I have been driving a Renault Triber RXZ AMT for a long time. However, the transmission feels sluggish, and the car feels underpowered. My driving is 80% on highways and 20% in the city, with an annual running of approximately 8,000 km. Safety is a major concern for me. Please suggest the best 7-seater family car options under Rs. 20 lakh.

autocar.india

•1d

The Maruti Suzuki Wagon R ZXI+ 1.2 is a sensible choice for your requirements. It is compact, easy to drive in the city, and the 1.2-litre engine also gives it enough performance for occasional highway runs.However, coming from a Ciaz, you will notice a significant step down in overall refinement, ride comfort and highway stability. The Wagon R is primarily a city car, and while it can handle highway trips, it does not feel as composed or as comfortable at higher speeds as a larger hatchback.Instead, consider the Maruti Suzuki Baleno facelift as it would be a better fit and its smaller car than your Ciaz but you won't be compromising too much on comfort and highway ability. The Baleno is still easy to drive in the city, offers a better ride quality and more stability on highways, and is more refined overall than the Wagon R.The upcoming Renault Triber turbo is an interesting alternative if you need more flexibility with seating and boot space, but it is not as refined or as proven as the Maruti options.Overall, the Baleno would be the more balanced upgrade from a Ciaz.

Maruti Suzuki Wagon R

Maruti Suzuki Baleno

Renault Triber

autocar.india

•1d

Given your requirements, the best option is the Hyundai Alcazar petrol DCT. It's available as a six- or seven-seater, giving you the flexibility you need when your extended family joins you on your journeys, and its 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine is relatively fuel efficient for a car of its size. The dual-clutch automatic is smooth enough, though it can be a bit clunky at low speeds if not driven smoothly and carefully. Also worth noting is that even the base model petrol-AT Alcazar costs around Rs 21 lakh on road, and the Alcazar has not been tested by any NCAP authority.The next best option is not an SUV but arguably a more practical option - the Kia Carens Clavis. It uses the same engine and gearbox in a lighter package with more space on the inside. Other 7-seat SUV options with more space - like the Mahindra XUV 7XO, Tata Safari, Mahindra Scorpio-N and MG Hector Plus are available, but are nowhere near as fuel-efficient and will be out of your budget as well. All things considered, the Hyundai Alcazar is your best option.

Hyundai Alcazar

Mahindra Scorpio N

MG Hector

Mahindra XUV 7XO

Tata Safari

Kia Carens Clavis

autocar.india

•7h

Wait for the upcoming JSW Jetour T2-based SUV. If your priority is specifically a turbo-petrol hybrid, this is the most interesting option to wait for. JSW is expected to bring the Jetour T2 to India as a locally assembled plug-in hybrid, using a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine with electric motors. It is expected around late 2026/early 2027, and we expect JSW to price it at around Rs 35-40 lakh ex-showroom price bracket.If you want to buy right now, the choices become more limited because most hybrids in this price range use naturally aspirated petrol engines. The Toyota Innova HyCross is the obvious option if you want a proven hybrid and maximum practicality, although it won't give you the turbo-petrol character you're looking for.The newly launched MG Hector Tomahawk PHEV is another interesting option. It uses a plug-in hybrid system with a 20.5kWh battery and offers over 115km of claimed electric range.

JSW Motors Jetour T2

Toyota Innova HyCross

MG Hector Tomahawk PHEV