Hyundai Alcazar Platinum 1.5 Petrol MT 7 seat

The Tata Safari is a good choice for a 7-seater SUV. It is spacious and has a genuinely usable third row of seats. The safety it offers is also very good, with a host of equipment, a stable ride and a 5-star crash rating in both GNCAP and BNCAP tests. The only thing is that, being a heavy vehicle, the mileage will not be very high. 

Tata claims an ARAI efficiency of 14.5kpl, but you will get somewhere between 7 to 10 kpl in the city and a bit more on the highway. If this is a deal breaker, opt for the Hyundai Alcazar. The new car is not yet crash tested, but it has a lot of safety equipment. The diesel engine returned an impressive 12.5kpl in the city and 16.3kpl on the highway in our standard test cycle.  

The Hyundai Alcazar is a well-engineered vehicle, but it's not very popular, and Hyundai is considering discontinuing it. The Alcazar is more of a "Creta Plus’ than a full-fledged seven-seater in its own right. 

Whilst the middle row with the captain seat arrangement is quite comfortable, the Alcazar is a bit narrow, and the third row is not good for adults. The Alcazar is expensive for what it offers, and in that respect, the Kia Carens Clavis is a better value.

Go for the Tata Safari turbo-petrol. It is far more suited as a seven-seater than the Mahindra XUV 7XO, due to a more spacious third row. Also, the Sierra's touchscreen and user interface are far simpler than the Mahindra's, which can feel a bit overwhelming, at least initially.

While we haven't extensively tested the Safari turbo-petrol, expect single-digit fuel efficiency in urban conditions. It is expected of such a large SUV. If running costs matter, then you could consider the diesel version instead. 

Relatively smaller and easier to drive 7-seater options are the Hyundai Alcazar and Kia Carens Clavis, which come with turbo-petrol and diesel automatic options.

The Hyundai Alcazar is a decent option for a 6/7-seater SUV with a comfortable ride quality. However, its third row of seats is not the most spacious or comfortable for adults. 

If you're fine with going for an MPV, take a look at the Toyota Innova Hycross strong hybrid. It's got a refined petrol-strong hybrid CVT powertrain that has a claimed fuel efficiency of 23.34kpl. 

Moreover, its cabin is far more spacious and comfortable than the Alcazar, and it has a comfortable ride on the highways too. Toyota Innova Hycross strong hybrid prices range from Rs 26.30 lakh to Rs 32.38 lakh (ex-showroom, India). 

The new Tata Sierra and new Kia Seltos are both excellent 5-seat SUVs packed with the latest features and tech. The Tata scores high on space and ride comfort, while the Seltos is big on quality and driving dynamics. 

However, at this price, you could get a 7-seater too. If you don't mind the MPV body style, the Kia Carens Clavis offers the most spacious and practical cabin and is available with several different engines and gearboxes. 

If you would like an SUV body style, consider the Hyundai Alcazar, though its third row and boot aren't quite as good as the Kia's. 

The Mahindra XUV 7XO is a good option to consider and is a very good value for money buy. Every variant now gets the three-screen setup and six airbags; there are loads of features as you go higher up the ladder. 

Within your budget, you can get the AX or even the AX3 variant with these features. However, if you want more features at this price point, then we would recommend you look at the Hyundai Alcazar. It will have a few more features like dual-zone climate control and ambient lighting, along with all the other basics. 

The Kia Carens Clavis is the ideal pick for your requirements. It's a well-packaged MPV that offers comfortable seating across all three rows. A one-touch operation for the middle row seat fold makes access to the last row easy. Also, there is ample movement built into the middle row to balance space for all passengers. 

The Clavis is also easy to drive and doesn't intimidate as some three-row SUVs can. From the Clavis line-up, the Turbo DCT HTX(O) is the one to buy.

Of the other three-row petrol-auto options, there's the Hyundai Alcazar, MG Hector Plus, Mahindra XUV 7XO and Tata Safari.

Considering your requirements, you should take a look at the Kia Carens Clavis. The MPV is a well-rounded package that offers a comfortable ride, a spacious and practical cabin for seven people and a lengthy list of features.

The Carens Clavis can be had with a 116hp, 1.5-litre diesel and a 160hp, 1.5-litre turbo-petrol, both of which can be had with manual or automatic gearbox options. Alternatively, you can also consider the Hyundai Alcazar, which is mechanically identical to the Carens Clavis. 

The Maruti Suzuki XL6 would best suit your requirements of mileage and performance. Against the others in your shortlist, the 1.5 litre petrol engine in the XL6 offers decent performance and refinement, but a noticeably better fuel efficiency. The engine has a mild-hybrid setup and, in our standard test cycle, returned a figure of 9.2kpl in the city and 17.0kpl on the highway. 

We assume, of course, you are comparing petrol versions across the three MPVs in your shortlist, given that the XL6 comes with only a petrol engine. If not, the Kia Carens and Hyundai Alcazar also have diesel engines, and these versions would be more fuel efficient than the petrol XL6.