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

•1d

Choose the Mahindra XUV 7XO diesel automatic in AX7 trim. It fixes your clutch pain issue while keeping the same strong pull and solid feel you like about your XUV 700. With your 800-1000km a month and some highway use, the diesel automatic suits you well. The automatic is a lot easier to drive in heavy traffic, and the gearbox is very smooth-shifting. You already like how the XUV 700 drives, and the 7XO builds on that, adds more features, and brings a much-improved ride quality with the new Da Vinci suspension.If you are keen on going for an electric car and can fit a charger at home, the Mahindra XEV 9S is a good option, though your longer trips will need some planning. For your use case, the XUV 7XO remains the better fit. Given that the knee pain is significantly impacting how you use and enjoy your XUV, you are better off trading it in now rather than waiting a couple of years, as your current car will only depreciate further.During the test drive, spend 15 minutes in slow, stop-and-go traffic and drive over a bad patch to feel the improved suspension.

Mahindra XUV 7XO

Mahindra XEV 9S

Autocar India

•6h

With 200 km every day and a family of six on some weekends, you need a roomy three-row car that is easy in daily traffic and not heavy on fuel. In that use, the Toyota Innova Hycross Hybrid VX is the one I would pick. The strong-hybrid system runs on battery at low speeds and the petrol engine when needed, so in city stop-go it uses less fuel than most big three-row cars. It is also very quiet and smooth, which matters when you are driving long hours after a busy shift. Space is proper for six, the ride is comfortable on bad roads, and the automatic, which changes gears on its own, keeps things stress-free.Two things to note. The boot is tight with all three rows up, so for a full family trip, you may need a roof box or to fold part of the third row. Also, the Hycross costs more upfront than a diesel MPV, though running costs are low for daily city use.If you want something lower priced but still good for 200 km a day, look at the Kia Carens Clavis diesel automatic. It is easy to drive, frugal, and has a usable third row and strong air-con, though it does not feel as hushed or as plush as the Toyota. If your daily route is more highway than city and you want a stronger pull, the Mahindra XUV 7XO diesel automatic is a solid seven-seater with good safety and steady highway manners, but it will use a bit more fuel in town.Overall, for your mix of daily city runs and family duty, the Innova Hycross Hybrid VX fits best.

Toyota Innova HyCross

Kia Carens Clavis

Mahindra XUV 7XO

Autocar India

•1d

According to your needs, consider petrol Mahindra XUV 7XO, not diesel. With your 55 km daily city driving in Delhi traffic, a diesel does not suit your usage well, and BS7 concerns should not be the deciding factor.Here is the practical reality. Your driving is mostly city, stop-and-go traffic, which is the exact condition where diesel cars with DPF systems struggle over time. Even if you are doing decent daily distance, the lack of sustained highway runs means the DPF may not regenerate properly, leading to warnings or maintenance issues. The Mahindra XUV 7XO diesel uses the same modern BS6 diesel tech as others, so there is no special exemption here.On BS7, there is no confirmed immediate rollout, and even when it comes, current BS6 cars will remain usable and compliant. The XUV 7XO itself is a newly updated model with both petrol and diesel options continuing unchanged, which tells you manufacturers are not expecting an overnight shift. So waiting just for BS7 does not make sense.For your usage, the petrol version is simply easier. It will be smoother in traffic, completely stress-free with no DPF worries, and your running is not high enough to justify diesel savings anyway. You will enjoy the car more day to day.

Mahindra XUV 7XO