Renault Duster the big boys - Mahindra XUV500Tata Safari Storme Renault Duster Shoot out of road test 36 Issue No 13, January 20, 2013 Mahindra xuv500 vs renault duster vs tata safari

We know that Indians are enamoured about SUVs. Look at what happened when the

Mahindra XUV500 was launched — a waiting list for months. Then came the Renault Duster, and

again a long wait ensued. But, can we expect the same with the new Safari Storme? After all, Safari was the only other entry-level SUV that one could buy along with the Scorpio for a long time. To find out, we have the two most

popular SUVs in the market today — the XUV500 and the Duster go-ing head-to-head with the much improved Storme.

Brutish lookingAn SUV must look imposing. It

must have the brawn and size to bully the traffic. At least, that's what the majority believes. On that count, the Safari still is the boss. It is the longest, the tallest, and the most old-school look-ing SUV among the three. How-

the big boys Indians simply love their SUVs. So, when Tata launched the brand new Safari Storme, we promptly pitched it against two of the hottest sellers — the XUV 500 and the DusterPictures: Suresh Narayanan

Powering the XUV is a 2.2-litre mHawk common rail engine offering 140bhp and 330Nm of torque

The Duster gets the small-est engine at 1.5-litres. Power output is 110bhp and torque gener-ated is 248Nm

The Storme too gets a 2.2-litre motor, which also offers 140bhp of power. Torque is lower at 320Nm

Mahindra XUV500

Tata Safari Storme

RenaultDuster

Shoot out of

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Mahindra xuv500 vs renault duster vs tata safari storMe

Issue No 13, January 20, 2013 www.autobild.in 37

The cabin looks basic and lacks premium features. The light control (right) has moved to the dash from the stalks. IP is clear to read, but old school (below). Decent stowage spaces

Depth max 1234mm

Depth min 920mm

Height max 620mm

Width min/max 1140mm

The glovebox is pretty deep and can store plenty of stuff. The door pockets too are large and useful. Plastic parts, however, could have been better

Very little to complain about the space offered by the Storme. The boot though is compromised thanks to the two jump seats, which make it a seven-seater

ever, it's now based on the more modern Aria platform, albeit one which has been tailored to meet Safari’s requirements.

What's surprising though, is that Tata Motors hasn't bothered to change the styling much. It's

a new generation car, but looks more like a mild facelift. The profile is almost identical, but it does get new head lamps and bumpers and a new bonnet and grille as well, all of which seem inspired by Land Rovers.

The XUV500, meanwhile, ac-cording to its maker, is inspired by a cheetah. Honestly, we don't see much of it in the SUV. What we do see is a modern looking SUV, which isn't exactly pretty, but is quite imposing. A very

Jeep inspired front end with the vertical slats on the grille and sleek looking headlights with integrated daytime lights give the XUV a shot of charac-ter. Even in profile the wedge shape near the front door and

Tata Safari StormeNo matter whatever the surface, the Storme shines with very good ride quality. However, body roll is pronounced

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Depth max 1600mm

Depth min 900mm

Height max 450mm

Width min/max 1070/1480mm

The XUV gets a start/stop system for improving city economy besides ESP (left). A fully-loaded sat-nav (below) operated through a touch interface

The seats on the XUV offer good support and are comfortable. The third row is a front facing unit, which makes the XUV the only proper seven-seater

Mahindra XUV500The XUV looks good no matter from which ever angle you look. It also sports the longest wheelbase in this trio

prominent shoulder line help it stand out.

The Duster might be small in this company, but on its own, it has the muscle and street pres-ence to justify the SUV tag. A smart front-end coupled with those massively flared wheel arches front and rear, give the Duster

with a go-anywhere look. Even the tail gate has some muscle pumped into it. It's more like it has built up the bulk in a hurry, thanks to a heavy diet of steroids. Now, the Duster might be based on a car platform, and it might have the puniest dimensions, but compared to the others, it

still offers the most amount of ground clearance.

