Renault Lodgy What you’ll like:
• An all-rounded & practical 7 seater MPV. 3rd seat row is usable too
• Priced between the Ertiga & Innova. Top variant is 4 lakhs cheaper than the Toyota
• Robust, abuse-friendly build & construction
• 109 BHP diesel is fast, refined & fuel-efficient. 84 BHP variant has superb driveability
• Outstanding ride quality. Comfortable over any kind of road
•
Car-like to drive. Balanced handling and dynamics
• Features: Touchscreen ICE, cruise control, navigation, adjustable lumbar support etc.
• Boot space of 207 - 1861 liters. Innumerable passenger : cargo combinations possible
What you won’t:
• Limited 2nd row legroom. This seat lacks the fore & aft adjustment of its competitors
• 109 BHP diesel suffers from turbo-lag below 1,800 rpm
• Boxy, unappealing styling (especially the rear end)
• Low 3rd-row seat means you sit with your knees pointing upward
• 185/65 R15 tyres are too small for a people carrier. Same tyre size as the Swift!
• Renault's service network isn't a patch on that of Maruti or Toyota
• Owners of the mechanically-identical Duster have reported the occasional niggles
Link to Official Review Toyota Innova What you'll like:
• Indestructible build & durability. The Innova is known for its bullet-proof reliability
• Spacious, flexible interiors. An extremely comfortable long distance commuter
• Segment-best interior fit, finish & quality. Superior to the Xylo, Evalia etc.
• Diesel engine has excellent driveability on tap
• Balanced handling & road manners.
Car-like to drive
• Toyota’s fuss-free ownership experience & excellent after-sales
What you won't:
• Price just goes up, up, up with time! Direct competitors are substantially cheaper
• Garish front grille design! The earlier (2012) facelift was far more pleasing to the eyes
• Noisy diesel engine, especially over 110 kph / 3,000 rpm
• Gearing too short for highway runs. Taller 5th gear (or a 6th) would've been preferred
• Service interval of merely 5,000 kms (diesel variant). Inconvenient for those with heavy usage
• The same generation has been around since 2005 in India. Where is the all-new replacement?
Link to Official Review Maruti Ertiga
What you’ll like:
• A 7-seater MPV at the price of a C segment sedan. The petrol variant, especially, is very well priced
• Car-like ride, handling & driving experience. Effortless to drive in the city and on highways
• Flexible seating & luggage options. Cargo capacity runs as high as 735 liters
• Competent petrol & diesel engines. The latter offers outstanding fuel economy
• ABS available on all variants, except the base petrol. Bigger brakes than the Swift & Dzire
• Maruti’s excellent after-sales service & wide dealer network
What you won’t:
• Not a spacious 5 seater if you fold down the 3rd seat row for luggage. Limited width for the 2nd row too
• 3rd row is best suited to adults for short trips, or kids over long trips. Not really a full-size 7 seater car
• Minimal 135 liter luggage capacity with all 3 rows of seats in place
• Diesel engine carries a hefty Rs. ~1.3 lakh premium over the petrol. On-road difference is ~1.5 lakh rupees
• Even the top-end ZXi / ZDi variants don't get climate control
Link to Official Review Honda Mobilio What you'll like:
• Great choice of engines. Both - the diesel & petrol - are fast and fuel-efficient
• Suspension offers compliant ride quality & neutral handling. 189 mm of ground clearance is a big plus
• Light controls, slick gearshift and easy maneuverability for the city.
Effortless to drive
• 1st & 2nd row of seats have ample leg & headroom. Middle row beats most C2 segment sedans
• 3rd-row access is easier than in the Ertiga. 3rd row fold-down doesn't affect 2nd row space (like the Ertiga)
• Practical 223 liter boot with all seats up. 521 liters of capacity with the last row folded away
• Honda's reliability & fuss-free ownership experiences
What you won't:
• Low 3rd-row seat is best for kids or occasional usage only. This isn't a full time 7-seater
• Noticeably more expensive than the Maruti Ertiga
• The Brio's unconventional dashboard & interior design are too basic for this class of car
• Front styling is identical to its smaller siblings. Face should have been differentiated
• i-DTEC isn't as refined or high-rpm friendly as the Ertiga diesel. Also, overall NVH insulation is poor
• Brio-level cost cutting doesn't work at this price (
thin sheet metal, slim seats, uneven shut lines, missing insulation & cladding)
• Many practical features missing (
seatbelt height adjustment, adjustable front neck restraints, auto-locking doors, bluetooth connectivity, full MID etc.)
Link to Official Review Mahindra Xylo What you’ll like:
• A 7-seater UV at the price of entry-level sedans
• Robust, abuse-friendly build & construction. Rough road friendly
• Very spacious! Interior ranks high on practicality
• Diesel engine is fast, torquey & fuel-efficient
• Features include voice control, reverse parking aid, dual front armrests, lumbar adjustment etc.
