I plan to buy a Thar Rox. My daily running is about 10 km, with long road trips once every quarter. Which engine is best for my use - petrol or diesel - and which model offers the best value for money within a ₹20 lakh budget? Please advise.

Autocar India

•12w

The Mahindra Thar Roxx petrol makes more sense given your limited running. The 2.0 litre turbo petrol is powerful, smooth and refined. While the diesel is more efficient, it is not as smooth, and you would need significantly higher running costs to recover its higher upfront cost.

Since you are not planning hardcore off-roading and your usage will mostly be daily commutes and highway driving, the fact that the petrol is only offered in 4X2 does not really matter.

The MX5 fits your requirements well, in both manual and automatic, stays within your budget, and offers features you would expect, such as 19-inch alloys, a 10.25-inch touchscreen, a single pane sunroof and a reversing camera.

Explore cars mentioned

Mahindra

Thar Roxx

from ₹14.40 Lakh

Was this helpful? Ask a follow-up

Got a suggestion for Rakesh?

Add a Comment

Related questions you may find helpful

Saransh

•2d

I am planning to buy a new SUV at around ₹17 lakh on-road price and have shortlisted the Honda Elevate ZX, Kia Seltos HTK and new Kushaq Prestige. I primarily need a car for 80% driving in the city and around 1000-1200 km per month. Which is better in terms of engine and mileage? Is the Honda Elevate outdated compared to other cars in the segment?

Autocar India

•5m

The Honda Elevate is a good option for your needs. The 1.5-litre petrol engine is smooth and refined, and the CVT automatic gearbox is well-suited to city driving. The car is spacious and comfortable, and the ZX variant is well-equipped too. However, in comparison to the Seltos, it does not have the space or the modernity, and the cabin does not feel as plush.The Kia Seltos HTK with the CVT gearbox is the best option considering all your needs. It is a lot better-equipped than the Honda, has a better ride quality, and the engine has a lot more punch and strong performance while still being easy to drive in the city. The smoothness, refinement and ease of use are why the Seltos will be our recommendation.The Skoda Kushaq is a good option, too. The 1.0-litre TSI engine is quite efficient, but it is not as smooth as the 1.5-litre engines of the Honda and Kia. The facelift that was recently revealed will be launched in a few days, but it hasn't changed much in the rear seat space, where it is still not as spacious as the Seltos. So we would advise you to shortlist the Seltos.

Ritz

I am confused between Windsor EV (VFM) and XEV 9s (amazing driveability, feature-rich, and future-proof). My daily driving usage is low, around 300km per month, with occasional outstation trips (600kms once in every 3 to 4 months). I enjoy a good torque (acceleration) coming from a diesel world. When I did a test drive of Windsor, the acceleration was okay, but even in the lowest regen level setting, I felt a slight jerk. It makes sense from a VFM standpoint, but it felt like a compromise compared to XEV 9s.

Autocar India

•35m

If you don't mind stretching your budget, the Mahindra XEV 9S is the one to buy. It's larger than the Windsor EV and offers the flexibility of a third row of seats. The XEV 9S is also packed with equipment. We aren't fans of the user interface, but it's still better than the MG Windsor.For someone switching from a diesel, the XEV 9S' biggest pull is its power. It's significantly more powerful than the Windsor EV, and acceleration is brisk in its sportiest driving mode.

Mahindra XEV 9S

Subash

•2d

I am confused about whether to buy the petrol or diesel variant of the Kia Seltos. I always prefer to drive a manual transmission and am not interested in an automatic at all. I was owning a Kia Carens 1.5 Petrol MT previously and am now looking for a new SUV. Suggest which one to take, either petrol or diesel in the Seltos MT. Also considering the Skoda Kushaq, but afraid of the high maintenance cost in Skoda.

Autocar India

•1h

Since you have not mentioned your monthly running, the choice between petrol and diesel mainly depends on how much you drive and the kind of driving you do. As a general rule, if your running is more than about 1,300 to 1,400 km per month, then the diesel version of the Kia Seltos can make sense. You should also have regular highway drives so that the diesel engine can operate properly and avoid potential DPF related issues.If your running is lower than that or largely city-focused, the petrol Seltos will suit you very well. Since you prefer a proper manual gearbox, you should know that the turbo petrol engine is only available with the clutchless iMT. The conventional manual gearbox comes with the 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine.While it is not as punchy as the turbo petrol, it is smooth and perfectly adequate for everyday driving, especially in the city. In fact, you are already familiar with this engine because your Kia Carens uses the same powertrain and transmission combination.Regarding the Skoda Kushaq, the brand has improved a lot over the past few years, and the earlier reliability concerns are largely sorted. However, since you already own a Kia car and are satisfied with the ownership experience, sticking with the Seltos would be the safer and more comfortable choice for you.

Kia Seltos

Kia Carens

Skoda Kushaq

View all Posts