The rising market share of SUVs in the Indian market clearly indicates the practicality that these high-ground clearance vehicles bring with them. This has a lot to do with the deteriorating road condition in the country apart from some of the benefits of these SUVs like commanding sitting position, spacious cabin, road presence etc. Amongst the SUVs, the sub-4 meter segment is the most hotly contested category with nine competitors from all the major car manufacturers. The compact dimensions coupled with powerful powertrain make these SUVs a hoot to drive and have started a sub-segment of performance-oriented driver-focused sub-4-meter SUVs. So today we have shortlisted the top 5 high-performance sub-4-meter SUVs currently selling in the Indian market.
Hyundai Venue N-Line
The sportier version of Venue Facelift, the Hyundai Venue N-Line was launched in September and is priced in the range of Rs. 12.16 lakh to Rs. 13.15 lakh (ex-showroom). Powering the N-Line is a 1.0-litre tGDi petrol engine belting out 120 bhp and 172 Nm of peak torque, paired to a 7-speed DCT gearbox. The power figures are just one side of the story, while the retuned suspension setup and steering geometry is what makes it stand out. Apart from the powerful engine and sporty dynamics, the SUV looks the part, all thanks to the N-Line cosmetic touches inside out. The performance SUV can do the 0-100 kmph sprint in around 12 seconds.
Kia Sonet Diesel AT
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The Sonet is Kia’s player for the sub-4-meter SUV segment. It comes in a variety of engine and gearbox combos, but the most powerful and fastest of the lot is the 1.5 litre CRDi diesel paired to a 6-speed torque converter automatic gearbox. The power output from the setup is rated at 115 bhp and 250 Nm of peak torque. The SUV is capable to touch 100 kmph from a standstill in just 11.48 seconds. The range of diesel AT starts from Rs. 12.15 lakh and goes all the way up to Rs. 13.99 lakh (ex-showroom).
Mahindra XUV300 Diesel
With the 1.5 litre 4-cylinder Turbo Diesel engine under the hood, the XUV300 does the 0-100 kmph sprint in 11.85 seconds. The best-in-segment diesel power figures stand at 115 bhp and 300 Nm of peak torque. The engine comes mated to a 6-speed manual transmission. The range of the XUV300 diesel manual starts from as low as Rs. 9.60 lakh and goes all the way up to Rs. 13.38 lakh (ex-showroom).
Mahindra XUV300 TurboSport
The latest addition to the XUV300 line-up, the TurboSport is powered by an all-new 1.2-litre mStallion TGDi petrol engine. The powerhouse churns out 130 bhp at 5000 rpm and 230 Nm of peak torque from 1500 to 3750 rpm. A special over-boost function can boost the torque delivery to 250 Nm for a brief period. The engine is paired to a 6-speed manual gearbox and Mahindra claims that the SUV can go from 0 to 60 kmph in just 5 seconds. The TurboSport version of XUV300 is priced from Rs. 10.35 lakh to Rs. 12.90 lakh (ex-showroom).
Tata Nexon EV MAX
Standing tall amongst the ICE SUVs is the fastest and only EV in this list, the Tata Nexon EV MAX. When it comes to raw power, EVs offer an altogether different experience, all thanks to their rapid power and torque delivery. Using its 40.5 kWh battery pack, the electric motor churns out 143 bhp and 250 Nm of peak torque. Tata Motors claim a 0-100 kmph timing of less than 9 seconds for the Nexon EV MAX, while the top speed is limited to 140 kmph. The all-electric EV is priced in the range of Rs. 18.34 lakh to Rs. 19.84 lakh (ex-showroom).
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