I am considering buying an SUV car, and my critical criteria are: 1) Performance, 2) Safety and 3) Boot space. A few options I was considering are: Tata Safari and Mahindra 7XO, but then I came across the upcoming SUV from JSW, the Jetour T2. I need advice on whether it is worth waiting for the Jetour by the end of this year.

Autocar India

•5w

Go for the Tata Safari Accomplished+ diesel automatic. It best matches your performance, safety and boot-space needs today, with a strong 170 PS/350 Nm motor and a 5-star crash rating.

For performance, the 170 PS/350 Nm diesel pulls cleanly from low revs, so highway overtakes feel easy even with 5–7 people on board. For safety, the new-gen Safari has a 5-star Global NCAP rating (2023), which gives more confidence than an untested newcomer. For boot space, with the third row folded, you get over 400 litres, enough for 4 medium bags. The wide opening also makes loading simpler. On waiting for the Jetour T2, there’s 0 India crash-test ratings published, no confirmed service footprint, and the launch/price by year-end isn’t firm, so you’d be betting on unknowns.

The one thing you give up is a petrol option; the Safari is diesel-only, so if you want a high-rev turbo-petrol feel, this won’t suit.

If outright acceleration becomes your top priority or you prefer petrol, consider the Mahindra XUV 7X0 AX7 petrol AT instead. Its 200 PS motor does 0-100 kph in under ~10 seconds.

When you test drive, do a brisk 80-0 kph stop to judge brake bite and stability, and ask the dealer to fold the third row and load two 28-inch suitcases to verify real boot depth and loading height.

Explore cars mentioned

Tata

Safari

from ₹15.44 Lakh

JSW Motors

Jetour T2

from ₹44.05 Lakh

Mahindra

XUV 7XO

from ₹15.87 Lakh

More questions on similar cars

Yash

•1w

I am confused between the 7XO and Safari. I took the test drive of both and loved the rugged suspension setup of the Safari, but I also liked the easy driving nature and dynamics of the 7XO.

Autocar India

•2d

Between the two, the Tata Safari does a great job of projecting toughness. It feels solid, has that reassuring heft, and its suspension setup really shines on broken roads and you can carry speed with confidence and it just shrugs off rough patches.That said, the Mahindra XUV 7XO is the more rounded package overall. Its 2.2-litre diesel is not just more modern, but also noticeably smoother and stronger than the older Fiat-sourced 2.0-litre unit in the Safari. It delivers better drivability in everyday conditions, which makes a difference in city use as well as on the highway.Mahindra car has also worked well on the suspension, and the improvements show. The 7XO feels more composed, offers better ride comfort over a wider range of surfaces, and is simply easier to drive. It has lighter controls, better balance, and a more user-friendly nature overall.Where the Safari still holds an edge is in the third row. It’s more usable and accommodating, whereas the 7XO’s last row is quite tight and best reserved for occasional use.So unless third-row space is a priority, the 7XO stands out as the better all-rounder. It’s more refined, easier to live with, and ultimately the more modern SUV.

Tata Safari

Mahindra XUV 7XO

Akash Gowda L

•4d

I have Tata Hexa XT2 4x2 model that I bought in 2019, and it has done almost 1 lakh km. It is still performing well with no issues, but it has a manual gearbox. I also own smaller automatics like the K10 AGS (2023) and XUV 3XO AMT, but I do not have a 7-seater. Which among Safari AT or XUV 7XO (diesel AT only) is worth buying?

Autocar India

•2d

You want a hassle-free 7-seater automatic for family trips and lots of highway use, moving on from your Hexa manual. For that, we would pick the Tata Safari diesel automatic, because it will feel most natural after your Hexa and is the more comfortable family car day to day.Coming from the Hexa, you will like the Safari’s high seating, cushy second row, and the way it takes bad roads without tossing the family around. Its automatic shifts smoothly, so traffic and hills are easy. While the third row and the boot with all seats up are not huge, they are a touch more usable than in the XUV 7XO. Safety is strong too, with a 5-star crash test rating.A couple of trade-offs to note: the Safari’s diesel sounds a bit louder than the Mahindra car at idle and when pushed. If you care more about stronger highway pull and high-tech features, the XUV 7XO diesel automatic makes sense.Given the fact that you like your Hexa, the Safari AT will slot in as the smooth, comfortable family mover you want.

Tata Safari

Mahindra XUV 7XO

Bhupender

•4d

I live in Faridabad and drive around 1,500 km per month, with 70% city and 30% highway usage. Which petrol car would be better, the Tata Safari or the XUV 7XO?

Autocar India

•2d

With 70% city use in Faridabad and about 1,500 km a month, and since you want a petrol car, the Mahindra XUV 7XO petrol automatic (a mid-variant like AX5) is the better fit for you. Its petrol engine is smooth and quiet at low speeds, and more powerful than the Safari’s 1.5-litre engine. The automatic is well-tuned for stop-and-go driving, so it moves off smartly and does not fumble when you need a quick gap. On your highway runs, the strong petrol pulls cleanly for quick passes, and it feels stable with a well-sorted ride.A trade-off to note is that this Mahindra car can be thirsty in city traffic, so if you press it hard, fuel consumption can be higher than expected. Overall, the XUV 7XO is a good fit for your needs.

Mahindra XUV 7XO

Tata Safari

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