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Originally Posted by BleueNinja Congratulations Poitive. Eagerly awaiting your ownership thread!
Cheers! |
Thanks mate. I guess it'll only be in the new year. Hope you're enjoying your HPS
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Originally Posted by JKBKS Congratulations Poitive!! Even I pulled the plug on a XUV 300 last week. So our search kind of culminated together, just like this wonderful thread that has a wealth of info for someone looking for some car buying research. |
Heartiest congratulations and pardon me for being late for this. Also, thank you bud. XUV 300 really did impress me too - offers much for a sub 4m vehicle - almost feels more spacious than the Seltos and Compass (boot notwithstanding). Wishing you and the family many happy years with it; learning and taking it to places.
The thread, I noticed, has over 2.5 lakh views now!
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Originally Posted by NPV The XUV 700 has an extremely light steering and I guess for someone like me it's going to take a long time to get used to that and feel safe driving a car of such stance and size
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Also:
-I think having 4WD in the Scorpio N is better than having AWD on the XUV 700, since 4WD can be engaged when needed ?
-Monocoque chassis on XUV vs body on frame chassis of the Scorpio N, along with lot lesser gadgetry lends itself better for use as a rugged, go anywhere kind of car. But on the flip side, the car like driving dynamics of the XUV 700 will probably be missed on the Scorpio N, and may not be as comfortable on longer drives for rear seat passengers ? |
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Originally Posted by NPV Tata Safari
Ticks most of the boxes for someone looking for a 7 seater (my friend is)
However, the TD Car was a 6 seater captain seat configuration one.
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The steering felt very much like the Hexa, not too light like the XUV 700 (my new benchmark for a light steering!).
.... Mahindra Scorpio N
.... However, the actual TD happened just yesterday and we both were actually blown away, we loved it so much. TD car was a 7 seater Diesel MT and it was so powerful, the moment we got beyond some initial traffic on Old Madras Road, the vehicle was literally surging and begging to be driven faster! .
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Steering feels light, lighter than the Tata Safari, but not as light as the XUV 500.
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This is by far the biggest and most comfortable vehicle we have done a TD of so far. Loads of space for first and second row and not bad at all for the third as well.
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1. Will there be a major difference (passenger/driver fatigue) when on long drives, owing to the Body on Frame chassis compared to a monocoque ? |
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Originally Posted by NPV ... We took a TD of the petrol automatic Hector Plus and it was awesome. The build quality was decent and feature set good as well. However, the third row is extremely low and absolutely suited only for small children.
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Anyways, now the family is going to TD the Hector Plus next week before making the final decision which for now seems will be between Scorpio N and Hector Plus. |
Mate, since the requirements of your friend aren't clear, difficult to really suggest a vehicle outright. Adding some points:
1. If your friend and/or you are fond of reading, it might be worth reading through this thread. There are many discussions on it, touching various points.
At the very least, it should be helpful to at least go through the Test Drives (please check first post)
2. You find the steering of the Safari like the Hexa as both have an Hydraulic Power Steering (HPS) - something of a dying breed. XUV700 and Scropio N have an Electric Power Steering (EPS). EPS almost always has poor feedback and HPS usually good to excellent.
Couple of posts explaining
HPS vs EPS:
Link 1 and
Link 2
3. Which mode did you drive the XUV700 in? The steering weight changes with the drive modes. The weight felt also changes with the tyre pressure. An underinflated tyre will feel heavier, overinflated lighter. Might have been the case in the XUV700 vs Scorpio N comparison.
4. I find the bench on the second row more comfortable and also more practical, except for easier access to the 3rd row. Allows stuff to be kept on the bench - files, laptop, etc. Also gives a wider armrest; I really don't like the slim ones on the captain's seats.
5. The Scorpio N has a pretty high Center of Gravity, and also a high Roll Centre. This part has been discussed a fair bit on the thread in conversations with @RijuC. Please check that part and how it may related to altered driving and safety.
6. Some of your questions about the Scorpio N have been covered in the extensive TD report.
Link here.
For highway and mountain roads the XUV700 and especially the Harrier would be better. The Harrier/Safari would lose out on NVH though. NVH too has been covered a few posts before the Scorpio N's report. Scorpio N, of course would be better suited to off road situations in 4x4.
7. 4x4 vs AWD: Typically, a 4x4 would be much better at off-road stuff. Go for that if that use is really expected. For tarmac, an AWD would be better, as it would help in better traction without much active input from the driver. The other pair of wheels will get power based on slippage detection of it's own. This is helpful in snow, rain and other low-traction situations. An 4x4 can't be kept on permanently as it would lead to Transmission Wind up, hence not recommended at all. If stuck in an off-road situation, a 4x4 can typically get you out better than an AWD.
