Mumbai

Soumen

•7w

I am planning to buy a 7-seater car that has low recurring maintenance costs and offers good comfort. I am considering the XEV 9S, but I am not very confident due to the uncertain future of EVs in India. Will there be good resale value after 5-7 years, and how do we see the future of EVs given the rapidly evolving technology?

Autocar India

•7w

If you are considering the Mahindra XEV 9S, it really comes down to how you balance running cost benefits versus long-term certainty.

On one hand, electric cars make a lot of sense today for daily use. They offer very low running and maintenance costs, a smooth and quiet driving experience, and are well-suited to city driving. Over a 5 to 7 year period, you will likely save a meaningful amount on fuel and routine upkeep compared to petrol or diesel cars. At the same time, your concern about resale is valid. The EV market in India is still evolving, and while adoption is growing steadily, resale values are not as predictable as those of diesel or petrol cars yet. A big factor is battery health, and while manufacturers are offering long warranties, the used car market is still figuring out how to value older EVs, especially as newer models keep improving quickly.

Looking ahead, EVs will almost certainly become more mainstream over the next few years, which should improve resale confidence, but it is also true that rapid technology changes could make older models feel outdated sooner than traditional cars. So the decision is more about your comfort level.

If you plan to keep the car for the full 5 to 7 years and prioritise low running costs and a modern driving experience, the XEV 9S can work well. If resale value and long-term predictability matter more, a diesel car like the Mahindra XUV 7XO or a hybrid 7-seater like the Toyota Innova HyCross will still feel like the safer choice today.

Explore cars mentioned

Mahindra

XEV 9S

from ₹21.10 Lakh

Toyota

Innova HyCross

from ₹21.60 Lakh

Mahindra

XUV 7XO

from ₹16.14 Lakh

Gautam Mondal

•7w

My choice is 5 Seater Compact Car

Sumanth RJ

•7w

Go for Tata Nexon/Punch or Altroz. If you want Maruti, check out Baleno and Swift. Hyundai Exter and i10/i20 are equally good.

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Zameer Patel

•1d

Hi, I have booked the Mahindra XUV 7XO AX7T Diesel. This will be my second car and will be used primarily for highway travel, serving as an alternative vehicle with occasional family trips. My annual running will be around 5,000 km, and I plan to sell the car after about two years. Given this usage pattern, would it be better to opt for the diesel variant despite potential DPF-related concerns, or should I consider the petrol variant instead? I am also somewhat concerned about the resale value of the petrol version.

Autocar India

•1d

In your case, we would actually stick with the diesel. The reason is that this is not going to be your primary city car. You have clearly stated that it will be used mainly for highway travel, occasional family trips and as a second vehicle. Those are exactly the conditions under which a modern diesel is happiest. With regular highway runs, the DPF gets the opportunity to regenerate properly, so we would not be overly concerned about DPF issues.The bigger factor is your planned two-year ownership period. In the used market, the diesel XUV 7XO is likely to be more desirable and easier to sell than the petrol, especially because buyers looking at a large SUV often prefer the stronger torque delivery and superior fuel efficiency of the diesel. That should help residual values as well.If you were doing 5,000 km a year entirely in city traffic, we would steer you towards the petrol. But your usage pattern is different. The car will spend most of its time doing exactly the kind of driving that suits the diesel powertrain.

Mahindra XUV 7XO

Thao

•4d

I want to upgrade from my current car to an SUV, but I am confused between the Mahindra Scorpio N, Tata Harrier, and Mahindra XUV 7XO. During the rainy season, I occasionally have to drive on a slippery uphill stretch that my current Hyundai i10 is unable to handle. My budget is around Rs. 23 lakh. Which would be the most suitable choice for my requirements?

Autocar India

•1d

For your requirement, the Mahindra Scorpio N would be our first recommendation. The key reason is that you have specifically mentioned a slippery hill climb during the rainy season. The Scorpio N's rear wheel drive architecture, higher ground clearance and more rugged SUV underpinnings give it an advantage in low grip situations compared to the Harrier and XUV 7XO. If your budget allows, even a 4WD variant would be worth considering.The XUV 7XO would be our second choice. As an overall product, it is the most modern of the three, with a better interior, more technology and a more premium feel. It is also more comfortable and easier to drive every day than the Scorpio N. However, if that slippery hill climb is a recurring part of your ownership experience, the Scorpio N's more rugged nature gives it the edge.The Tata Harrier is a good highway SUV with a comfortable ride, but for your specific requirement it would be our third choice. It is front wheel drive only and, apart from offering a more comfortable third row, the XUV 7XO is the stronger product in most other areas, including performance, technology, interior quality and overall ownership experience.

