Compared! MUVs & SUVs from the 8 - 14 lakh price range

[jessie007]

This comparison is part of my comparison series*. The earlier comparisons were of hatchbacks and sedans, this one is for MUVs & SUVs or in the case of the recently launched Duster a soft-roader. MUV is short for Multi-Utility Vehicle and as the name suggest - a vehicle having utility/functionality in terms of passenger / luggage load carrying ability. MUVs make good sense for close-knit Indian families as well as taxi operators.

*URL for last comparison which was for sedans within a price range
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...khs-range.html (FEATURES comparison of select Sedans in Rs 8 - 8.50 (P) & 9 - 9.50 (D) lakhs range)

On the other hand the term SUV stands for Sports Utility Vehicle and it represents a lifestyle segment for those who are interested in touring or going off the beaten track. Though technically speaking SUVs were earlier defined as generally off-road vehicles with 4WD/AWD capability as a prerequisite. But the automobile market worldwide is witnessing a trend towards 2WD & lighter vehicles which has rendered the description of the SUV less exacting and the emergence of new marketing jargon such as ‘crossovers’ & ‘soft roaders’.

With the 7-seater Ertiga, Maruti has introduced the average Indian extended family to a vehicle with utility in a compact form that is perfect for the city and occasional highway run. The 5-seater Duster, on the other hand, is a compact soft-roader for the city dweller with a small family who likes the looks of a SUV but doesn’t want the hassle of driving / parking a bulky vehicle in a crowded city. Both of them offer far better fuel efficiency than normal S/MUVs and are ideal in today’s world with constantly rising fuel prices. The other traditional MUVs & SUVs cater mainly to the taxi and niche lifestyle segment.

I have considered variants as per my personal criteria. Top-end variants of most vehicles have been considered except that of Safari, Storme, Innova & Aria – all of which seem to be overpriced in their category (i.e. top-end variants). Have delineated the comparison in three broad price bands (ex-showroom Delhi):

• 8-10 lakhs : Quanto, Ertiga, Grande MkII & Xylo (2.4), Evalia
• 10-12 lakhs : Xylo (2.2), Duster (84 & 108 BHP), Tavera Neo, Scorpio, Safari, Storme, Force One, Innova
• 12-14 lakhs : XUV5OO, Aria

I have added a few technical parameters and features in this comparison in addition to the hatchback and sedan comparisons I had done earlier. These are:

• Front / Rear Wheel Drive (F/RWD): RWD hints at slightly better weight distribution and possibly better manoeuvrability off-road or over poor surfaces
• Seating capacity and seat configuration
• Peak torque RPM band: gives a good idea about drivability & load lugging capability
• BHP & Torque per tonne: Power to weight ratio for acceleration
• Ground clearance
• Fuel tank capacity & range as per ARAI mileage/average figures
• Front & rear seat armrests
• Second & Third row seats type (captain / bench / side-facing seats | sliding / split folding)
• Side step
• Puddle lamps

Points to Note:

• The Ertiga and the Duster have the smallest engines (1.3L & 1.5L resp.) and along with the Innova are the only vehicles to offer a petrol engine option also
• The Xylo is the only vehicle to offer foldable trays (Evalia also), fully flat reclining seats (Captain Seat version), PLUS - Humidity, digital compass & speed display in the MID
• The Safari (1998), Scorpio (2002), Tavera (2003) & Innova (2005) are the oldest models in the comparison, though the Safari Storme is newer as it is based on the Aria’s platform
• The Duster is the only 5-seater in the comparison. All others are atleast 6-seater (with Captain seats) if not 7 or 8 seaters. The Quanto is an exception as a 5+2 seater
• In the under 12 lakhs price range, the Safari, Storme & Force One have the most powerful engines with the highest BHP & torque figures, but the Duster (108.5 BHP) & Force One have the best power-to-weight and torque-to-weight ratio
• The Tata vehicles have blunted performance as they are the heaviest in the comparison. The Grande MkII, Storme & Safari tip the scales at a whopping 1940, 2000 & 2040 kgs respectively
• On the other hand the diesel versions of the Duster, Ertiga & Evalia tip the scales at just 1180, 1235 & 1426 kgs respectively
• Innova has the best drivability with the best torque spread – max. torque is available between a wide band of 1400-3400 RPM which gives 2000 RPM to play with. Grande MkII is second best with a band of 1500-3000 RPM
• The Grande MkII, Xylo, Force One & Innova have individual A/C blowers for all three rows
• The Scorpio is the only one to have an automatic option
• The Safari, Storme & Quanto are the only ones not to have a front facing third row seats
• The Safari, Storme & Scorpio are the only ones to offer a 4WD variant, plus the Safari & Storme have LSD (Limited Slip Differential) for extreme off-roading
• The Force One has the longest wheelbase, whereas the Grande MkII has the shortest

Most of the information has been collated from the manufacturers’ website for their respective cars and their brochures (so it is liable to change anytime at manufacturer’s discretion). Inclusion of some models & exclusion of others are solely on my personal criteria for comparison.

