[Aditya]

Tata Hexa

What you'll like:

• Smart styling & substantial presence. Solid build & paint quality too
• Spacious, high quality and comfortable interiors. Even 3rd row is rather useable
• 6-speed AT is smooth & competent. Perfectly mated to the 2.2L diesel
• Excellent ride quality. Comfortable over any kind of road
• Features such as selectable driving modes, auto headlamps & wipers, ORVM demister...
• Awesome 10-speaker JBL audio system. Sound quality is fantastic!
• Topnotch safety kit includes 6 airbags, ESP, TC, ABS, EBD, hill hold / descent control etc.
• AWD with electronic wizardry & 200 mm of ground clearance

What you won't:

• Automatic variant unavailable with AWD, ESP & super drive modes
• Missing essentials (steering reach adjustment, smartkey entry & go, auto-dimming IRVM...)
• Access to the 3rd row is flawed in the captain seat (6-seater) version
• Heavy steering (low speeds), long travel MT shifter, big size & wide turning radius are annoying in the city
• Fat 2,280 kg kerb weight blunts performance & efficiency. Competition is 400 kilos lighter!
• Concerns over niggling issues & long-term reliability
• Tata's after-sales service remains a hit or miss

Link to Official Review

Mahindra XUV500

What you’ll like:

• A well-engineered, contemporary SUV with a value-for-money price tag
• More mature styling. Front end no longer looks garish
• Acres of space on the 1st & 2nd seat rows
• Competent engine delivers fantastic urban driveability, as well as fast highway performance
• Balanced ride & handling package
• Safety kit includes 6 airbags, ESP with rollover mitigation, ABS + EBD and all-wheel disc brakes
• Expansive feature list (sunroof, touchscreen ICE, powered driver's seat, cruise control etc.)

What you won’t:

• Absolutely no luggage capacity with all the seats in place
• Cramped 3rd seat row is best suited to children only. A sliding middle row is sorely missed
• Interior quality, although better, still has a lot of scope for improvement
• Clutch is lighter now, but has a long travel range & high resting point. Gets cumbersome in traffic
• Niggles & issues, as reported by existing XUV500 owners
• Mahindra's inconsistent sales & service experiences

Link to Official Review

Toyota Innova Crysta

What you'll like:

• Indestructible build & durability. The Innova is known for its bullet-proof reliability
• Spacious, flexible & practical cabin. An extremely comfortable long distance commuter
• Upmarket interiors. The ZX AT variant is very plush
• Powerful diesel engines with user-selectable driving modes
• Balanced suspension & road manners. High speed stability is rock solid
• Top-notch safety kit. 7 airbags, ABS, ESP, TC, Isofix & 3-point seatbelts for all
• Feature packed! Leather seats, LED headlamps, mood lighting, cruise control & lots more
• Toyota's excellent after-sales service and fuss-free ownership experiences

What you won't:

• Hefty price tag! 2 - 3 lakhs higher than the already expensive ol' Innova
• Top ZX variant is unavailable with a middle-row bench seat (8 seater)
• Lower variant's interior looks too basic. GX doesn't even get a stereo!
• 2.8's single-digit urban fuel economy due to the hefty kerb weight, engine size and AT
• 2.4's NVH package still has holes to fill (engine clatter, dancing gear lever)
• Heavy steering at parking / low speeds. Can get cumbersome in the city
• Poor sound quality from the ICE. Cheap speakers beg for an upgrade
• Short service interval of merely 5,000 km. Inconvenient for those with high usage

Link to Official Review

Mahindra Scorpio

What you'll like:

• Same popular SUV package, now improved in the 2014 avatar
• Robust, abuse-friendly build & construction
• Aggressive front-end styling. Has good street presence
• mHawk turbo diesel is a jewel of an engine. Great driveability, performance & fuel economy
• New chassis brings better road manners
• 4x4 available on S4 variant too. More affordable than the Safari 4x4 & Duster AWD
• The Scorpio enjoys strong resale value in the used car market
• Features: 6" touchscreen system, GPS navigation, projector headlamps, LED tail-lamps, auto-headlamps & wipers, cruise control, 17" rims etc.

