Delhi

•3h

I’m planning to buy a car with an on-road budget of around Rs 16 lakh. It will be on a corporate lease, so good fuel efficiency would help financially. We’ll drive 600-800 km a month. Would a diesel automatic Kia Sonet or Hyundai Venue be a good choice, or would a petrol suit my usage better? I’ve noticed that most petrol automatics in this range use a DCT. Is a DCT good for Bengaluru traffic, or is a torque converter better suited to stop-go driving? I’m really confused by the options in this budget, so please help. I currently drive a Ford Figo diesel manual.

•3m

With your monthly running of just 600- 800 km, we would recommend a petrol automatic over a diesel. The additional cost of buying a diesel is unlikely to be recovered through fuel savings at this level of usage. Also, with predominantly urban driving, a modern diesel's DPF can become a concern if the car does not regularly get sufficiently long runs to complete regeneration. Coming from your Ford Figo diesel, you may find the petrol's running costs higher, but the lower usage makes it the more sensible choice.

For Bengaluru traffic, a torque converter automatic would be preferable to a DCT. DCTs are perfectly usable, but repeated crawling in heavy stop-start traffic can make them feel jerky at low speeds and less smooth than a torque converter.

We would shortlist the Mahindra XUV 3XO petrol AT and Skoda Kylaq AT. Both get six-speed torque converter automatics. The 3XO has a stronger 1.2-litre turbo-petrol engine with 200Nm, a spacious cabin and a comfortable ride. The Kylaq is more compact, feels engaging to drive and is easier to manoeuvre and park in tight spaces.

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•4d

My budget is under Rs 12 lakh, and I want a petrol manual car. I currently drive a 17-year-old Maruti Dzire diesel and am looking to replace it with a compact SUV. My priorities are good highway performance, safety, decent fuel efficiency and a spacious cabin. I will sometimes drive the car myself, but it will mostly be chauffeur-driven. I have shortlisted the Mahindra XUV 3XO MPFi, but some people have advised me against buying it, leaving me unsure about its reliability. Should I go ahead with it or consider other options? At this price, I can also get the Hyundai Venue HX5+ and Maruti Victoris LXi. What would you suggest?

•22h

The Mahindra XUV 3XO is a great choice for your needs. It has good performance on the highway, decent efficiency and a 5-star Bharat NCAP safety rating. If you are being chauffeured and spend time in the back seat, you'll find the seat is wide and comfortable, with good space too. Reliability is also quite good, though some owners report electronic glitches.Among your alternatives, the Maruti Victoris LXi is larger overall and therefore roomier, but being the base model, it will feel a bit bare-bones. The Hyundai Venue HX5+ is a better choice, offering a good balance of features and passenger comfort. However, if you want the most space in the sub-4-meter SUV segment, consider the Kia Syros. It has a very spacious and comfy back seat and a large boot. It is offered with the same 1.0-litre turbo petrol as the Venue, so highway performance is good too.Overall, the XUV 3XO is a solid choice, but if you are not convinced, then consider the Venue or the Syros.

Mahindra XUV 3XO

Maruti Suzuki Victoris

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•3d

I currently drive a Ford EcoSport 1.0 EcoBoost and am planning to replace it with a new car. I am considering two options: the Hyundai i20 N Line N8 DCT and the Mahindra XUV 3XO RevX A. We are a young family of three, with a toddler, and the car will primarily be used for 70% city driving and 30% highway driving. We are based in a relatively remote part of the country, where road conditions, service accessibility and long-distance usability are important considerations. My priorities are safety, driving engagement, rear-seat comfort and ease of long-term ownership. Considering these requirements, which car would you recommend and why? In particular, does the XUV 3XO's larger boot and higher ground clearance make it a more practical family choice? Is the i20 N Line significantly more engaging to drive and better suited to everyday city use? How do the two compare in terms of rear-seat comfort, ride quality and highway stability? Which offers a more dependable ownership experience, especially considering the DCT versus a torque-converter automatic? If you had to choose one for the next seven to nine years, which would it be?

•1d

Between the two, the Mahindra XUV 3XO is a better choice for a growing family. As you mentioned, road conditions where you live aren't ideal, so the 3XO's added ground clearance and superior ride quality give it an edge over the i20 N Line. The N Line is more engaging to drive, but its ride has a firm edge to it, which can get a bit jarring. The 3XO RevX A rides on 16-inch wheels with tall-sidewall tyres that do a remarkable job of rounding off sharp edges. It is also a surprisingly tidy handler, with slightly numb steering being the only real complaint. The 3XO offers very good performance too, while its torque converter automatic is smoother in traffic than the i20 N Line's DCT. In terms of practicality, the 3XO's wider cabin, roomier rear seat and larger boot give it another advantage over the i20.Overall, while the Hyundai i20 N Line is certainly a more entertaining car to drive, it can't match the 3XO's practicality, which matters more when you have a young family. If you'd like an alternative, consider the Hyundai Venue N Line, which is a more direct rival to the 3XO.

