Hi, my daily commute is 80 km to and fro for 22 days a month, with about 70% in city traffic and 30% on the highway. I am looking for a 7-seater, and maintenance and mileage are important considerations for me. ICE, EV, or Hybrid options are all fine, and my budget is up to ₹30 lakh - please advise which car I should choose.

Autocar India

•1d

Pick the Mahindra XUV 7XO AX7 petrol manual. Your driving is mostly highway and you plan to keep it 10-12 years, and this one feels the most relaxed and secure at speed, with a comfy second row and a big, usable boot when the third row is folded. The performance, refinement and reliability of the engine is also very good but the only downside is a low fuel economy, single digits or low double digit figures if you are careful. But since your driving is low this should not be a big issue. The XUV 7XO is E20-ready, as are the others, so your ethanol worry for the next decade is largely covered. If blends rise beyond E20 later, expect a small drop in economy across all petrol rather than a single clear loser. Between the rest, the Tata Safari would be an option, as it too offers a very good ride quality and stability at speed is good. The third row is also more comfortable but this would not be an advantage for you given that it would remain a luggage area only. As for the Scorpio N, it is tough but heavy and bouncy on long highway runs and noticeably thirstier; it suits rough roads more than long fast cruises. The Alcazar is easier to drive in the city and will use less fuel, but it is narrower, and it does not feel as planted or as reassuring as the Mahindra or the Tata on long highways.

Mahindra XUV 7XO

Tata Safari

Mahindra Scorpio N

Hyundai Alcazar

Autocar India

•39m

Get the Skoda Slavia 1.0 automatic. Its 6-speed auto is the smoothest in this price band, it has the best front seat space and headroom for tall drivers, and it’s genuinely nice to drive without feeling tired in the city.At 6'1", you will sit comfortably with a relaxed knee angle and good visibility, and the steering and pedal position suit long legs. The engine is quiet in traffic, but has enough pull for quick overtakes on the highway. Ride is absorbent, so bad patches will not beat you up, and the boot is huge for weekend trips. Expect roughly 12-14kpl in mixed use.The only catch is the lower automatic trims are simpler inside and you may have to stretch slightly on-road beyond Rs. 15 lakh depending on your city. If you can, go one trim up for better kit. Also in just about two to three months, Skoda will release an updated version so if you can wait, we would recommend you do so.

Skoda Slavia

Autocar India

•1h

Go for the Maruti Suzuki Victoris hybrid automatic for city use and the lowest fuel bills. In stop-go traffic, it runs on electric power a lot of the time, so you will see around 20-plus kpl in town, far better than regular petrol automatics. It feels calm and smooth at low speeds, and the steering is light and easy enough to twirl in traffic and also reassuring at higher speeds. Resale should be strong too as with most Maruti Suzuki models, plus with hybrids increasing in demand, your resale should be healthy.

Maruti Suzuki Victoris