India is a country where people like to travel with family be it on train, bike or cars. The current SUVs are not easy to drive, thanks to the new breed of cars that is big, gives comfort of cars and are as easy as driving a hatchback. Below are the two new machines in this segment you could consider buying in 2015.
Mahindra Xylo Facelift
This is a minor facelift with lot of changes in the interiors and exteriors but under the hood everything remains same. There is however a mechanical update in the form of tweak for suspension. With this change expect an increase in the ride quality of the vehicle.
There is no change in the engine and is fitted with CRDe engine, 2.5 ltr MDI in the base models D2 and E4. The D2 engine gives out 94.5Ps of power with peak torque of 220Nm. E4 variant gives out maximum power of 113Ps with a peak torque of 260Nm. Both are fitted with 5-speed manual gearbox.
There is an update in chrome trim which made the mpv livelier and is also fitted with updated graphics. The bumpers are revamped, and headlight gets chrome inserts. There is a cosmetic update to the bonnet too which now gets a Mahindra logo on it. Other updates include a new seat upholstery, instrument cluster redesign and black and beige dashboard. Audio system now wireless connectivity and is bluetooth enabled. The cushions in the middle row seats are also upgraded which would give comfortable seating. The 3rd row seats can now be folded which will now be very convenient for people going for long rides. Some of its close competitions include Toyota Innova(market leader in this segment) and Chevrolet Enjoy.
Mahindra should have looked into adding airbags to its base models too as planned by Innova. We would look forward to seeing it in the next update.
2015 Renault Lodgy
This car is going to come to India in the first quarter of 2015. The estimated price for this would be around 8-11 lakhs which is very competitive for the segment. After the success of Duster, Renault’s Dacia is coming up with the seven seater which is going to be primarily produced in India. Due to this the prices of this MPV could be kept under control.
Lodgy is bigger than its rivals Mobilio, Ertiga and Nissan Evalia, so, expect lot of space inside well suited for large Indian families. A huge number of its components is same as Duster due to which the prices are so competitive.
Lodgy is fitted with 1.5 ltr K9K diesel engine that gives out 84Ps of power. The other version that has peak power of 109Ps is expected to be launched at a later date sometime towards end of 2015.
This is going to be one of the best looking due to which it might get lot of buyers. Others in this segment have more or less boxy type of looks especially Nissan Evalia.
2015 Datsun Go+
This car is the cheapest in the segment. It is like owning a MPV while paying for a normal hatchback. The car is fitted with very basic level of features and not much of equipments. It is just Rs. 30,000 more than Go hatch and you get a compact station wagon.
Under the bonnet the engine is 1.2 ltr 3-cylinder engine with 5 speed gearbox similar like Go. The ECU has been calibrated so as to give it better throttle which is much required by the increase in size, weight and related drag.
Length for Go+ stands at 3995mm and height is 1490mm which is close to any hatch and smaller that others in the segment. The third row seats are cramped and very difficult to use and might be suitable for kids. The boot space is 347 ltrs which is not enough. The wheel wells are huge but the tyres are small which looks odd.
Go+ is a good city car and due to its competitive pricing might see lot of buyers.
Lets have a look at the other 2 MPVs
Under the hood Maruti Ertiga is based on Swift and Honda Mobilio is based on Brio, the two successful established hatchbacks. Ertiga’s body is very basic and can be confused with stretched Ritz. Due to its simple design it is able to capture much of the market but when it comes to looks it might not be able to stand against Mobilio or for that matter future one Lodgy.
Mobilio resembles in design with its own Amaze and Brio. Mobilio is the best looking MPV in India and is easier to drive too. Other factors that could make it a must buy is its frugal engine, price, reliability of Honda and space inside. Ertiga has the first mover advantage but the Honda machine is catching up fast.