Mahindra cars in India (18)

Autocar India

•18h

Since you want a 6 seater for your city-heavy use and you have a budget of up to Rs 30 lakh, the Mahindra XUV 7XO diesel automatic is what you should consider. Given that your running is fairly high, about 15,000km a year, a diesel would make sense, and it will be more efficient than the petrol. Mahindra's 2.2-litre diesel is refined and punchy, and the 6-speed torque converter automatic is smooth, making city drives stress-free. The 7XO has a comfy, premium cabin and can be had in either 6-seat (with captain's chairs in the middle) or 7-seat seating configurations. It also rides over speed breakers and broken roads with ease and comes absolutely loaded with features. Know this before you buy: the third row is best for kids or short adults on longer trips, and with all seats up, the boot is small, so airport runs and road trips will require planning.

Mahindra XUV 7XO

Autocar India

•45m

Given your limited use of 10,000 km a year and a 500 km highway run every two months, the Mahindra XUV 7XO AX7L diesel is still a solid choice. However, since you live in NCR, the 10-year diesel ban will affect resale value in the long term.If you have dedicated parking at home where you can install a charger, and do not mind the additional planning required with an EV on road trips, then the Mahindra XEV 9S is a good alternative. In our testing, we recorded 477 km on a single charge, but with a full load and in the hills, this will drop sharply. If your highway route has enough chargers, then your 500 km hometown trips should not be an issue, with just one or two stops to top up along the way.However, if you cannot install a home charger and the planning required around EV road trips seems like too much work, you are better off sticking with the XUV 7XO you have booked.

Mahindra XUV 7XO

Mahindra XEV 9S

Autocar India

•1d

For your very specific use case, we would actually stick with the Innova Hycross VX rather than switch to the Mahindra XEV 9e.The reason is simple. You are almost entirely chauffeur-driven, value second row comfort, want a no-nonsense premium family car and do not care for gadgetry for its own sake. That is exactly where the Hycross plays to its strengths. The second row comfort and sheer sense of space in the Hycross is simply better, especially since you have consciously chosen the VX to avoid gimmicks while keeping the practical bits that matter. The XEV 9e is an impressive EV, but its fixed rear bench and lower knee room make it less ideal for a chauffeur-driven owner who will spend meaningful time in the back.On the fuel and ethanol concern, we would not let that drive the decision. The Hycross hybrid is already very efficient for a vehicle of its size, and while E25/E30 discussions are ongoing, any move beyond current blends will be gradual. Beyond a certain threshold, proper flex fuel solutions and lower blend availability for existing cars would need to coexist. We would not cancel a purchase decision around a hypothetical future policy shift.

Toyota Innova HyCross

Mahindra XEV 9e

Autocar India

•2d

Before committing to an EV, it is advisable to speak to electric car owners in the complex to know about the ease of charging. Public chargers in easy access are a plus, but the ideal and often most reliable solution is a charger in your own parking. Many housing complexes do not allow this, making it all the more important to research public charging options in the vicinity. In general, Bengaluru does have a wide network of chargers, so a weekly plug-in shouldn't be a hassle. Further, major highways south and west of the city have regular fast chargers, so planned roadtrips are very workable.Of the cars, the Hyundai Creta Electric is a sensible buy for your usage. It's a good size for Bangalore's traffic yet offers comfortable seating for five passengers. It won't match your Tesla's wow factor, but the Creta does pack in all the features that you would need and use over your short commutes. You can buy the 51.4kWh battery pack version, which offers ample range for your city drives. If you'd prefer a larger vehicle with more interior space, options include the Mahindra XEV 9S (the 70kWh battery pack is a good pick but just out of your budget) and the Tata Harrier EV with the 65kWh battery pack.

Hyundai Creta Electric

Mahindra XEV 9S

Tata Harrier EV

Autocar India

•1h

With 50 km a day, a mix of city and highway driving, plus weekend trips, petrol is the safer pick for you. It avoids DPF worries. Modern diesels work fine if you do steady highway runs for 15-20 minutes a few times a week, but if your driving is often slow and short, the filter can clog, and you will see warnings.Between your two choices, pick the Mahindra XUV 3XO AX5 petrol. It fits your budget and usage better because its turbo-petrol engine feels stronger on highways, so overtaking is easy even with passengers and bags. It also rides well over rough patches and feels steady at speed, which suits your weekend runs. In the city, it is easy to drive and not hard to park. If you are opting for the automatic, the torque-converter gearbox in the 3XO shifts smoothly and makes city driving stress-free.Know the trade-offs. The 3XO’s boot is not the biggest, so fitting two large suitcases plus extra bags may be tight.If you mostly drive in the city and carry a lot of luggage, the Kia Sonet HTK Plus petrol is the better alternative. Overall, for your mix, the 3XO AX5 petrol lines up best.

