Mumbai

•4d

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!

•22s

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

Carens Clavis

from ₹13.30 Lakh

Mahindra

XUV 7XO

from ₹16.51 Lakh

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More questions on similar cars

•3d

My budget is Rs. 15 lakh. We are a family of four adults and two young kids (12 and 6 years old). Occasionally, we also travel with my two in-laws. Which is the best manual petrol car with good mileage, easy servicing, and easily available spare parts?

•1d

To buy a car under Rs. 15 Lakh for a family of four adults, two young children, and occasional trips with your in-laws, the priority should be space, comfort, and low running costs. The Kia Carens Clavis 1.5-litre NA petrol manual is the best fit here. It is one of the few cars in this price range that genuinely accommodates seven people comfortably, has a proven and reliable petrol engine, delivers decent fuel efficiency and benefits from Kia’s strong aftersales support. The sliding second row makes access to the third row easier, and the overall ownership experience is hassle-free. The only drawback of this Kia car is that the boot space is limited with all three rows up, but for your usage pattern, it strikes the right balance between practicality and cost of ownership.

Kia Carens Clavis

•2d

I want to buy a seven-seater car for my family. It will be used by my uncle and me, and my budget is Rs. 25 lakh. I am looking for an automatic transmission, a panoramic sunroof, and good fuel efficiency.

•1d

Go for the Kia Carens Clavis diesel automatic. It is the most sensible and well-rounded choice for your requirements. The Carens is a genuinely spacious seven-seater with a comfortable third row, which is important when the car will be shared between families. The diesel automatic is the right powertrain for strong fuel efficiency and effortless performance, especially on highways and with a full load. The Carens also comes well equipped with features like a panoramic sunroof, and Kia’s service network and ownership experience are among the best in the segment. The only real drawback is that the Carens does not have the same SUV-like road presence as some rivals, but as a practical family car it is hard to fault. If you want something with a more rugged SUV feel, the Mahindra XUV 7XO diesel automatic is worth considering, but mileage would be lower. The Carens is the better all-round family car.

Kia Carens Clavis

Mahindra XUV 7XO

•1w

Hi Team, I am currently driving a 2020 Maruti Suzuki Baleno and am planning to upgrade to an SUV. My shortlisted options are the Honda Elevate, Tata Harrier, and Mahindra XUV 7XO. My daily drive involves around 35 to 40 kms in heavy Bangalore city traffic, along with occasional highway trips. My primary priority is a car with a solid 5-star safety rating, along with good ride comfort and easy city drivability. Coming from a lightweight hatchback, I am looking for an option that offers a clear step up in safety and space without feeling overly cumbersome during my daily urban commute. Could you please evaluate these three models based on my usage and suggest the best option and engine-transmission combination for me?

•1d

Based on your usage, the Honda Elevate CVT is actually the best fit for your needs among your shortlist. With a 35-40 km commute in heavy Bangalore traffic, the CVT makes life easy; the engine is responsive enough to go for gaps in traffic, and the steering is light in the city. Importantly, this Honda car is not so large as to become cumbersome to drive in tight city traffic, which is important to you. The Tata Harrier and Mahindra XUV 7XO are both physically larger, making them slightly more cumbersome to drive in traffic. Their petrol powertrains are also quite thirsty in the city, while their diesel engines do not suit your city-heavy usage, likely requiring additional highway trips just to keep the DPF happy.If you want an alternative similar to the Elevate, the Kia Seltos is a strong choice. It has a 5-star safety rating, is very well equipped in terms of features, and its 1.5-litre naturally aspirated engine paired with the IVT offers a smooth, relaxing drive in the city.

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Popular discussions right now

•1w

Hi, my brother and I are planning to buy a new family car. Our budget is RS. 10 lakh, and our maximum monthly running will be around 500 km. Our priorities are a reliable engine, good performance, and fuel efficiency. Please suggest the best all-rounder car within our budget.

•6d

The Maruti Suzuki Baleno is the most sensible recommendation here. It is spacious enough for family use, has a proven and reliable engine, and is one of the most fuel-efficient cars in its segment. Maruti’s service network and low maintenance costs also make it a very easy car to own over the long term.If you prefer a sedan, the Honda Amaze is worth considering. Honda’s engines are known for their reliability and refinement, and the Amaze is a comfortable and well-built sedan.Overall, the Baleno is the most balanced choice. It offers the best combination of space, efficiency, reliability and low running costs, which is exactly what you need given your usage and budget.

Maruti Suzuki Baleno

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•4d

I currently own a Skoda Kushaq Petrol AT. Everything is fine except the mileage. I am getting only around 10-13kpl with E20 petrol. My daily running is around 100 km. Should I buy a diesel car or an electric car?

•4d

With a daily running of around 100 km, fuel efficiency becomes a major factor in ownership costs. The Skoda Kushaq petrol automatic is a good car, but the 10-13kpl you are seeing is typical for a turbo petrol automatic, especially with E20 petrol. At this usage, a diesel or a strong hybrid makes far more sense.If you do regular highway runs, a diesel is still the most practical and cost-effective solution. The Mahindra XUV 7XO diesel automatic would be the recommendation here. It is a strong highway car, comfortable, spacious and the diesel engine will deliver significantly better fuel efficiency than your Kushaq. Diesel running costs will be far lower over your kind of mileage. If that is out of your budget, something smaller like a Kia Seltos diesel, while not as powerful, is even more efficient.If your usage is mostly city a strong hybrid could be a better solution. The Maruti Suzuki Victoris is the most practical and cost-effective option. It is well priced, has a proven track record and will dramatically reduce your running costs. The strong hybrid is better suited to the city, where it is more likely to run on its electric motor than use the engine and deliver the better mileage.

Skoda Kushaq

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•2d

I’m planning to buy an EV with a budget of Rs. 19 - 20 lakh. My heart says the Tata Sierra EV Pure 63, but my mind says the Kia Syros top variant because of features like ventilated seats. Kindly suggest which one would be the better choice.

•1d

The choice really comes down to your usage and what you value in the car. If you need more space for both passengers and luggage and have a few long drives that you would undertake, then opt for the Tata Sierra. It is a much larger car and has a very spacious interior. The ride quality is also very good over both bad city roads as well as high highway speeds. If, however, your usage is mainly going to be within the city, then the Kia Syros is the better buy. Its compact footprint will be much easier to manage while driving congested streets, and finding parking would be easier. You would also enjoy the top variant and its features.

Tata Sierra

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