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Mumbai
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Harikrishnan

1d

I am a retired person and currently own a Jeep Compass Limited Plus diesel manual, which I am planning to replace. My driving is about 5% in Chennai city and the rest on highways. Once every two months, I go on long road trips, mainly on highways and rural roads. Most of the time, it will be just me and my wife, with occasionally two additional passengers. I am considering the diesel Kia Seltos or Mahindra 7XO within a ₹16-18 lakh on-road budget. Kindly suggest which vehicle and model would be most suitable for my needs.

Autocar India team

Autocar India

Verified
1h
For your usage, which is mostly highway driving with occasional rural roads and long trips, the Mahindra XUV 7XO diesel manual is the better fit. It offers a more relaxed and effortless driving experience, especially over long distances.
An important point in your case is what you are upgrading from. Your Jeep Compass diesel uses a 2.0-litre engine, and moving to the Kia Seltos diesel, which has a smaller 1.5-litre engine, will not feel like an upgrade in terms of performance. It will feel adequate, but not significantly stronger than what you are used to.
The XUV 7XO, on the other hand, also uses a larger 2.0-litre diesel engine, and despite being a bigger car, it will feel like a proper step up. You will notice stronger pulling power, more effortless highway cruising and better overall performance. It also feels more stable and composed at speed, which suits your kind of long-distance driving. Refinement levels are also good, making it a comfortable car for extended journeys.
The Seltos diesel is easier to drive in the city and feels more compact and user-friendly, but on highways and rough rural roads, it does not feel as robust or as planted as the 7XO.
One important point is the budget. The 7XO diesel variants may go slightly above your Rs 18 lakh on-road range, depending on the variant and location, so you will need to check exact pricing.
Mahindra XUV 7XO

Mahindra XUV 7XO

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I am considering buying the XUV 7XO AX7 Diesel AT variant, but I am hesitant about spending an additional ₹2-3 lakh for the AX7T variant for features like fog lights and ventilated seats. Can these be fitted as OEM accessories post-delivery at a Mahindra authorised service centre, and would that void the warranty in any case?

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The Tata Safari petrol is a very good choice for your needs. During our first drive, we found its performance to be quite effortless despite the modest 1.5-litre displacement. We recorded a 0-100kph time of just 10.5 seconds, which is very respectable for a vehicle of this size. The engine has strong low-down grunt, which helps it pick up speed effortlessly, and it felt adequate even with six people on board. On the expressway, it maintained high speeds with ease and made quick overtakes when required. We haven’t yet driven it in the hills, but all evidence suggests it should be just fine.If performance is still a concern, the Mahindra XUV 7XO is a good alternative. The best way to address your concerns is to take an extended highway test drive with at least five passengers on board. Assess whether its overtaking performance feels adequate for your needs and, if possible, find a hill to do a gradient test.

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Posted on: 3 Apr 2026