Car Buying Guide: Best SUV in India Under 15 lakhs

Indians love SUVs. That’s one statement you can’t possibly disagree with and it is not hard to see why. The sheer practicality offered by SUVs is hard to match. With time these vehicles have caught up with sedans in terms of refinement, comfort and features offered. Traditionally meant for off-roading, SUVs today rarely get any off road action and are confined to pothole-ridden city roads. This means that customers now expect sedan like levels of comfort, refinement and features which, to a great extent, manufacturers have managed to do. If you’ve got around 10-15 lakhs to spend on an SUV then making a choice might not be that easy since there are quite a few options to choose from. Have a look at our list here to find out the best SUV in India under 15 lakhs!

Also See – Best Diesel Sedans in India | Upcoming SUVs Under 15 lakhs

Renault Duster – Best SUV in India Under 15 lakhs

The Renault Duster is not the biggest SUV in this list, nor is it based on a rugged ladder frame chassis; it did not even come with an all-wheel drive option initially. But keeping in mind all that is expected of it, it is easily one of the best SUV in India under 15 lakhs. Renault launched the facelifted version recently, which comes with a whole host of improvements. The styling is smart with chunky and muscular wheel arches giving it enough SUV appeal. There’s ample space for five people inside, the interiors are well appointed and the engines offered do the job very well. The ride & handling is fantastic and arguably the best amongst its rivals. It now comes with a 6-speed AMT unit. The lack of a third row means that there is ample boot space to carry all your luggage.

Also See – Most Fuel Efficient Cars in India

Hyundai Creta

Hyundai‘s small SUV has taken the India market by storm. It is one of the best-selling SUVs on sale currently. And it’s not hard to see why. The Creta looks great, comes loaded with features and gets a spacious, high-quality cabin. It boasts multiple engine and transmission options to suit everyone’s needs. Hyundai has also introduced an automatic variant of the petrol powered Creta. That makes the Creta the only SUV here to get both Diesel and Petrol automatic variants. It misses out on the title of the Best SUV in India under 15 lakhs because of a lack of optional four-wheel drive and slightly expensive top-end variants.

Mahindra XUV500

Mahindra‘s first entry on the list of best SUV in India under 15 lakhs is also one of the most popular SUVs on sale in India. The XUV500 is the first monocoque SUV developed by the company. It has been very well received by the public as well as critics. The exteriors work and give the car a very distinctive look, which is aggressive and muscular enough by SUV standards. The interiors are well designed and offer great space, especially for the second-row passengers.

The dials look fantastic and the car comes loaded with  features. Some of them are – touchscreen infotainment system with navigation, rain sensing wipers, automatic headlamps and tyre pressure sensors. The monocoque chassis improves driving dynamics and handling but its still not up to the mark. Quality is also a bit of an issue with the interiors. The exteriors are a bit overstyled, especially the elements such as the front bumper and tail lamps. Mahindra recently introduced a 6-speed automatic transmission as well enhancing the XUV’s practicality.

Tata Safari Storme

The Safari used to be one of the most popular SUVs around, but with time, lost out to competition which was newer and better. The latest generation of the Safari christened the Safari Storme, managed to set things right and iron out the wrinkles. The old school ladder-frame chassis has been thoroughly reworked to give better control and driving dynamics. The interiors have been spruced up offering better quality and the engine is much smoother now. The commanding driving position, a bit awkward at first, feels really good in the long run providing a great view of the road in front.

There’s an optional on-the-go four wheel drive system on offer as well, making life easier off the road. However, the Safari Storme is let down by its exterior. It looks almost exactly the same as the previous generation car and doesn’t make it stand out from the crowd. In terms of features, it loses out comprehensively to its chief rival, the Scorpio, with glaring omissions such as the lack of front facing third-row seats. Tata has recently added a powerful Varicor 400 engine to the line-up. It puts out 156 PS of peak power and 400 Nm of peak torque.

Mahindra Scorpio

The final entry to our list of the best SUV in India under 15 lakhs is the Mahindra Scorpio. The new Scorpio is a huge improvement over the predecessor in terms of ride, handling, interior quality and features. The old Scorpio’s ladder frame chassis has been extensively reworked. However, improved dynamics still can’t get rid of common ladder-frame chassis issues such as body roll, diving under braking and the car still rocks a bit from side to side.

The interiors have been improved massively both, in terms of quality and equipment level. However, a few quality issues still remain. The list of features offered on the top spec trims is never ending. Some features on offer are tyre pressure sensors, cruise control, engine start/stop. You also get a touchscreen infotainment system with integrated navigation. The basic profile of the SUV remains the same as the old car, but Mahindra has made a fair bit of changes to keep things fresh. Elements such as the LED tail lamps and redesigned headlamps with black inserts look good.

So, which of these Vehicles in the list here do think is the best SUV in India under 15 lakhs? Do let us know by penning down your thoughts in the comments section below.