Mahindra cars in India (18)

Autocar India

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Go for the Mahindra XUV 7XO AX7 L automatic - for your focus on reliability, easy upkeep and safety, it is the safer pick over the Tata Harrier. In daily use, the 7XO feels smoother and lighter to drive, especially in the city, and the automatic makes traffic stress-free. Mahindra’s network is wide, and parts are easy to get, which helps keep maintenance simple. The 7XO comes from the proven XUV700 line, and in the AX7 L, you get strong safety tech. It includes multiple airbags and driver aids that warn and even act if you’re distracted, which adds real peace of mind.

Mahindra XUV 7XO

Tata Harrier

Autocar India

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Go for the Tata Nexon EV with the 45kWh battery. You can easily expect around 350km of real-world range, and with home charging, you can top up its battery overnight and run for a week without worry, keeping your 50-75km usage in mind. In daily traffic, it feels smooth and quiet.But if you can't arrange for home charging, then you could consider the Mahindra XUV 3XO diesel-AT option. Keep in mind, being an AMT, gearshifts aren't very smooth, and on account of its weight, the XUV 3XO won't be as efficient as a Kia Sonet or Hyundai Venue diesel-automatic, which will also be far smoother to drive.

Tata Nexon EV

Mahindra XUV 3XO

Kia Sonet

Hyundai Venue

Autocar India

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We recommend the Mahindra Thar Roxx petrol automatic, with your 650 km a month and a 10-year plan, it will be easier to live with and safer against policy changes. Your running is low, so the usual fuel savings of a diesel will not make up for the higher buy price and upkeep over time. The petrol is quieter and smoother in daily traffic, has lighter controls, and you avoid the diesel’s emission filter issue that can pop up with lots of short city trips. Looking 10 years ahead, petrol is also the safer bet for resale, especially in big cities, and you don’t have to worry about the 10-year diesel limit like in Delhi-NCR.For your usage, the petrol automatic is the stress-free choice you’ll enjoy every day and won’t worry about keeping for a decade.

Mahindra Thar Roxx

Autocar India

•23h

The Mahindra XUV 7XO AX7 Diesel AT is an excellent all rounder. For your 1,200-1,500 km a month, mostly city with a few long trips, and a growing family, it fits best across comfort, space, ease of use and long-term running costs. The diesel automatic is smooth in traffic and relaxed on highways, so you will not feel tired on those 2,000km long drives in a year. The extra row is handy with two kids and luggage; with the last row folded you get a huge boot. Mahindra’s service network is wide, and long-term ownership is generally simple.

Mahindra XUV 7XO

Autocar India

•23h

Go for the Mahindra XUV 7XO AX7 Luxury AWD diesel automatic (7-seater) - for your mix of highway, city and a bit of rough road, it feels like a decent step up from your Alcazar while staying in the Rs 30 lakh range. The diesel has strong pull, so overtakes on the highway feel easy even with a full family, and the automatic gearbox, makes long drives and traffic much less tiring. Thanks to its thoroughly re-engineered suspension, ride comfort is good over broken patches and the cabin feels wider and more solid than your Hyundai. One thing to be aware of: the last row is fine for kids or short trips, but not very roomy for tall adults, and with all three rows up the boot is small. Also, it is a big car, so tight city parking needs some care. Moreover, while the diesel's mileage is better than the petrol's, it's not great and warrants a light foot for good numbers.Another alternative that gets you more spacious and comfortable seats and a better highway ride, the Tata Safari Accomplished X+ diesel automatic is worth a look, but it does not get 4WD.

Mahindra XUV 7XO

Tata Safari

Autocar India

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Go for the Kia Carens Clavis 1.5 petrol, it does not have an SUV body style, but at your budget and with your 90% city use and 50 km a day, it is the easiest and most comfortable three-row you can live with daily. Coming from your i10, the Carens will feel much bigger, but it is still friendly in traffic: light steering, a calm engine and good all-round visibility make daily driving and parking far less stressful than most big seven-seaters. There's also a smooth enough clutch, and you could also consider the automatic, which is a bit above your budget. The ride is comfortable over speed breakers and broken patches, there is proper space in the second row, and the third row is very usable for kids or shorter adults, and the air-con vents for all rows help in hot weather. If you do want a true SUV feel, however and can manage a bigger car and are ok with a lower mileage, consider the Mahindra XUV 7XO.

