Which SUV is good in terms of style, comfort and power under Rs 30-35 lakh (ex-showroom Mumbai)? Mileage of 10+ kpl is acceptable.

autocar.india

•1d

For a seven-seater, the Tomahawk PHEV has an interesting advantage over the XUV 7XO. It can handle much of your everyday driving on electric power, while the petrol engine lets you take longer trips without planning around charging. It is also designed with comfort and space as priorities.The XUV 7XO makes more sense if performance, highway driving and a more conventional powertrain are higher on the priority list. It also offers more engine and transmission choices, including diesel, making it a more straightforward proposition for heavy highway use.The important caveat is that we are yet to drive the Tomahawk PHEV, so its ride quality, real-world efficiency, performance and overall refinement cannot be judged against the XUV 7XO yet. Those aspects should be assessed once a production car is tested.

MG Hector Tomahawk PHEV

Mahindra XUV 7XO

autocar.india

•15h

There are a few more criteria to clarify, but all things equal, for Mumbai city driving with less than 1,000km per month, an electric car is the most sensible choice. Diesel and hybrid cars ask you to spend more than what your usage justifies, and are available in very few vehicles today at the upper end of the spectrum. Modern diesel cars also require regular highway runs to regenerate the DPF, and assuming your Mumbai drive is purely urban, that will require extra effort. A Petrol car is not without its problems, chiefly that it is the most expensive fuel per unit, and its vehicles are the least efficient, so while the purchase price may be the lowest and the choice in vehicles the widest, in terms of pure running costs, it could end up the highest. EVs aren't without their shortcomings, chief of which is the dependence on a home charger, so make sure that is possible at your home. Outstation trips, should you need to do them, become limited by infrastructure and the vehicle's range, but again assuming you mean urban Mumbai driving only, the fact that they offer minimal running costs and the lowest maintenance, makes them best suited for your use. And while they may be expensive to purchase compared to their ICE equivalents, they're available in many shapes, sizes and price points today, so it's quite easy to find something that fits your needs. What's more, an EV remains the smoothest and most refined driving experience money can buy, which is ideal for an urban environment like Mumbai.

autocar.india

•16h

With a daily running of 50km, you are looking at around 18,000km a year, which is right in the sweet spot where a diesel starts to make financial sense, especially if a significant portion of your driving is on highways. At the same time, you are also looking for a car that is safe, fuel-efficient, and reliable over a 7-8 year ownership period, all within a budget of Rs 20 lakh.The Kia Seltos diesel is the recommendation here. It has a 5-star Bharat NCAP rating, and the diesel engine is both efficient and well-suited to your kind of running. This Kia car is also spacious, comfortable, and well-equipped, making it a strong long-term ownership proposition. You should also get a reasonably high-spec variant within your budget of Rs 20 lakh.If you are open to petrol, the Maruti Suzuki Victoris Hybrid is worth considering. It, too, has a 5-star Bharat NCAP rating; the hybrid system delivers excellent fuel efficiency, especially in city driving, and Maruti's service network and reliability are big advantages over a long ownership period. However, given your running, the diesel Seltos still makes more financial sense.

Kia Seltos

Maruti Suzuki Victoris