[Aditya]

Hyundai Alcazar

What you’ll like:

• A 3-row family car that's well-built inside out
• User-friendly interiors look really good (brown shade is awesome) and have quality parts
• 2.0L NA petrol & 6-speed AT deliver a very smooth and refined driving experience
• Economical 1.5L diesel is available in MT & AT variants. Offers good driveability
• Comfortable ride quality with neutral road manners
• Unladen ground clearance of 200 mm is perfect for Indian roads
• The Alcazar's safety package includes 6 airbags, ESP, all-wheel disc brakes, auto-hold, TPMS etc.
• Impressive kit (fully digital instruments, 360-degree camera, 2nd-row wireless charger, panoramic sunroof, paddle shifters, Bose sound system, cooled seats & loads more)
• Hyundai's competent after-sales service & wide dealer network

What you won’t:

• Oddball love-it-or-hate-it face. We find the Alcazar's front design to be weird & overdone
• 2nd-row legroom is mediocre (captain seat variant). Compromises have been made to accommodate the 3rd-row & boot
• 3rd-row seat is best suited to kids only. Not really a place for adults
• Rs. ~3 lakh OTR premium over the Creta on the higher variants is too much!
• Nothing for enthusiasts here. The 2.0 AT is tuned very conservatively
• Diesel’s 113 BHP & 250 Nm – although adequate – are the lowest in the segment
• The Creta 1.4L DCT is a lot, lot more fun to drive
• Competitors like the Tata Safari, MG Hector Plus & XUV500 offer way more spacious cabins
• Some misses (no petrol AT 7-seater variant, auto wipers, illuminated window buttons, full-size spare tyre on top trims etc.)

Review Link

Tata Safari

What you’ll like:

• The iconic brand “Safari” is back! We agree with using the legendary nameplate for this car
• Stunning looks & strong road presence. Solid build too
• Classy, spacious cabin with comfortable seats & a chilling air-con
• Extra 3rd row of seats brings lots more practicality & utility
• Superb captain chairs available as an option for the middle row (top variant only)
• Extras over the Harrier include rear disc brakes, TPMS, e-parking brake, auto-hold, boss mode…
• Fantastic 9-speaker audio system. Sound quality & bass are enjoyable
• 168 BHP 2.0L diesel offers good driveability and a punchy mid-range
• Smooth & competent 6-speed automatic transmission
• Sufficient ground clearance + terrain response system for rough and wet roads
• Topnotch safety kit includes 6 airbags, ESP, rest break reminder, hill hold, brake disc wiping & more
• Features such as the panoramic sunroof, Eco & Sport modes, auto headlamps & wipers, cruise control…

What you won’t:

• Heavy steering gets cumbersome at parking / u-turn / crawling speeds (<5 km/h)
• 3rd row access is too difficult in the captain seat variant
• Negligible boot space with all the seats up - a paltry 73 liters
• Safari AT’s focus is on smoothness & comfort; gearbox is not the most responsive
• Concerns over niggles & long-term reliability. Our test car had a problem too!
• Service visit every 6 months / 7,500 km (12-months is the norm today)
• Diesel engine does get loud above 3,500 rpm & its engine note is quite sad too
• No petrol option (almost all competitors offer it). No AWD for enthusiasts either
• Although improved, the Safari's steering @ 120 km/h is still a level too sensitive
• Tata's after-sales service quality is a hit or miss. Remains a gamble
• By 2021 standards, we’d expect wireless charging + front / 360 camera + ventilated seats
• We don’t agree with the excessive chrome (outside), impractical white interiors & 18” rims (bit firmer ride)

Review Link

MG Hector Plus

What you'll like:

• Big size & lots of bling for the money! We find the Hector to be well-priced
• A spacious cabin that can easily seat 5 adults. Massive 587 litre boot too
• Fiat-sourced 2.0L diesel is simply fantastic
• Compliant ride quality. Suspension is tuned for comfort
• Lots of kit (panoramic sunroof, 360-degree camera, electric seats & tailgate etc.)
• ‘Connected’ Tablet ICE with an embedded SIM & lovely sound quality
• 5-year / unlimited km warranty with roadside assistance
• Top safety equipment includes 6 airbags, ESP, HSA, all-wheel disc brakes, TPMS & more

What you won't:

