[rahul4321]

Hello everybody,

Need some help. I am looking for a SUV within the range of 14 lakh rupees onroad which has the following. The problem is I already know which one I want and it fits my criteria exactly- however, the manufacturer (stupidly ) doesnt want to make it anymore

Criteria

- Hard Top (Metal)
- Conventional Seats (should be able to seat 4 in comfort) (So the Thar and Gurkha Xplorer goes out unfortunately)
- 4x4. No AWD. (4x4 should be Preferably Mechanical. 2nd Preference Electronic)
- 120 kilometre's per hour Cruising Speed (So the underpowered Bolero's and Gurkha Xpedition go out unfortunately) My usage will be 80% onroad and 20% offroad. I am aware that both the Bolero and the Gurkha will touch 120 but I prefer to cruise at 120 at a reasonable rpm and not at the top speed where the vehicle is screaming its lungs out at high rpms.
- Ladder on Frame chassis only
- Around 14 lakhs on-road (maximum 15)
- Preferably a conventional SUV and not a Pickup (However this is negotiable) (Scorpio Getaway, Xenon XT and Isuzu V-Cross)

My perfect SUV would have been a Scorpio 4x4 in the lower end trim such as a LX 4x4, SLE 4x4, S4+ or an S5+. Mahindra has unfortunately decided to take off the lower end 4x4 trims from the Scorpio and only offer it on the S11 which is costing me a whopping 18 lakh on-road.

Tata also offers the 4x4 only on the top end Storme which is costing around 17.25 lakhs on-road.

I already have a Bolero 4x2 DI and so my dont really want to buy a Bolero 4x4 because it cannot cruise at high speeds. The Gurkha Xpedition doesnt have high speed cruising ability in my books.

I am thus looking at the Scorpio Getaway, Xenon XT and Isuzu V-cross (a little over budget to be honest) as the former two on the list fall within my price limit. However, none of them have mechanical 4x4's and I am not sure what I would do with a loading bay

Any options? I keep posting on Mahindra's page to build me a low trim Scorpio 4x4 and they might build one just to finally get rid of me. But I dont know when it will happen and I cant wait for longer than 3 months at any cost

Thank you in advance for your suggestions

Best Regards,
Rahul Shah

[.anshuman]

I had a similar requirement few months back. I had a XUV-500 AWD which I had bought for all terrain touring few years back, but slowly my usage changed overtime to demand a proper 4x4. I bought an Isuzu V-Cross. If budget was no constraint I would have picked either the Fortuner or Endeavour but within sub 20 lakh budget there was only one car which met my all in one 4x4 car requirement (touring, overlanding, local offroading, dependable, daily use).

If not V-Cross, I would have gone for used Toyota Fortuner or used Mitsubishi Pajero Sport.

The Electronic transfer-case selector on Isuzu is reasonably fast and reliable, it’s only a matter of getting used to, trust me you won’t miss the manual selector.

In a few months, my car has seen all kind of terrains, done a lot of long distance touring. I have no regrets with my choice.

[Traveler]

Only the Fortuner or the Pajero Sport fulfill your criteria. Perhaps you could explore the used car market and pick up either of them.

If you are willing to let go off the 120kmph requirement then the most reliable would be the Classic Pajero.

Another option would be pick up a Thar and get the roof done. Look at http://www.mahindra-customisation.co...-hard-top.html

[sandeepmdas]

I too think the big Isuzu would be the one you should look at. However, you should also consider the fact that a Thar can be customised to meet your specs if you are willing to spend 14 Lakhs.

A Duster 4WD too can be at par with the checklist, except the Ladder frame...

[BlackPearl]

Originally Posted by sandeepmdas

I too think the big Isuzu would be the one you should look at. However, you should also consider the fact that a Thar can be customised to meet your specs if you are willing to spend 14 Lakhs.

A Duster 4WD too can be at par with the checklist, except the Ladder frame...

A Thar will not have the safety features like ABS, EBD, Airbags etc.

