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 & Terrano, on the other hand, are compact soft-roaders 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 and/or mid variants of most vehicles have been considered. Have delineated the comparison in three broad price bands (ex-showroom Delhi):
• 8-10 lakhs : Quanto, EcoSport, Enjoy, Ertiga, Duster / Terrano, Grande MkII, Xylo, Evalia, Safari
• 10-12 lakhs : Xylo , Duster / Terrano, Aria, Innova, Scorpio, Safari Storme, Force One, XUV 5OO
• 12-14 lakhs : Duster / Terrano (110 PS), Aria, Innova, XUV 5OO
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 / Terrano 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 / Terrano & EcoSport are the only 5-seaters 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 & EcoSport tip the scales at just 1180, 1235 & 1272 kgs respectively
• Innova has the best drivability with the best torque spread – max. torque is available between a wide band of 1200-3600 RPM which gives 2400 RPM to play with! Grande MkII is second best with a band of 1500-3000 RPM
• The Grande MkII, Xylo, Force One & Innova (except G variant) have individual A/C blowers for all three rows
• The Scorpio is the only one to have an automatic option among diesel vehicles and EcoSport in petrol
• Among the 7-8 seaters, the Safari, Storme & Quanto are DO NOT have an option of front facing third row seats
• The Safari, Storme, Scorpio & Force One 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 (among the 5+ seaters; EcoSport among the 5 seaters)
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 2013 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).