Senthil Kumar

I own a Grande Punto MJD 2012 Dynamic and am planning to upgrade. Don't want to go for pure ICE cars. Hence, I am left with a few options, and I am inclined towards Toyota. However, they don't have any Hybrids (own badge) in that segment. Thought they would launch Corolla Sedan or Cross with Hybrid engines. Hence, I am now left with the Honda City Hybrid in the upgrade space. Or I need to go for a higher budget Innova Hycross or UC Hyryder (which I am in dilemma). What would be your suggestion? Will Toyota launch the Corolla Cross surprisingly in the Indian Market, or go with the currently available Hybrid models?

Autocar India

•2d

Given your situation, we wouldn't wait for a Toyota Corolla or Corolla Cross Hybrid. While Toyota is evaluating additional hybrid models for India, neither appears likely to arrive anytime soon.Among the cars available today, the Honda City e:HEV is a very compelling option. Its hybrid system is proven, fuel efficiency is excellent, and the driving experience is more refined than most strong hybrids in its price range. If you enjoy sedans and don't specifically need SUV-like ground clearance, it remains one of the best hybrid packages on sale today.If you want an SUV, the decision comes down to the Urban Cruiser Hyryder Hybrid and stretching your budget for the Innova Hycross Hybrid. The Hyryder is efficient, reliable and easy to recommend, but if your hesitation is that it feels too closely related to a Maruti product, that perception is unlikely to change after purchase. The Hycross, on the other hand, feels like a more substantial upgrade and offers significantly more space, comfort and road presence.

Honda City

Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder

Toyota Innova HyCross

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Popular discussions right now

Balaji

•5d

I am looking to buy a 6/7-seater EV. My primary usage will be as a 4-seater, with occasional 6-seater use. I will mainly drive it in the city for my daily office commute and undertake long-distance trips of around 500 km once every two months. I have a solar setup at home and can charge the vehicle comfortably. My budget is Rs 30-40 lakh, although I can stretch it slightly if required.

Autocar India

•5d

You should go for the Mahindra XEV 9S. It's a proper three-row EV, and it fits your use case perfectly. With home solar charging, your running costs are very low, and the smooth, quiet drive is just right for city runs as a 4-seater. When you do need six or seven seats, the third row is reasonably spacious, and for your 500 km trip every couple of months, you’ll need just one quick top-up at a highway charger.Do note that with all three rows up, boot space is tight, so your highway trips will require some planning.Alternatively, consider the Kia Carens Clavis EV. It isn't as feature-rich and doesn't have as much range as the XEV 9S, but its third row is more comfortable for adults.

Mahindra XEV 9S

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Abhishek Das

•2d

I am planning to purchase a new automatic car and am confused between the Honda Amaze ZX CVT and the Skoda Kylaq Signature Plus AT. My usage will be around 90% city driving, primarily for office commuting between Dwarka, Delhi and my office near IFFCO Chowk, Gurugram (approximately 25 km one way). However, I will not be driving daily, as I often use the Metro as well. The car will also be driven by my 69-year-old father, so ease of driving, comfort, visibility, ingress/egress, and reliability are important considerations. Our previous car was an Alto K10 Manual, so this will be our first automatic car and a significant upgrade. Considering my usage pattern, family profile and the fact that we intend to keep the car for a long period for around 10 years, which of these two would you recommend?

Autocar India

•1d

Based on your requirement, we would recommend the Honda Amaze ZX CVT over the Skoda Kylaq Signature+ AT. The reason is that your priorities are not outright performance or driving excitement. You are looking for a car that will spend 90% of its life in city traffic, will also be driven by your 69-year-old father, and is expected to stay with the family for around 10 years. In that context, Amaze's strengths line up perfectly with your requirements. The CVT is smoother than the Kylaq's torque converter automatic in stop-and-go traffic, visibility is excellent, the car is easy to place on the road, ingress and egress are straightforward, and Honda's long-term reliability record is hard to fault. Coming from an Alto K10, it will already feel like a substantial upgrade in comfort, refinement and features.The Kylaq Signature Plus AT is the more desirable car from an enthusiast's perspective. The 1.0 TSI turbo petrol has more punch, the higher seating position is nice, and the overall package feels more substantial. However, it is also a larger vehicle to manoeuvre, and while the automatic is good, it is not quite as seamless in everyday traffic as Honda's CVT.Another point in Amaze's favour is that the ZX variant gets Honda Sensing ADAS, which adds useful safety features without making the car complicated to operate. Since your father will also be driving it, that extra layer of safety is a nice bonus.

Honda Amaze

Skoda Kylaq

Anshuman Mishra

•6d

I am planning to buy an automatic car for my family and am confused between the Kia Sonet and the Skoda Kylaq. Could you please advise which one would be the better choice and explain the pros and cons of each?

Autocar India

•5d

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

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