[sandeepmdas]

Originally Posted by BlackPearl

A Thar will not have the safety features like ABS, EBD, Airbags etc.

Well, the OP is silent about these in his thread opener. AFAIK not only the Thar, but the two other vehicles that he mentioned are also low on safety equipment - the Gurkha and the Bolero.

Totally agree with and share your concern, though.

[condor]

Originally Posted by rahul4321

Mahindra has unfortunately decided to take off the lower end 4x4 trims from the Scorpio and only offer it on the S11 which is costing me a whopping 18 lakh on-road.

Tata also offers the 4x4 only on the top end Storme which is costing around 17.25 lakhs on-road.

For the requirements listed, these two would be the closest in price. Dont see anyother, unless you extend your search to a used Fortuner.

[BlackPearl]

My suggestions would be in the following order -
1. Isuzu V-Cross
2. Pre-owned Toyota Fortuner
3. Tata Xenon

[Rshrey22]

Why isn't anybody talking about Safari Storme here?

I think that car would fit perfectly to your needs.
Safari storme has much better ride quality than the boxy Scorpio. Although the 4x4 is only offered on the top variant but stretching the budget a little bit won't do much harm when you consider positives of Safari storme.

400nm torque, solid build, 5+2 seating configuration, dependable Borg and Warner 4wd system and a commanding view from the cockpit.

Enough to put a grin on your face.

[IshaanIan]

Isuzu V-Cross! you will learn to appreciate the fact that it is a pickup as well

[Kandisa]

Originally Posted by rahul4321

Tata also offers the 4x4 only on the top end Storme which is costing around 17.25 lakhs on-road.

For some unknown reason TATA has never offered the 4x4 in the lower variant of the Storme even when the Scorpio S4 & then later the S4+ was offered in 4wd variant by Mahindra. I am sure there would 've been decent no of buyers for a low variant 4wd Storme.

Originally Posted by Rshrey22

Why isn't anybody talking about Safari Storme here?
I think that car would fit perfectly to your needs.
Safari storme has much better ride quality than the boxy Scorpio. Although the 4x4 is only offered on the top variant but stretching the budget a little bit won't do much harm when you consider positives of Safari storme.

Answer lies in the question itself. Although a fantastic vehicle, the top end Storme with 4x4 is bit too expensive.

Originally Posted by .anshuman

I had a similar requirement few months back. I had a XUV-500 AWD which I had bought for all terrain touring few years back, but slowly my usage changed overtime to demand a proper 4x4. I bought an Isuzu V-Cross.

Originally Posted by IshaanIan

Isuzu V-Cross! you will learn to appreciate the fact that it is a pickup as well

V-Cross surprisingly is a very decent choice as a package overall although it might not be considered as an alternative of a mainstream SUV as such. A ladder on frame chassis with a solid build, proper reliable 4x4 mechanism (although being electronic, this is as reliable as a mechanical one), supremely comfortable front seats, an engine good enough for day long cruise (could be energized further through re-map), ABS, front airbags, fantastic AC with automatic climate control, it does have a good sets of features. The face lift version is even better with more goodies. Though there are few practical issues one has to be cautious about, most importantly the enormous length which could be problematic in tight parking space, narrow turns in the hills and slightly bigger for a daily use. The 2nd row seat might not be as comfortable as in a Storme but pretty decent even for long distance travel. But these are few of the things one can adapt to live with because the vehicle itself offers so much of joy & enthusiasm. Have long test drives to see if it excites you. I never seriously considered the V-cross but a casual visit to the showroom and a subsequent test drive changed the scenario. 8 months into the ownership and after few long & short trips comprising of the highland of Kinnaur, deserts of Jaisalmer, barren lakebed of Sambhar, Jungle of Corbett, the usual places like Solang valley, I am convinced this was the best choice in my budget range.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by rahul4321

Hard Top (Metal)
- Conventional Seats (should be able to seat 4 in comfort) (So the Thar and Gurkha Xplorer goes out unfortunately)
- 4x4. No AWD. (4x4 should be Preferably Mechanical. 2nd Preference Electronic)
- 120 kilometre's per hour Cruising Speed
- Ladder on Frame chassis only
- Around 14 lakhs on-road (maximum 15)
- Preferably a conventional SUV and not a Pickup

Keep the Duster AWD as an option since a majority of your driving is on the road. And when offroad, it'll pleasantly surprise you with its capability & agility. Also strongly recommend the V-Cross.

