My car delivers very poor fuel efficiency in the city, around 6 kmpl. With steady driving on the highway, it gives about 12 to 13 kmpl. Is this typical of turbo-petrol engines? My car has a CVT transmission.

autocar.india

•1d

Go for the Mahindra XUV 7XO petrol automatic. It suits your city-heavy use, is the most feature-rich here, and its turbo petrol has serious shove for highway and mountain climbs. It is easy to drive in traffic, rides comfortably, and the automatic is smooth. Tech like a 360 camera helps in tight city spots, and the safety and ADAS kit are handy on long trips.One thing to live with: fuel economy in the city will be far lower than your Grand Vitara. Expect single-digit kpl in heavy traffic.The next best alternative is the Tata Safari petrol automatic. It's got a refined engine and very smooth automatic gearbox. Again, fuel economy will be significantly down on your Grand Vitara, so account for that. The Tata feels tough and packs in plenty of equipment in the top end. Of the others, the Scorpio N and Thar Roxx aren't as comfortable while the MG Hector's high speed ride comfort and engine performance aren't great for highway and mountain drives.

Mahindra XUV 7XO

Mahindra Scorpio N

Mahindra Thar Roxx

Tata Safari

Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara

MG Hector

autocar.india

•8h

Try out the Tesla Model Y L. It is a three-row SUV with a fairly large 420-litre boot with all seats up, which expands to a massive 1,076 litres with the third row folded. There is also a sizeable frunk for extra storage.The claimed range is 681km, so in the real world, a Mumbai-to-Goa trip is doable with one or two top-up stops. Ground clearance is about 169mm, which is on par with your Superb. It is tall, yet the seat isn’t as high as some SUVs, so sliding across from a wheelchair should be easier. It won't be as easy as your sedans, so make sure you try getting in and out at least a couple of times.It also fits comfortably within your budget and comes very well equipped. It's worth noting that a lot of functions are baked into the large central touchscreen, and that might take some getting used to.

Tesla Model Y

autocar.india

•9h

Pick the Tata Punch EV 40kWh. It fits your 50 km daily grind and those occasional 200 km days without range stress, while keeping running costs far lower than petrol. It is easy to drive and park, rides well on bad roads, and you still get a modern cabin with a big touchscreen, and 360 camera on higher trims. Safety is solid too - the Punch platform has a strong crash-test record, and you get ESC and 6 airbags.Real-world range is about 240 km, so a 200 km day with AC is fine if you start full, DC fast-charging is also quicker with the facelifted version so a top-up on the highway should be relatively quick. You budget should get you the top Empowered Plus S trim.One catch: the rear seat is fine for two but fitting three can be a sqeeze. If that is an issue, you can stretch your budget and get a Nexon EV instead.

Tata Punch EV

Tata Nexon EV