I'm planning to buy a new 7-seater manual with a budget of around Rs 18 lakh. My current preference order is: Tata Safari Petrol, Mahindra XUV 7XO, Mahindra Scorpio N, and Kia Carens Clavis. My annual running will be around 12,000km, mostly on highways, but the car may remain parked for 3-6 months at a time. I plan to keep it for at least 7-8 years. My biggest dilemma is petrol vs diesel. Petrol is my first preference because of my relatively low running and the long periods when the car will be parked, but I'm concerned about E20 ethanol-blended fuel. On the other hand, these are large and heavy vehicles, so fuel efficiency is also important. I'm considering diesel for its better mileage, but I'm worried about the long-term reliability of the DPF and DEF systems if the car remains unused for several months. What would you recommend?

I am planning to upgrade to an SUV, preferably Tata Harrier. My driving is very less within city and more on highways. Please suggest.

Hi, I used to drive the 2.0-litre diesel Jetta, but had to sell it after six years due to recurring repair issues. I then switched to a Creta 1.4 Turbo automatic. Now I’m looking to buy a new car that is powerful, with strong torque and bhp, safe, and reasonably spacious. I’m not too concerned about the fuel type or fancy features. What I really want is something that can give me the same adrenaline rush that the Jetta did.

My requirement is for a reasonably large 7-seater vehicle because I frequently go on very long drives. Sometimes, I even drive 1,200 km in a single stretch. I have been driving a Toyota Etios Liva for almost 15 years, and the car has given me virtually zero problems. So, I have firsthand experience of Toyota reliability. My budget is around Rs. 24 lakh, and reliability is my number-one priority. I love diesel cars, although I understand that diesel options are fewer. At the moment, I am mainly considering the non-hybrid Toyota Innova HyCross ZX(O) petrol. Within my budget, I mayconsider Innova Crysta, depending on the variant and on-road price. I am also considering Honda City Hybrid, but my concern is the reduced boot space in the hybrid version, and of course, it isn’t a 7-seater. I’m not really looking at too many other brands, although I’m also wondering about the Mahindra XUV 7XO. I haven’t driven it yet, so I’m not sure whether I should seriously consider it. When I compare Mahindra with Toyota, I personally don’t feel that Toyota-level reliability is there and reliability is important to me because I plan to keep the vehicle for many years. I also like some of the newer brands and products such as Citroen but I am concerned whether manufacturers will continue operating in India in the long term. I don’t want to buy a vehicle from a brand that may disappear. So, given my requirements including a 7-seater car for long-distance driving, excellent reliability, comfortable highway cruising, reasonable boot space, and a budget of around Rs. 24 lakh, which car would you recommend? Should I go for the Innova HyCross ZX(O) non-hybrid, Innova Crysta, or take a chance on something like the Mahindra XUV 7XO? I’m particularly interested in your recommendation from a long-term ownership and reliability, comfort perspective, because after owning a Toyota for 15 years, I know what genuine reliability feels like.