[Swap_Abarth]

2021 Compass for me.

Yes it is over priced by fair margin. It lacks space as compared to competition. And after sales support is limited.

But in critical bits, it scores above all.
1. It is the best looking among the listed competitors.
2. 2021 compass interiors are fantastic.
3. It comes with both strong diesel and petrol engines.
4. Ride and handling is spot on.
5. Both 4X4 and 4X2 variants are available.
6. Build quality is superb. Can deal with bad roads with ease.
7. Panoramic sunroof option is available.
8. As current Abarth owner, I would like to praise their after sales service (MOPAR). Yes, there are very few service centers. But, my experience with them has been great.

[84.monsoon]

Voted for the Harrier. A friend just got the XT Manual for about 19 lakhs on-road after discounts in Chennai. For this price, nothing comes close. He had to forgo the Auto because TATA does not offer an auto in the XT line and one has to go up to XZ line and shell out more than 3 lakhs extra. I really wish TATA had provided an XTA for about 20 lakhs on-road. XT is a very well-equipped trim otherwise.

None of the other cars in the list come anywhere close in terms of looks, road presence, power, solidity and driving pleasure.

[porsche_guy]

Voted Others.

It would highly depend on my usage of this car to truly decide on it. If its the lower Active and Ambition variants are being looked at, I will gladly save the money and go for the beautiful Ecosport S TDCi. Its an absolutely brilliant package and the car still has a charm even after so many years. It promises fuss free ownership that isn't hard on the pocket and yet the driving dynamics are quite good too.

If I am moving up the segment, it will highly vary. My choices would be
1. VW T roc- As much as I feel it is a bit overpriced and underequipped, I would still gladly spend for the CBU quality and the "pukka" European experience unlike the Kushaq which feels watered down.

2. Jeep Compass- Only the diesel MT is in the race. I would definitely go for this if I had the dough. It is the most expensive option in this lot but quite frankly there really isn't anything like it in the market.

3. Toyota Innova Crysta- Nuff' said!

4. MG Hector- Again, only the Diesel MT considered. This would be my third choice. I initially did not like the car much but as time has passed and seeing how the competition is priced, this seems to be a good VFM product and would definitely be my pick if I were to be chauffeured or be using this for purely highway trips.


I wouldn't even consider the Harrier twins as Tata still cannot make 20 lakh rupee cars properly and they have a long way to go in terms of reliability, fit and finish and after sales. On top of this they aren't the most powerful, nor the most tech laden and not even the cheapest. Similar reasons for the XUV5OO i.e numerous niggles, patchy after sales and additionally the fact that it is just simply way too past its prime now. I wouldn't touch even the XUV7OO for atleast a couple of years after launch after which I may consider it.

The Hyundai-Kia twins are out because of safety issues on the Seltos and the ugly styling of the Creta. More than that though, I no longer trust their parts quality at all given how many issues with the same are coming to light these days

[AZ911]

Voted for Harrier. I think it's a very well-rounded family car if one doesn't have reservations against Diesel. However, in the comparison, why is the 2.0 " fantastic" in Hector and the same engine just "good" in Harrier? P/W also is pretty similar.

[1.2TSI7DSG]

In the world of 5 seater SUVs, the XUV stands out simply because of its size and space. However, the car is old and shows its age. The low points of no boot space are meaningless if you treat it as a 5 seater.

This and the Harrier come out to be the most value for money vehicles but would I put 20 big ones one them? Not really in any of the cars listed above. The Honda City comes very close to offering everything except ground clearance against this segment. City or Safari (hope they launch an AWD) would be my choices. Else wait for the 700 to make others feel value for money...

[hortons15]

I was getting out of restaurant yesterday when I saw a new Kushaq parked next to a Venue. I couldn't snap a picture as I was in a hurry - both cars seemed to be very similar in size (road presence, not that it matters much anyway ) but the Kushaq's spec sheet says otherwise. I definitely know for a fact that the Creta looks a size bigger next to the Venue. I'm going to do a side by side with my Creta to understand what's going on.

[charanreddy]

Voted for the Harrier. I am a VFM kind of a guy and for my Rs 15 - 17 Lakh INR ex-showroom, I will get most bang for my buck. If I was looking for 2nd / 3rd car in the family then my criteria would be different, for a first major investment, nothing beats the Harrier or XUV 500 currently.

Seltos not considered due to the safety related horros stories and Creta is weird looking and not my cup of tea at all !

[tristis2008]

Voted for T-Roc.

Skoda Kushaq: Yet to see in flesh. But what I can gather from the reviews is that the seat quality is compromised and it will affect ride comfort. Although the boot space has been well managed, the wheel arch projections in the boot look odd. The touch /slide controls are not at all suitable for basic operations. And above all Skoda has compromised on the airbags. In terms of driveability , I expect it to be similar to T-Roc and so will be the upcoming Taigun.

Kia Seltos : Have driven DCT and IVT petrol variants. IVT was uninspiring. DCT was better. Found the ride comfort much better than T-Roc. But T-Roc is more fun to drive ( thanks to DSG ). With reduced tyre pressure the T-Roc gives a comfortable ride as well.

VW T-Roc : Once you buy a European car, its hard to appreciate others !

The 2020 model has an assured EuroNCAP 5 rating. Quite comfortable and nice to drive.
Given that both Kushaq and Taigun will come with same DQ200 and 1.5 engine, some worries are alleviated. However the parts availability would still be an issue, given that its a direct import.
The 2021 model compromises on the front assist and lane assist features and that would take away 1 star from its Euro NCAP rating !

