I am considering buying the Jeep Meridian Longitude Plus MT. My monthly driving is around 1,000 km in and around Bangalore. Is it a reliable choice?

Autocar India

•8h

Retaining your MG Hector is the sensible choice if it is otherwise serving you well, without niggles or issues. Sure, the Hector's fuel efficiency is expectedly low, but you will have to invest a huge sum over and above the resale value of your car to purchase the Mahindra XEV 9S, which will be a decision solely driven by a want, rather than a need.Also, over the next few years, the rate of depreciation for your Hector will flatten, and its value won't drop as drastically year after year. So, from a financial perspective, it makes more sense to hold on to it for a few more years.

MG Hector

Mahindra XEV 9S

Autocar India

•3d

Go for the Kia Clavis diesel you’ve chosen - with your 40 km daily run in Trichy and regular highway drives on alternate weekends, it fits your use and the DPF should stay healthy. Modern diesels clean the DPF on their own while you drive by heating the exhaust. To help it along, give the car a clear run once every week or two for 15-20 minutes at 60-80 km/h, and keep the engine around 2000 rpm. If a DPF or “regen” message shows, don’t switch off; keep driving in the same way until the light clears. Try to avoid many very short 1-2 km trips from cold back-to-back. Fill diesel from a trusted pump, keep at least a quarter tank because some cars won’t start a regen on low fuel, and use the exact engine oil grade in the manual, which is a low-ash type. Don’t idle the car to clean the DPF; it works better while driving. If a warning doesn’t clear, visit the dealer for a quick forced clean.One thing to be aware of: diesel can feel a bit noisier in the city, and you will AdBlue top-ups which is part of your routine maintenance Yes, you can fit a roof carrier, but some RTOs in certain states do not allow this so check on this first. Use a brand-approved rack and stay within the roof load limitBefore delivery, ask the service advisor to show you how the DPF message looks on the screen and how to trigger a manual regen. That one tip will make ownership stress-free.

Kia Carens Clavis

Autocar India

•4d

Treat this as a serious safety issue and do not drive the car. Get it flatbed-towed to an authorised Jeep Compass workshop, keep the broken bolt with you, and click clear photos of the part, the area it came from, and the car’s VIN and odometer. Ask the workshop to open and check the full steering and front suspension on both sides, not just the one bolt. That means the steering rack mounts, tie-rod ends, lower arms, subframe mounts and all related fasteners. Ask for a written report that explains what failed, why it failed, and what they will change.Insist that all affected parts and bolts are replaced, not reused, and that they do a full torque check with markings you can see. If the car is in warranty, this should be free. Even if it is out of warranty, please ask Jeep for a goodwill repair, as this is a safety issue. Request a loaner car until your car is fixed and tested.Email Jeep India customer care with a simple timeline, photos, VIN, and copies of the job card, and cc the dealer’s service head. Check Jeep India’s recall page for your VIN. If you don’t get a clear answer or a proper fix, you can write to us at [email protected], and we will escalate it further.

Jeep Compass