Best MPV

20 Aug 2009

While it may not appear so to the average-Joe car buyer, MPVs, or Multi-Purpose Vehicles make up a fairly large part of the Indian automobile market. These workhorses, as their name suggests, serve a multitude of roles - from company cars, to tourist vehicles, to family outings. In fact, the bottom-rung of this segment sees a large amount of rural usage as well thanks to their space and practicality. But we're specifically dealing with the best MPVs you can buy for under Rs. 10 lakh, so the cars in contention for the top honours are the Chevrolet Tavera, Mahindra Xylo, Toyota Innova and the Tata Sumo Grande.

Toyota Innova

Ever since the launch of the Innova, Toyota has upped the ante for all MPVs (Multi-Purpose Vehicle) in India. While its predecessor, the Qualis, was a fairly good product, the Innova just smashed its competition - some of which had been around for donkey's years. The Innova also set new benchmarks in the MPV segment in terms of style, comfort, build quality, space and drivability. With a variety of flexible seating options available, the Innova has now become the de-facto vehicle for fleet owners who want to move people around in luxury. It was also the first MPV that really broke the 'transport vehicle' mold and was easily accepted by regular car-buyers who wanted a large car which could accommodate more than a small family of four and would be a breeze to drive long distances in great comfort. Because of this, many large urban families have also picked up Innovas as their second car - something to leave the city in for a weekend getaway. This is in no small part to the way the Innova feels to drive as from the driver's seat, it feels like a large saloon to drive rather than a small truck, which most of its competition feels like. Even when it comes to mileage, the Innova offers best-in-class fuel economy combined with excellent pulling power from its range of diesel and petrol engines. Of course, having the basic lines of a large van, the Innova may not really be the best looking car in the market, but it still rules the roost when it comes to the multi-utility vehicle segment. However, the recent facelift did give this workhorse a much more modern and urban look, reaffirming its position as the best MPV currently available in India.