Sadly, there is absolutely nothing in the Rs. 30-40 lakh range that can replace your Skoda Octavia and give you a similar driving pleasure. In fact, there are no sedans at all in that price range, and neither are there any SUVs with the character and feel of the Octavia you are looking for. The Octavia RS is your best option, but on-road prices around Rs 60 lakh are way beyond our budget. The Skoda Kodiaq in the region of Rs. 50 lakh is less of a stretch, and though it's an SUV, it has Skoda’s DNA of good ride and handling. If you simply cannot stretch your budget, you can downgrade to the Skoda Slavia 1.5 with the 7-speed DSG. It’s a very entertaining car to drive fast, and being a sedan comes closest to your Octy in terms of character.

The Maruti S-Presso is the most affordable car in the country, and as a city runabout, it is a good option. It is a very user-friendly car thanks to its peppy yet fuel-efficient petrol engine; the clutch, gearbox and steering are light; and due to its high seating visibility, all around is good too. Moreover, spare parts costs are likely to be inexpensive and being a Maruti, servicing will be a relatively fuss-free affair. If you like the S-Presso for what it offers, go for it.

While the Mahindra XUV 7XO AX diesel-manual packs in a lot for the money, we'd urge you to consider the higher spec AX3 that is still within your budget. The added Rs 1.7 lakh will get handy features like a reverse camera and electric mirror fold, as well as essentials like a rear defogger and rear wiper. These features add greatly to your long-term experience with the car, and are way more reliable than aftermarket solutions that might cost less. You could also consider the petrol-AT AX3 or petrol-manual AX5 for the same money. Do note, while the petrol engine is smooth and powerful, it isn't very efficient. Fuel economy is on the low side.

If you are worried about the range on any EV, then it's best to stay away. An EV only makes sense if you have provision for charging at your home or place of work, and if your long runs can be done with ideally none, to no more than one stop to charge. We tested the larger battery (79kWh) Mahindra XEV9e in our standard test cycle, and it showed a range of 456 kms in the mixed city and highway cycle. Thus, if your long trips are around 300 to 350 kms with not too many inclines and a lot of load in the car, you should be fine for a stop-free trip. If this proves to be a problem for you, opt for the Toyota Innova HyCross. As for your query about the Exclusive edition, we don't think it will be available at dealers, as it was supposed to be a limited run. In any case, the differences were mostly cosmetic, with only an air purifier, a wireless charger, and a footwell lamp being the added equipment.