Kia Carens Clavis

Mahindra XUV 7XO

Autocar India

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The Mahindra XUV 3XO AX7L is substantially more expensive than the Maruti Brezza ZXI+; however, you get a lot more for the money. In addition to features like ADAS, all-wheel disc brakes, etc, you also get a more powerful 131hp turbo-petrol engine. It makes the drive experience far more effortless, both in the city and on the highway. Also, the XUV 3XO's cabin feels a lot more upmarket and airy, not only due to the bright interiors, but also due to its panoramic sunroof. As a product, it is certainly superior to the Brezza.Space-wise, though, the Maruti Brezza is similar, and both cars feel equally capable over bad and broken roads. The Brezza has an edge in terms of boot space, and its fuel-efficiency will be better than the Mahindra's. The Maruti's overall ownership experience with its wider service network is likely to be trouble-free as well. In case you're going for the Brezza, wait for the updated version which is likely to be launched in a few months.

Mahindra XUV 3XO

Maruti Suzuki Brezza

Autocar India

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Go for the Mahindra XEV 9S or Mahindra XEV 9E, both of which are more spacious than the Mahindra BE 6, which feels surprisingly cramped, especially for rear seat passengers. The 9E and 9S have front seats too, and they get a three-screen layout too, which your front passenger is likely to appreciate on long drives. The XEV 9E has an edge over the XEV 9S on account of its slightly firmer suspension setup, which results in a more settled highway ride.

Mahindra XEV 9e

Mahindra XEV 9S

Mahindra BE 6

Autocar India

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Go for the Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder S Hybrid for your 50-50 city-highway mix and focus on long-term ease and low running cost; it suits you better. In daily traffic, it feels calm and very smooth because it uses electric power at low speed, so you use less fuel without any effort. Toyota’s hybrid tech has been around for years here and abroad, service is simple, and resale is strong. The hybrid battery is backed by a long warranty, and Toyota dealers can confirm the exact years and price for a replacement if ever needed, which should ease that worry.One thing to be aware of: the Hyryder Hybrid is not very quick when you want a fast overtake on the highway, and the boot is smaller than you may expect. If you often carry five with big bags, check this.If your heart wants size and you regularly carry 6-7 people or drive on rough roads a lot, the Mahindra Scorpio N Z4 diesel manual makes sense for its strong pull and tough build. Just accept higher fuel use, a heavier clutch in traffic, bigger tyres and brakes to maintain, and the need for regular, longer drives to keep the exhaust filter clean. Plus, the ride quality is nowhere near as good as the Toyota, and despite how much Mahindra has refined it, a ladder frame SUV will never be as refined or settled on the road as a monocoque SUV.For your plan to keep the car for decades, the Hyryder S Hybrid will be easier and cheaper to live with. When you test drive, do one quick highway pass in the Hyryder to judge pick-up, and crawl in slow traffic in the Scorpio N to feel the clutch effort.

Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder

Mahindra Scorpio N

Autocar India

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Go for the Toyota Innova Hycross GX(O) 7-seater at your budget, it gives you the best mix of space, comfort and easy daily use. It drives like a modern car, not a heavy ladder-framed people mover, so the steering is light, the ride is comfortable, and the petrol-automatic powertrain keeps things smooth in traffic. The third row is genuinely usable for adults, the cabin is airy, and Toyota’s service network and resale are strong, which makes ownership simple over many years.One thing to be aware of: the GX(O) is petrol-only, so it will use more fuel than a diesel when fully loaded or on long highway runs. Also, it skips some of the fancy features you see in costlier trims, so if you want all the tech, you will have to stretch or look elsewhere.Pick the Toyota Innova Crysta only if you do a lot of highway driving with seven people and luggage. It's diesel pulls strongly, and the car feels tough on bad roads, but it is manual-only, so the clutch can feel heavy in traffic, and the cabin feels older. Choose the Mahindra XUV 7XO if you want more features and strong performance for the money. But know that the third row and boot with all seats up are smaller than the Hycross.

Toyota Innova HyCross

Toyota Innova Crysta

Mahindra XUV 7XO