I need your help defining what a true “upgrade” is. I have owned a Skoda Kushaq 1.0 L Style MT for 4.5 years and 60,000 km, and I’ve largely loved the car. Now I’m looking for something new in the ₹25-30 lakh bracket. My confusion lies in the definition of an upgrade: is it a mechanical upgrade if I stay in the same segment but move to a 1.5 L turbo engine (like the Kia Seltos facelift or Skoda Kushaq 1.5)? Or is it a dimensional/segment upgrade? I’ve shortlisted the Mahindra XUV700 AX7T Diesel Manual. I’m a family of three and don’t strictly need a 7-seater, but it feels like a “bigger” car with a “bigger” engine. I loved the XUV700 in my short test drive, but I want to know: should an upgrade feel like a better version of what I have (1.5 L TSI), or should it be a move to a completely different class of vehicle (XUV700)? Looking forward to your perspective on how a long-term owner should weigh “more power” versus “more car.”

Autocar India

•18h

We understand your love for your Skoda Yeti. It's a superbly engineered car which is very well suited to Indian conditions. Your car with over 1,30,000km on the odometer would likely be the most used Yeti in India! While care and periodic maintenance will keep the Yeti running, issues are bound to crop up every now and then. Hence, there is a case for a new vehicle. The best bet in your budget is the Mahindra XUV 7XO diesel-AT in fully loaded AX7 T form. It's got a strong diesel engine, smooth gearbox, and, as someone used to a Yeti, you'll appreciate the ride and handling balance too. The XUV 7XO is also packed with lots of tech and features, which really make it feel like a good value even at its price.Alternatively, you could consider the Jeep Compass, which, like your Yeti, comes across as a solidly engineered product. It has been around for quite some time now, but there's a toughness that shines through, and ride and handling are also really good. The 9-speed gearbox dulls some of the engine's performance, though. The Compass is also not very large for its price - something that also worked against the Yeti.

Mahindra XUV 7XO

Jeep Compass

Autocar India

•1d

At this budget, your best bet is the Mahindra XUV 7XO. It's spacious, comfortable and loaded with features, and will feel like a worthy upgrade to your Renault Duster. Your daily usage isn't that much, but since a large chunk of it is on the highway, you'll appreciate the XUV 7XO's stability, ground clearance and good ride quality. And as safety is a priority, you'll be happy to know it comes with a long list of standard safety kit, and has been given a 5-star crash test rating by Bharat NCAP. Whether you choose the petrol or the diesel is really a matter of preference, given your limited usage, and both come with smooth automatic gearboxes to help make your commute a little less tiresome.

Mahindra XUV 7XO

Autocar India

•1d

We would recommend you look at the new upcoming Skoda Kushaq. It sits above the compact SUV segment but is still not too large and is among the smaller of the mid-size SUVs, thus it remains quite easy and manageable in the city. The Kushaq is well equipped with many standard safety features and has scored a 5-star crash rating in the GNCAP tests, thus it meets your priority of safety too. Since you are driving in the city and looking for fuel efficiency too, we would suggest the 1.0 litre engine, which will launch with an 8-speed torque convertor automatic transmission. Torque convertors are the smoothest type of automatic transmission around, which you will appreciate in the city stop-and-go traffic. Being an 8-speed (earlier was a 6-speed unit), mileage should also improve over the previous car. It returned a figure of 8.5kpl in the city, 12.4 kpl on the highway, in our standard test cycle. Stay tuned to our channel as we will be driving the car shortly.

Skoda Kushaq facelift