I am planning to buy a 7-seater, and the XUV 7XO is my preferred bet. My driving is 15km daily in the city, with occasional highway and hilly terrain drives. I am an enthusiastic driver, so I don't want to compromise on the engine and power. However, mileage concerns me when I think of petrol. My total yearly running would be 12,000km. Please suggest if I should go for petrol or diesel.

Autocar India

•1h

Sadly, there still isn’t a true replacement for your Octavia in the Rs 30-40 lakh bracket. The segment has thinned out, and nothing today quite blends that space, ride comfort and driver engagement the way the Octavia did.Yes, the new Skoda Octavia RS is finally here and, on paper, it’s everything you’d want: strong performance, sharp handling and that familiar RS edge. But at around Rs 60 lakh, on-road, it sits well outside your budget, and more importantly, it’s a bit too stiff and focused to be the ideal family long-distance car.Within your budget, the closest you’ll get to that familiar Octavia feel is the Skoda Kushaq 1.5 TSI. It’s obviously a couple of segments smaller, but it still carries that Skoda DNA. The 150hp turbo-petrol is punchy, the DSG transmission is quick and responsive, and it feels nicely planted at highway speeds. There’s a tightness and cohesion here that most SUVs in this class simply don’t have, which makes it genuinely enjoyable to drive on long runs.The compromise, however, is space. Compared to your Octavia, it feels narrower, and the rear seat, in particular, is quite tight. For occasional use, it’s fine, but for regular family trips, it will feel like a step down.If space, comfort and effortless cruising are higher on your priority list, the Mahindra XUV 7XO 2.2 diesel is a much stronger fit. It’s significantly more spacious, especially in the second row, and rides very well over broken roads. The diesel has plenty of torque, making highway driving relaxed and easy, and it’s a proper long-distance mile-muncher. It’s not as agile or as connected to drive as the Kushaq, but it’s far better suited to family duties.Another option is the Toyota Innova HyCross hybrid. It is actually the most sensible choice here if your usage is primarily family road trips. It’s supremely comfortable, especially at the rear, incredibly easy to drive, and the strong hybrid delivers excellent efficiency without compromising on refinement. Reliability is a given, and for long distances, very few cars in this price band come close in terms of stress-free usability.But, and this matters given your Octavia background, it’s not fun to drive. It’s competent, smooth and effortless, but completely lacking that driver engagement you’re used to.

Toyota Innova HyCross

Skoda Kushaq

Skoda Octavia RS

Mahindra XUV 7XO

Autocar India

•2h

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.

Tata Safari

JSW Motors Jetour T2

Mahindra XUV 7XO

Autocar India

•15h

The Mahindra XUV 7XO AX7 Diesel-AT will be the right choice for your usage. It's got a great diesel engine, smooth gearbox and very polished ride and handling manners. You'll appreciate the power and sense of confidence that the 7XO gives you on your highway drives. The 7XO AX7 also packs in quite a few features, making it a good value even at Rs 25 lakh.

Mahindra XUV 7XO