The newly launched XUV500 W4 has unleashed a price war in the sub Rs. 11 lakh price segment, with the XUV500 W4 variant’s Rs. 10.95 lakh price tag aimed directly at the Nissan Terrano XL 85 Plus, the Renault Duster RXL 85 Option Pack and the Renault Duster RXL 110, which all come within the same price range. So is the Mahindra XUV500 W4 the most value-for-money variant here? Not quite as simple as it looks.
The thing is the Mahindra XUV500 W4 variant has seen a lot of the features that were the wow factor with the XUV being stripped off. Sure, it’s still got all the essential features in place, but Mahindra had to do that to make the XUV500 W4 now appeal to buyers of the Nissan Terrano and Renault Duster.
It’s also got a dual manual HVAC system, which offers cooling for all rows. The Duster and Terrano variants at this price point don’t offer rear AC vents. But the XUV500′s cabin is larger and it definitely needs that extra cooling.
In this comparison all the vehicles - the XUV500 W4, Terrano XL 85 Plus, Duster RXL 85 Option Pack and now even the Duster RXL 110 – offer two airbags as standard fitment. All the vehicles also come with ABS. So, in terms of safety features, there is no big advantage that the XUV500 has. It does have all-round disc brakes, which theoretically should be better, but practically there’s not much of a difference. Also see: Mahindra XUV500 video review and road test
So do you think the Rs. 10.95 lakh you will have to pay for the XUV500 W4 is worth it? Wait a minute. Let’s look at the others for a second.
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For enthusiasts who just must have the most powerful, fun-to-drive variant, the Renault Duster RXL 110 makes sense, as accessories such as alloy wheels can be added aftermarket. This variant, with better power, better handling and ride quality is just Rs. 10,000 more than the XUV500 W4 ex-showroom.
Also see: Mahindra XUV500 vs Renault Duster video
The thing is the Mahindra XUV500 W4 variant has seen a lot of the features that were the wow factor with the XUV being stripped off. Sure, it’s still got all the essential features in place, but Mahindra had to do that to make the XUV500 W4 now appeal to buyers of the Nissan Terrano and Renault Duster.
Advantages of Mahindra XUV500 W4
What’s the Mahindra XUV500 W4 variant’s biggest advantage then? Space. It’s got plenty more space to offer than the Nissan Terrano or the Renault Duster. It is also a genuine 7-seater, which adds a great deal of flexibility and will influence the buying decision of a lot of people looking for a vehicle that could carry a couple of more people at a pinch.It’s also got a dual manual HVAC system, which offers cooling for all rows. The Duster and Terrano variants at this price point don’t offer rear AC vents. But the XUV500′s cabin is larger and it definitely needs that extra cooling.
In this comparison all the vehicles - the XUV500 W4, Terrano XL 85 Plus, Duster RXL 85 Option Pack and now even the Duster RXL 110 – offer two airbags as standard fitment. All the vehicles also come with ABS. So, in terms of safety features, there is no big advantage that the XUV500 has. It does have all-round disc brakes, which theoretically should be better, but practically there’s not much of a difference. Also see: Mahindra XUV500 video review and road test
So do you think the Rs. 10.95 lakh you will have to pay for the XUV500 W4 is worth it? Wait a minute. Let’s look at the others for a second.
Click chart to enlarge:
Power play
XUV500 has a power-to-weight ratio of 79 bhp per ton, which gives it a clear advantage in terms of power and torque over the Renault Duster and Nissan Terrano 85 PS variants. Renault Duster 85 and Terrano 85 have a power to weight ratio of about 68 bhp per ton. However, the Renault Duster 110 has a power-to-weight ratio of 88 bhp per ton, giving it a clear advantage in terms of power over all the others here. See: Renault Duster video reviewValue for money
It’s tough to pick which of these four vehicles here is really the best value as far as features go. Besides the space advantage, the XUV500 W4 variant doesn’t really have many more features to boast of. The Nissan Terrano XL 85 Plus for instance is quite well loaded – the specs even say it gets machined alloy wheels, but our test car did not have it. It gets fog lamps as well as Bluetooth, which the XUV500 W4 doesn’t. The Renault Duster RXL 85 Option Pack is probably the most loaded here – it gets parking sensors and steering audio controls in addition to alloy wheels. The RXL 110 variant of the Duster may not get alloys, but it beats all the others on power specs and has all the other comparable features. See: Nissan Terrano video reviewWhich one to pick?
So which one should you pick? Tough question. The Mahindra XUV500 W4 should be your choice if you want that extra space for two more passengers. However, in terms of ride and handling it’s not as good as the Terrano or Duster. The Renault Duster RXL 85 Option Pack seems like the most value for money variant here compared to the Nissan Terrano XL 85 Plus, but loses out on power when compared to the XUV500.For enthusiasts who just must have the most powerful, fun-to-drive variant, the Renault Duster RXL 110 makes sense, as accessories such as alloy wheels can be added aftermarket. This variant, with better power, better handling and ride quality is just Rs. 10,000 more than the XUV500 W4 ex-showroom.
Also see: Mahindra XUV500 vs Renault Duster video
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