I am planning to buy an XUV700 in January. My monthly running is 600-700 km, about 70% in the city. I live in Jaipur, Rajasthan, and I’m confused about the fuel choice. Should I opt for petrol or diesel? Please advise - thanks.

Considering your monthly running is under 1000km, and most of your driving is in the city, we suggest going for the petrol version of the Mahindra XUV700. While the diesel will be more efficient, it is over a lakh more expensive than the equivalent petrol variant, and with your limited usage, it will take years to recover that cost. Additionally, since around 70 per cent of your driving is in the city, there is a higher chance of facing DPF clogging issues with a diesel engine.

We would also recommend waiting a bit before making the purchase, as the XUV700 facelift is just around the corner. It is expected to come with updated styling, more features and possibly changes to the suspension.

Given your limited city running, you could also consider the soon-to-launch Mahindra XEV 9S, which is a seven-seater. We expect it to be priced slightly higher than the Mahindra XEV 9E five-seater, and it should carry the same battery size, offering a good range. With home charging, its running costs will be much lower than the petrol or diesel XUV700.