I would like to understand the highway driving comfort of the Mahindra Thar 2-door diesel base model. I typically undertake long-distance drives of around 700–750 km, twice a month.

Autocar India

•1h

Skoda Kylaq is the better family automatic, mainly because it gives you a bit more cabin and boot space and a calmer ride over bad roads. It feels more secure at highway speeds with a full load, and its turbo engine with the automatic pulls cleanly, so hills and quick overtakes are easy even with the AC on. The petrol Kylaq automatic uses a torque convertor gearbox which is also smoother than the dual clutch unit on the Sonet so it would fare better in city traffic. Kia Sonet makes sense if you want more features and need Kia’s service reach which is wider. For weekend trips with four on board it will do the job too, but rear seat width and long-journey comfort are not its strong points and within a year it will get a major update, thus buying it now would not be ideal.

Skoda Kylaq

Kia Sonet

Autocar India

•2h

At this budget and with these options, there are many directions you could go, all of which have some distinct advantage. The easiest one is the Mercedes-Benz GLS, which offers maximum space for your money, including a third row of seats. It offers the choice of smooth six-cylinder petrol and diesel engines, and Mercedes has the widest sales and service network of all these brands, so you're in good hands. Do note that, of these SUVs, this is the most common, and its large size can make it cumbersome to drive around town.The Land Rover Defender could be seen as the best value for money, and the one that offers the most variety, including four- and six- cylinder engines, and various body styles and seating configurations. With a slight stretch in budget, you can even get a supercharged V8 engine, which is incredibly characterful. However, quality in the Defender isn't quite as good as the rest, including its own sibling, the Range Rover Sport.The Sport will push your budget, and even then, it offers a 6-cylinder petrol or diesel in a single HSE trim. However, it is the most rounded offering, mixing sumptuous luxury with good dynamics and characterful engines, not to mention excellent badge value. If you can stretch your budget slightly, this is the one to get.The Porsche Cayenne is the one to choose only if you put driving above all else on your priority list. It is exciting from behind the wheel and is a high-quality, solidly engineered product that also has great badge value. However, its performance focus means it's not as comfortable or easy to drive at low speeds, and many seemingly basic features are optional extras, which means it too will push the limits of your budget.Overall, the Range Rover Sport is the best bet for you, or if you want a bit more space, the Mercedes-Benz GLS.

Mercedes-Benz GLS

Land Rover Defender

Land Rover Range Rover Sport

Porsche Cayenne

Autocar India

•2h

Pick the Maruti Wagon R AMT. For elderly parents it’s the easiest to get in and out of, thanks to the tall seat and wide doors, and its boot is the biggest in your Rs. 6-7 lakh band, so weekend luggage is no fuss. The automatic is an AMT or automated manual transmission, which is not as smooth and seamless as other types of automatics but as as far as AMT's go it does the job quite well, plus it delivers a very good mileage. Just know it feels light and a bit bouncy at higher highway speeds, so keep cruising sensible. If he wants something that feels tougher on the highway, the Tata Tiago AMT is the next best fit. It rides better and feels more solid, but the seat is a bit lower and the boot is smaller than the Wagon R.

Maruti Suzuki Wagon R

Tata Tiago