It’s good to know you have had a good experience with EVs and are ready to buy your next one. The Tata Sierra EV is unlikely to arrive before August next year, so you will have a long wait. If you like the Mahindra BE6, go for it. It has a striking design, drives really well and comes with a lot of features. The big negative is that the rear seat isn’t very comfortable, and you may want to wait for a new variant due in late January or early Feb 2026. It will get a three-screen infotainment system similar to the one in the XEV range

We would lean towards the Citroen C3X Shine with the 1.2 turbo engine and six-speed AT. It's a little above your budget but will suit your needs best as it is extremely comfortable, has a superb suspension and the best powertrain for the price. For highway driving, it is the best of all the options you have shortlisted because of the brilliant engine and dynamics. However, we have added that Citroen’s dealer network is not the best, and hence, after-sales service could be a worry. If you want to play safe, go for the Maruti Suzuki Fronx, it's well equipped, reliable and comes with low-cost maintenance. It’s just that for your budget, you will get the 1.2 petrol mated to an AMT, which is nowhere near as nice to drive as the C3X.

We suggest you wait for the new Skoda Kushaq, which will be launched next month. It has more features and is great on the highway and twisty roads. Your budget may limit you to the 1.0 TSI engine, but that’s a really punchy engine mated to a smooth 6-speed automatic box. The Honda Elevate works well as a city car, but it's nowhere near as good as a Kushaq or even a Skoda Slavia on a twisty road.

Firstly, we don’t think you should worry about diesel restrictions on new cars in Mumbai. The current diesel engines are quite clean, and if there is a ban in the future, it will only be the older diesels that will be taken off the road. The Maruti Suzuki Victoris hybrid would have been a good choice. But as you said and we have pointed out too in our tests, the boot space is compromised because of the hybrid batteries, and the rear seats are not very spacious. The other cars you have listed are all turbo-petrol petrol, so they won’t be economical and will burn a hole in your pocket if you drive 80km every day. Since you have shortlisted some compact SUVs, we suggest you look at the Hyundai Venue diesel. It has just been launched, so it's very fresh and will age well over a 10-year lifecycle, and the diesel engine is very efficient and keeps your running costs under control.