XUV700, Safari or Hector: which is the best 7-seater SUV with least waiting period?

I am looking to buy a 7-seater SUV under Rs 25 lakh. My priorities are a comfortable ride, a well-equipped interior, safety, after-sales services and good performance. My usage is a mix of both city and highway driving. I am not willing to wait more than a month to take delivery.

Sunil Hemdev, via email

Autocar India says: The Mahindra XUV700 is the one to go for. Performance of both petrol and diesel engines is strong, the interior feels premium and stability and ride comfort are excellent too. The car has a very long waiting period, so if you are in a hurry, you will have to give this a pass.

The other SUV option is the MG Hector PLus, which has been refreshed recently, gets a more upmarket interior and is pretty comfortable too. The petrol’s performance is dull and the diesel lacks an automatic, but if you can live with that, then it certainly deserves to be second on your list.

The refreshed Safari is also something that might interest you. It excels in the looks and space department, and Tata has finally upgrade the touchscreen to improve the user experience. However, the car itself isn’t as user-friendly, comfortable or refined as the Mahindra or MG, and its sales and support network, although improving, isn’t the nicest in the business.

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