• Awkward styling on the side & rear profiles. Looks weird from some angles
• Sloppy high-speed handling, noticeable body roll & easy understeer
• The petrol engine is “adequate” at best. Its guzzling Automatic variant is unimpressive
• No Diesel AT (Alcazar, XUV500, Safari offer this combination, which we love)
• Some annoyances like the ~6 meter turning radius, strange rpm meter…
• Small after-sales network. Service quality & long-term reliability are big unknowns
• Don’t get blinded by the British branding. This is a Chinese car

Review Link

Mahindra XUV500

What you’ll like:

• A well-engineered, contemporary SUV with a value-for-money price tag
• More mature styling. Front end no longer looks garish
• Acres of space on the 1st & 2nd seat rows
• Competent engine delivers fantastic urban driveability, as well as fast highway performance
• Balanced ride & handling package
• Safety kit includes 6 airbags, ESP with rollover mitigation, ABS + EBD and all-wheel disc brakes
• Expansive feature list (sunroof, touchscreen ICE, powered driver's seat, cruise control etc.)

What you won’t:

• Absolutely no luggage capacity with all the seats in place
• Cramped 3rd seat row is best suited to children only. A sliding middle row is sorely missed
• Interior quality, although better, still has a lot of scope for improvement
• Clutch is lighter now, but has a long travel range & high resting point. Gets cumbersome in traffic
• Niggles & issues, as reported by existing XUV500 owners
• Mahindra's inconsistent sales & service experiences

Review Link

Review Link - Diesel AT

Toyota Innova Crysta

What you'll like:

• Indestructible build & durability. The Innova is known for its bullet-proof reliability
• Spacious, flexible & practical cabin. An extremely comfortable long distance commuter
• Upmarket interiors. The ZX AT variant is very plush
• Powerful diesel engines with user-selectable driving modes
• Balanced suspension & road manners. High speed stability is rock solid
• Top-notch safety kit. 7 airbags, ABS, ESP, TC, Isofix & 3-point seatbelts for all
• Feature packed! Leather seats, LED headlamps, mood lighting, cruise control & lots more
• Toyota's excellent after-sales service and fuss-free ownership experiences

What you won't:

• Hefty price tag! 3 - 4 lakhs higher than the competition
• Top ZX variant is unavailable with a middle-row bench seat (8 seater)
• Lower variant's interior looks too basic
• 2.4's NVH package still has holes to fill (engine clatter, dancing gear lever)
• Heavy steering at parking / low speeds. Can get cumbersome in the city
• Poor sound quality from the ICE. Cheap speakers beg for an upgrade

Review Link

[GTO]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

If I am out shopping for a 3-row UV, I might as well pick up the best one on sale since 15 years. Voted for the Innova. You just cannot go wrong with this workhorse. And the new one is nicer to drive too! Miss that fast 2.8L AT variant though.

If the Safari was as mechanically & electronically sorted as the Hexa, I would've been tempted. But the Harrier / Safari are sadly still work-in-process cars and my daily schedule just doesn't allow any bandwidth for problematic cars.

The XUV500 is too old & the Alcazar is a strange packaging mess by Hyundai where the 2nd & 3rd row are both compromised!

[ashis89]

If I consider the Alcazar, it will be in lieu of the Creta because of the better design here. Have already seen a few on the road and it looks loads better than the Creta. But not a people mover, IMO.

If I need a 6-7 seater, it has to be Innova, no second thoughts for now.

Safari/Harrier were special. But off late, there are more niggles threads on our forum, than ownership thread. Major QC issues are the dampener here.

[RaceHorse]

Voted for Innova, as I regard it as the best 7 seater with AT box, till the time Marazzo gets launched with AMT box.

Though Innova triumphs in all aspects, I don't like the fact that, it is not offered with bench seat + AT combination in the top variants.
That would have been a killer offering in the segment from Toyota.

[paragsachania]

Incidentally, during the last week, I accompanied 2 friends who are on an upgrade spree; one from 2018 Ciaz Diesel and another from a 2018 Honda City A/T. We checked out exactly the cars that are listed in the poll, except the MG Hector Plus starting with the XUV 5OO and followed by Safari, Alcazar and Innova Crysta.

None of these friends were anyway having a compelling reason for a 7 seater but were strictly looking for an upgrade in the 24-26L bracket. So the 3rd row of seats were not a must but if available, they may as well consider it for the flexible seating for ad-hoc needs.

