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Between the Hyundai Creta and Seltos, both cars offer the same engine and gearbox options. However, the Kia Seltos is all-new, features a larger body, more cabin space, and feels a notch up in quality as well.Your choice of seven-seaters isn’t as similar. The Mahindra Scorpio N is built on a body-on-frame chassis, which means it's very tough and can take a lot of beating, but it's nowhere near as comfortable as the XUV 7XO, which has a larger cabin and far more features.The biggest difference between the two is ride quality: the Scorpio N, a tall-riding SUV, rocks from side to side and is quite bumpy on rough roads. In contrast, the Mahindra XUV 7XO, with its updated suspension, feels incredibly refined and comfortable. It softens the bumps and feels very stable at high speeds. So if you don’t travel on really bad roads, the XUV 7XO is a far better option.

Within a Rs 15 lakh budget, your best option is the Kia Carens Clavis HTE (O), which comes with two engine options. As a family car, the 1.5 NA engine does the job. It is smooth and quite responsive in slow traffic. If you want a bit more power, the 1.5 turbo-petrol is a good option, particularly for highway runs and long weekend trips.The Kia Carens Clavis has a well-designed cabin with a spacious and comfortable third row, which is good even for adults.

Both these SUVs are closely matched, but the Hyundai Creta H has the edge thanks to a more responsive engine and a cabin that feels more upmarket than the Grand Vitara’s. The Maruti-Suzuki Grand Vitara has a marginally better ride and feels more composed over potholes than the Creta. Overall, we would choose the Creta as the better all-rounder between the two.

Don’t be alarmed by the video you saw. All electric cars discharge very fast when driven at speed. And a fast discharge also heats up the battery and motor, so to protect the hardware, the battery management system (BMS) cuts the power, which explains the 14% drop you noticed.Because of aerodynamic drag, speed is the biggest enemy of range, and there is an exponential drop the faster you go. For example, if you drive at 160-170kph, the batteries will discharge 2.5 to 3 times faster than if you were driving at 90-100kph.Even EVs with large batteries can lose charge at the rate of 1-2% per minute with hard and sustained high-speed driving.So if all you want is performance and don’t care about range, the Mahindra XEV 9e in Race mode is very quick for short bursts of acceleration to overtake and fast highway runs. But no EV will give you full peak power indefinitely at extreme speeds.It all depends on how the BMS is calibrated, but after sustained high-speed driving, expect a drop in power, which is normal for an EV and not a flaw of the 9e specifically.

The MG Windsor Essence Pro is spacious enough for four people, but it has limitations as a family car. Firstly, being an electric car with a moderate range, it's best as a city car and not convenient for out-of-town trips. Also, the boot isn’t spacious enough for a family of four's luggage on a long weekend trip.The Honda Elevate is the more sensible choice as a family car. It is reliable, efficient, very spacious, and has a big boot. With this Honda car, you can’t really go wrong.

In the Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara hybrid, the air-con and most electrical systems are powered by the main hybrid battery. There is also a small 12-volt battery, but it only runs basic electricals and electronics like the dashboard and locking.When you are stopped with the air-con on, the car uses the hybrid battery first. If that battery level drops, the petrol engine automatically starts. The engine then generates power to recharge the main battery and shuts off again when the battery is fully charged.

The base variants of both the Tata Sierra and Seltos come with naturally aspirated 1.5-litre engines. If you are looking for performance and good power delivery, the Seltos' 1.5 engine is better.In fact, the Tata 1.5 NA engine is the weak link in the Sierra, as performance and power delivery are sluggish and nowhere near as responsive as the Kia Seltos’ engine.

The Tata Sierra is a smaller car than the Tata Harrier and Tata Safari, which are in a segment above. But if you like good looks, then the Sierra with its stunning design wins hands down.Also, the 1.5 diesel is cheaper to maintain than the 2.0 diesels in the Harrier and Safari. So, in view of your preference for a diesel Tata SUV, the Sierra is the best choice.

The Tata Sierra is a very appealing car and definitely worth considering. We have driven the 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol with the DCA automatic, and while it is smooth, it feels sluggish, especially on the highway. Quick overtakes of fast-moving trucks require planning and effort.Given that around 30% of your driving is on highways, we would recommend a diesel car instead. It is torquey, has a strong mid-range, and is much better suited to overtaking and relaxed long-distance driving.Regarding DPF concerns, the issue is not low annual mileage but driving pattern. Diesel particulate filters need the car to be driven at steady speeds for some time to clean themselves. Since you do have regular highway usage, your driving pattern should allow the DPF to regenerate properly, making clogging unlikely in normal use.

If you like a manual, you can look at the Hyundai Venue HX5 1.0 MT, which is a peppy car like the Ecosport you are driving, but with a lighter clutch. However, our advice is to go for an automatic, as Bengaluru traffic can be taxing to drive in. You can get an automatic version (DCT) of the Venue with the same engine which will have strong performance too, but will be easier to drive.