My average monthly running is about 600-650km in Delhi. I go for road trips to the hills/plains once every 2-3 months. I am 62 years old and healthy. To date, I have not owned any automatic transmission car despite driving for more than 35 years. Would you suggest that I go for an automatic this time, and why so?

Autocar India

•1h

If you have your eye on the Mahindra XUV 7XO, you should go for it. It's a robust product that's been given a significant suspension upgrade, and now also comes with various new features if you choose a high-spec model. It's easy enough to manoeuvre at low speeds, despite its size, which should come in handy for your 15km daily city drive. Out on the highway, it's incredibly stable and offers a comfortable ride.As for which engine to choose, both are incredibly strong and powerful, and Mahindra has prioritised that above all else. As a result, neither is particularly fuel efficient, so don't expect strong mileage numbers from either. The diesel engine will be more fuel-efficient on your highway drives, even if it isn't quite as apparent during your city commute. So, if you are okay with the added cost of the diesel variant, we feel you should choose that.

Mahindra XUV 7XO

Autocar India

•2h

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

•3h

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