Mahindra XUV 500 W8 AT vs Hyundai Creta CRDI SX AT

This comparo is not meant for two sets of people. For people who stay in Delhi as you can’t buy the Mahindra XUV500 (as it has a of the 2.2-litre diesel ban fame) and for individuals looking for a seven-seater as the Hyundai Creta offers just five. In terms of price too they are quite apart but here they come together because of their gearboxes. These are the only two SUV’s to offer an automatic gearbox coupled to a frugal diesel engine for under Rs 20 lakh. These SUV’s make lot of sense as their diesel motors have surplus of grunt and can well afford to relinquish some of it to a power-sapping torque converter without the fear of turning into a sloth. Automatics are not as fuel efficient as manuals too but again with a diesel engine, you won’t go bankrupt. The point here is that automatics are better suited to diesels than petrol motors and it makes you wonder why we don’t have more cars like the Mahindra XUV m-Hawk auto and the Hyundai Creta CRDI auto.

The Creta is a great all-round package and has been a hit with us Indians and will be hard to beat. Mahindra, on the other hand, has been busy silently improving the XUV500 by fine-tuning the brakes, suspension and improving the build quality too. Now with an automatic transmission it is better than ever before. But is it enough to topple the Creta?

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The XUV is a size bigger than the Creta. On the scale it measures 315mm longer, 110mm wider and 155mm taller. Like their size they look quite different too. Whileere the XUV looks like a macho, swashbuckling SUV, the Creta looks more sedate and urban friendly. Mahindra’s exterior exudes lots of flair and the XUV has loads of presence thanks to the massive grille, flared wheel arches and bulky proportions. While in our eyes they have gone a bit overboard, most Indians love the way this SUV looks.

The Creta on the other hand looks mild and appeals to a wider audience. The proportions are big enough to be called as an SUV and it borrows lots of design elements from the bigger Santa Fe. The large chrome grille lends the front a lot of character and the projector shod headlamps look modern. At the rear, wrap around tail-lamps and the bulging boot-lid looks nice. But we feel the number plate location lower down on the bumper looks a bit odd.

Size is directly proportional to weight, so it doesn’t come as a surprise that the XUV is more than 500kg heavier than the Creta. Both these cars have independent McPherson strut front suspension but at the rear Mahindra offers a modern multi-link independent layout while Hyundai sticks with a traditional torsion beam axle. Mahindra also offers disc brakes all -around while the Creta makes do with front disc and rear drum layout.

The XUV’s interior design is modern and stylish, with a good combination of beige, grey and glossy black plastics. We particularly like the integrated touchscreen audio system which functions well and the crisp screen is easy to read in bright sunlight too.

Quality levels though improved from before are not a patch on the impressive Creta, which uses better quality plastics all round and feels better built too. The Creta has a high-quality cabin, and though it doesn’t look as flashy as the XUV’s, it is simple and logically laid out. But we do wish there was a bit more flair to the design would have upped its looks quotient. As the Creta sits lower than the XUV, ingress is much better and where you have to climb into the high Mahindra, in the Hyundai you just have to comfortably slide -in. On the downside, you don’t get as commanding a view in the Creta as you do in the Mahindra. As far as the front seats are concerned, the Mahindra gets heavily contoured seats. Although good to look at, we feel Mahindra have gone overboard with the support and rather than aiding comfort it does the exact opposite. The Creta’s buckets on the other hand feel properly comfortable and the well-shaped seats hold you in place better.

Though the more compact Creta can’t match the Mahindra for rear space, it has more than enough room for the largest of adults. The Creta’s bench itself is more supportive which makes it more comfy than the XUV over long journeys. However, the wide dimensions of the Mahindra makes it more comfortable when you need to seat three in the back.

Mahindra also offers the XUV with a decent third -row. Although low on thigh support and room it definitely makes it more practical for large families. A sliding middle row would have made the third -row much better in terms of flexible knee room.

As the Creta comes only in the lower SX variant we are considering the lower W8 4X2 variant of the XUV. While the Creta is the more affordable car here, it’s also the one with less equipment. It gets a touchscreen system with satellite navigation, and there’s Bluetooth, USB, aux and a CD player for the audio system. There are also rear parking sensors with camera, ABS with brake assist and two airbags.

When it comes to equipment, it’s hard for any car to beat the Mahindra. The list is almost endless – over and above what the Creta has. It has , automatic adaptive headlamps, a tyre pressure monitor, DVD player and more. There’re also six airbags, ABS and ESP. Mahindra has really pulled out all the stops.