What you won't:

• Ride quality, though improved, is far from plush. Still gets bouncy & bumpy
• Surprisingly limited 2nd-row legroom in an SUV of this size
• Overdone rear end styling. Also, decade-old body shell shows its age
• Fit & finish leave a lot to be desired. Rough edges are plentiful
• Price of the higher variants is dangerously close to the more accomplished XUV500
• Niggles & issues, as reported by existing Scorpio owners
• Mahindra's after-sales service quality is a hit or miss. Remains a gamble

Link to Official Review

Tata Safari Storme

What you’ll like:

• The best Safari till date. Tata continually upgrades & tweaks this SUV
• Solid body-on-frame construction. Substantial size & strong presence
• Competent engines. Excellent driveability & superb refinement
• Improved interiors, comfortable driving position & a much lighter clutch
• 1st & 2nd seat rows have enormous space. Nice seats too
• Good ride quality. Also, the X2 chassis brings better road manners & braking ability
• Low range 4x4 transfer case, limited slip differential and sufficient rear wheel articulation
• Additions such as a bigger 63 liter fuel tank, steering-mounted audio controls, double-din ICE, flippy key & LED cabin lamps

What you won’t:

• The same old body style. Surely shows its age
• Effectively a 5 seater. The 3rd row jump seats aren't suitable even for kids
• Not as dynamically accomplished as the XUV500, Duster or its sibling, the Aria
• No MID, navigation, climate control, reversing camera or dead pedal in a Rs. 15 lakh car
• ABS & all-wheel disc brakes removed from the base LX variant
• Niggling issues & problems (as per the many Safari ownership reports)
• Tata's after-sales service experience remains a gamble
• 4x4's critical electronic bits & fuel tank are placed too low. No protective plate against splashes either. Massive size & kerb weight negatively affect its offroad performance

Link to Official Review

[GTO]

How the lines are getting blurred. Customers are now cross-shopping body-on-frame SUVs, monocoque SUVs, a hybrid MPV & SUV (i.e Hexa) and body-on-frame MPV. But this poll is really about the Hexa & XUV500.

In my books, an SUV just has to have 4x4 / AWD. An SUV without this capability is like a Porsche 911 with a speed restriction of 120 km/h; both will take care of the regular commuting, although you aren't getting the purpose they were built for.

Now, with the Hexa & XUV500 both, the Automatic variants are very competitive. I'll pick their AT variant over the MT any day. Within the ATs, the Hexa is sadly unavailable with an AWD, hence my pick on this poll is the XUV500 W10 AT AWD. Smooth 6-speed AT, sweet engine (I prefer it over the Hexa's), decent AWD to take me places, Mahindra has sorted out most of the niggles now and excellent safety kit + equipment. In terms of long-term reliability too, I'll place my trust on Mahindra over Tata. Within the city (where we spend most of our driving time), the XUV500 is easier to drive, thanks to its lighter steering & sorted ergonomics (my driving position & the Hexa weren't agreeable).

On the other hand, if my family needed a commuter or chauffeur-driven car, I'd stretch & buy the Innova Crysta. Despite the recent niggles thread, I still think it'll be the best beater car to see 1 - 2 lakh km (in terms of durability). Lets focus this poll on choices for a car that you'd drive personally though.

[extreme_torque]

Money no bar, I have selected the Toyota Innova. It is possibly all the car that you are ever going to need especially in India with the added bonus of Toyota's stellar reliability.

[SmartCat]

Each of these 5 vehicles have one significant drawback -

1) With side facing third row seats, Safari and Storme will appeal mostly to those looking for 4/5 seater adventure tourer with a large boot. No AT variants either.

2) Innova does not have 4WD

3) XUV 500 does not have boot space (those who use 7 seaters everyday will know how it significantly affects practicality). Mahindra new gen XUV 500 needs to be longer to incorporate a 200 litre boot (minimum)

4) Hexa doesn't have AT + AWD combo.

If I was in the market for SUV/MUV in this segment, I would pick Hexa AT (meaning boot space is more important than AWD). Innova AT loses out because of its angry aggressive looks which I don't like much.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

One of the easier polls! I'm about 30 years of age, and started life fresh on our own without family backup few years ago. Now, if I were to upgrade my hatchback and go for a vehicle from this segment, it would be a huge investment and I would be looking at a balance act between risk and fun. Considering this, the first two eliminations would be extremely easy.

5. Mahindra Scorpio - Very old in the tooth, and after the dismal show at the crash tests last year - no way it would even make it to the shortlist.
4. TATA Safari Storme - Extremely spartan interiors and feature list for a vehicle costing so much on-road! Test drove one last year, and it was a classic case of why you shouldn't try to meet your heroes.

The next one was not too difficult to eliminate either!

3. TATA Hexa - Contrary to popular opinion, I believe it would be a flop once the initial hoopla dies. Its a brilliant car no doubt, but for what it is - is nothing but a retake on the Aria and its hard to hide that! The former, even though another brilliant car, was not only a flop, but had created a very bad reputation for its reliability as well. I wouldn't prefer to put all my eggs in that basket, not for a couple more years till they prove themselves. Pretty sure many of you will not agree to the above opinion that it will be a flop, but then again, let's resume that argument one year down the line. I'll be around. (PS - Number of votes in this poll, is really not an indicator of how popular it will be in the market!)

