We are a family of two, and 95% of the time, the car will be used by just the two of us. We take trips with our extended family of 7 once or twice a year. My driving is split 50:50 between city and highway, and I also do leisure tours of at least 800 km every month as I enjoy driving and travelling. My overall monthly usage is between 2,500 and 3,000 km. My priorities are a car that is fun to drive, loaded with features, has low maintenance costs, makes a statement, is comfortable, and is practical for daily use. My budget is Rs. 27 lakh, and I have shortlisted the Sierra EV AWD and the XEV 9S Pack Two with the 79 kWh battery. Which one would you recommend?

autocar.india

•1d

With your usage of just 20-30 km a month plus a few long trips a year, an EV is actually a very sensible choice. You have home charging, which is the biggest hurdle for most buyers, and your low monthly running means you will not be burning fuel idling in the garage. The occasional long trips are manageable with planning, and modern EVs like the Sierra EV or XEV 9s offer enough range for most intercity runs with a single charging stop. The key advantage here is that you avoid the E20 question altogether. Modern petrol engines are E20 compliant, but higher ethanol blends do reduce fuel efficiency slightly, and with your low usage, the fuel savings of a petrol car are negligible anyway.If you are set on a D-segment SUV, the Mahindra XEV 9s is the most practical choice. It offers a spacious cabin, good performance and despite its size is easy to drive in the city as well.

Mahindra XEV 9S

Tata Sierra EV

autocar.india

•1d

With 8,000-9,000 km a year and mostly city driving, an EV actually makes a lot of sense. Your running is not high enough to justify a diesel, and an EV will give you the biggest benefit in the city with its smooth, quiet and effortless driving experience. The Rs 30-40 lakh range is also where you start getting genuinely capable EVs with good range, strong performance and a more premium ownership experience.A good overall package is the Mahindra XEV 9S. This Mahindra car fits well under your budget and has a fantastic price-to-performance ratio. It is also a large SUV with lots of practicality and is very easy to drive in the city. You can opt for the Pack Three Above trim with the 79kWh battery pack that gets you a good range and strong performance as well. Being a top-spec, it is very well kitted out and feature-wise you will get a lot more than what you do on even some higher-segment EVs.

Mahindra XEV 9S

autocar.india

•2d

With a car under 30 Lakhs on-road budget, 20 km daily usage and only occasional long trips, you are actually in a very comfortable position to go electric. The key factor here is your home charging facility, which makes EV ownership far more convenient and cost-effective. With your usage pattern, the lower running costs of an EV will add up over time, and you will not be affected by E20 fuel concerns at all. For your budget, the Mahindra XEV 9S or 9e is the most sensible choice. Both cars have good real-world range, a comfortable cabin and a mature ownership experience. The only caveat is your occasional long trips. As long as you are comfortable planning charging stops on those journeys, an EV is the right choice. If you are not, then a petrol car like the Mahindra XUV 7XO is still the safer option. But given your usage and home charging, we would recommend going electric.

Mahindra XEV 9S

Mahindra XEV 9e