Because of your eligibility criteria, you will have to consider the pre-owned market - Scorpio, Safari, XUV500 AWD & Fortuner can all be had in your budget.

Why do you want a body-on-frame vehicle only? There's no overloading of passengers, cargo or severe offroading in your usage. You'll be surprised with the abuse that today's monocoques can take. For regular usage, the only advantage of body-on-frame vehicles is that they're cheaper / easier to repair after an accident.

[pcpranav]

Originally Posted by Kandisa

V-Cross surprisingly is a very decent choice as a package overall although it might not be considered as an alternative of a mainstream SUV as such. A ladder on frame chassis with a solid build, proper reliable 4x4 mechanism (although being electronic, this is as reliable as a mechanical one), supremely comfortable front seats, an engine good enough for day long cruise (could be energized further through re-map), ABS, front airbags, fantastic AC with automatic climate control, it does have a good sets of features. The face lift version is even better with more goodies. Though there are few practical issues one has to be cautious about, most importantly the enormous length which could be problematic in tight parking space, narrow turns in the hills and slightly bigger for a daily use. The 2nd row seat might not be as comfortable as in a Storme but pretty decent even for long distance travel. But these are few of the things one can adapt to live with because the vehicle itself offers so much of joy & enthusiasm. Have long test drives to see if it excites you. I never seriously considered the V-cross but a casual visit to the showroom and a subsequent test drive changed the scenario. 8 months into the ownership and after few long & short trips comprising of the highland of Kinnaur, deserts of Jaisalmer, barren lakebed of Sambhar, Jungle of Corbett, the usual places like Solang valley, I am convinced this was the best choice in my budget range.

Hi, this thread is just apt for me too, thanks.

Scorpio : M&M guys just pushed the 4WD option very far off (S11+), and not really worthwhile. M&M much interested in offering styling & cosmetic customization (SYouV), most which could be achieved by range of after-market products. Whereas the Core customization for engine or 4WD is not provided in all variants!! What were those guys thinking ?!

need inputs from V-Cross owners:

I read few places about the rear seats not really comfortable, especially for long journeys. It has quite a weird back support, pretty straight angled which may not let you be "relaxed". In the previous model, I sat on a stationery vehicle hardly for 1 minute, and instantly found it bit different, even the tight support was less. Any method like seat cover to make it more comfortable ? Daughter loves sleeping on rear seat.
Note, I hardly sit on rear benches; Im 6ft and driving Xylo since a long time.

Second matter on V-Cross, in practical terms whats the turning ability (radius) on tight corner, including those of steep mountain roads. Not that Im doing mountains regularly, but still.
At the max, I can think of a benchmark of Sandakhphu - I know few Scorpio 4WD / Duster AWD / Thar 4WD etc have done this "road!!" successfully.

Can V-Cross be the only vehicle, including daily office travels in city like Mumbai ?


regards,
Pranav

[Kandisa]

Originally Posted by pcpranav

Scorpio : M&M guys just pushed the 4WD option very far off (S11+), and not really worthwhile. M&M much interested in offering styling & cosmetic customization

M&M has just lost it in the same way as TATA, they at least could have had few Scorpio owners just because of availability of 4wd option in lower variant coupled with ABS, Airbags.

need inputs from V-Cross owners:
I read few places about the rear seats not really comfortable, especially for long journeys. It has quite a weird back support, pretty straight angled which may not let you be "relaxed". In the previous model, I sat on a stationery vehicle hardly for 1 minute, and instantly found it bit different, even the tight support was less. Any method like seat cover to make it more comfortable ? Daughter loves sleeping on rear seat.
Note, I hardly sit on rear benches; Im 6ft and driving Xylo since a long time.

