Top 4 sub-compact SUVs of 2016

With 2016 coming to a close, it is time to look at the best of the Indian automotive world for the year. Here is a look at the top 4 subcompact SUVs.

Subcompact SUVs have been growing in preference and popularity in India, offering a nice upgrade in space, features and looks without sacrificing too much practicality or efficiency. Like the subcompact sedan segment, these SUVs also benefit from the lower excise duty for vehicles below 4 metres in length. As such, they are big on value for money for buyers looking to make the upgrade from small car to SUV. With the road presence of an SUV and the usability of a compact car, the subcompact SUV makes up a very active segment of the Indian automotive market. Automakers are increasingly focusing on this upcoming segment, which is seeing strong sales numbers every month. For 2016, there have been a few models that have stood out and here is a look at the top 4 subcompact SUVs that made their mark this year. Also Read: Best of 2016: India’s Top 6 Compact Sedans

Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza

The Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza is the second sub-4-metre SUV from the Indian automaker, after the S-Cross. Slotted below the S-Cross, the Vitara Brezza is an important model for Maruti Suzuki and it shows in the final product. With a length of 3,995 mm, this a essentially a small car with the look and presence of an SUV, borrowing design cues from the larger Suzuki Vitara, like the swept back headlights, wide front grille and a honeycomb grille along with blacked-out fog lamps. The cabin has a plush feel, as one would expect from a Nexa model. The SUV is also rich in features, with a cooled glove box, large-screen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay support, a reverse camera and a navigation system. The instrument cluster gets mood lighting, and the SUV itself is available in various colour combinations and designs with the iCreate customisation scheme.

While the exterior and interior are new, the Vitara Brezza gets a tried and tested 1.3-litre DDiS 200 diesel engine that delivers 89 bhp of power and 200 Nm of torque. A petrol variant is on the cards, but for now the SUV comes with an engine that has been more for mileage rather than performance. As a result, the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza offers a class-leading fuel efficiency of 24.3 kmpl. Pricing is from INR 7.19 lakh to INR 9.66 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).

Mahindra TUV300

The Mahindra TUV300 shares the same length as the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, but it has a noticeably more rugged design right off the bat. Designed with input from the designer of Ferraris, the TUV300 is very butch with sharp angles and muscular wheel arches. The front is accentuated by the vertical bars on the grille and square fog lamps, along with the pulled back headlights. Then there is large bonnet, meaty door handles, black roof rails and 10-spoke alloy wheels. The cabin is one of the most spacious in the segment, with significant legroom and headroom for all, although thigh support is a little lacking.

Power comes from a 1.5-litre three-cylinder diesel engine that delivers 84 bhp of power and 230 Nm of torque. The mHawk100 version, however, comes with a more powerful version of the same engine, delivering 100 bhp of power and 240 Nm of torque. As for transmission, there is a five-speed manual and an AMT. The mHawk100 model resolves a common complaint that the TUV300 feels underpowered, but it does come with a higher price tag. The mileage is 18.5 kmpl, which is decent enough for the segment. Pricing ranges from INR 7.84 lakh to INR 10.91 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).

Mahindra NuvoSport

Another recent entrant into the burgeoning Indian subcompact SUV market, the Mahindra NuvoSport is a more stylish sibling to the muscular and sharply angled TUV300. The sub-4-metre SUV uses the same platform as the new Mahindra Scorpio and replaces the Mahindra Quanto. It has angular headlights sitting at the edges of a black hexagon grille decked with vertical slats. The headlights feature a thin strip of daytime running lights and the lower end of the front bumper has a silver coloured faux skid plate shaped like a bull bar. Inside, there are features available like a 6.2-inch touch-screen system, a 2-Din audio system and height-adjustable driver seats. There are also 16-inch alloy wheels, reverse parking sensors and more.

The Mahindra NuvoSport gets the same 1.5-litre, three-cylinder turbocharged mHawk100 diesel engine that delivers 100 bhp of power and 240 Nm of torque, mated to a five-speed manual gearbox or an AMT. The specified fuel efficiency is 17.4 kmpl, and the NuvoSport is priced higher than the TUV300 as well as the Ford EcoSport, at INR 7.49 lakh to INR 9.99 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).

Ford EcoSport

The Ford EcoSport is oldest one in this list, but a 2016 refresh has given it the ammunition to compete in the segment. The subcompact SUV just about manages to squeeze into the segment with a length of 3,999 mm. Despite this, it does not offer as much inside space as the TUV300, although it does have more comfortable seats and better thigh support. There is also the driving dynamics and performance for the EcoSport, which is one of its biggest positives. The interior also has a premium look with blue backlit dashboard buttons, a twin pod instrument cluster, automatic climate control, height adjustable driver s seat and dual front airbags.

There are three engines on offer with the Ford EcoSport. The first is the 1.0-litre EcoBoost that delivers 124 bhp of power and 170 Nm of torque and is mated to a five-speed manual transmission. There is a 1.5-litre Ti-VCT four-cylinder petrol motor that delivers 110 bhp and comes with the manual gearbox or a six-speed dual clutch automatic transmission. Finally, 1.5-litre turbocharged diesel engine is available, retuned earlier this year to develop 99 bhp and 205 Nm. Mileage varies from 15.8 kmpl for the EcoBoost engine with manual transmission to 22.7 kmpl for the diesel engine with manual. The price ranges from INR 6.93 lakh to INR 9.93 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).