While the SUV segment in India is growing rapidly, buyers are also getting inclined towards automatic transmissions. Automatic vehicles provide hassle-free driving and they are a boon in city traffic. We compare two hot-selling urban SUVs in the Indian market which provide an option of a diesel automatic.

Hyundai Creta AT vs Mahindra XUV500 AT Design

Hyundai Creta price

 

The Hyundai Creta is a mini SUV which is just longer than 4 metres in length and is based on a monocoque chassis. The car doesn’t exactly look brawny and muscular but is very stylish with sharp and crisp lines. The Creta uses the Fluidic 2.0 design language on which recent Hyundai cars are based and it resembles the Santa Fe.

The Mahindra XUV 500 is also underpinned by a monocoque chassis and has the looks of a proper SUV. It is bigger in size than the Creta and also has better road presence. Both cars offer projector headlamps and LEDs. The Creta AT has 16-inch alloy wheels while the XUV500 AT has 17-inch alloy wheels.

Hyundai Creta AT vs Mahindra XUV500 AT Interior

Hyundai Creta interior

The interior quality, fit and finish in the Hyundai Creta best in the segment. The space inside is decent. It hasn’t got oodles of space but isn’t cramped either, however, three adults on the rear seat can be a bit of a squeeze, the legroom is quite generous though. One may feel a bit claustrophobic at the rear due to the tapering window lines that make the rear feel smaller than it actually is.

Mahindra XUV500 2015 004

The XUV500 also has modern interiors which are now black in colour. It has a more spacious cabin than the Creta and also has seven seats. Both cars are loaded with features such as touchscreen audio with bluetooth, steering mounted controls and reverse camera. The XUV AT also comes with leather seats, which are not available on the Creta AT.  The Creta AT offers six airbags and the XUV500 AT has cruise control and electric adjustment for the driver seat.

Hyundai Creta AT vs Mahindra XUV500 AT Engine

The Hyundai Creta AT comes with a 1.6 litre diesel engine which churns out 126bhp@4000 rpm. It is a fairly powerful engine but is best enjoyed when driven moderately. Sudden acceleration is not its forte. The gearbox is a six-speed automatic one. The Creta AT is also available with a 1.6-litre petrol engine, delivering a power of 121bhp@6400rpm, mated to the same gearbox.

The XUV500 comes with a 2.2-litre mHawk diesel engine that produces 138bhp of power. The engine is refined and silent too. It offers good performance and is pretty powerful, with a good spread of torque. This engine comes mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. The XUV500   is the more powerful amongst the two and the gearbox is more responsive too. The XUV500 also has an option of AWD (All Wheel Drive). It is available with a 1.99-litre engine too, for the NCR region.

Hyundai Creta AT vs Mahindra XUV500 AT Ride and Handling

Hyundai Creta

The Hyundai Creta AT has an impressive ride quality. The suspension setup is integrated with ‘Hydro Rebound Stoppers’, the function of which is to stop jerks to pass on through the shock absorbers into the body. It drives well on broken tarmac and offers a fine ride at any speed. The steering response is better than most cars from Hyundai and the handling is also decent.

The Mahindra XUV500 AT offers pliant ride and it doesn’t feel stiff or too soft at any point. This makes it good to drive even on bad roads with ease. Cornering is not the forte of the XUV500 but it is pretty stable at high speeds and feels better planted than the Hyundai Creta.

Hyundai Creta AT vs Mahindra XUV500 AT Mileage

Hyundai Creta has an ARAI certified mileage of 17 km/l. In real world driving it will return around 11-14 km/l. The Mahindra XUV500 AT

Hyundai Creta AT vs Mahindra XUV500 AT Price

The Hyundai Creta AT diesel coats INR 17.5 lacs (on-road, Mumbai). The petrol version costs INR 15.3 lakhs (on-road, Mumbai). The Mahindra XUV500 AT is priced at INR 20.83 for the AWD version. The 2WD version in W8 trim costs INR 19.6 lakhs and in W10 trim costs INR 18.6 lakhs

Also Read: Honda Civic 2017 coming to India

Verdict

The Hyundai Creta and Mahindra XUV500 are one of the best diesel automatic SUVs below the 20 lakhs mark. Though they are different in size, seating capacity and performance, one can choose between the two as per preference. The Creta AT is good for a smaller family and a preferred vehicle to drive in the city as its engine responds best when driven leisurely. It is also easier to find parking spaces with the Creta. The Mahindra XUV500 AT is more suitable a larger family and if one wants to extract a better performance from the powertrain. The XUV500 also offers an option of AWD if one would be going off-roading.

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