Between the Seltos and XUV700 diesels, the Kia is better in the city while the Mahindra is more suited to highway runs.
I’m planning to upgrade my 10-year-old Honda City diesel manual, and I have narrowed down my options to the Kia Seltos GTX+ Diesel AT and the Mahindra XUV700 AX7 Diesel MT. We are a family of four and live in Delhi-NCR. My daily commute is 50km, and I regularly drive to my hometown, which is about 500km away. Please suggest which diesel is the better choice.
Ankur Ranolia, Delhi
Autocar India says: Between the Kia Seltos GTX+ Diesel AT and the Mahindra XUV700 AX7 Diesel MTthe XUV700 is clearly the better pick for long-distance highway use. The key reason is its powerful 2.2-litre diesel engine, which makes a healthy 185hp and 420Nm (450Nm in the AT). This gives it effortless highway performance, a strong mid-range punch and confidence while overtaking, even when the car is fully loaded.
In comparison, the Seltos’ 1.5-litre diesel produces 116hp and 250Nm, which is fine for city commutes and light highway use, but once you load up the car with family and luggage, it can feel a bit strained during high-speed cruising or uphill sections. The Seltos is certainly more compact, easier to park and better suited to tight urban spaces, but it’s not in the same league as the XUV700 when it comes to long-haul comfort and cruising ability.
The XUV700 diesel manual, while robust, has a heavy clutch and shift action. If your budget allows, we strongly recommend stretching for the AX7 Diesel AT, which gets a smooth 6-speed torque converter. It pairs beautifully with the torquey diesel, making both city and highway driving far more effortless – especially useful for your daily 50km commute in Delhi-NCR traffic.
Despite its size, the XUV700 is quite easy to manage in the city. The steering is light, visibility is good, and features like the 360-degree camera (in higher variants) help with parking. Plus, with its spacious cabin, big boot and segment-leading safety features (including ADAS in some variants), it feels built for families like yours.
Also see:
New Kia Seltos India spy shots show redesigned front
Mahindra XUV700, Scorpio N, XUV 3XO prices fall by up to Rs 2.56 lakh with GST cut
Used Mahindra XUV700, Scorpio N prices drop slowest in segment: Autocar-Spinny study
