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•10w

Hi Autocar India Team, I currently own a 2020 Ford EcoSport Titanium Diesel Manual, which has covered nearly 1,00,000 km. It continues to return around 16.5–18.5 km/l in mixed city and highway driving, and I plan to keep it for several more years. I'm now looking to buy a second vehicle and would appreciate your advice. My monthly driving is around 1,000–1,500 km, split between city and highway use. In addition, my family and I undertake a long road trip of approximately 1,500 km (round trip) or more once every three months. I live in Hyderabad, where EVs currently benefit from zero road tax, making them similarly priced to comparable diesel automatic vehicles. My priorities are value for money, comfortable long-distance touring, enough space for a family and luggage (preferably in a large SUV or MPV), reliability over the next 8–10 years, low running and maintenance costs, and strong safety, ride comfort, and resale value. Since I already own a dependable diesel manual that is well suited for long-distance travel, would you recommend buying an EV or another diesel automatic as my second vehicle? If you were making this purchase today, which large SUV or MPV would you consider the best value-for-money option, and why? I'd also appreciate recommendations across different budget ranges, if possible. Thank you!

•9w

Given your usage pattern and priorities, we would recommend going for a diesel automatic SUV or MPV rather than an EV. Since you regularly undertake long road trips with your family, a diesel eliminates the need for range planning and charging stops that electric cars require. While the Ford EcoSport can continue to handle long-distance journeys, it is now six years old and has already covered nearly 1,00,000 km. If something were to go wrong far from home, sourcing parts or repairs could be more challenging. It would therefore make more sense to use the new vehicle for family road trips, as it will be more comfortable and reliable.

The Kia Carens Clavis diesel automatic is one of the strongest options for your requirements. It offers a spacious cabin with a genuinely usable third row, a refined diesel engine, and a smooth automatic gearbox. Kia cars also have a well-established aftersales network, which adds to their appeal as a long-term ownership proposition.

Another excellent option is the Mahindra XUV 7XO diesel automatic. It offers a spacious cabin, a strong diesel engine, a comfortable ride, and a good balance of features and safety. The drawback is that the third row is not as roomy as the Clavis.

Overall, a diesel automatic SUV or MPV is the more practical and value-for-money choice for your usage pattern, especially considering your regular long-distance travel and plans to keep the vehicle for several years.

Explore cars mentioned

Kia

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Mahindra

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from ₹16.23 Lakh

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•2d

I already have 2 cars including Celerio automatic and i20 diesel. My family needs a six-seater car and budget is not a problem but we want a car for driving within the city and in this case, parking is the problem. I drive less than 10,000 kilometer annually. I drive with all family members mostly within the city and my entire family is shorter than 5 feet 3 inches. I am thinking of having an i20 for highway riding as four of us usually go out. I am planning to buy Triber turbo for 6 family members within the city and for occasional highway trips rather than buying costly cars like Clavis or HyCross.

•1d

Your thinking is absolutely on the right track. Given your usage of less than 10,000 km a year, predominantly city driving with all six on board, and the fact that your family is on the shorter side, the Renault Triber Turbo is actually a very sensible choice. It is compact, easy to park and manoeuvre in the city, and the turbo petrol engine gives it enough punch for occasional highway runs. The sliding second row and flexible seating make it genuinely usable as a six-seater for shorter adults, and it will be far easier to live with in tight parking situations than something like a Clavis or HyCross.The Clavis and HyCross are excellent cars, but they are significantly larger and more expensive, and given your usage pattern, you are unlikely to see the value in that extra spend. Keeping the i20 diesel for highway runs with four people is also a smart move, as it is more comfortable and efficient for longer journeys.

Renault Triber

Kia Carens Clavis

Toyota Innova HyCross

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•1d

I am planning to buy Mahindra XUV 7XO Petrol AX7-T Model. I live in Bangalore and my driving would be around 8000-10,000 km annually, 70% city, 30% highway. I want to understand how has been its owner feedback for it, as it has been on sale for 9 months. I need to know the feedback specifically about driving dynamics, build quality, reliability, electronics and driver aids, and fuel efficiency.