XUV 5OO:

Felt like a well built car and I had recently sat in one that had clocked 1.7 Lacs and had aged really well including the panels and buttons inside. Driving impressions were definitely good too including handling during quick lane change maneuvers and steering behavior. The boot with the 3rd row in use was nearly zero and the 3rd row seat comfort was average or just good. The current generation on sale is having a minimum cash discount of 1L too but then most of us know that the next gen will visit the showrooms anytime soon.

Alacazar:

We didn't test drive this car. We merely saw this inside out. The boot with the 3rd row felt better to load luggage for all for one overnighter but that is it. The second row comfort on captain seats felt inadequate to me, despite of sliding the seat all the way back and reclining the back. Driver seat felt too close to everything when I sat there - The windscreen felt was really close and so was the width of the car. For some reason, this car felt like a heavily compromised one and captain seats never felt comfortable. 3rd row seating appeared compromised too.

Hyundai Diesels and Transmission are one of the very best and refined too. When you drive one, you really won't know if you were driving a Diesel at all and I have always liked that with Hyundai but sorry, somehow the Alacazar felt out of place to both of us that day.

Tata Safari:

I had on earlier occasion test driven the Harrier few times for friends and 2 of them bought it too. This time we drove the Safari. The engine felt powerful and the throttle response too was punchy (manual variant). However, it was the steering sensitivity that irked me this time too. There was a fair amount of play even at normal driving speeds of 60-80 kmph while the behavior of the vehicle to steering inputs, especially when making those lane changes did exhibit the body-roll/fishtail effect. Few months back when I had experienced this in the Harrier, I was wondering if I was the only one till I came back and read about the same in the official review too. I simply didn't like that experience. I am too finicky when it comes to such characteristics and I wont like such in my car.

The 3rd row in the Safari is placed low and space management again is just adequate. Nothing noteworthy and I cannot call it a good 7 seater for long trips. The Captain seats too are not comparable to competition. I felt they are really narrow for comfort. This friend of mine has booked the Harrier XT+ on today itself.

Innova Crysta:

The test drive is fresh as I drove at least 15 Km today, again for a friend at my apartment who had got the car to check if the allocated parking was accommodative. The Crysta for me felt at home immediately. The right sitting posture, comfortable seats for all 3 rows (3rd row not the best but better than the others), nothing great nor bad (except may be the price tag).

It drove like a chariot or rather, a B11R or a Scania Multi axle but still behaved like a proper car for quick maneuvers on that steering. The undulations on the highway felt planted (we were 4 in the car) which otherwise is a bouncy affair if you are all alone in the Crysta. The feature list was limited with the GX variant while the VX too didn't really have comparable features to that of Hyundai, Tata, Mahindra or MG. Still, the deal was sealed today after the parking test, for the GX.

MG Hector Plus:

This was couple of months before when a friend picked a Hector that I saw the Hector Plus at the show room. The 3rd row in the Hector plus feels like an extreme compromise without any design changes (like Harrier to Safari). The 3rd row seats were literally on the floor bolted in the boot area just because there was some space. To me, the Hector Plus felt like the worst execution for that 3rd row compared to any of the other cars compared here.

In the end, if I was in the market today and I have the above choices, I will pick the Crysta. It is not fanboyism or obsession but if I have to carefully weigh in my parameters of long term and hassle-free ownership experience, and my usage pattern, with no nonsense plain jane feature list and more than adequate performance and comfort for all for those long trips, I know the choice is right for me.

[PetrolHead2272]

Since I am a newbie, I can't vote; However,

Undoubtedly the Innova Crysta for me. I wouldn't even bother to look at the other cars listed here. Having spent around 11 years with one, I can guarantee that this car would last longer than its competitors. Despite the 2.8 litre engine being discontinued, the 2.4 is no slouch at all.

The reasons why I would choose the Innova are -
- the brand TOYOTA says it all. Bullet-proof reliability.
- Easily the comfiest of the lot
- Would be the only one of the options mentioned above that is expected to last a decade easily.
- Long drives are a breeze.
- My family and I refer to our current Innova as "Living room on wheels".
- Quality of servicing is wayy better than the others.
- I personally don't like Tata cars and neither do I like the Alcazar, I would rather go for the Creta itself.
- No MG for now, lots of niggles are coming in.
- XUV500 is quite old, but it still would be my second pick.

