I am confused between the Scorpio N and the Tata Safari. Which one is the best buy under 25 lakh?

Autocar India

•5w

While priced in a similar ballpark, the two old Indian SUV rivals are today very different from one another. The Mahindra Scorpio N stays true to its roots - it's built on a ladder-frame chassis, has tough suspension and underpinnings, and features rear-wheel drive or 4x4, which is great for hills and rough terrain. While it has been refined in its newest avatar, it is still a little rough around the edges, with a bumpy ride, over-eager power delivery, ergonomics that aren't great, and a sub-par features list for the price. Buy only if you require its tough underpinnings, or value its rugged appeal.

For most other situations, the Tata Safari is the better bet. It is more refined, sophisticated, and spacious, with a truly usable third row. It has a far more comprehensive and modern features list, and a new petrol engine option was recently introduced as well. Its biggest advantage over the Scorpio N is its comfortable ride quality, which is good in the city or on the highway. And while it doesn't offer 4x4 as the Scorpio N does, an electric version is expected at the end of the year with AWD, but that will be outside your Rs 25 lakh budget.

Explore cars mentioned

Mahindra

Scorpio N

from ₹15.64 Lakh

Tata

Safari

from ₹15.44 Lakh

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Tarundeep Singh

•3d

I am planning to buy a strong and comfortable SUV that will mainly be used for road trips every few months, where 300+ km drives should feel comfortable. My priorities are space, stability on highways, and reasonable maintenance. Currently, I am considering the Skoda Kodiaq, Jeep Meridian, and MG Gloster, especially since all three seem to be available with good discounts these days. However, I am also wondering if it would be worth stretching my budget to consider bigger SUVs like the Toyota Fortuner or the MG Majestor.

Autocar India

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The Skoda Kodiaq would be the ideal choice among the listed options. The Kodiaq has an excellent long-legged nature that makes road trips effortless. The TSI engine is refined, and cabin insulation is excellent. The quality of the interior is high-end, and the build is strong, too.If you maintain it well with timely service and drive it with care, even maintenance isn't a problem. The Kodiaq is a three-row SUV with lots of space and practicality, and a long list of features as well. What is also worth noting is the ride comfort, which is a lot better than that of body-on-frame SUVs like the Toyota Fortuner. Resale value with a Kodiaq is good too, and it is a premium, high-quality SUV on the whole.

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Ritangshu Bhattacharya

•21h

My wife has recently started learning to drive and is looking to buy her first car, which she will primarily use for daily office commuting (around 40-50 km per day). She prefers a petrol automatic car with a relatively high driver seating position. Since this will be her first car, I am inclined towards a Maruti Suzuki model, unless a Hyundai option makes a very strong case. We are currently considering the Maruti Suzuki Alto K10, Maruti Suzuki Celerio, and Maruti Suzuki Ignis (we are not considering the WagonR). Among these, the Celerio and Ignis seem like better options, but we are slightly concerned about the possibility of them being discontinued in the near future. We would also consider the Maruti Suzuki Swift, but we are a bit apprehensive because it is a slightly larger car for a beginner driver. Our budget is ₹6-9 lakh on-road. Which of these cars would be the best choice for her needs?

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The Maruti Suzuki Ignis is the best option for your wife. Its compact dimensions make it easy to manoeuvre, and the relatively high seating position gives a good view of the road, aiding confidence behind the wheel. A peppy engine and the convenience of AMT also help its case. The Ignis is a bit firm in its ride comfort, though. Maruti Suzuki has not announced plans to discontinue the Ignis, though the model has been around for a while. Even in the case of the model being discontinued, you will not have trouble with service support and parts availability for years to come.

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Vishal Maniar

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I am planning to buy a compact SUV with a diesel automatic gearbox, and my budget is around ₹12–14 lakh on-road. I generally prefer choosing the variant just above the base model, as it usually offers the best value for money rather than going for the top-spec variant. My shortlisted options are the Tata Nexon, Hyundai Venue, and Kia Sonet. While value for money is my main priority, my child is insisting that the car should also have a sunroof. Considering these requirements, which car would you recommend buying?

Autocar India

•9h

While the Tata Nexon has its strengths in a tough build and good suspension, its AMT gearbox is no match for the torque converter automatic. It comes paired with the Hyundai Venue and Kia Sonet's 1.5-litre diesel engine. The Hyundai and Kia's smooth diesel engines and slick auto gearboxes deliver a very polished driving experience, which you will love. Of the two, the Hyundai Venue is newer, offers more rear seat space and a few more frills like a larger 10.25-inch touchscreen. You'd get a Venue diesel-auto HX5 in your budget, which is reasonably well equipped and also packs in a sunroof. We can't recommend it wholeheartedly, though, because it misses the safety of a rear wiper. If rear seat space isn't a deal breaker and you are comfortable with the idea of buying a car that will be replaced in the near future, the Sonet diesel-auto HTX is definitely worth a look. For not much money over the Venue HX5, it packs in a whole lot more equipment such as LED headlights, push button start, leatherette seats and front seat ventilation. Also, it has the safety of a rear wiper, rear disc brakes and front parking sensors.

Tata Nexon

Kia Sonet

Hyundai Venue

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