Mahindra Scorpio N

It would depend on your budget and how far you are willing to stretch it, but good options would be the Mahindra Thar Roxx and Mahindra Scorpio N (5 seater). They're both tough, ladder frame SUVs with strong petrol and diesel engines, that are great on the highway and perfect for rough roads. 

With spacious cabins and big luggage areas with split-folding rear seats, your dogs will have enough room and easy access. Of the two, we would recommend the Thar Roxx as it is the newer of the two and, as such, is better equipped, and slightly better engineered. Plus, its split-opening tailgate feature could be a nice way to give your dogs some ventilation while still being safely inside the car.

Looking at your criteria of safety and comfort, along with an automatic transmission, we would recommend the Maruti Suzuki Victoris. However, if you want a seven-seater, then the Scorpio N would suit you better of the two that you have shortlisted, as the XL6 does not meet your crash rating bar. However, bear in mind the ride of the Scorpio is a bit jittery and won't be as plush as the XL6 or Victoris. 

The Scorpio N isn’t the best 6/7-seater as its third row is cramped, and with all rows up, even a soft bag barely fits in the boot. Its 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine isn’t very efficient either, with double-digit city mileage being rare. The Kia Carens Clavis HTK Plus (O) makes much more sense - it’s a better 7-seater, has a sufficiently powerful turbo-petrol engine, is more efficient than the Mahindra, and is easier to drive and park as well.

For your requirements and budget, the best option is the Jeep Meridian. It's got good ground clearance, a decently frugal diesel engine, a smooth automatic gearbox and AWD. It also has a very luxurious interior, a strong equipment list and the premium Jeep badge and its associated off-road pedigree. Bear in mind, however, that the third row of seats is not very spacious, but good enough for occasional use. Alternatively, you could move down a step to the Mahindra Scorpio-N, but its third row is also very cramped. And finally, you could move up to a Toyota Fortuner, which has a spacious third row, but its price is well past the Rs 40 lakh mark for the diesel automatic variants.

 The Hyundai Creta would be our pick. It offers a good blend of an efficient diesel engine, lots of features, great comfort, and reasonable safety too.

If you’re looking for something with better crash safety, the Tata Curvv is a good option - so is the Scorpio N. However, keep in mind that while the Scorpio N has a good crash rating, its high-speed handling on highways isn’t as good as the Creta or Curvv. Also, mileage would be lower in this case.

The Mahindra Scorpio N offers a good mix of on-road and off-road performance while providing a plush interior with most modern features and creature comforts. You should be able to get a fully loaded top-spec Mahindra Scorpio N Z8 L 7 Seat 2.2 Diesel 4x4 AT within your budget of ₹30 lakh.