[Reinhard]

I voted for "Others". The reasoning would probably get me beaten black and blue.

Somehow I don't feel any of the cars in this price bracket justify the sticker price - in our daily driving and living conditions. A lot of the features are more for appeal than for utility, which never fits my mindset. And the actual value that these cars bring - doesn't exactly justify the exorbitant price premium over raised hatchbacks (i.e. Sub4m "SUV"s) from where I see. Of course, to each his own & aspirational value / premium-ness does matter to a vast proportion. So I'm not saying this segment doesn't belong on the sales charts. It very much does - the members in it are all very well engineered cars as well.

But even if I had those 20 big ones in hand - I'd probably stick with something "others" and save up for unforeseen expenses (the one thing that Covid19 has taught me big time!).

[Travelling_Monk]

Voted for the Kushaq since I am a proud owner. Got delivered a beauty in silver this Monday and since then cannot not resist to take it out for a spin. Ride and handling is sorted, although not even close to my Fiat GP and comfort is exceptional with seat bolstering. 1.0 TSI is a smooth unit but found it to be a bit low on efficiency when revved moderately (maybe turbo petrols work this way) but have ridden exclusively in city limits only. Clutch is smooth and gear shifts are a bit tight as of now. There are several clever touches in car which I am coming across gradually. The car might not seem to have enough street presence but is surely gathering a lot of attention. I even saw a brand new Compass owner instantly regretting his decision on my IRVM. Overall happy with the decision.

[Arnav612]

I own two Seltos. Both GTX+ DCTs - bought them before the crash test released. If I were to narrow down my conclusion to a post crash test buy - I would keep one Seltos, not the second one. We use both in strict city limits as the C Class does highway duties. However, I don't like being one to encourage ill-practices like safety compromises by repeat car buy behaviour to a brand of such kind. May/may not make a difference to them but it's personal solace.

In no way is it a high maintenance car to us, everything promised works, and is pretty adequate for almost all scenarios. Feature loaded, looks like a nice mix of urban SUV and enough new age bling. DCT isn't as good as the DSG in sudden inputs or launch inputs. But it's good for what it does in our garage.

Of the fresh line up though I love the aura of a German and that too in such a competitive segment, if Skoda fixes some royal yet easy to mend goof-ups, a Kushaq with a 1.5 won't make anyone sad.

Compass - I find merely overpriced. I'd rather an Octavia Style at the price, I don't see a USP in the Compass whatsoever.

Hector - Extremely spacious, could be a jack of all trades, but some things like the underwhelming petrol engine, fit and finish and the huge infotainment display with barely any basic physical controls - I'm not a fan of. I find the design lacklustre as well with a failed attempt at a blingy SUV.

Harrier - That thing DOES have road presence! The dark edition is a massive icing on the cake. Although I haven't heard well of its agility from a few owners and how cumbersome it can get in city limits. Plus, I'm not particularly a fan of its fit and finish and the diesel clutter.

XUV5OO- it's had its prime in the market, now i just find it being pulled to last too long. It's got almost everything you'd need plus a third row, but if I'm travelling full house where will I keep my full house's luggage
Everything feels a generation old to me.

Creta - Can't look at it. End of story.

T-Roc - Was actually a contender while we were buying the second seltos, but there was some stock issue at that point where they had stopped taking bookings. Everything was top notch and felt out of a new age Volkswagen. Would've liked the D Pillar to end less hatchback like but that's something to get used to.

My verdict : Either Seltos or Kushaq/T-Roc

[iamitp]

Voted for Creta, which is my pick in this segment (vs. Seltos and Kushaq).

I get Skoda's better build quality & fun-to-drive aspect but can't fathom paying that much for lower quality interiors and previous generation features (or lack thereof, i.e. Pano sunroof, EPB with Auto-hold, 360 degree camera, remote climate control etc.)

Maybe the Creta/Seltos shell isn't as strong as the Creta but I'd still pick the 6 airbag top-end variants of either two and live.

Haven't driven it but would it really by that much more fun than 1.4 DCTs? Also, as someone whose recently had their DCT replaced, I'd much rather take my chances with Hyundai than cry after Skoda!

Compass would be the choice if I had Rs. 10 lakhs more, over MG hector, Tata Harrier, VW T-Roc, and XUV 500.

[SRM]

Voted for Hector for the all round package in terms of engine, features, space, comfort and value for money it offers. Would have been Kushaq if the 2nd row and boot had more space.

Though, both might lose out in a couple of years to XUV700 (if the quality is up there with no persistent niggles)

[rputr001]

The Skoda Kushaq length and few dimensions seems to be off. Maybe a typo?

[yd_gli]

I voted for the Harrier. Everything other than the Hector, XUV and the Harrier are basically hatchbacks with higher ground clearance. I can't fathom paying 20L for a hatchback unless it is a Golf or a Polo GTi.

The XUV500 is pretty long in the tooth now and I don't trust Mahindra to get the driving dynamics spot on with the 700 either. It's never been their forte and I don't expect them to come up with a miracle on the 700. The Hector is way too gimmicky and every time I see one loaded with passengers the rear end has sunk into the ground. No thanks!

The Compass as well built a car as it is doesn't have the grunt or the space to demand 30L.

As much as I don't appreciate all my experiences with TASS, Tata is still the only OEM out there that seems to get the basics (powertrain, suspension) in the sweet spot more often than not. Tata vehicles may not be as feature loaded as an Alcazar or Hector but they will ride a 100 times better and are built like tanks. And to me that is 90% of the value.