Cabin warsThe Duster’s car roots are visible on the inside too. The cabin is simple and it is easy to get in and out. The dash, though, is India specific, and gets plenty scooped

spaces where one can store stuff. The instrument panel is a sim-ple affair with an analogue tacho and speedo coupled to a digital fuel and temperature gauge. The Duster also offers a comprehen-sive trip computer. The centre console is clean with controls for the AC and the central door lock

The XUV cabin is a truly high-tech place to be in with loads of features. The dials are a mix of analogue and digital gauges. There's climate control and touchscreen audio among others. Storage space is found aplenty within the cabin

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Clear and uncluttered cabin. Rear vents have speed control. Audio controls are steering column mounted. Dials are easy to read. Central lock button located on the centre console

Depth max 1890mm

Height max 520mm

Width min 1210mm

There is plenty of space in the cabin for stowage, the glovebox is lit and door pockets are deep. Power window mod-ule located on driver side door

The Duster is a strict five-seater and space is not as good as the other two. Though, one could buy aftermarket jump seats for 'emergencies' only

Renault DusterApart from being the most compact of them all, the Duster offers the maximum ground clearance

switch. The audio system, which can also be controlled through the steering column mounted control, plays most audio formats, but isn't the best in terms of sound quality. Visibility all around is good and the seats, though flat, are comfortable, but the Duster is strictly a five seater. One can

get jump seats as an aftermarket extra, but it isn't really worth the effort. The boot space is decent, but again isn't class leading.

The XUV is a proper seven-seater. It has proper seating for three rows and with the last row folded, the boot space isn't bad either. It's last row also splits and

folds flat, which adds to the boot's flexibility. But the XUV's highlight is its high-tech cabin. It's not very well built, but comes loaded to the gills with features. There's a central touchscreen interface for the audio, climate control and sat-nav, along with a cooled glovebox, steering mounted controls, cruise

control, tyre pressure monitor-ing system and ESP as well. The instrument panel, which throws up indications for all the safety bit, looks smart too with a mix of digital and analogue gauges. The seats are comfortable and supportive and there's plenty of in-cabin storage options.

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ENGINE MAHINDRA RENAult tAtAMade Of all aluminium all aluminium all aluminiumCapacity (cc) 2,179 1,461 2,179Cylinders 4 cyl, inline 4 cyl, inline 4 cyl, inlineInstallation transverse transverse longitudinalValvetrain 4 valves/cylinder, dohC 4 valves/cylinder, dohC 4 valves/cylinder, dohCBore x stroke 85.0mmx96.0mm 88.0mmx88.3mm 85.0mmx96.0mmMax Power 140bhp@3,750rpm 110bhp@3,900rpm 140bhp@4,000rpmMax torque 330nm@1,600rpm 248nm@2,250rpm 320nm@1,700rpmMax engine speed 5,000rpm 5,500rpm 4,250rpmSpecific output 64bhp/litre 75bhp/litre 64bhp/litrePower-to-weight 78bhp/tonne 84bhp/tonne 70bhp/tonneGearbox 6-speed manual 6-speed manual 5-speed manualDriven wheels fWd fWd rWdFuel efficiency (ARAI) 15.1kmpl 19.0kmpl na

tEstED MAHINDRA RENAult tAtAAcceleration0-60kmph 5.1s 4.7s 5.0s0-80kmph 8.5s 7.9s 8.7s0-100kmph 11.9s 12.2s 13.4s0-120kmph 17.2s 17.4s 20.5sTop speed 170kmph 170kmph 160kmphDriveability 30-80kmph 7.7s 7.2s 8.3s 40-100kmph 12.4s 11.6s 12.4s 80-120kmph 10.4s 10.8s 14.2sBraking80-0kmph 27.3m 25.0m 32.2m100-0kmph 43.4m 43.0m 51.3mIn cabin noiseAt 50kmph 61db(a) 62db(a) 63db(a)At 100kmph 66db(a) 65db(a) 65db(a)At 130kmph 70db(a) 68db(a) 67db(a)CO2 213g/km 192g/km 212g/kmFuel efficiency 12.4kmpl 13.7kmpl 12.4kmpl

3gear

4gear

5gear

BoDy MAHINDRA RENAult tAtAChassis Monocoque Monocoque ladder frameNo of Seats 7 5 5+2Suspension F/R McPherson struts with

anti-roll bar/ multi-link with anti-roll bar

McPherson struts with anti-roll bar/torsion beam

rear axle & anti-roll bar

independent double wishbone with coil spring/multi-link with coil spring

Brakes F&R ventilated discs/discs ventilated discs/drums ventilated discs/drumsWheels F/R 7.5Jx17in 6.5Jx16in 6.0Jx15inSteering rack & pinion with elec-

tric power assistrack & pinion with elec-

tric power assistrack & pinion with power

assistTurning circle dia 11.2m 10.4m 10.8mFuel diesel diesel dieselTank capacity 70 litres 50 litres 55 litresBoot space na 475 litres naKerb weight 1,785kg 1,308kg 2,000kg