•1d

The Mahindra XUV 7XO petrol AX7-T is a very good fit for your usage in Bangalore with 8,000-10,000 km a year and a 70% city, 30% highway split. Owner feedback over the past nine months has been largely positive. The petrol engine is smooth, refined and well suited to city driving, while the car feels stable and confident on the highway. Build quality is solid and the car feels robust, with good crash test results and a strong safety package. Reliability has been generally good, with no widespread issues reported, though some owners have mentioned minor niggles with electronics and driver aids, which Mahindra has been addressing through software updates. Fuel efficiency is reasonable for a car of this size and performance, but do not expect it to be particularly frugal in heavy city traffic. Overall, the XUV 7XO petrol is a well-rounded SUV that offers a good balance of comfort, performance and features, and should serve you well for your intended usage.

Mahindra XUV 7XO

•1w

Hi, I am currently using a 2021 Ford EcoSport diesel and am now planning to buy a new car by exchanging my EcoSport. I have shortlisted two options: the Kia Seltos HTX diesel automatic and the Mahindra XUV 7XO AX5 diesel automatic. I am confused between the two and would like to know which one I should choose. The on-road prices of both cars are similar. My usage is mostly solo driving, with both city and highway use. On weekends and holidays, I usually travel with my family. Kindly suggest which car would be a better choice for my usage.

•3d

Go for the Mahindra XUV 7XO AX5 diesel automatic. Since you are coming from an EcoSport diesel and your usage is a mix of city driving and family highway trips, the XUV 7XO is the better fit. It offers a more powerful diesel engine, a more spacious cabin and a more comfortable ride, especially on highways. The Seltos diesel HTX automatic is a very good car, but the XUV 7XO feels like a more substantial upgrade from the EcoSport, both in terms of performance and overall ownership experience. The only thing to keep in mind is that the XUV 7XO is a larger car, so if you have tight parking spaces or regularly drive in very congested areas, the Seltos is easier to live with. But overall, the XUV 7XO AX5 diesel automatic is the better choice for your usage.

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•1w

I am confused between Creta SX IVT and Elevate CVT for 8000 km of annual running with long trips of 1200 km 3-4 times in a year for a family of 4. Apart from this, day to day usage is less than 100km per month. I am looking for a car for long term ownership and travel comfort.

•1w

The Creta SX IVT is the better fit for your requirement. It offers a quieter, more refined cabin, comfortable rear seats and a smoother CVT, which are particularly valuable when spending several hours on the highway with four people and luggage. Autocar's long term experience with the Creta petrol IVT also found it refined, comfortable and particularly well suited to road trips.The Honda Elevate CVT has advantages of its own. Its 220mm ground clearance, long travel suspension and large 458-litre boot make it particularly good on poor roads, while its naturally aspirated 1.5-litre engine and CVT make for a relatively simple powertrain. However, the cabin is noticeably noisier, particularly when accelerating hard, and the CVT can produce the typical rubber band effect.

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•5d

Hi Autocar Team, I am confused between the XUV 7XO AX7T diesel manual and automatic. My current ride is a Fluidic Verna diesel manual, which is nearing 15 years of ownership and has clocked nearly 2.5 lakh km. My usage consists of mixed city and highway driving, with around 40km daily and weekend highway runs of about 400km. For long-term ownership, which would be the better choice: the manual or automatic?

•5d

Go for the XUV 7XO AX7T diesel automatic. The diesel engine is well suited to your high running, and the automatic gearbox is a proven torque converter unit that is reliable and well matched to the engine. This Mahindra car will make your daily city driving far less tiring, while still being smooth and efficient on the highway. Coming from a 15-year-old Hyundai Verna diesel manual, the automatic will feel like a significant upgrade in terms of comfort and ease of use, without compromising on long-term reliability. The manual is still a good option if you strongly prefer the engagement, but for your usage and ownership horizon, the automatic is the smarter choice.

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•1w

I have a budget of Rs. 16 lakh and I am getting Victoris ZXI AT and Creta S (O) iVT automatic in petrol. My monthly running is around 1000 km. Please suggest as this will be my first car.

•1w

Go for the Maruti Suzuki Victoris ZXI automatic. It is a well-rounded SUV with a reliable naturally aspirated petrol engine, a smooth automatic gearbox and Maruti's extensive service network, which makes ownership stress free. The Creta S Optional IVT is a good car, but at this price point you are getting a lower variant with fewer features, whereas the Victoris ZXI is a higher trim with a better overall value proposition. The Victoris also offers a comfortable ride, good fuel efficiency and a hassle-free ownership experience, which is exactly what you want from your first car.

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