BYD eMax 7 vs Toyota Innova HyCross vs Hyundai Alcazar vs Kia Carens

Hyundai Alcazar's competitors like the Carens, Mahindra XUV700, Scorpio N, Tata Safari & MG Hector Plus offer more spacious cabins.

BHPian Ripcord09 recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

BYD eMax7

What you'll like:

• The only electric full-size 7-seater MPV in the market with potentially no direct rivals
• A well-rounded product that looks good and has decent cabin space
• 201 BHP motor packs a punch. Does the 0-100 km/h dash in just 8.6 seconds!
• 400-450 km real-world range is great; forget urban commuting, this is enough for road-tripping with the family
• Both battery options (55.4 kWh & 72.8 kWh) are available with 6 and 7-seater configurations
• Good low-speed ride quality, zero emissions, cheap running costs, no gears, and light controls make it an ideal city car
• 8-year / 1,60,000 km battery warranty, 8-year / 1,50,000 km warranty on motor, 6 years of roadside assistance
• Features such as the vehicle-to-load function (A/C power for appliances), powered tailgate, panoramic glass roof, NFC key card, 12.8-inch rotating touchscreen & more
• Safety features include 6 airbags, TPMS, hill-hold, 360-degree view camera, ESP and level 2 ADAS

What you won't:

• At ~Rs. 30 lakh on-road, there is price overlap with the mighty Innova Crysta as well as the even mightier Innova Hycross. Also, there are cheaper 7-seater ICE rivals offering better value
• Conservative exterior & interior design may not appeal to everyone. Doesn’t have a lot of standout elements
• Interior quality is mediocre; seats and some plastics feel budget-grade
• 6-speaker sound system is ordinary at this price point. No subwoofer at 30-lakhs is surprising
• Missing features such as connected car tech, a spare wheel (please buy one yourself), wireless Android Auto & Apple CarPlay, auto wipers, auto-dimming IRVM, dead pedal, sunshades, etc.
• BYD's dealership & service network is currently very small
• The usual EV challenges (charging infrastructure, range anxiety, setting up home charging etc.)

Review Link

Toyota Innova HyCross

What you'll like:

• A great-looking MPV. SUV’ish styling packs appeal
• Nicely designed interiors, good comfort in all 3 rows and usable boot (even with 3rd row up)
• Loaded to the gills with features such as a panoramic sunroof, ventilated seats, electrically adjustable rear ottoman seats, multi-zone climate control, connected car features, leather upholstery, drive modes, etc.
• Hybrid powertrain makes it lighter on the pocket than a diesel and future-proof too. Very good fuel efficiency (expect city FE of 15-17 km/l)
• Impressive performance with a sub-10 second 0-100 km/h time (Toyota claims 9.5 seconds)
• Monocoque construction results in sorted handling and comfortable ride quality
• Brilliant NVH levels result in a quiet and serene experience inside the cabin
• Toyota's bullet-proof reliability, excellent after-sales service and fuss-free ownership experiences
• Safety features such as 6 airbags, Toyota Safety Sense (ADAS), ABS, ESP, TC, all-wheel disc brakes, hill hold, TPMS, Isofix & 3-point seatbelts for all

What you won't:

• Expected to be even more expensive than the already-pricey Innova Crysta. Will be premium-priced
• Top-end variants are only available with captain seats in the middle row. No bench option is inexplicable!!
• 18" wheels with 50 profile tyres compromise the overall stance; they look very small
• Monocoque construction won’t be as rugged & abuse-friendly as the Crysta's body-on-frame build
• Interior plastic quality is very mediocre, some parts feel budget-grade
• Rear seat ottomans are useless for taller passengers
• Average sound quality from the JBL system, poor camera resolution and a basic infotainment system display
• Missing features such as rain-sensing wipers, lumbar adjustment, boss lever on the front passenger seat...
• The already-good ride quality could be even better with higher profile tyres (e.g. on craters). 225/50 sidewalls are on the shorter side

Review Link

Hyundai Alcazar

What you'll like:

• A 3-row family car that's well-built inside out & now looks better (cleaner design than the pre-facelift)
• User-friendly interiors look really good and have quality parts
• Fast and refined 1.5L turbo-petrol mated to smooth 7-speed AT and 6-speed MT
• Economical 1.5L diesel offers good driveability. Available in MT & AT variants
• Comfortable ride quality with neutral road manners
• Unladen ground clearance of 200 mm is perfect for Indian roads
• The Alcazar's safety package includes ADAS Level 2, hill descent control, 6 airbags, ESP, all-wheel disc brakes, auto-hold, TPMS etc.
• Impressive kit (ventilated 1st & 2nd row seats, captain seats with extendable under-thigh support & bolstered headrests, boss mode, digital key, drive and traction modes, fully digital instruments, 360-degree camera, 2nd-row wireless charger, panoramic sunroof, rear window sunshades, paddle shifters, Bose sound system & loads more)
• Hyundai's wide dealer & service network

What you won't:

• 2nd row legroom is mediocre (captain seat variant). Compromises have been made to accommodate the 3rd row & boot
• 3rd row access is too difficult in the captain seat variant
• 3rd row seat is best suited to kids only. Not really a place for adults
• Competitors like the Carens, XUV700, Scorpio-N, Safari & Hector Plus offer more spacious cabins
• No all-wheel drive option available for enthusiasts / overlanders
• Long-term reliability of the 7-speed DCT is a concern (related reading)
• Turbo-petrol revs to just ~5,750 rpm. It's a powerful motor with 158 BHP on tap, so we wish it went higher for driving pleasure
• Diesel’s 114 BHP & 250 Nm – although adequate – are the lowest in the segment
• A few misses (no sunroof and spare wheel in the diesel, wireless Android Auto & Apple Carplay, illuminated window buttons etc.)

Review Link

Kia Carens

Review Link

Here's what BHPian GTO replied:

With no limitation on spends, the Innova Hycross Hybrid. It's the best MPV out there, with extremely high practicality & user-friendliness. Not too bad to drive either. In fact, I would buy an Innova Hycross Hybrid over many 40-50 lakh SUVs (including the Fortuner).

If I was looking at pure VFM, then the Kia Carens. Love that car and its masterclass packaging. Have recommended the Carens to many people who call me for advice and they're all super happy.

Here's what BHPian mgastor2022grey replied:

I would probably pick the competitors over these cars. Reasons:

• Tata Safari: The car looks simply awesome and is paired with an amazing engine. TASS's service is a hit or miss, but not a problem for me. Space inside is good and feels like a premium product, truly punches above its weight.
• Mahindra XUV700: This is one heck of a car. Blisteringly fun petrol, equally good diesel and all paired with a big bodyshell is what it is. This is a stonking H-O-T machine!
• Skoda Kodiaq: Slightly above the capped budget, but definitely a chief competitor. With all the discounts, this makes itself a good opposition. The new one is a icing on the cake, hope Skoda India prices it right.

With all that aside, if I were to pick one, I would probably go ahead with the eMax 7 as it is a very niche product, EV = somewhat good future stability and finally, good pricing. I would also take the Hycross, but definitely not the Korean Twins.

Here's what BHPian Sensible_Speed replied:

I picked the Innova based on space and longevity. It is the biggest inside by far, and very cheap to run and maintain. Rides reasonably well too.

Here's what BHPian abs182 replied:

Being a Kia Caren Diesel AT owner I voted for the Kia. For my purpose of ferrying the family comfortably in the city and on the highway is fulfilled. Hycross Hybrid would be my next choice.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.