For typical users, unless they often drive in the rain, snow, or have lots of driving around hills, neither would be significantly important, though if money is not an object, might be good to have. Some cons to them too.
8. Do reconsider going for the petrol Hector. It only has a 1.5 litre engine and might feel inadequate, especially if compared to the 2.0 Harrier/Safari and even more so with the 2.2 litre of the Mahindras. The FE too is known to be atrocious for a 1.5 litre engine. Engines with good torque, as the diesels in the shortlist have, do allow one to have fewer gear changes than most petrols (you had mentioned being used to petrols). An MT also allows better control over the vehicle, and I see it as a part of enjoying a car; though if one has a lot of bumper to bumper traffic, an AT would of course, be a lot more convenient.
I also see MT as a safer option, for someone who is used to an MT and finds it intuitive.
9. I too have appreciated how well made the Hector is, and the good in-cabin feel it has. It does a lot of things right, and has as very good record of few failures, and good customer support. MG has topped the JD Powers survey too. However, do consider that it is a Chinese company owned by the govt/PLA, and they may have hurdles in existing in India based on how things play out on the border and more with China.
10. Scorpio N is new in the market and has not gone through improvements that the over a year old XUV700 has. Both have the same engine. The XUV700 diesel gets a higher state of tune. If your friend likes the Scorpio N, I'd suggest another TD of the XUV700 on the
same route.
Please go through the
Guide to Effective Test Drives.
Link:
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/india...-new-cars.html (Guide: How to take Effective Test-Drives of new cars)
Do have a long TD of the selected vehicle. At least an hour to get a better sense of it, especially with respect to day to day driving and NVH.
11. Do consider that the Scorpio N has a Solid Beam Axle at the rear - least suited to driving on tarmac (especially broken tarmac). The XUV700 (and Compass) have an independent suspension, which is best suited. The others have a Torsion beam, which falls midway. Implementation too is very important, as the Harrier shows.
The Hector has a soft suspension, which is great for city-speeds. Second row didn't feel as good on bouncy roads. On the highway and hills, others should be better, as this is a high car without the track width to compensate.
For a balance between sportiness and comfort, the Harrier/Safari and XUV700 are the picks from the suspension standpoint.
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12. Though there are many many considerations, very very briefly, for the diesels in this segment, more from a driver's perspective:
Tata Harrier:
- A good choice for an enthusiast - Low centre of gravity; very well sorted suspension; HPS - with EPS becoming the norm, this is amongst the last few which still offers steering feedback, one feels connected to the drive.
- The knee-console issue is a fairly big problem for some, NVH is poor, inconsistent finish, those not used to an HPS find the steering hard at low speeds.
Tata Safari:
Largely same as the Harrier with +2 seats. Somewhat less sporty due to more weight in the rear and a higher CoG; most would not feel it significantly.
Mahindra XUV 700:
- An all-rounder sort with a tilt towards performance. Excellent engine, NVH very well controlled, feature loaded and with ADAS (with questionable practical usability); ergonomics are excellent in parts.
- Lifeless steering which is a mismatch for such an engine and car, a feeling of disconnect with the driving experience; makes it hard for an enthusiast to accept. The high CoG as compared to the Harrier can be felt.
Ergonomics are very poor in parts.
MG Hector:
- An all-rounder practical choice for the family with a good cabin; good to be driven around in, especially the city; best space in the second row; overall refined experience; a well thought-out vehicle, with very few niggles and complaints from users.
- Some enthusiasts might find it boring; not particularly agile; questionable longevity of a Chinese govt company in India; very few hardware buttons mean you keep speaking to a bot!
Compass:
- Sporty smallish SUV with a sense of style; very agile vehicle with a good sense of weight distribution and fairly sporty suspension; Car does have
some connect despite the EPS due to the suspension setup; interiors look fairly premium; city-friendly size.
- Knee-console issue; cramped inside; small boot; poor NVH management; too many niggles for a premium price; questionable life of the company in India; only moderate ride quality.
Mahindra Scorpio N:
- For those who make use of a BoF and/or 4x4; works both as a family vehicle and an off-roader in the about 20 lack price segment; excellent sound insulation, good engine characteristics, high seating position.
- Never felt truly fully settled; high CoG + high roll-centre; lifeless steering totally unsuited and adds to issues; some vibrations/harshness felt after a while, especially rear seat; ergonomic issues.