Mahindra XUV 3XO

Kia Sonet

Autocar India

•38m

The XUV 7XO AX7L Diesel AT is the cleanest fit for your requirement today, and frankly, none of the other current options line up as well with the exact brief you have laid out.The fact that you already own two Mahindra cars is not necessarily a negative from a financial point of view either, because right now Mahindra SUVs have some of the strongest demand and resale momentum in the market. In fact, from a resale perspective over a 3 to 4 year ownership cycle, the 7XO is probably the safest bet in your shortlist. It also solves the exact frustrations you had with the Fortuner by offering much lighter controls, modern ADAS tech and a far more feature rich experience while still maintaining proper SUV presence.The new Seltos diesel AT is a very polished product and will likely feel more premium inside, but you have already identified the key issue yourself. It still feels like a size smaller in terms of sheer road presence and overall “status factor” compared to something like the 7XO.The Venue diesel AT should not even be in this discussion. It may be sensible, but it does not deliver the sense of occasion, size or highway authority you are clearly looking for.As for waiting, the upcoming Creta and Seltos strong hybrids expected next year will make sense from an efficiency perspective, but they will still fundamentally remain mid size SUVs. The RAV4 Hybrid is not even a confirmed India launch yet, and even if Toyota does bring it here, expect it to be priced aggressively high because it will almost certainly come in as a CKD or CBU initially. By the time it lands on road, it could sit far beyond the sweet spot you are targeting today.So the verdict is simple: buy the XUV 7XO AX7L Diesel AT now. It is the one that best balances presence, tech, ease of use and resale value over your intended ownership cycle.

Mahindra XUV 7XO

Toyota Fortuner

Kia Seltos

Hyundai Venue

Hyundai Creta

Autocar India

•2d

Regular trips to remote villages on rough roads with seven people and lots of medical gear call for something tough first, then roomy. In that brief, the Mahindra Scorpio N diesel manual, 7-seat, is the better fit for you. It sits high off the ground and feels strong on broken roads, so you can reach camp sites that softer city SUVs may avoid. The diesel will use less fuel on long days, and Mahindra has service in most small towns, which helps when you are far from the city. For your boxes, tables and chairs, the third row folds in parts, so you can keep five or six on board and still open up a large, useful space.Two things to note: with all seven seats up, the boot is small, so plan to fold part of the third row or add a carrier. Also, the third row is best for short stints for adults.If you must keep all seven seats up and still need real boot space, consider the Toyota Innova Crysta. While not an SUV, its tough construction makes it feel hardy and well-suited to rough road use.

Mahindra Scorpio N

Toyota Innova Crysta

Autocar India

•2d

First car, newly learned driver, and you are comfortable with both after test drives, in this situation, pick the Mahindra XUV 7XO AX7T automatic. It will make life much easier in the long run. In traffic, you do not have to juggle the clutch and gear lever, so you stay calmer and make fewer mistakes. On slopes and in tight parking spots, not having to balance the clutch helps a lot, and you can focus more on steering and judging gaps, especially important in a large car like the XUV 7XO. It is also smoother for family rides and less tiring on longer drives.A couple of trade-offs to keep in mind: the automatic costs more upfront and can use slightly more fuel, but the difference is not significant enough to outweigh the convenience of the auto.Pick the manual only if you genuinely enjoy shifting gears yourself, drive mostly on open roads, or want to save on the initial cost. Otherwise, for a first car, the AX7T automatic fits your requirements best.

Mahindra XUV 7XO

Autocar India

•2d

With 80% city use, a family of seven and a Rs 20-25 lakh budget, the Mahindra XUV 7XO is a good choice. If you can install a charger at home, though, the Mahindra XEV 9S could be a great alternative since your usage is primarily in the city. The base Pack One Above with the larger 79kWh battery pack fits within your budget and comes with all the essential comfort and tech features. In our real-world tests, we managed a combined 477.5km on a single charge, though that figure will drop sharply on the highway with a full load of passengers and luggage. Your highway trips will therefore need some planning around charging stops.If that seems like too much effort, then the XUV 7XO diesel automatic makes the most sense. It feels easier to drive in town than the Mahindra Scorpio N, with lighter controls and a smoother driving experience. Ride comfort and cabin noise levels are better, too, which your family will appreciate.A couple of things to note: with all three rows up, boot space is limited. The third row is also a bit tight for taller passengers, so check if it works for your family.Alternatively, consider the Kia Carens Clavis/Carens Clavis EV. Their smaller footprint makes them easier to drive and park in the city, and the third row is more spacious than in the XUV 7XO/XEV 9S.

Mahindra XUV 7XO

Mahindra XEV 9S

Mahindra Scorpio N

Kia Carens Clavis

Kia Carens Clavis EV

Autocar India

•4d

That is significantly lower than expected. In our real-world testing, the Mahindra XEV 9e delivered around 425 km in the city, 488 km on the highway and a combined figure of 456 km. So getting only 190 km from 100 percent down to 15 percent is nowhere near normal performance.Even allowing for heavy AC use, aggressive driving or dense city traffic, that kind of drop is excessive. This is not something that should be dismissed as normal EV behaviour. We would strongly recommend getting Mahindra to inspect the car immediately, because this could point to a battery calibration issue, software problem or another efficiency-related fault. A range figure that low on a 79 kWh battery is simply not in line with what the car is capable of delivering in the real world.

Mahindra XEV 9e