Thanks

[Axe77]

None of these appeal to me. While the Innova is incredible for its no nonsense ownership and fantastic to be driven in, I don’t think I’d ever like to drive one (I did drive halfway from Bombay to Pune once in it).

If I ever want / must have a 3 row vehicle, I would probably go for a nice 2 - 3 year old Endeavour for a price similar to a new Innova. Capable vehicle, reliable, you can use it for some fun off the road too, brilliant pano sunroof when you’re being driven around. A little aesthetic mods can make it look BAD ASS. The potential is incredible to have a practical as well as fun set of wheels.

[AYP]

Except for the Innova Crysta, all the other cars in this list have some quirks/cons which are almost a deal breaker for me-

1. Alcazar- A C-2 segment car posing as a D segment car with added features. I prefer turbo engines. This car has a NA petrol and an average diesel engine especially when compared to the segment.

2. Safari- Niggles, niggles, niggles. Infotainment looks old school, so do the dials.

3. XUV500- Dated.

4. MG Hector Plus- I tend to avoid Chinese products. I will still pick this over the Safari and avoid the niggles.

The Innova has its own cons but overall, it is a solid package. It lacks in features but makes it up with a potent engine, Toyota brand and reliability.

The ranking for me goes like this-

Crysta> Hector Plus> XUV 500> Alcazar> Safari

With that being said, I'd rather wait for the upcoming XUV700 and most probably go for it. Unless Mahindra goofs up big time, I think it shall become 'the pick' in the segment.

Also, I would rather go with the Compass or the Tucson over the choices stated in this thread with only the Innova(and the upcoming XUV700) being an additional contender.

[DicKy]

Seven passengers.
A couple of trolley bags and few duffle bags.
500+kms. Not just divided highways. A mix of typical urban traffic, open divided highways, undivided single lane highways, rural roads, ghat roads. The whole mix.
And after almost a decade of typical usage, you can use it further to haul stuff for your business too. And even if it reaches the forced end of life of 15 years, it will still carry 7 passengers and their luggage.
Which of the above vehicles comes to mind immediately?

Voted for the Innova.

Ofcourse people will complain it's too large or commercial like, they don't want to feel like a taxi driver, it doesn't have shtyling, most of the time there are only 2-3 passengers, they want near 20kmpl mileage while carrying the 2-3 passengers. Well, you have the rest of the options to choose from.

Ofcourse prices are destined to go up and we still regret not buying it in 2016. Though I wouldn't be sore at the high pricing since India actually has the cheapest prices for the Innova, that too decently loaded models. But I am mighty sore at the lack of competition. Ford, Isuzu, Nissan, Mitsubishi have technically the resources to make a proper Innova rival, yet they don't bother. Have personally written off Tata, but Mahindra royally screwed up the opportunity to have an Innova rival. In the effort to straddle segments they neither managed to challenge the Ertiga nor the Innova. And talking about the Ertiga, it's a pity that a sub 10 lakh 7 seater from a class below, without a diesel engine is the only real rival to the Innova.

[speedfreak77]

Fuss free ownership, Powerful engines, best in class comfort and beautiful exteriors? Its the Innova. I found myself comparing so many cars in 2020 when i decided to book a Fortuner and ended up booking a Crysta. Went back to my old love. In my eyes, yes the car is used a lot by taxis because of the comfort and space you get for the money. Its a VFM car and will always be. You can rely on an Innova running for 10+ years and 2 lakh kms+ and still it will be running like a charm.

By the way to encounter the taxi problem in my Crysta I upgraded its wheels from 17 inchers to 18 and changed the taillights.

[TrackDay]

Voted for the Innova Crysta. Not that it ticks all the boxes, but from the options listed and ones available in the market that is the only sensible option. The horror stories and experiences listed here about the other options would put me off from buying them. This also shows the lack of real options in our market.

I don't feel anything about the Alcazar after the initial excitement. The rear looks kind of generic right now without any character. Doesn't help matters that the second as well as third rows are not up there with the competition.

