My first 15000kms

It has been over a year I purchased the XT 6-seater variant, and I am quite happy with my decision. The riding experience is great. The comfort levels in the 2nd and the 3rd row are very high. With the air conditioner always on, I have been getting decent fuel efficiency of 12.5kmpl in the city and ~17kmpl in the highways. I am aware of people getting a overall fuel efficiency of 20kmpl by driving at a steady speed of 85-90kmph over a distance of about 250 kms. This I believe requires a lot of patience and discipline and I lack both.

I have done multiple inter-city drives of >600kms and found the ride over smooth and bumpy roads to be very comfortable (for both the driver and the passengers). It feels quite safe driving on the highways, even at night, with slow moving trucks, and twin axle Volvos zipping past and the occasional crazy driver cutting in and out of the lanes as if they are the only ones on the road. The captain seats in the 2nd row are very comfortable, and because of the gap between the 2 seats, the folks sitting in the 3rd row get a little more leg room and don't feel claustrophobic as some tend to do in a 7-seater vehicle. Getting in and out of the 3rd row is a breeze.

The air conditioning is powerful and quite adequate for the spacious interiors. The buying process was pleasant and the servicing is always good. The staff took time to clarify all my questions and have been very helpful. In my opinion the following are the drawback-

1. There should have been a proper driver's arm rest. On long trips it gets uncomfortable holding on to the steering wheel. The arms start aching after a couple of hours.

2. boot space is just about adequate for 2 small strollers. If you collapse the 3rd row, you essentially end up converting it to a 4-seater.

3. Headlights could have been more powerful. Illumination is not sufficient at night on the highways.

4. The navigator is waste. Navi Maps is a pain to configure. Much easier to use Google maps to find your way.

5. Gear shift is hard. Requires time to get used to it. 6. Sometimes the acceleration is very poor in the 2nd gear. This seems to be a pervasive issue and would be nice if the company finds the solution.