The recently launched Hyundai Creta has been priced in a wide brand, ranging between 8.6 lakh rupees and 13.6 lakh rupees. This means that the Creta is in direct competition with a both 5 seat, compact and ladder frame, 7 seat SUVs. The Mahindra Scorpio, which is the best selling 7 seat, ladder frame SUV in India, finds itself in competition with many Creta variants. For their part, buyers, who have budgets between 8-13 lakh rupees often find themselves choosing between 5 seats of the Creta and 7 seats of the Scorpio. Through this story, we seek to make this dilemma simpler.
Hyundai Creta, what’s it all about?
We’ll start off with brief overviews of the Creta and Scorpio variants in this comparison. The 5 seat, monocoque bodied Creta is sold with two turbo diesel engine options – 1.4 liter (89 Bhp-220 Nm) and 1.6 liter (125 Bhp-260 Nm) units. Both variants use six speed manual transmissions, which drive the front wheels. Certain Creta variants offer ABS, a full complement of 6 airbags, traction control and ESP. The Hyundai compact SUV is sold in S, S+, SX, SX+ and SX(O) trims. Prices of the Creta Diesel range between 9.47-13.60 lakh rupees.
Mahindra Scorpio, what’s it all about?
The 7 seat Mahindra Scorpio uses a ladder frame chassis, and is powered by two turbo diesel engine options – a 2.5 liter DI (75 Bhp-200 Nm) and 2.2 liter mHawk (120 Bhp-280 Nm) units. The larger, less powerful engined S2 variant is mainly used in taxi fleets. Much heavier than the Creta, the Scorpio is rear wheel driven by means of a 5 speed manual gearbox. While the SUV also offers 4 wheel drive and automatic variants, we’ll focus on the rear wheel driven variants in this story. The Scorpio is sold with ABS and twin airbags. The Mahindra SUV is sold in S2, S4, S6, S8 and S10 trims. Prices of the Scorpio range between 8.83-12.49 lakh rupees.
Also See – Hyundai Creta Diesel Automatic vs Mahindra Scorpio Diesel Automatic?
Advantage Hyundai Creta
You seek performance
If straight line performance with the addictive torque of diesel power matters to you, the Creta with the 1.6 liter turbo diesel engine (125 Bhp-260 Nm) and 6 speed manual gearbox is the vehicle to opt for. Even the 1.4 liter Creta with the 89 Bhp-220 Nm output is likely to be as quick as the larger engined (2.2 liters, 120 Bhp-280 Nm) Scorpio as the latter is much heavier. The 2.5 liter DI turbo diesel motor of the Scorpio isn’t even worth comparing here given its weak output and taxi market focus.
You seek safety options
If you want safety and can pay for it, the Creta will spoil you silly. The compact SUV’s 1.6 SX(O) variant comes with a full complement of 6 airbags, ABS+EBD, traction control and ESP. In comparison, the Scorpio buyer opting for the S10 variant will have to be happy with airbags, tyre pressure monitoring system, ABS+EBD and cruise control, which is more of a convenience feature than an outright safety feature. So, it’s clearly advantage Creta when it comes to safety on offer.
You want a more compact SUV
The Mahindra Scorpio is large and bulky. Driving and parking the SUV in crowded city streets and parking lots can be challenging. On the other hand, the Creta is a much more compact car, which can be squeezed into tighter parking spots. It is also easier to drive than the Scorpio given its smaller dimensions. If you want an urban SUV that’s easier to live with, the Creta scores.
You want a car-like SUV
The Creta is almost car-like in its refinement, and this includes city driving manners. On the highway though, the Hyundai compact SUV, like all Hyundais rolls quite a bit and comes with a steering that feels scary at higher speeds. Yet, this Hyundai is more car-like than the tall Mahindra Scorpio, which isn’t a great high speed handler to begin with. The Scorpio’s steering is better weighted though. More car-like? The Creta, all the way.
Fuel efficiency ?
According to the ARAI, the Creta 1.4 delivers a mileage of 21.38 Kmpl while the Creta 1.6 manages 19.67 Kmpl. The Scorpio, on the other hand, manages 15.4 Kmpl across engines. The Creta is clearly 33-50 % more fuel efficient than the Scorpio, variant to variant.
Advantage Mahindra Scorpio
You want the versatility of a 7 seat layout
You may use all seven seats rarely but having a 7 seat layout (even in a 5+2 pattern) is a feature that greatly adds to the versatility of any vehicle. So, having a 7 seat layout gives the Scorpio an advantage as far as carrying more people is concerned. The Scorpio is a much larger vehicle, and this endows it with a much larger boot than the Creta. This boot, with the rear seat folded has much more carrying capacity than that on the Creta. More space and seats? The Scorpio it is for you.
You seek ruggedness
The Scorpio features a tough, ladder frame chassis. What this means is, the vehicle can take more abuse than the Creta on less than perfect roads. Also, the Scorpio is better suited for semi-urban and rural areas, where the ladder frame chassis’ higher abuse tolerance and carrying capacity comes to the fore. If you’re in the market for an SUV that is going to be put across regions that have poor roads or no roads, the Scorpio is a better bet.
You want value-for-money
With a larger engine, more carrying capacity, better for bad roads, a long list of features and then of course, pricing that’s lower than that of the Creta, variant to variant, the Mahindra Scorpio is the clear winner for those looking at the value-for-money quotient.
You want big street presence
The Mahindra Scorpio is dimensionally larger, and is much taller than the Creta. This gives the Mahindra a street presence that the Creta will simply find hard to match. If you want a “real SUV” that is macho and imposing, the Scorpio is a no-brainer.