Hi Team, I currently own an i20 diesel and am planning to upgrade. I have considered Sonet HTX Diesel and XUV 3XO AX5 variant (both manual). My running is mostly 60-70% on highway with more than 2000km monthly running. I am looking for a car that has good performance and handling with mileage of a diesel car. What do you think about it and is there any other car that I should consider? Also, what are your views on long term reliability and ownership experience of these two cars?

•1d

We would suggest you go ahead with the Mahindra XUV 3XO as the Sonet will be replaced within a year with an all new model. The rear seat space too is not a lot and in this regard the XUV is much better, so if this is important for you then the Mahindra would be the ideal choice. The performance and handling of the XUV is also tuned for driving pleasure so this would meet your other requirement too. In terms if ownership experience though Mahindra service stations are a mixed bag so make sure the dealer in your area is a well reputed one.

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•19h

I’m a first-time car buyer and I’m confused between the Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara Delta (Rs 12.7 lakh on-road), the Brezza VXi automatic (Rs 11.4 lakh) and the Brezza ZXi manual (Rs 11.5 lakh). I’m not sure how much of my driving will be in the city and how much on the highway. If I choose the automatic, I’ll miss out on many features that come with the Brezza ZXi and the Grand Vitara Delta. Is it okay to give up those features and choose the VXi automatic?

•3h

It is a tricky choice, but we would lean towards the Maruti Suzuki Brezza VXi automatic. In today's increasingly congested traffic conditions, the convenience of an automatic transmission is something you will appreciate every day. The additional features on the Brezza ZXi manual or Grand Vitara Delta may seem attractive initially, but over the years, the ease of driving an automatic is likely to matter more.The Brezza VXi AT is not poorly equipped either. It gets a touchscreen infotainment system, automatic climate control, six airbags, ESP and hill-hold assist. You will miss out on features such as cruise control, a rear parking camera and a sunroof, but some convenience features can be added later through accessories.

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•2d

What are Mahindra’s plans for an ICE SUV positioned above the XUV 7XO? Specifically, does Mahindra plan to launch any ICE SUVs in the Rs 30-40 lakh bracket?

•1d

Mahindra has not yet confirmed an all-new ICE SUV positioned above the XUV 7XO in the Rs 30-40 lakh bracket. However, there are some interesting developments on its future product roadmap. The company has outlined plans for 10 new ICE models by 2031, including nine new nameplates, with several expected to use its upcoming NU_IQ platform. The Vision X and Vision SXT concepts are among the products to watch, although their final positioning and specifications are yet to be revealed. A more immediate development is the possibility of a strong-hybrid version of the XUV 7XO, which Mahindra is evaluating and could introduce around 2027. This would potentially sit above the current petrol and diesel variants, offering better fuel efficiency and a more sophisticated powertrain. Mahindra is also working on a coupe-styled hybrid SUV, internally codenamed W623, which could arrive around 2028, although its positioning is not yet clear.

Mahindra XUV 7XO

•1w

improve the grammar and write it in a paragraph - Hi Autocar, Iam looking to book a car this week. I have narrowed it down to one of 3 cars. Petrol Automatic IVTs. My running is mostly going to be 95% city (office to work in Mumbai traffic). Daily commute is around 15km, so I don't want a turbo in traffic. That's roughly 5k annual running. I am 6ft tall so wouldn't want something that is cramped 1. New Seltos HTK(O) 2. New elevate VX 3. Bayon HX 8 All of these are close to the 16L ex showroom price. I've driven the Seltos and Elevate. I really liked both of them. The Seltos feels more premium from the inside and I feel like that is something worth having in a daily car. The elevate is brilliant, but it seems cheap on the inside. No pani sunroof too, although I would maybe use it 1 day in year, it's priced the same as the Seltos, so that felt a miss. I know Honda engines are top, but at my running and limited enthusiast journey, I'm not sure if that does justice to need. Now comes the bayon. I have not done a test drive yet as its not available, but the bayon pricing at Hx6 and hx8 seems very close to the Creta currently.. I am tempted to go for the hx8 as it as a 360 camera,( I think that might be usefull for parking etc as I am coming from a hatchback ) but I am getting a "lesser car" vs the Seltos here I wonder.. Which one would you recommend? I am keen on booking before diwali, will see if there are any discounts on the Seltos (unlikey though)

•6d

All things considered, the Kia Seltos is the better fit for your needs. Since you are on the taller side, you will appreciate the extra room it has to offer compared to the Hyundai Bayon. Opting for the Bayon does get you a higher variant with a 360-degree camera, which can be helpful in tight spots. However, once you get used to the size of the vehicle, you might find yourself using the camera less often.As for the Honda Elevate, as you rightly mentioned, the Seltos feels more premium inside and costs about the same. The Elevate does offer a bit more performance from its 1.5L naturally aspirated engine, but since 95% of your driving is in slow-moving Mumbai traffic, the added performance won't really make much of a difference.Overall, the Seltos is the right fit for your needs.

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