While the XUV500 is powered by a large 2.2-litre 140bhp diesel engine, the Creta is propelled by a modest 1.6-litre 126bhp motor. But, the fact that the Hyundai is more than half a tonne lighter than the much bigger XUV means its performance is actually better than the more powerful Mahindra. Another aspect that dents the XUV’s driving experience is the engine refinement. The motor has a gravely idle and it becomes really vocal past 3500rpm. On the plus side, the vocal engine packs a fair punch from really low down the rev range and pulls strongly after, – enough to make overtaking at highway speeds an easy affair. The XUV uses a new automatic gearbox and it feels well calibrated to the engine characteristics. The gearbox is on the slower-side and it relies more on the engine torque than quick downshifts. It works best on part throttle, where it shifts- up around 3000rpm and keeps the engine in the meat of the powerband. You can also shift gears manually using an unusual toggle switch on the gearlever. It does work well as you get more engine braking especially on steep downhill sections.

The Creta, on the other hand, feels much crisper to drive. The steering feels more direct, the six-speed automatic feels more potent and the engine is a lot more refined than the XUV’s. In terms of power, Hyundai’s 126bhp engine has good pulling power and the engine pulls cleanly till 4500rpm. Since the XUV has the cubic capacity advantage, the Creta’s motor doesn’t feel as responsive at lower speeds and it takes a bit longer to get going in the city. But once on the move it feels much stronger and on the highway, the Hyundai, despite its 14bhp disadvantage, is quicker than the Mahindra and doesn’t lose steam even in the upper reaches of its rev range.

The Creta managed a 0-100kmph time of 11.4seconds which makes it half a second quicker than the XUV. In terms of drivability the Creta and the XUV are very closely matched with 20-80kmph taking 6.95 seconds for the XUV and 6.76 seconds for the Creta.

If there’s one area where the Creta is head and shoulders above the XUV500, then it's in terms of ride and handling. While the Creta stays flat over moderate-sized bumps, the XUV tends to pitch and bob over the same. Hit a pothole hard, and the XUV’s steering wheel also kicks back hard. In the Creta, bump absorption is so good, you'll hardly notice.

While the XUV does a decent job of gripping the road around corners, it doesn’t inspire much confidence while tackling twisty roads. This is because the XUV uses a softer suspension to make it more comfortable in slow, city traffic conditions. However, the trade-off for this comfort is considerable body roll in bends. The steering is also a bit vague around the straight-ahead position and is quite slow to respond to inputs.

The Creta, on the other hand, feels like a big hatchback from behind the wheel. Its handling capabilities and less body roll make it decent at attacking twisty sections. In terms of braking, the XUV’s pedal feels a bit woody and the brakes feel and graby on initial input. The Creta’s brakes are not that great either but they have a more progressive bite and deliver more feel as well.

The XUV500 4X2 automatic in the W8 guise costs Rs 15.53 lakh variant which makes it, by far, the more expensive car, while the Creta diesel auto comes only in the SX plus variant and costs costs Rs 13.80 lakh. On the flipside, the XUV offers far more equipment. Both Mahindra and Hyundai offer a three-year/1,00,000km warranty. As far as fuel efficiency is concerned, the Creta thanks to its smaller engine and lighter body fares much better. It returned 11.7kmpl in the city and 16.8kmpl on the highway. The XUV, on the other hand, delivered a disappointing 9.4kmpl in the city and 13.8kmpl on the highway.

Mahindra XUV 500 4X2 W8 AT

Price- Rs 15.53 lakh

Rank -2nd

Final Score – 365/600

There’s no denying that the automatic variant is the best XUV you can buy. It makes the mammoth better to drive and easier to live with. Its equipment list looks like it belongs on a car that costs twice as much, it is easily a whole size larger than the Creta and can seat three comfortably across the rear. It even has a third row, which the Creta lacks. It's, however, in the details that the XUV loses out - the engine is not the most refined, quality levels are just about average, fuel efficiency is on the lower side and at Rs 15.53 lakhs it is very expensive.

Hyundai Creta CRDI SX plus AT

Price- Rs 13.8 lakh

Rank -1nd

Final Score – 390/600

Smaller on the inside and not as well equipped, the Creta is much more impressive on the move. The ride is supple, the car's poise around corners is good for an SUV and it steers and drives with the precision of a saloon or a hatchback. Power deliver is linear, its performance is stronger, the seats are more comfortable and it feels several times more robustly put together. It being Rs 1.7 lakh cheaper and much more efficient seals it for the Hyundai.