The remaining cars included in this comparison are the MG Hector Plus, the Mahindra XUV700 and the Scorpio N.
BHPian Ripcord09 recently shared this with other enthusiasts:
2024 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 among 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.)
Kia Carens
What you’ll like:
- Fresh styling that will appeal to a larger audience (unlike the polarising Alcazar)
- A practical & sensible 3-row family car that’s well-built. 3rd-row seat is actually useable
- User-friendly interiors look really good (blue shade is awesome) and have quality parts
- 1.5L turbo petrol with 7-speed DCT offers fast performance. Extremely refined too
- Economical 1.5L diesel is available in MT & AT variants. Offers good driveability
- Impressive ride quality with neutral car-like road manners
- The Carens’ safety package includes 6 airbags, ESP, all-wheel disc brakes, TPMS etc as standard.
What you won’t:
- 3-star GNCAP safety rating is disappointing (related discussion)
- 2nd-row legroom is just ordinary, despite the seat travel of the 1st-row being restricted
- Diesel’s 113 BHP & 250 Nm – although adequate – are the lowest in the segment
- Reliability of the 7 speed DCT in a heavier car is a concern
- Some niceties missing vs the Alcazar – no 360-degree camera, no full virtual dials, no panoramic sunroof
- Competitors like the Tata Safari, MG Hector & XUV700 offer way more spacious cabins
Tata Safari
Mahindra XUV700
What you’ll like:
- Handsome styling matched to solid build quality. Has street presence, feels robust
- Very spacious interiors with comfy seats and sorted ergonomics. 6-footer passengers welcome!
- 182 BHP turbo-diesel & 197 BHP turbo-petrol make for a potent line-up
- Smooth 6-speed torque converter Automatics available with both engines
- Sorted suspension with good road manners & high speed stability
- AWD available for the adventurous, unlike most FWD crossovers in the segment
- Loaded with features like radar-based driver assistance system, pop-out door handles, panoramic sunroof, driver memory seat, 360-degree camera, 10.25″ infotainment & instrument cluster etc.
- 12-speaker Sony audio system is fantastic! You’ll enjoy its sound quality
- Safety features include 7 airbags, ESP, all-wheel disc brakes, hill hold, hill descent control, driver drowsiness detection, TPMS, ISOFIX…
What you won’t:
- Negligible boot space with the 3rd-row seat up. Either 5 onboard, or 7 with a roof-top carrier
- Cramped 3rd-row seat is best suited to children only. A sliding middle row is sorely missed
- Petrol AT is thirsty due to its hefty weight, 197 BHP & torque-converter AT
- Some cabin plastics & a few rough areas don’t feel premium in an otherwise loaded SUV
- Missing features such as an auto-dimming IRVM, paddle shifters, full-size spare wheel, ambient lighting, rear sunblinds…
- Concerns over niggles & bugs in a complex Mahindra.
- Mahindra’s after-sales service is a hit or miss. Remains a gamble
- AWD is available just with the Diesel AT, and not the MT or petrol motor
MG Hector Plus
Mahindra Scorpio N
Toyota Innova Crysta
What you’ll like:
- Indestructible build & durability. The Innova is known for its bullet-proof reliability
- Spacious, flexible & practical cabin. An extremely comfortable long distance commuter
- Upmarket interiors. The ZX variant is very plush
- Powerful diesel engine with user-selectable driving modes
- Balanced suspension & road manners. High speed stability is rock solid
- Top-notch safety kit. 7 airbags, ABS, ESP, TC, Isofix & 3-point seatbelts for all
- Feature packed! Leather seats, LED headlamps, mood lighting, cruise control & lots more
- Toyota’s excellent after-sales service and fuss-free ownership experiences
What you won’t:
- Hefty price tag!
- Top ZX variant is unavailable with a middle-row bench seat (8 seater)
- Lower variant’s interior looks too basic
- No petrol or AT option available
- 2.4’s NVH package still has holes to fill (engine clatter, dancing gear lever)
- Heavy steering at parking / low speeds. Can get cumbersome in the city
- Poor sound quality from the ICE. Cheap speakers beg for an upgrade
Here’s what BHPian buzzy_boy replied:
Voted for the XUV 700. Customers in this segment look for safety, reliability, space, and convenience (automatic).
From that perspective, the most complete package is the Crysta automatic. The Hycross NA petrol is too bare-bones to warrant consideration. The closest remaining option is the XUV 700.
That said, there is a gap in the 20-30L range for a no-nonsense, safe, spacious, and reliable automatic people mover that was vacated by the Crysta.
Here’s what BHPian ssoni.1411 replied:
Voted for the XUV700. Handsome styling, bulletproof safety, incredible road presence and two powerful engine options. Kudos to Mahindra for bringing their A-game in the past few years, starting with the 3-door Thar.
A close second for me will be the Innova Crysta. I feel it has the best space management in this category, to go with the bulletproof reliability. I feel Toyota should have given the Crysta a facelift as well and sold it with the Hycross.
Here’s what BHPian Knightrider replied:
If we are comparing 6/7 seaters in this thread, then my vote goes to the Kia Carens. A complete package with a lot of features, engine & transmission options and most importantly, the best 3rd row seat space.
The sliding 2nd row gives flexibility to adjust the knee room. The boot space in the Carens is sufficient even with 3rd row seats up. Overall, a very VFM and really usable 7 seater for a long drive.
Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.
