With ex-sh prices for sub 4m SUVs touching the Rs. 15 lakh ceiling, it begs the question of how much should one spend on this segment’s vehicle?
Even though compact SUVs are all the rage right now, sub 4m SUVs bring more sales. Sub 4m SUVs have almost all attributes of compact SUVs for less money. Also, compact dimensions make them city-friendly too. If you are in the market to buy a sub 4m SUV? Which one should you go for? How much money should you spend?
As we can see in the table below, sub 4m SUVs have climbed the price ladder and expensive ones go till Rs. 15 lakh (ex-sh). So, it begs the question as to how much budget should you pit for sub 4m SUVs? Let’s take a look.
The perfect sub 4m SUV dilemma
Maruti Suzuki Fronx is not on this list as it is more of a crossover. Bolero line caters to a different audience while Thar and Jimny are lifestyle off-roaders. Also, we have included Venue N Line and XUV300 TurboSports in pricing and comparison as well. In June 2023, Tata Nexon topped sub 4m SUV sales charts. Followed by Hyundai Venue, Maruti Suzuki Brezza, Kia Sonet, Mahindra XUV300, Nissan Magnite and Renault Kiger.
In terms of dimensions, all vehicles are close to 4m in length. XUV300 is the widest and has the longest wheelbase and Brezza is the tallest. XUV300 has the smallest boot and Kiger boasts largest boot despite being visually identical to Magnite’s. Wheel size tops off at 16” with all and South Koreans offer smaller 15” wheels with lower trims.
While 215-section tyres are common in top trims, XUV300 goes till 205-section, Magnite and Kiger top off at 195-section. Nexon boasts the highest 210 mm ground clearance, followed by Magnite and Kiger with 205 mm. In terms of powertrains, Nexon and XUV300 offer turbo engines across the trim levels and Brezza’s sole 1.5L unit has never touched a turbocharger.
Venue, Sonet, Magnite and Kiger offer NA petrol engines in lower trims. In terms of raw power, XUV300 TurboSport is the king. It boasts 129 bhp of power and 230 Nm of torque. Both Nexon and XUV300 offer 1.2L 3-cyl turbo petrol. Venue, Sonet, Magnite and Kiger offer 1.0L 3-cylinder turbo petrol engine options.
Who is the most feature-loaded?
Where petrol engines are concerned, Magnite and Kiger boast lowest numbers, but should be adequate as they weigh significantly less than others as well. Brezza is the only one with a CNG engine and boasts the highest fuel efficiency of 25.5 km/kg. With Diesel vehicles, Nexon is the most fuel-efficient at 24.07 km/l.
In terms of features, Magnite and Kiger packs a lot, while costing the least. Sure, they lack a sunroof, but they compensate for rear AC vents, something XUV300 lacks altogether. They both pack cruise control, auto climate control, LED headlights, an 8” touchscreen, wireless Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, a fully digital instrument cluster, TPMS and more.
XUV300 offers dual-zone climate control, but it should have rather invested in rear AC vents. Nexon has the least appealing instrument cluster of this bunch and Brezza is the only one with HUD while Sonet features the largest 9” touchscreen. Nexon and Sonet offer ventilated seats, which is the most useful feature for Indian audiences.
Only XUV300 and Nexon offer auto wipers and auto headlights, while others provide only auto headlights. Magnite and Kiger miss out on both. Magnite is the only one to offer a 360-degree camera and full LED lighting at the front. Regarding safety, XUV300 and Nexon score top points with 5 stars in their pocket, followed by Magnite and Kiger with 4 stars by GNCAP.
Which one should you buy?
In terms of pricing, Magnite and Kiger score highest points in sub 4m SUV space as they start from Rs. 6 lakh and top out at up to Rs. 11.23 lakh. For the price, they offer incredible bang for the buck and they are not much smaller as they are generally perceived. As of now, Kia Sonet is the most expensive going close to Rs. 15 lakh (all prices ex-sh).
Considering everything, metro-dwellers and city-dwellers with occasional weekend drives, should probably just stick with Magnite and Kiger. The turbo CVT combo ensures smoothest city driving experience among this bunch. Magnite packs quality-of-life features like a 360-degree camera too, which is handy.
Road warriors and diesel heads like myself should probably opt for Nexon as it packs more punch than South Koreans and offers excellent crash safety on top. Sure, XUV300’s numbers are higher, but it weighs a lot, has the smallest boot and lacks ventilated seats and rear AC vents. Also, looks are not XUV300’s forte, unlike Nexon.
