SUV’s are gaining tremendous popularity in India due to the bigger space, safety features and performance. The aggressive looks of the SUVs and the higher driving position that adds to the visibility are a few of the factors that make people swarm to the show rooms. There is so much of competition in the market where major automobile companies are trying to make their mark in the SUV segment.
The Tata Safari has been one of the oldest players among SUVs in India and is still very much in competition. The most recent version of Safari, the Storme has many enhanced features. With XUV 500, Mahindra has understood the value of styling and the design on this car has been really paid a lot of attention.
Let us do a comparison of the two powerful machines.
SUVs are known for their styling. Both these SUVs have a unique stance of their own. Tata Motors has played it safe with the exteriors of the Safari Storme, which hasn’t changed much when compared to the predecessor but the Land Rover inspired front fascia and subtle styling elements makes it look tall and handsome. Tailgate mounted spare wheel is sorely missed on the Storme. Mahindra XUV500 is known for its contemporary yet aggressive exteriors. Though the roofline and side profile stand out for its muscular approach, the front grille and bumpers feel a bit out of place.
The Tata Safari Storme is the most spacious SUV out here. The beige coloured interiors, along with the low window line gives a more well-ventilated feeling. The front and middle row has generous space with good comfort but the third row is best suited for small kids or luggage.
The XUV500 has also a modern interior. The dashboard layout appears to be rich. The space is at par with the Safari Storme with generous amount of legroom on both front and middle row seats along with good comfort levels. With the third row folded away, there is a good amount of boot space too.
The Tata Safari Storme features the same 2.2-litre turbo diesel engine but rebadged as VariCOR. It produces a power of 140 bhp and a maximum torque of 320 Nm of torque. The engine is mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox. The Safari Storme returns a fuel economy of 10 km/l.
The Mahindra XUV500 carries over the same 2.2-litre mHAWK oil burner from the Scorpio which generates 140 bhp of power and 330 Nm of torque. The XUV500 gets mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox. The XUV500 returns 12 km/l.
Prices of the XUV500 start from Rs. 10.79 to 14.64 lakhs. Prices of the Storme start from Rs. 9.83 to 13.57 lakhs.
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