Volkswagen Tiguan
What you'll like:
A well-built European SUV with classy styling
Spacious, high-quality cabin. Big 615-liter boot too
Smooth 7-speed DSG automatic. Lightning quick upshifts
Impressive highway stability & handling for a Crossover
AWD is standard. Good for touring & tackling rough terrain
Loaded with features & technology (
including a beautiful panoramic sunroof)
5-star NCAP rating & top-notch safety kit
What you won't:
Overpriced by a couple of lakhs! Heavy premium over the Hyundai Tucson
Many will find the design too bland & understated. Lacks street cred
Engine feels
adequate, but isn't exciting. You'd expect more power at this price
Stiff ride quality, especially on the back seat (
our test car had the 18" rims)
Despite this being a new wet clutch DSG, we have our finger's crossed on its reliability
No cheaper MT or FWD variants
VW's sub-par dealership & service experiences
Link to Official Review Hyundai Tucson
What you'll like:
Contemporary styling that is universally appealing
Punchy 2.0L diesel engine mated to a smooth automatic transmission
Comfortable ride quality & car-like dynamics
Cool features such as the hands-free tailgate, LED headlamps, electric parking brake, ECO / Sport driving modes & more
Top-notch safety kit: 6 airbags, ESC, VSM, all-wheel disc brakes, hill-start assist etc.
Hyundai's reliability, competent after-sales, 3 year unlimited km warranty & 3 years of free servicing!
What you won't:
No w-o-w factor on the inside. Interior simply doesn't feel special enough for a Rs. 30 lakh car
Expensive, especially the top trim. Full-size 7-seater SUVs are priced in the same ballpark
Some features are conspicuous by their absence (
sunroof, auto-wipers, ventilated seats)
Manual transmission gets step-motherly treatment; poverty-spec base variant only
2.0L petrol motor is strictly average. Doesn't impress like the diesel. No fully loaded petrol either
No AWD on offer! All competitors offer that capability
Link to Official Review Toyota Fortuner
What you'll like:
Contemporary styling & imposing street presence
Tough build. Toyota body-on-frame UVs are known to have very long lives
Powerful diesel and smooth petrol, with user-selectable driving modes too
Interiors are much improved. Cabin is practical & user-friendly
Loaded with features like Bi-beam LED headlamps, powered tailgate, paddle shifters & more
Impressive offroad capability (
by big SUV standards)
Top-notch safety kit. 7 airbags, ABS, ESP, TC, hill assist, ISOFIX & 3-point seatbelts for all
Toyota's excellent after-sales quality, fuss-free ownership experiences, low service costs & up to 7 years of extended warranty coverage
What you won't:
Pricey! More expensive than the better-equipped & equally-competitive Ford Endeavour
Missing sunroof, auto-dimming IRVM, lumbar adjustment, front parking sensors, auto-wipers etc.
Ride quality
although improved is still far from plush. Youll feel the bumps
Cost-cutting in a couple of areas; some interior plastics, ICE audio quality, camera display
Diesels short service interval of merely 5,000 km! Inconvenient for those with high usage
Petrol variant is a guzzler. We saw merely 6 7 kmpl on the AT
No longer a full-time 4x4. Also, 4x4 carries a Rs. 2.5 lakh premium on the MT (
3 lakhs on the road)
No cheaper / smaller diesel variant like the Endeavour 2.2 & ol Fortuner 2.5 for the mass market
Link to Official Review Ford Endeavour
What you'll like:
A big all-rounded SUV with no real deal breaker. Fantastic pricing as well
Macho styling packs appeal. Solid build quality matches the butch presence
Cabin is a nice place to be in. Likeable design, comfy seats & lots of storage
Competent range of diesel engines. The 3.2L, especially, is very impressive
Great balance between ride & handling for a body-on-frame SUV. Sweet steering too
Offroad ready - Terrain Management System, rear diff lock, 225 mm GC & 800 mm of water wading
5 star safety: all wheel disc brakes, ESP & TC, 7 airbags, roll stability control, hill launch assist etc.
Loaded to the gill with features! Panoramic sunroof, 8" touchscreen ICE + 10 speakers, parallel park assist, powered tailgate, xenon headlamps, triple-zone climate control & more
What you won't:
Fortuner's cabin is roomier, offering more headroom & space at the back
Missing essentials such as steering reach adjustment, satellite navigation, passive keyless entry & go, tumbling middle row seat & third row seat recline
2.2L engine feels lethargic over 120 kph. Not a fast highway express
Mediocre fuel economy due to the fat 2,200+ kilo weight, AT & big diesel (3.2L)
Ingress is difficult for the elderly / short folk. 3rd row access is terrible!
Waiting periods are already a couple of months long
No manual gearbox available. Fortuner 2.8L is available with an MT
Link to Official Review