The Tata Safari was the one car I had all hopes on. Since the Harrier had been around for sometime now I expected the Safari to be that one car that could tick all the boxes. However ownership experiences really don't encourage me at the moment. Hope this can be a winner 2 or 3 years down the line. The body shell and rear are what attracts me to this car.

MG hector. Frankly lost interest in this one. However the front design seems to be the most attractive of all the options listed.

Didn't consider the XUV 500 since it is a really old car compared to the others.

When the dust settles and all the fancy bling and gizmos are done with, you know the one that will stand the test of time. The only one that can challenge the supremacy of the Innova has to be another Toyota.

[Jatin247]

Voted for Alcazar.
Recently went through the same dilemma and finally brought Alcazar home.

Safari has to many niggles and I would like my car to stay with me rather than workshops. Serious quality issues as reported by many users is a big turn off.

Hector doesn't have a diesel AT and that eliminated it for me directly, plus would prefer to stay away from Chinese companies. No surety about long term reliability.

Innova being a trusted car for over a decade and a standard choice for anyone considering 7 seater wasn't my pick due to bigger size, less mileage, less features, pricey as compared to others and our primary usage off 5 seats only.

Xuv 500 feels too old and due for an upgrade.

Reasons for considering Alcazar:
1) Looks fresh
2) Smooth diesel AT
3) Easy to drive in city due to dimensions
4) Feature loaded even in base trims
5) Better reliability than Tata, MG though not as compared to Toyota but can be trusted.

[CEF_Beasts]

More competition is always welcome but for the last 15 years the car which has almost become 3X more expensive still is unbeatable! The new competitors keep coming and fight for the market share and the Innova just stands there watching them fight for it!

A 2.8L AT preowned Innova is very desirable and demand is very high just like the 3.2L Endeavour.

Innova has cemented its position just on the basis of space, comfort, reliability, service costs, decent power torque and most important the resale value!

Features being introduced in newer cars are good for the few initial months and once the euphoria dies, it’s the Innova all the way.

Also you’ll never find a Innova owner who isn’t happy, never!

Yes, the Crysta is the most expensive and has the least features but where the Innova scores high points the other competitors are faltering in one or the other thing!

What can now give serious competition to the Innova is the upcoming XUV7OO.

What the competitors lack compared to the Innova:
- Alcazar: Space, Price, bootspace, Diesel Engine.
- Hector Plus: Brand value, boot space, 3rd row space.
- Safari: Constant niggles, bootspace, no petrol option.
- XUV5OO: Outdated now.

Negatives of the Innova: Price, Features.

[abhishek46]

Voted for the Innova.
Reasons:
1. By far, the most reliable.
2. By far, the most usable 2nd & 3rd row seats.
3. Option of rugged Diesel OR smooth petrol options.
4. Choice of smooth & highly reliable Auto Transmissions.
5. Offers the most resale value.

About the Others:
1. Alcazar: Underperforming Engines, Poor space on inside (2nd & 3rd row)
2. Safari: Unreliable
3. XUV500: Too old in the Tooth. Will be replaced soon.
4. Hector Plus: Undertyred dexter cow looks, Chinese pedigree, Ordinary quality inside out.

[varman742]

Voted for Safari. Reasons:

During my 2000 KMs run so far (Own XZA+), the car has been brought many smiles to us. I don't miss a single opportunity to take the car on roads and its a pleasure to drive. It has been niggle free too so far.
Pros:
- Space and Comfort in all 3 rows
- Premium Interiors
- Driving Dynamics & powerful engine with superbly mated AT box
- Safety and Solid Build Quality
- Exterior Looks

There are few misses e.g.
- 360 Degree Camera
- Ventilated Seats
- Bigger Touch Screen and Other connected car features
- Other comfort features offered by competition

But the pros weighted more than the cons for me.

During my safari purchase, I had evaluated most of the options listed here:

MG Hector Plus
- No AT in 7 Seater version
- Weak Petrol AT
- Cramped Third Row (in comparison to Safari)

Innova Crysta
- No 7 Seater Version in the AT top end variant
- More expensive than the others in the list
- MPV looks and some missing features (e.g. Panoramic Sunroof)

XUV500
- Too old for my consideration

Others
- All other 7 seater options were way out of my budget

After the Alcazar launch, if I have to revisit the options. my pick will still be Safari as for Alcazar:
- No 7 Seater Option in top end AT variants
- Compromise in 2nd and 3rd row