Mumbai

•18w

Hi Autocar Team, I am based in Chennai and currently use a Toyota Innova Crysta, which is mostly chauffeur-driven. I am now looking to upgrade to a larger 7-seater with ample luggage space for my family. My usage includes occasional long drives of around 600-700 km once every five months. I have shortlisted the Kia Carnival and the MG M9, as both fall within my budget of ₹1 crore. However, I have never owned or used an EV before. Could you please suggest which would be the better option for my needs?

•18w

Choose the Kia Carnival 7-seat Limousine variant for a chauffeur-driven family; it gives you the most space and comfort with a truly big boot within your budget car under 1 Crore. Coming from a Crysta, you will feel a clear step up in rear-seat comfort, a lower walk-in height and a quieter cabin. Also, the list of features your family will use every day, like power sliding doors, sunblinds, and a strong rear AC.

The second-row lounge chairs are great for long city runs and for your 600-700 km trip every few months, and the boot can take large suitcases even with all three rows up, which is the main win over your current car. Kia’s service reach in Chennai is wide, so upkeep should be straightforward.

One thing to be aware of: the Carnival is a very large vehicle, so tight basements and narrow lanes will require careful driving. Also, running costs in heavy traffic will be higher than those of your Crysta.

The MG 9 is a good option too, but only for the city, and for your long trips, you will have to rely on public charging infrastructure, which can slow you down and spoil your trip. We would suggest you stick to the Carnival simply because of your long-distance runs, where you want peace of mind.

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I’m planning to upgrade my 10-year-old Petrol Manual Baleno Delta, which has completed around 1.1 lakh km. I’m currently considering Kia Seltos HTX 1.5 IVT with ADAS & 360° camera, Mahindra XUV 7XO AX5 Automatic and the newly refreshed Skoda Slavia AT. My usage will be primarily city driving, with occasional highway trips of around 600 km. My wife also prefers a higher seating position due to back pain. Which would be the best overall choice for my requirements? Should I consider the refreshed Slavia AT, or would either Seltos or XUV 7XO be more suitable? My top priority are safety, relatively low maintenance cost and good mileage. I am not very keen on car with a lot of features.

•1h

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I have a budget of Rs 15-20 lakh and want to replace my existing Verna (2011 model). I have explored Honda Elevate, Kia Seltos and Creta, all in automatic mode. My usage is 1000 km per month and I want a safe and reliable car. Please suggest.

•3h

With a budget of Rs 15-20 lakh, 1,000 km a month and a focus on safety and reliability, the Honda Elevate automatic is the recommendation. The Elevate is a simple, robust and well-engineered SUV with Honda's proven naturally aspirated petrol engine and CVT automatic, which is smooth, reliable and well suited to city driving. It is also a comfortable and easy car to live with, and Honda's reputation for long-term reliability makes it a strong ownership proposition. The only drawback with the Elevate is that it is not the most feature-rich car in the segment, but it makes up for it with its simplicity, reliability and ease of ownership. The Kia Seltos is a good option but likely to stretch your budget for the better-equipped variants, and the Creta is being replaced by a new model in a few months; this however, can present an opportunity for you to get a good deal from the dealership, and if you do so, then the Creta is a very sensible choice.

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