Hyundai Creta costlier now, but Ecosport, XUV500, Duster & S-Cross now cheaper

The Hyundai Creta’s “introductory” pricing wasn’t very mouth watering to start off with, but buyers didn’t seem to care. How else do you explain 15,000 Cretas sold in just 2 months? Hyundai knows that buyers simply can’t get enough of the compact SUV, and has promptly bumped up prices of some of the Creta’s best selling variants, by 20,000 rupees. The competition is responding, by lining up massive discounts of nearly a lakh rupees, and in some cases even more. Nearly every other affordable SUV sold in India, compact or otherwise, is now selling at a chunky discount. So, if you’re a value hunter, it’s a great time to pick up an SUV other than the Creta. Here’s the lowdown. 

Ford Ecosport

Ford promptly refreshed the Ecosport once the Creta began its superb run, but older versions of the Ecosport are still available at 50,000 rupee (22,000 cash discount+18,000 exchange bonus+free extended warranty) discounts. If you can live without the minor feature increments, and the 9 Bhp boost that the refreshed Ecosport comes with, the discounts look quite enticing.

Renault Duster

The Duster’s been the hardest hit after the advent of the Creta, so much so that sales have tanked by nearly 2/3rds. The 85 PS diesel powered Duster is now available at a 45,000 rupee cash discount. If you negotiate hard, this figure will go up. In case of the 110 PS diesel Duster, a 35,000 rupee discount is running. Corporate discounts can be availed, in addition to the above discounts.

Nissan Terrano

The Nissan Terrano is proof that badge engineering doesn’t work in India, so what if it’s an SUV. The Duster in more fashionable clothes is finding few takers, and this has prompted Nissan to line up chunky 95,000 rupee discounts on the compact SUV. If you want an SUV that rides much better than the Hyundai Creta, the Terrano is a good buy. The 110 PS diesel variants are quite quick too.

Maruti Suzuki S-Cross

One of the fastest crossovers in the country, the 1.6 liter turbo diesel engined S-Cross, is now being sold for discounts close to a lakh rupees (60,000 cash discount+10 % finance+20,000 exchange bonus). While buyers are opting for the lower variants of the S-Cross, Maruti Suzuki is stuck with the steeply priced 1.6 liter (320 Nm) diesel variants. The large discounts is to sweeten the deal and push more S-Cross 1.6s out of NEXA showrooms.

Mahindra Scorpio

The Scorpio, one of Mahindra’s biggest successes ever, is selling well despite the Creta. Strong demand for the S2 variant from semi-urban pockets is a big reason for this. Discounts on the Scorpio, to the tune of 50,000 rupees are currently available. These discounts comprise of a 20,000 rupee exchange bonus, 5,500 rupee corporate discount, and free first year insurance.

Mahindra XUV500

The facelifted Mahindra XUV500 is living up to its maker’s expectations, clocking a steady monthly volume of 3,000+ units. This means that the only discounts available on the XUV500 are corporate offers, to the tune of 10,000 rupees. Variant to variant, the XUV500 offers more bang for the buck than the Creta. This crossover from Mahindra is one of the most attractive Creta competitor.

Tata Safari Storme

The Tata Safari Storme is for those who want massive seat presence, comfortable seating for 5 adults, and the flexibility of a 7 seat SUV. The facelifted version gets a more powerful 2.2 liter turbo diesel engine (148 Bhp-320 Nm), and a large discount close to 1 lakh rupees. While 93,000 rupees is the official discount figure, negotiating will net you more.