The final two were extremely hard choices -

2. Toyota Innova -

Before the current generation came out, I would have easily eliminated the Innova because it never appealed to me as a personal vehicle, but was the best people mover around. The current generation changed all that. Not only was I impressed with the exterior, interiors and features package on offer - but the ride and handling felt extremely European and spot on as well. Is definitely priced on the higher side, but I'm a person who prefers to use a vehicle for a long period and hence the Toyota reliability and resale is worth the extra asking price, compared to the likes of the Hexa.

Tough decision, but compared to the XUV, it still does feel more of a people mover.

1. XUV 5OO W10 AWD -

This offers a very interesting package IMO.

Quite a handsome vehicle in its own right, and the one that feels less of a people mover, as compared to the Innova and the Hexa. Interiors are acceptable in quality though they don't have the 'finesse and taste' seen in the higher variants of the Hexa and Innova.

Comes loaded with features like sunroof which I've always liked for, and lots of other 'Chinese gizmos' (as the Hexa thread calls them!). May not be as off-road capable as the Hexa, but with the AWD - I'm pretty sure it would be able to handle everything a regular user like me could throw at it. Got a gem of an engine as well, along with a decent ride and handling setup.

Has a good safety package on offer as well with 6 airbags, ESP etc. Not to mention the comfort of an automatic transmission which is a must have if I opt for such a big vehicle in a city like Bangalore. Gets my vote in the poll as the one most likely to find a way to my parking lot, incase I'm looking to purchase a vehicle from the segment.

[rrsteer]

I'd pick the Innova.

The way I look at these choices is that all these are from the 'baddi gaadi' segment. Such a car needs space, power, comfort, safety, reliability and desirability which comes from looks, electronic add-ons and how the interior feels.

On all the above counts, barring looks- Innova is either segment best or a close second in my view. Inferior looks will not stop me from owning a vehicle which is segment best on all other counts. And for the same reason I'd ready to pay the extra premium too.

Personally, I do have a use case for AWD or 4*4, but its not a show stopper for me. But if XUV or Hexa was my choice, I'd have definitely opted for the AWD version of these cars.

[deetjohn]

I like to drive and care for my cars, so how a vehicle drives and feels is of huge importance to me. I don't want a manual transmission in a truck either, those are best suited for having fun in a hatchback or a sedan. And from this list here, I had the most fun piloting the Hexa AT.

Coming to the others, the XUV is very fast, but its not as surefooted as the Hexa and the cabin is very lousy too. I like to spend time inside the Hexa or Innova compared to the XUV.

The Scorpio is the worst of the bunch. Old, cramped, scary to drive and with a horrible safety rating for a vehicle costing so much. That NCAP video was sad. Safari is also too old and doesn't have a AT. Besides, Hexa does almost everything better on road.

And that brings us to the strongest one here - the Innova. Its very nice, but its too costly for what it offers and a bit boring to drive even though the 2.8 AT is fast and a great family mover. And I just cannot ignore the 4+ lakhs I save upfront if I buy the Hexa XTA over the Innova Z AT. If I keep the vehicle for 6 years, that's a huge opportunity cost which can help me recover some of the lost value in resale for the Tata. And who knows about the resale market in the 2020s? So, the Toyota can wait. Roll on a few more decades.

The Hexa it is then! Hope it finds some success in our market. We need it more than we know it.

[samaspire]

Ride comfort for my family is the number one priority, and from what I have been reading, the Hexa beats everyone here by miles. So, if I could afford it, I would most definitely buy the Tata Hexa AT.

[speedmunster]

We mostly use our cars on city roads where heavy traffic and bad roads are the norm. This is where SUVs and MUVs with their high ground clearance really matter. AT has become one of the most important features of any car/automobile nowadays.

Many of you would disagree with me when I say that AWD is not essential. What matters in the city and the highways (where most of these would find regular duty) is a good AT box, a powerful engine and decent ground clearance. I have personally seen the Hexa, driven the XUV over long distances and been in the Innova Crysta. If the Innova was priced just a few lakhs cheaper, I would have voted for the Innova but considering the high price tag of the Innova, the Hexa AT gets my vote.