Because of the inherent design of a pick up the rear is off-course not as comfortable as a good quality sedan or MUV, and if you have really well built people travelling continuously at the rear it might not be very comfortable for them. But it is definitely comparable to a decent hatchback and if you mostly have kids travelling at the back, it is not going to be any issue at all. Having said that, during our 10 days' journey last summer, my brother (6 ft 1") travelled for quite some time at the back and he didn't complaint much except the occasional bounciness and bit of body roll. And my vehicle till now doesn't have any seat cover. With a good upholstery shop you may try to put some padding underneath and slightly extend the thigh support at the rear, this will have a better comfort for sure. But all said and done, the 'comfort' is a relative term and may vary depending on one's previous experience with cars of different category. Coming from a Jeep background things are very much acceptable for me and my family but it shouldn't be generalized and best is to have extended test drives with few of your family members occupying rear seat to get the feel.

Second matter on V-Cross, in practical terms whats the turning ability (radius) on tight corner, including those of steep mountain roads. Not that Im doing mountains regularly, but still.
At the max, I can think of a benchmark of Sandakhphu - I know few Scorpio 4WD / Duster AWD / Thar 4WD etc have done this "road!!" successfully.

Well please don't take Sandakphu as the benchmark, for that you should definitely look for a much shorter wheelbase. But if you look at the regular and even few offbeat mountain roads, as per my experience, you might need just one extra turn to move ahead. Thankfully the maneuvering is not that difficult as compared to the external size. In fact this was the most pleasantly surprising finding during my test drive. And there are many owners who have been to the usual and unusual offbeat places and the vehicle did ok.

Can V-Cross be the only vehicle, including daily office travels in city like Mumbai ?

Giving the example of NCR, the answer is yes with some assumptions and compromise. One has to be bit patient and really can't zipzap through the traffic unlike a small hatchback, which is the best vehicle for a pure city commute. Also if this is your only vehicle then you might not be willing to take the behemoth out for those small commutes every now and then. And most importantly the enormous parking space requirement might be an issue in some cases. So best to have this in conjunction with a small car. But if one is ready to do the bits of compromises mentioned above then why not to have this as the sole vehicle in the garage. As a parallel suggestion, the Storme 4wd won't be a bad choice either though it is not a 'pick-up'

[thedragonreborn]

Originally Posted by GTO

Keep the Duster AWD as an option since a majority of your driving is on the road. And when offroad, it'll pleasantly surprise you with its capability & agility. Also strongly recommend the V-Cross.

Because of your eligibility criteria, you will have to consider the pre-owned market - Scorpio, Safari, XUV500 AWD & Fortuner can all be had in your budget.

Why do you want a body-on-frame vehicle only? There's no overloading of passengers, cargo or severe offroading in your usage. You'll be surprised with the abuse that today's monocoques can take. For regular usage, the only advantage of body-on-frame vehicles is that they're cheaper / easier to repair after an accident.

I just trundled back from a trip that took the wife and I to the interiors of Maharashtra, a beautiful nook of the country where there are no roads, period. I am rather surprised that the Swift managed to skip over some interesting terrain, cutting through some rather beguiling weather. While I agree that today's monocoques will surprise you when you launch self off the beaten path, not sure how much abuse will they be able to stomach before they start spewing their guts out.

I have come back hunting for a tough cookie that can ferry the family, including the dog, into the blue yonder without getting my heart to skip beats while skipping across loose surfaces. body-on-frames seem to the only way out.

Interestingly, my needs match our friend's to the T. Have been hunting down a new Toyota Certified Fortuners, but none have clocked less than 75k on the odo, which worries me (should it?). Not to mention that the Fortuner does tend to dance alongwith the loose bits of the road when the mood takes it. Not sure if anything can really be had South of 14/15 lakhs. The V-Cross would have been perfect when it was just the two of us in it. With the family in tow, not the ideal option.

Buying a vehicle in India is fun!