EquIpMENt MAHINDRA RENAult tAtAModel W8 4x2 rxZ vx 2WdAirbags 6 2 2ABS/ESP Yes/Yes Yes/no Yes/noAC/Climate control Climate control aC aCPower windows all four doors all four doors all four doorsCD/Mp3 player mp3 mp3 mp3Sun roof no no noXenon lamps Yes no noWarranty 2 years/50,000km 4 years/80,000km 4 years/1,50,000kmprice (otr, delhi) rs 15.52 lakh rs 13.31 lakh rs 14.66 lakh

The Storme cabin feels like a big chunk of real estate, and the first thing that surprises you is the fantastic all around vis-ibility, particularly over the long hood and through the A-pillars. The instrument panel is simple and easy to read and the centre console houses a few knobs and buttons for the air-con. On the downside, it would have been great to get a custom audio sys-tem in the Storme instead of an aftermarket unit. It just does not look right.

Storage space is found aplenty; there’s space around the gear lever, and also the door pockets are pretty useful. Quality of plastic bits, however, could have been better. At the back there’s plenty of space and seats are comfort-able too. However, right at the back the Storme still gets two ‘jump seats’ in the boot instead of a proper third row. Apart from the fact that they don’t offer seat belts, it eats up luggage space and is very uncomfortable.

Moving itNot much has changed on the Storme when it comes to the drivetrain either. It still gets the 2.2-litre diesel from the older Safari and offers the same power and torque. Though, it has shed some weight, it still is the heavi-est here at two tonne.

Not surprisingly, it feels the most sluggish to drive. Even while cruising, if one needs to overtake, a downshift is the best way forward. The steering feels a bit heavy and it would have been better to have a little more feedback. But, where the Storme still scores, and scores well, is the ride quality. It absorbs bumps and rough patches with ease.

The XUV sports a 2.2-litre diesel engine as well. But, the XUV feels more sprightly. It is more drivable too thanks to a better torque spread and shorter ratios for the six-speed manual. On the highway, once you have worked your way up to sixth gear, there’s literally no need to change gears; press down your right foot and the clear sound of the turbo is accompanied by prompt ac-celeration.

The XUV's clutch though is

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When it comes to space it becomes difficult for the renault duster to compete with the biggies. the tata is supremely spacious up front and at the back, the XUV scores more. thanks to its old- school design, the storme offers fantastic visibility too. However, when it comes to safety equip-ment the XUV is the king.

the Mahindra thanks to it very re-sponsive engine is the fastest of the lot. It is also very easy to drive on the highway and the city. the gearbox on the duster though is best of the lot with short throws. again thanks to the lightweight of the duster, it offers the best fuel economy as well. But the tank size is small and hampers range.

there is little to doubt that the duster is the best handler here and that too because of its size. But the XUV offers so much in terms of features. touchscreen navigation, climate control, cruise control, name it and the XUV has got it. ride quality is also the best in this trio.

the duster gets the best steering set up and is easy to haul around town. It stops the quickest and re-quires the minimum space to turn around. the storme though feels like a big one and that's because it is the heaviest of the lot and it feels so too while driving. It also get least points for its steering.

the XUV might be the most ex-pensive of the lot but it also offers features to match it. the duster is the cheapest. When you go to sell them, the XUV is sure to hold on to its value the most thanks to the Mahindra badge. But, the warranty needs to improve.

Clear winner, fair grading – cars are rated over 500 points, with 100 points for each section. Also, each section focuses on a single aspect for easier understanding

BODYFront space 15 13 10 15rear space 15 14 9 12Feeling of space 10 8 6 8Boot space/flexibility 15 14 12 15Visibility 5 3 3 4Feel of quality 15 11 10 10Payload 5 4 3 3safety 20 9 3 3Intermediate results 100 76 56 70

Driveacceleration 15 8 7 7top speed 5 2 2 2driveability 10 7 7 6engine characteristics 5 3 3 3Gearbox 10 6 7 6Fuel efficiency 40 23 25 23range 5 4 3 3environment 10 6 6 6Intermediate results 100 59 60 56

cOmfOrtride quality 30 24 23 23Front seats/ingress 10 8 8 7rear seat/ingress 10 7 8 8driving noise 10 7 8 7Handling 15 10 10 9Comfort equipment 15 9 6 6operatibility 10 7 7 7Intermediate results 100 72 70 67

DYnamicssteering response 15 10 11 8directional stability 15 11 12 9Manoeuvrability 20 11 13 10Braking 25 19 20 16Grip 10 6 6 5turning circle 15 12 13 12Intermediate results 100 69 75 60test results 400 276 261 253

cOstPrice 60 12 14 12resale 20 14 9 12Warranty 20 9 14 14Intermediate results 100 35 37 38tOtal 500 311 298 291