[1.2TSI7DSG]

For me, it was tough to choose between the Crysta & XUV

The price tilts the opinion in favour of the XUV

Crysta Advantages:

Passenger Comfort, 2.8 l monster engine, luxurious interiors, Safety kit

Disadvantages:

Puny tyres for its size, still a passengers car, Chassis vehicle, no 4WD option (not that I care about a 4wd), Overpriced

XUV Advantage:
Drivers car in the lot, the 2.2 is nimble light and matches the 2.8 of the crysta, Safety kit, sunroof (I care about this one), lighter monocoque construction, decent off-roading ability even without the AWD, Price, looks better than the Crysta, Price

XUV disadvantage:
Cheap interiors, long-term irritants (squeaks, rattles and service), Poor resale value (not updated but as compared to the crysta I believe that it would be lower)

Others are just too bulky to evaluate- Hexa is 2200 kgs, Storme 2000 kgs, Scorpio is just impractical as a family car (I would choose the Scorpio hands down if I were single)

[ashis89]

I have always found some similarity between Tata and Bajaj. While their vehicles ( 4-wheeler and 2-wheeler respectively) might have small niggles, I wouldn't call them unreliable. With the risk of going off-topic, let me just say that we have owned 4 Bajaj bikes in the last 16 years and I am tempted to buy the 5th one now. I have faced niggles and quality issues with all of them and yet, I have never been ditched anywhere.

Coming to my experience with Tata cars, we have never owned one. I have traveled long distances in numerous Tata cars. My extended family and father's friends have owned Tata cars starting from 1st-gen Sumo and Indica. My father's office has a fleet of Indica, Indigo, Sumo, Zest and Manza. None of them has ever faced a breakdown anywhere as far as I know. Rather everyone loves/prefers those cars as they find it more comfortable, including me.

I would like to say that striking a balance between quality, reliability (of critical components especially), features and price has been pulled off beautifully by both these brands. This is what pulls me to their products (well, most of their products).

I have been on 2000+ km road trip in an Innova and I appreciate for the wonderful, comfortable and reliable machine it is. But, would I pay obscene amount of money for what it offers? No. Just like I wouldn't buy a Splendor/Passion (no offense to owners/users.

For me, Hexa it will be if I am in the market today.

[Karthik Chandra]

I'll remove the Scorpio and the Safari off the list, since they are overpriced for what they are. Still unrefined in many ways, not modern anymore and would appeal more to fans.

It has be agreed though that these 2 have attained CULT status.

My pick would be the Hexa AT, since it gives me the Innova's space at XUV's price point

Over the Innova it would give me substantial savings which is a trade off for reliability, but then TATA is not that bad. With the warranty options and AMC packs, the Hexa should do just fine. Its not always about the product, its about how the company reacts and treats a customer during reliability issues. TATA has scope for improvement here

One has to agree that the Sumo is as reliable as a Toyota today. If reliability is a problem, then we wouldn't have seen so many TATA's as taxis. Its their approach towards customer centricity and product design (Indica egg shell) thats been the problem and off late they seem to realized that.

Over the XUV, it gives me better space, better interior quality along with fit and finish (an area where Mahindra has big scope for improvement), better ICE, better ride quality and is a new product. Its a trade off for performance though. I'd rate TATA and Mahindra on the same platform when it comes to A.S.S

So, its the Hexa AT for me, since TATA have given 'Whatever it takes' to make the Hexa, the Hexa

[N.r.K]

If I was buying a people mover, which is what most of these are, ride comfort and good interiors are most important. So for me the final choice is between the Hexa and the Innova.
Now with the price difference in mind, being an existing tata owner and the option of the gold amc, I would chose the Hexa. Having said that, I would wait a few months before taking the plunge.

If I want driving dynamics, or a go anywhere vehicle, I would definitely not look at any of these options anyways.

Is the driving dynamics of XUV so much better than the Hexa that we can negate the obvious difference in interior quality and the ride quality? Thats something that I would try to check out personally during the test rides.
Though the biggest drawback for me with the XUV is the interior feel and the design detailing. Though its the vehicle with the best proportions of the lot. I think the designers went overboard when they were adding details to this vehicle! And even though its toned down quite a bit in the refresh, it still looks quite overdone.

[viper_711]

Fit, finish and quality of interiors is important to me. 2nd would be the ride quality and handling. The 3rd row is not important but boot space is important. Basis this, my vote goes to the Hexa.
There is only one thing that i do not like and it's not only Tata doing so - Lack of a true top trim with all options checked. The AT not coming with AWD and ride modes is something i don't like but I can understand that Tata may not have wanted the Hexa to be branded as 'expensive' with the sticker price of such a variant.

[PraNeel]

IMO this is a heart vs mind decision.
Heart: Hexa / Safari / Scorpio.
Mind: XUV / Innova

Those who buy with heart will buy Hexa, Safari, Scorpio. All these have certain characteristics which none offer. XUV plays the VFM card and Innova has reliability up its sleeve. Many people are not going for Hexa top trim as it exceeds the 20 lakhs barrier. Had Tata equipped the XM version better they would have stood a better chance. I hope they correct this out soon.