruti car. Additionally, engine performance (especially for highway driving with full load), ability to handle occasional bad roads, after-sales service experience, and long-term reliability are key factors in our decision. Since we intend to keep this vehicle for a long duration (around 15 years), we would also appreciate guidance on whether the petrol or diesel engine would be the better choice in the long run. Considering all these factors, would the Mahindra XUV 7XO be a practical and sensible choice for our requirements?

Autocar India

•6h

Considering your annual mileage, it's safe to assume you do a lot of highway driving. If that is indeed the case, we'd recommend you opt for a diesel car.Electric cars have their USPs - smooth power delivery, strong performance, excellent refinement, low running costs and more. However, while the products are very desirable, it's the charging network that could be the spoiler for someone with lots of highway running. The charging network on highways isn't dense enough, and existing chargers aren't entirely reliable.The question mark on charger availability and charging times can really spoil a long distance journey. As city vehicles, EVs work superbly, especially if you have the option to set up a charger at home. For highway use, we'd recommend a diesel.The good news is that today's diesels are very refined and far removed from the crude image many still associate diesels with. The Mahindra XUV 7XO diesel-AT is a great choice within your budget and the one we'd recommend.

Mahindra XUV 7XO

Autocar India

•1d

While there are quite a few petrol automatic options within your Rs 12 lakh budget, the most fuel-efficient options include the Maruti Suzuki Baleno AMT (and its twin the Toyota Glanza), Maruti Suzuki Dzire AMT, Maruti Suzuki Swift AMT, Maruti Suzuki Fronx AMT (and its twin the Toyota Taisor). All feature AMT gearbox options. While AMTs aren't the most sophisticated or smoothest type of automatic transmission, they are fine for average city driving. What sets AMTs apart from other automatics is real-world fuel economy, which is on par and sometimes even better than a comparable manual's. Of the above options, we'd choose between the Baleno, Glanza, Fronx and Taisor. Their larger 1.2-litre four-cylinder engine makes them feel a bit zippier than the Swift and Dzire that use 1.2-litre three-cylinder units.

Maruti Suzuki Baleno

Toyota Glanza

Maruti Suzuki Dzire

Maruti Suzuki Fronx

Maruti Suzuki Swift

Toyota Urban Cruiser Taisor

Autocar India

•1d

If you have your eye on the Mahindra XUV 7XO, you should go for it. It's a robust product that's been given a significant suspension upgrade, and now also comes with various new features if you choose a high-spec model. It's easy enough to manoeuvre at low speeds, despite its size, which should come in handy for your 15km daily city drive. Out on the highway, it's incredibly stable and offers a comfortable ride.As for which engine to choose, both are incredibly strong and powerful, and Mahindra has prioritised that above all else. As a result, neither is particularly fuel efficient, so don't expect strong mileage numbers from either. The diesel engine will be more fuel-efficient on your highway drives, even if it isn't quite as apparent during your city commute. So, if you are okay with the added cost of the diesel variant, we feel you should choose that.

Mahindra XUV 7XO