Tata Hexa Vs Mahindra XUV500 – India made 7-seat SUVs face-off

The growing demand for SUVs in India has been encouraging more automakers to introduce fresh models in the country. Two major automakers in India namely Tata Motors and Mahindra have been key players in the utility vehicle segment, where Mahindra has been leading the competition with popular models like the XUV500, Scorpio and Bolero in India. The yet to be launched Hexa from Tata Motors is expected to be the company’s answer to the XUV500 from Mahindra.

Engine:
The upcoming Tata Hexa will be powered by a 2.2-litre Varicor 400 diesel engine, while the Mahindra XUV500 is powered by a 2.2-litre mHawk 140 diesel engine. Both the vehicles come mated to a six-speed manual and a six-speed automatic transmission option. However, the Hexa impresses with a power output figure of 154bhp and 400Nm of torque in comparison to the XUV500 which generates 140bhp of power and 330Nm of torque.

Design:
Mahindra Cheetah inspired design XUV500 has been well known in the Indian market for its bold and muscular dynamics and sporty appeal. It is indeed one of the best designed cars from the Indian automaker. In order to compete strongly, the Hexa SUV from Tata Motors gets an unconventional and a bolder design. The Hexa sports a muscular front bonnet, wide grille that blends neatly with sharp headlamps, big wheel arches, body cladding and skid plates that render it with SUV characteristics.  

Inside, the XUV500 is offered in dual tone black and grey combination and ample space for occupants, while the Hexa which was last seen at the Auto Expo, came with premium leather upholstery which adds up to its luxury quotient. Both the vehicles are offered in seven-seat option, however, the Hexa with a bit of crossover design offers better space to rear seat occupants.

Features:
Tata Motors association with Jaguar Land Rover has helped the brand introduce the tried and tested terrain response system in the Hexa SUV. This will help the upcoming SUV to overcome off-road terrain with equal finesse as it does on regular tarmac. The Hexa will be offered with safety features such as six airbags and ABS with EBD. Moreover, as per variant, it will be offered with features such as reverse parking camera, keyless entry/exit, speed sensing door locks and much more. The Mahindra XUV500 on the other hand comes with hill descent and hill hold control. It also comes loaded with similar features like reverse parking camera, keyless entry/exit and more. As for safety, based on variants the XUV500 is offered with six airbags and ABS with EBD.

The Tata Hexa will be offered as a premium offering from the company’s SUV lineup in India. Expected to be launch soon, it is likely to be price between Rs 13-18 lakh. The XUV500 from Mahindra has been well received by the local audience owing to its impressive design and style element. However, with more power and interesting features from Tata’s Hexa, the competition is likely to be strong in this segment.