P.S. There are some blanks (“?” in the sheet) which need to be filled – so if owners of those vehicles can pitch-in, it would be great. Please report to me any anomalies in the analysis, as owners of these models would have a better idea and even the manufacturers also sometimes inadvertently don’t give the complete information or the details are mentioned incorrectly in their communication (online / brochure). I have tried to cover all possible features, but if any have been left out owners can point it out, preferably with supporting pictures (and remember they should be of same variant compared here). Please note that we are considering only the latest variants of the respective cars, say 2012 model and not the earlier ones or the ones that are no longer produced (e.g. Pre M-Hawk Scorpio or 3.0 DiCor Safari).

[jessie007]

M/SUVs in Rs.7-12 lakhs price range

Quanto, Ertiga, Grande MkII, Xylo, Evalia, Duster, Tavera, Scorpio, Safari, Force One, Innova

[jessie007]

M/SUVs in Rs.10-14 lakhs price range

Duster (84), Xylo, Scorpio, Safari, Storme, Duster (108), Force One, Innova, XUV 5OO*, Aria

* Update: XUV5OO's price has increased to Rs 13.21 lakhs, the same as Aria's.

NOTE: Aria's Pure LX variant (not compared here) also makes a good case for itself at Rs 9.95 lakhs, under-cutting Storme's EX variant – though this variant is quite bare bones. Vis-a-vis the Pleasure variant, it loses out on airbags, ABS with EBD, music system, front fog lights and auto rear wiper on while reversing and strangely a single mass flywheel instead of a double mass flywheel – with the price difference being a staggering Rs 3.25 lakhs!

[GTO]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line (The "Assembly Line" Forum section) to the Indian Car Scene. Thanks for sharing!

[sourabhzen]

Wow! hats off to you Jessie007. Great efforts put in for hundreds of those who are confused between choices. I just forwarded the link to many friends who need to decide soon on their buys. Thanks a lot.

[Ketan]

Thanks for the tons of details you have provided here! This is really going to help a lot of people conteplating for SUV/MUV/more than 5 seater car. A great compero!
Do we have Lane Change Inidicator with XUV 500?

[apachelongbow]

Excellent excel sheet bro!!! Well done!!. Since you asked for owner's feedback I have a few for the Safari GX
1) Instrument back lit: White with blue
2) Door open warning: Highlights which door is open
3) Rear Ac: Roof + pedestal for rear, similar to Indigo/Manza
4) Approach lights/find car : YES
5) Speakers: 4 speakers +2 tweeters integrated in ORVM
6) Spare wheel: Full size alloys
7) Leather upholstery: Yes Black leather with Tan fabric inserts
8) Luggage hook/strap in boot: Full size net on boot floor
Thanks!

[swiftdiesel]

Great effort jessie! Thanks!

A small correction: Ertiga diesel's peak torque of 200 Nm is produced @ 1750 RPM and power of 88.5 BHP @ 4000 RPM. I reckon you accidentally interchanged the figures on the spreadsheet.

[kailashnj]

Dude that the most comprehensive data collection done this is really the best. By the way can you also share the Excel workbook here so that it might come handy in future.

Thanks a lot - Looking at this, I might wait for the Storme or buy the Force One. I feel that a VFM as compared to duster and its huge.

[rattandip]

Excellent comparison and possibly the most comprehensive one that I have come across. As someone reading it to make up his mind, its leaves me utterly confused I know it’s just that I need to prioritize my needs better. Rated 5 star for the sheer complexity of the task. I think with Indian market maturing from Abmy, fiats to M800s to esteems, Ikons to swift, I20s to city,verna, its time for MUV/mSuv (mini SUV) segment to gain attention. I would be looking forward to the owners to give their side of their stories and learnings.

[ghodlur]

Fantastic statistics and great effort for the figures (makes me say Jessi jaisi koi nahin).

Will be forwarding the same to couple of my office colleagues who would be interested in the 8-10L range SUV/MUV. With some of the SUV/MUV pricing encroaching on the sedan price range, it will leave lot of buyers a bit confused whether they would need to upgrade to a sedan or a MUV instead.

What is thumbrest on the steering at 10.10?

[forbhaskarm]

@Jessie007

Mind blowing comparison. I am in the market for a new SUV to replace my aging 8 year old Scorpio. Your comparison data eases up my search significantly.
Thanks mate !


Is there anyway I may download the excel sheet & save it for later use?

[pjbiju]

Originally Posted by jessie007

...
Please report to me any anomalies in the analysis, as owners of these models would have a better idea and even the manufacturers also sometimes inadvertently don’t give the complete information or the details are mentioned incorrectly in their communication (online / brochure).
...

The Duster with the option pack gets alloys as per their brochure. I am not sure if the spare tyre also gets an alloy or not.

A great effort there. Thank you for putting this up for the community.

[jessie007]

@apachelongbow & swiftdiesel

Thanks for your valuable feedback, will incorporate the changes in due course.

@ghodlur

Thumbrest at 10:10 means thumbrests / added padding on the steering wheel at 10:10 position as on a clock - which is the ideal & safest position to hold a steering wheel. A minor feature but nonetheless I have mentioned it.

[_raVan_]

Great effort Jessie! Rating the thread 5*s.

Why is Bolero missed out? Also, please share the excel sheet you prepared as it will help many Bhpians in here.