They’re large, premium hatchbacks with the utility and space of mid-size SUVs. Here are six of the most popular crossover-SUVs in.
Maruti Suzuki Brezza
The Maruti Suzuki Brezza is the first Maruti to be designed and developed entirely in India and it certainly has the chops to go toe-to-toe against the entire roster of internationally developed crossovers that are extremely popular here. For starters it’s got the basic SUV kit — a tall stance, square frame, skid plates — the works. It is also spacious on the inside, while being under 4-metres long and packing 328 litres of boot space.
Hyundai Creta
The Hyundai Creta is a popular option amongst crossover afficianados, for several reasons. Firstly, like all Hyundai’s, it’s extremely well kitted-out. The top end variant packs a neat 7” matte touch screen unit, complete with SatNav, climate control, keyless entry, a rear A/C vent, reversing camera etc. At Rs 9.6 lakh (Ex-Mumbai), the Creta is one of the most spacious crossovers out there.
Renault Duster
The Duster was one of the first genre-busting, crossover-SUVs to arrive on the scene. It’s go-anywhere appeal and rugged looks paved the way for future crossovers, so practical and frugal was the Duster. Now equipped with optional all-wheel drive technology, the Duster is more formidable than ever. The new model has received a few key updates. Both the 1.5 and 1.6 litre engines have been tweaked for more power and efficiency. On the cosmetic front, you now get some attractive body coloured door handles.
Mahindra TUV 300
It might not be the sharpest looking crossover in the market, but the Mahindra TUV 300 is certainly high on utility. Unlike most crossovers, the TUV is built on a ladder-onframe chassis like most full-bodied SUVs and benefits from Mahindra’s decades worth of tough-SUV building history. It’s got incredible cabin space along with a third row of foldable seats . For Rs 8.44 lakh (Ex-Mumbai), the TUV is the closest you’ll get to proper SUV levels of ruggedness, and utility.
Ford EcoSport
The Ford EcoSport has been around long enough to be a popular option for families who wish to upgrade to something bigger than a hatchback, but not considerably more expensive than one. What works for the EcoSport is the rather popular 1.0 litre EcoBoost engine, which puts out healthy levels of power for such a small engine, while remaining quite economical. You can also opt for the 1.5 litre petrol and diesel options. If you’re looking for more reasons to buy the car, Ford India recently slashed the price of the EcoSport by Rs 1.2 lakh, bringing it down to Rs 6.99 lakh (Ex-Mumbai)
Skoda Yeti
The Yeti is a crossover that happens to sit closer to the opposite end of the crossover price spectrum. It’s also one of the few crossovers to be equipped with an optional all-wheel drive system. Pricey though it may seem, the Yeti is one of the most formidable and family friendly premium crossovers in the market. You get the celebrated 2.0 litre TDI from VW’s stables, powering a car based on VW’s trusted PQ35 platform. You can settle for the equally capable 4×2 option, which packs 109 bhp, and is a breeze on the highway.
