Booked Mahindra XUV700: Rethinking my decision for a Toyota Fortuner

My wife found the ride quality of the Fortuner better than our 2016 Mahindra Thar.

BHPian febin8055 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I am in a serious dilemma!

Looking for a 7 seater. Booked XUV 700 and delivery is scheduled for next month. Due to the “great resignation”, I extended my budget to 70L. Now the real problem starts.

Took a test drive of GLA AMG35. Loved the vehicle, but my wife rejected it due to cramped seating and low or no trunk space with the spare wheel in the trunk.

• Gloster: Didn't like the looks and the MG branding, features are impressive.
• Jeep Meridian: Looks good, but 168BHP, feel it’s underpowered for a huge SUV - a stretched Compass.
• Alturas: Looks again and not sure when Mahindra will stop this model. Skoda Kodaiq: Sold out till 2023, was actually an option considering the features and comfort (monocoque).
• Volvo XC40: Also out due to less trunk space.

Next was XC60 (a little over the budget) and my wife came up with a new suggestion to get a 7 seater so that we can take the canine companion along. Now I am back to square one, my first love - Fortuner. I feel there is absolutely no other 7 seater in the market.

I use my 2016 Thar as a daily commuter and highway use. Prefer that over my Polo due to the seating position and driving the Polo gives me knee pain. Even though I enjoy long drives on Thar, it’s not the case with my wife and son. It’s too bumpy and my wife curses the Thar (and me) the whole 8-10 hours (even in sleep!).

Coming to my question - how comfortable do you guys think the Fortuner is? Will my family keep cursing me for another 5-7 years until my next change? I took a test drive and I am really happy with the beast. Both front and middle row seem ok for me considering my Thar experience.

My wife had an ok impression about Fortuner, ride quality is better than Thar, the interior is ok, no sunroof. The only time I'd take my family in the Fortuner is going to be family visits to Wayanad, Chikmagalur, Mangalore and vacations (mostly highways). And I can enjoy the bad roads in Bangalore without caring about the potholes like the way I do in my Thar.

Any other alternatives to Fortuner, or should I stick with XUV 700 and save some money? Appreciate your thoughts!

Here's what BHPian PrideRed had to say about the matter:

If you and your family are used to previous-gen Thar, Fortuner 2021 will be comfortable. It's perfect for touring on highways and the ride gets better with the load. If you are looking for Body on Frame SUV, Fortuner is your best bet now. Gloster impresses with the feature list, but the drive experience was not to my liking. XUV700 to me is a great package but the issues reported are a bit of concern. I am sure Mahindra will iron out these over time.

Here's what BHPian Bhupesh_2628 had to say about the matter:

In my opinion, you should also check Innova Crysta. It'll be more comfortable than Fortuner. Also, as per your post, I don't think you need a 4x4 vehicle as this need is fulfilled by Thar.

With this, even buying Fortuner 4x2 is also not logical if we talk in terms of pure comfort.

Wouldn't recommend Kia Carnival due to low ground clearance and possible underbody scraping as you would encounter bad roads quite often. Otherwise, a good alternative luxurious MPV.

Here's what BHPian getsurya had to say about the matter:

Just go ahead and book a Fortuner 4x4 AT and you will be happy ever after! It will make you smile at all your city, hills, estate runs and much more. It will ensure that you have a dependable true-blooded SUV, at your beck and call. I tell you this with all my experiences with two models of Fortuners, so far!

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