Final position 1 2 3

Max

Poi

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ren

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tata

ma

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Dr

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The AUTO BILDpoints system at work

SCORECARD

Verdict Rahul Ghosh

The results of this test are hardly surprising. The Storme is like an opportunity missed. It has undergone a major surgery but it has not changed much. Even the feature list is not impressive. But, where it holds its ground is ride quality and space. The Duster, on the other hand, had been ruling roost for a while. It is a compact SUV, which rides and drives very well. It is also very fuel efficient.

But the winner at the end of the day is the Mahindra XUV500. It offers a responsive engine with high-levels of tractability. However, where the XUV scores most is features — both safety as well as comfort and convenience. Last but not the least, we hope that Mahindra offers a better warranty as compared to the competition. But for now, the XUV500 has managed to jump to the top step of the podium when it comes to affordable SUVs.

1FINAL PLACING

Mahindra XUV500The XUV500 looks the fanciest, of-fers the most number of features

and is good value for money as well.

311 PoINts

2 Renault DusterThe Duster looks good, is easy to live with in cities, has got a good

ride and is also cheapest to buy.

298 PoINts

3 Tata Safari StormeThe Storme has road presence, is spacious and has a nice ride and

good visibility.

291 PoINts

'Best driver's car' and 'most comfortable car' placings are specific to this test only

MOST COMfORTABLe CAR 148/200 points

BeST DRIVeR'S CAR 131/200 points

*Rear knee room with standard 1m driver’s leg room.

1040–1210 740-940770*

930

960

1922

740

920 950

Safari Storme

510

590

Wheelbase 2650 Length 4655

Shoulder room 1410Width 1965Wheel track F/R 1580/1550MEASUREMENTS in millimetres

470

650

Tyres 235/70 R16 Bridgestone DuelerSpare wheel Full size


1045–1230 690-890860* 66093

0-98

0

960

1785

756

840 860

910

XUV 500

470

610

435

580


Shoulder room 1335Width 1890Wheel track F/R 1600/1600MEASUREMENTS in millimetres

505

590

Tyres 235/65 R17 Bridgestone DuelerSpare wheel Full size


1020–1220 650-860700*96

0-99

0

970

1695

760

690-710 700

Duster

480

590


Shoulder room 1320Width 1822Wheel track F/R 1560/1567

500

580

MEASUREMENTS in millimetresTyres 215/65 R16 MRF Wanderer

Spare wheel Full size

tata

ma

hin

-D

ra

ren

au

lt When it comes to SUVs, bigger is gen-erally considered bet-ter. However, I truly like the Duster. It is compact, capable and easy to zip through town, and this is its trump card. However, I do miss the features the XUV500 offers. I also hope that the Duster is soon of-fered with AWD and few more features.

LuSt FACtOR This is about taste and does not affect our final points rating

to die for , enticing , likeable Could be better , Boring

categOrY design Character Handling Wellness Image tOtal

on the heavier side, and the box lacks positive shifts. It does ride well, and being a monocoque vehicle, it handles quick direc-tion changes better than the old school ladder-on-frame Storme. Not that the handling is great, as there’s still prominent body roll and understeer to deal with.

The Duster too uses a mono-coque, but its lightweight and lower centre of gravity, not to forget less weight, makes it the best handling SUV here. It also has the smallest, least powerful engine — a 1.5-litre dCi offer-ing 110bhp — but on the move,

the Duster feels brisk; be it out right acceleration or picking up speed in a particular gear. This is down to in part to its highest power-to-weight ratio in this test. The six-speed manual gearbox feels good to operate and clutch isn't too heavy either. The steer-ing is well-weighted and quick, and there's decent feedback as well. It's by far the easiest SUV to drive in the city in this bunch. Moreover, the ride quality is acceptable. It rides particularly well at speed, and over minor potholes or bumps, but it isn't exactly plush.

The Duster quite naturally is the smallest of the lot, but there is so much of muscle around the car that it looks great. The Storme is the most boxy of them all and the spare wheel has moved under the chassis. The XUV too looks smart and offers good ground clearance. Twin exhausts on the Storme and XUV look great

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Documents

Renault Duster the big boys - Mahindra XUV500Tata Safari Storme Renault Duster Shoot out of road test 36 Issue No 13, January 20, 2013 Mahindra xuv500 vs renault duster vs tata safari