The upcoming Nissan Evalia and the new Mahindra Xylo, face off!

Nissan unveiled the Evalia seven-seater MPV at the 2012 Delhi Auto Expo. To be launched during the second half of this year, the Evalia will compete with established models such as the Mahindra Xylo.

The Mahindra Xylo just got a face lift and comes in a price range of Rs. 7.37 lakh – Rs. 10.25 lakh. The new Xylo gets a mHawk engine, a new gearbox one the new top-end variant, E9. We compare the Xylo with the upcoming Evalia in terms of looks, space, comfort, price and mileage to see if the Evalia has the potential to give the Xylo, a run for its money.

Driving and handling

The Xylo has three diesel engine variants: a 2.2-litre mHawk motor that puts out 120 bhp, 2.5-litre mEagle motor that puts out 112 bhp and the 2.5-litre mDI motor that churns out 95 bhp of power.

The Evalia will be powered by a 1.5 dCI diesel engine which is expected to produce 85 bhp or 104 bhp of power. Based on what the specifications indicate, the Evalia seems to lack engine power, but if its kerb weight is lower than the Xylo and it may perform better than the Xylo.

The Evalia has got a monocoque design which is known to facilitate handling. Therefore, the Evalia will likely have less body roll and may handle better than the Xylo.  Summing up, expect the Evalia to drive and handle, slightly better than the Xylo.

Space and Comfort

The Xylo’s has comfortable seats with commendable legroom and headroom for all the three rows. Even tall passengers won’t complain in the Xylo’s third row of seats. The Xylo is available in 7 or 8 seat configurations.

On the other hand, the Evalia will come in a seven seat configuration arranged in the 2+3+2 pattern. The Evalia offers slightly more space than the Xylo, particularly in terms of legroom. Besides, the sliding doors, will allow passengers to get in and out of the Evalia, very comfortably. With all the three rows of seats occupied, the Evalia still has slightly more luggage space than the Xylo. Space is going to be the Evalia’s USP for sure.

Looks

The Evalia has a practical yet unconventional front design. The angular front lamps and large glass area help break the monotony in an otherwise boxy design. The Evalia’s sliding door will allow passengers to get in and out of the car easily. The rear too has a practically designed, wide opening boot door. The tail lamps are set a tad low than usual.

The Xylo facelift comes with redesigned front grille with blacked out vertical slats and redesigned front bumper with wide fog lamps housing. The refreshed head lamps look sharper than the earlier model.

The side profile reveals the new side footstep, pronounced wheel arches with new rims, sporty roof rail and blackened pillars. At the rear, the tail lamp cluster gets clear lens treatment and claddings on the sides of the bumper. Overall, the exterior changes makes the new Xylo look mature and promising.

Both the cars have unique styling, but the Xylo has a sporty appeal than the Evalia.

Price, mileage and overall VFM

The Evalia is expected to be priced starting at Rs. 8 lakh. The Mahindra Xylo is available in the price range of Rs. 7.35 lakh – 10.25 lakh. We feel that the Evalia will have slightly higher price than the Xylo.

With regard to mileage, the Evalia may have an advantage for it is expected have less body weight than the Xylo. Besides, the 1.5-litre dCI motor which will power the Evalia is known for its fuel efficiency in the Micra and the Sunny.

Overall, the Xylo may have an advantage over the Evalia in terms of price, but mileage-wise, Evalia may have an edge over the Xylo. But to know whether Evalia is better value for money proposition than the Xylo, we have to wait for the official prices.

Pros and Cons

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Verdict

Both the MPVs offers excellent space and comfort, but the Evalia may have an edge over the Xylo in terms of fuel efficiency and handling characteristics. If Nissan launches the Evalia with a price that undercuts the Xylo, it may likely cause some trouble to the Mahindra’s MPV.