Affordable, performance SUVs for SPEED addicts in India

SUVs are mostly gauged by their on-off road capabilities rather than how fast they go. However, there are affordable SUVs that are suitable for speed addicts. Here are seven such SUVs, arranged price-wise.

Hyundai Creta

The Hyundai Creta is powered by four engine options. There are 1.4-litre petrol and diesel units and 1.6-litre petrol and diesel units. The bigger 1.6-litre diesel engine powered Creta is known for its acceleration. The 1.6-litre engine produces a maximum power of 126 Bhp and 262.8 Nm torque. The Creta can do 0-100 km/h in just 10.8 seconds only, which is quicker than many SUVs in the segment. Prices start from Rs. 12.5 lakhs.

Mahindra XUV 500 AWD

The Mahindra XUV 500 is the flagship car of the brand and it gets loaded with features. The AWD version of the XUV comes with an on-demand 4WD system that misses out on a low-range transfer case. However, the Mahindra XUV 500 is powered by a 2.2-litre mHawk turbodiesel engine that produces a maximum of 140Bhp-330Nm and is mated to a 6-speed manual and automatic transmission. The XUV500 does the 0-100 Kph sprint in 13 seconds. Prices start from 12.56 lakhs.

Isuzu V-Cross

The Isuzu V-Cross is solely responsible for making the pick-up truck segment popular in India. The lifestyle vehicle is quite big and is powered by a 2.5-litre turbocharged diesel engine that has an output of 134 Bhp-320 Nm. It comes paired with a 5-speed transmission that powers all the four wheels through shift-on-fly transfer as standard. The V-Cross gets dual airbags and ABS as standard. The V-Cross does the 0-100 Kph sprint in 13 seconds. This pick up truck is priced at 13.15 lakhs.

Tata Storme Varicor

The Safari Storme 4X4 is the most powerful 7-seater available in India. The torque monster is powered by a 2.2-litre Varicor turbocharged diesel engine that produces a maximum of 154 Bhp – 400 Nm. The SUV rockets to 100 Kph from standstill in just 12.8 seconds. It gets a 6-speed transmission that transmits power to all the four wheels through Borg Warner transfer case. It also comes with low and range transfer case that makes it quite versatile. Prices start from 13.72 lakhs.

Renault Duster AWD

The Renault Duster AWD has blazing acceleration, with the all wheel drive layout helping the compact SUV to get to a flying start. The Duster AWD manages the 0-100 Kph run in just 10.96 seconds, making it nearly as quick as the Creta. It’s powered by a 1.5 liter turbo diesel engine with 108 Bhp-248 Nm on tap. The gearbox is a six speed manual. It’s priced at 13.79 lakhs.

Jeep Compass

Jeep recently started the delivering the Compass petrol with the 7-speed dual clutch automatic transmission in India. The petrol version of the Compass is powered by a 1.4-litre turbocharged engine that develops a maximum power of 160 Bhp – 250 Nm. As per tests done by ACI, the Jeep Compass can do 0-100 km/h in 10.29 seconds, which is seriously quick for an SUV, and is the only petrol SUV in this list. Prices start from 16.04 lakhs.

Hyundai Tucson

The Hyundai Tucson is an acceleration king among the SUVs in India. The Tucson is powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged diesel engine that produces a maximum of 182 Bhp – 400 Nm. The car can go 100 km/h from zero in just 9.48 seconds. It is available with 6-speed manual and 6-speed automatic transmission. The Tucson Diesel starts from Rs. 19.99 lakhs.