What you won’t:
• Awkward styling. Design isn't proportionate either
• Bouncy ride quality. Unsettled over any type of surface
• Driving experience marred by excessive body roll and a slow, numb steering
• Lacks the quality & finesse of same-price hatchbacks and sedans
• Mahindra's after-sales service remains a gamble
Tata Aria
What you’ll like:
• Solid body-on-frame construction. Seemingly robust
• Futuristic styling, especially the face. Good street presence
• Spacious 1st & 2nd seat rows. Interior quality a big leap ahead for Tata
• Balanced road behaviour. Strong brakes too
• Premium level of equipment. Many segment firsts, including AWD
• Safety : Traction control, ABS, 6 airbags & all-round disc brakes
What you won't:
• AWD variants are very expensive
• Third row of seats best suited to kids only
• Unsettled ride quality at highway speeds (compared to the Innova)
• Niggling issues & problems persist, as reported by existing Aria owners
• Tata's un-premium after-sales service experiences
Link to Official Review Nissan Evalia
What you’ll like:
• Light steering, gearbox and tight turning radius. Easily driveable in the city
• Fuel efficient 1.5L diesel engine is a proven workhorse
• Generous cabin space, very usable 3rd row of seats and a large luggage capacity
• Features include a colour MID, reversing camera, keyless entry/go, 3rd row air-con etc.
• Safety kit : ABS, EBD & BA are standard. 2 airbags on all, except the lowest variant
What you won’t:
• Boxy looks & sliding rear doors give it a commercial van look & feel
• Middle row missing basics like roll-down windows and door armrests
• Small 1.5L engine has mediocre highway performance. Overtaking needs to be carefully planned
• Thin 165/80 R14 tyres are a joke on an MUV of this size
• Nissan's patchy dealer network & service quality
Link to Official Review Chevrolet Enjoy
What you'll like:
• A well priced 7-seater MPV
• Compliant low speed ride, matched to neutral on-road behaviour
• 1.3L diesel offers excellent urban driveability and fuel economy
• Compact size & light controls make it easy to drive in the city
• Equipment list includes leather seats, dual-airbags, ABS, EBD, dual air-con, parking sensors etc.
What you won't:
• Not as well-rounded as the Ertiga or Innova. Several loose ends that need tying up
• Uninspired interior design. Ordinary part quality too
• Poor NVH insulation. Refinement levels miss the mark
• Underwhelming 1.4L petrol. Weak low end torque
• Missing essentials (MID, dead pedal, steering-mounted controls, tumble-down 2nd row seats etc.)
Link to Official Review Meanwhile, I just realized that this is the only segment in which none of the cars have an AT option.
I compare Innova vs Ertiga vs Lodgy. Not considering the rest. In this I vote got the Ertiga.
One had to own that car to know is value and overall ownership happiness.
I am not getting the Innova in the equation thanks to its price difference versus the competition. If prices do equal out, the winner clearly is Innova.
In the Ertiga, be it Driveability, Comfort, Flexibility, FE, Ride, Space all are great for its price. Been living with the car since 1.4 years and very happy with it. No complaints.
Voted for the Lodgy. However, cant help thinking i made a mistake. Seeing the positives and negatives, i think the best bet should be the ertiga, though you compromise on space. But come to think of it, how many times have you really seen large families in these MPVs?
The Innova is definitely out as it is outrageously priced. Doesnt matter if it is top quality. i cant throw away money like that.
I wanted to vote for Ertiga as it offers the best packaging for urban families at the best price. However, it is the Lodgy that gets my vote due to one reason- Cruise control. That would make the MPV a bliss to drive on the long highways, which would its natural habitat if I purchase an MUV. So it takes my vote.
1. Renault Lodgy- Good Diesel engine, good ride quality and more importantly cruise control.
2. Suzuki Ertiga - Best package for urban families.
3. Toyota Innova - If price is not a consideration and need maximum space.
4. Mahindra Xylo
5. TATA Aria
6. Chevrolet Enjoy.
7. Honda Mobilio.
8. Nissan Evalia.
Looks like Lodgy is going to dent the Innova. The first car to do so during the Innova's mighty reign. It's a well engineered product and should prove reliable.
Against the segment leader,
Lodgy vs Innova: Looks good. Can dethrone the segment king.
Ertiga vs Innova: Ertiga was smaller. Other than that, it's a wonderful product.
Mobilio vs Innova: Way to expensive for a car with bad quality inside out. (Relative to Honda's standard)
Xylo vs Innova: Xylo was too crude, and the bouncy suspension. (Older ones)
Enjoy, Evalia and all are only Taxi cars according to me. (No offence intended)
When the new Innova comes, I think this comparison could be irrelevant as I think the price gap will widen a whole lot.
The Lodgy's proven and frugal engine and its lovely suspension will undoubtedly make a dent in the Innova.
I can't understand Toyota India - they are charging us nearly 22 Lacs for a decade old vehicle, which has lousy specs and very few safety aids etc. Compare the price in South East Asia and I shudder to think what a premium we in India are forced to pay!
Voted for Lodgy as it is a very good package at a decent price point. There is good space on offer and as per the review, it offers outstanding ride quality with handling. If the ride is so good, i don't think the passengers will ever get tired on our poor roads. The interiors are a bit let down but the pros outweigh cons here. Really wish this car is a success.
My next choice would be the Ertiga, very good car again but the there is significant turbo lag and the ride quality is nothing to boast about.
This should hit Toyota and then they should understand that Indian lives are not cheap, equipping 20L MUV's and 30L SUV's with 2 airbags without any electronic aids, without rear disc brakes is astonishing. Reliability and resale is not everything.