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6. Mahindra NuvoSport
Primarily a replacement to the Quanto SUV, NuvoSport is built on the same underpinnings used in Scorpio. Changes are made to the front of the SUV, while the rear end has been retained. Prominent changes are made to the interiors as it features a seven-seat configuration with two rows and two additional seats at the back. In terms of power, the model uses a 1.5-litre diesel unit with 101.3bhp at 3,750rpm against 240Nm torque between 1,600 to 2,800rpm. The NuvoSport carline is currently available with manual and automatic transmissions.
Price – Rs 7.69 lakh to Rs 10.17 lakh
Competition – Ford EcoSport, Maruti Vitara Brezza and Honda WR-V
7. Renault Duster
After Renault made a comeback in the Indian market, it launched a slew of models, one of which was the Duster compact SUV. Having failed with Fluence and Koleos models, Duster was the first car from Renault to taste success in India. With over 5 years in the country, Duster is now readying for a generation leap sometime in 2018 or 2019. Along with the five-seat layout, the model is likely to receive an additional seven-seat configuration. The current model comes with a choice between a 1.5-litre diesel (available in two states of tune) and 1.6-litre petrol engine in manual, AMT and CVT options. It additionally gets an AWD system on the top-spec 108bhp, diesel variant.
Price – Rs 8.42 lakh to Rs 13.66 lakh
Competition – Hyundai Creta, Honda BR-V and Mahindra Scorpio
8. Hyundai Creta
Hyundai has a strong hold in the compact SUV space accredit its volume churner Creta model that set new benchmarks in the segment. So is its craze that Cretaachieved the 1 lakh unit sales milestone in less than two years of its launch in India. Built on Hyundai’s popular Fluidic Sculpture design tenet, it is undoubtedly one of the best-looking cars in the segment. Power sources on the Creta carline include a 1.4-litre diesel, 1.6-litre diesel and 1.4-litre petrol units with a standard manual and optional auto box on select variants. One must note that only the base petrol manual E trim is priced under Rs 10 lakh, while others are pricier.
Price – Rs 9.29 lakh to Rs 14.55 lakh
Competition – Renault Duster, Nissan Terrano, Mahindra Scorpio
9. Honda BR-V
Much before introducing WR-V in the subcompact segment, Honda launched BR-V with seven-seat layout. The model underpins Honda’s popular Brio platform and offers an upmarket cabin with excellent fit and finish, something Honda is known for. In terms of equipment, the model packs in a raft of features such as dual front airbags, push start stop button, reverse parking sensors etc. The carline derives power form Honda’s 1.5-litre petrol with 119bhp of top power and 1.5-litre oil burner that churns out 100bhp. Transmission choices include a manual and an automatic option.
Price – Rs 9.05 lakh to Rs 13.22 lakh
Competition – Renault Duster, Hyundai Creta and Mahindra Scorpio
10. Mahindra Thar
Mahindra’s rugged model is revered for its off-roading traits and is counted among the best off-roaders in India. This makes it a popular choice in the tier II and tier III markets. Improving in aesthetic terms with frequent updates and Thar now gets additional kit, though it features basic interior styling and packs in elementary features. Available in DI and CRDe variants, Thar carline derives power from the 105bhp, 2.4-litre CRDe and 62bhp, 2.5-litre MDI unit. The SUV comes only in a manual option and is claimed to return ARAI rated mileage of 13km/l. Mahindra has equipped 4WD drivetrain in select variants, though the 2WD system is standard.
Price – Rs 6.38 lakh (DI), Rs 6.91 lakh (DI) andRs 8.98 lakh (CRDe)
Competition – Maruti Gypsy and Force Gurkha
