In the Indian car market, the Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) segment is mainly dominated with the likes of Toyota and Mahindra & Mahindra. Both the car makers have been effectively selling their respective models, which seems to be garnering the attention of Indian car buyers in both new cars and used cars segment. For Toyota, Innova has been performing exceptionally well in India and the car has set benchmarks for other car makers to follow. Recently the facelift version of Innova was introduced in the Indian car market and the company has put high stakes on its performance. However, on the other hand, Mahindra & Mahindra's XUV500 is raking in good amount of sales as this model comes equipped with a plenty of power packed features.
In terms of engine and performance, the diesel version of Innova is available in two different engine configurations that mainly differ on emission norms like BS III and BSIV. Both the variants are equipped with the same diesel engine, which has a displacement of 2494 cc. Adding to the performance of this model, its engine has been mated to a 5-speed manual transmission system. The figures for power and torque stands at 100 bhp and 200 Nm. On the other hand, Mahindra XUV500 is only offered with a diesel engine. The car is powered by mHawk140 diesel engine that is fitted with a Variable Geometry Turbo charger (VGT). This engine displaces of 2179 cc whereas the car has a potential to churn out a maximum power of 140 bhp besides the 330 Nm of torque. As far as the gearbox is concerned, the engine of XUV500 is mated to a 6-speed manual transmission system that further transfers the power its rear wheels.
Talking about price of both the vehicles, the newly launched facelift version of Toyota Innova carries a price tag of Rs. 12.4 lakh for the base variant while the top-end one is available for Rs. 15 lakh. on the other hand, Mahindra XUV500 carries a price range of Rs. 11.85 lakh to Rs. 14.44 lakh for the top-spec variant (all prices are ex-showroom Delhi). As evident, the Mahindra XUV500 is cheaper than Toyota Innova and can be said as a better option for budget oriented buyers. Assessing the dimensions of both the vehicles, XUV500 is wider and has a larger headroom than Toyota Innova. The width, length and height of XUV500 stand at 1890 mm, 4585 mm and 1785 mm, respectively whereas for Innova the same are 1765 mm, 4585 mm and 1760 mm. While in case of wheelbase, Toyota Innova is 50 mm longer as opposed to Mahindra XUV500's 2700 mm.
Both the cars of their respective companies are provided with advanced set of features. In terms of safety, Toyota Innova is provided with Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), SRS airbags and GOA body structure, which further reduces the impact on the car, in case of collisions. Coming to Mahindra XUV500, the car is provided with 6 air bags, ABS, hill hold and descent control system and Electronic Stability Program (ESP). While for comfort and convenience, Toyota Innova definitely ranks higher than its counterpart as it is provided in 7-seater and 8-seater options. Also to mention, the cabin of Innova is far more spacious than the model from Mahindra.
To conclude, Mahindra XUV500 seems more appealing in terms of performance and equipment. However, Innova certainly scores high over XUV500 in the department of comfort and convenience, owing to the technical soundness. However, it will be interesting to see how the new model of Innova performs when pitted against the likes Mahindra XUV500.
