We’re in the midst of a brutal summer, with temperatures soaring well past the 40deg mark across much of the country. It is the wrong time of year to be out in the sun, but also the perfect time for our AC torture test. We’ve assembled seven compact SUVs and five midsize SUVs, and the objective is simple: to find out which ones can keep their cool when the going gets hot.
In preparation for the test, each car is parked under direct sunlight for two hours with its engine switched off and windows rolled up. Sunroof shades are kept closed, but rear window shades are rolled away. The cars are rigged with sophisticated test equipment, which captures reams of data, provided by Zen Microsystems. Five thermocouple sensors read ambient temperature, cabin temperature, vent temperature (it captures how cold the air is), front-seat temperature (measured near the driver’s ear) and rear-seat temperature (measured at the rear centre armrest).
Getting into the cars for the actual test was like stepping into a furnace. Repeatedly. To simulate a worst-case scenario, the windows were kept shut for the duration of the test. Climate control was set to recirculation mode, maximum blower speed and the lowest possible temperature. Front vents were directed at the driver’s face, while rear vents were aimed at the rear-seat centre occupant.
Temperature readings were recorded after one minute of idling, and then after five, 10 and 15 minutes of driving over a fixed route at 50-60kph. A final reading was taken after another minute of idling.
Do note that the compact SUV and midsize SUV tests were conducted on different days in May, with peak ambient temperatures of 41.2 deg C and 42.2 deg C respectively, but differing humidity levels. Results should only be compared among vehicles tested on the same day.
Hyundai Venue
The Venue started the test with an impressive 12.5 deg C drop in the first minute alone. Cooling remained strong over the drive, with the lowest driver, rear and cabin temperatures. Props here to the Venue’s vents that have a wide spread and good cabin coverage. Interestingly, temperatures crept up ever so slightly towards the latter part of the drive, and there was a bigger delta at the end idling period.
Kia Sonet
A dark matte paint shade and all-black interior isn’t the ideal combo for an AC test, yet the Sonet, with us in X Line trim, did well for itself. The Sonet’s vertically oriented AC vents deliver a wide channel of cool air across the cabin. The Sonet doesn’t cool quite as aggressively as the Venue, but performance in isolation remains very good. The cabin develops a distinctly chilled feel on the move, although the lowest drive time and final idle temperatures vary quite a bit.
Mahindra XUV 3XO
The XUV 3XO stands out as the only compact SUV with dual-zone climate control, but its cooling performance was slower than expected. This makes sense when you note that its lowest vent temperature was the highest recorded in the test. The XUV’s blower also doesn’t feel particularly strong. While it eventually narrowed the gap to its rivals, it only really matched their cooling performance by the third driving interval.
Maruti Suzuki Brezza
The Brezza’s AC gets off to a slow start, with only a modest drop in temperature during initial idling. While the blower is strong, airflow tends to be concentrated in a narrow channel. Cooling performance improves noticeably once on the move, with a substantial temperature drop during the first few minutes of driving. By the end of the drive, the Brezza had largely closed the gap to its rivals and was cooling at a comparable level.
Tata Nexon
The Nexon comes equipped with an Express Cool function that maximises cooling and even lowers the driver’s window to quickly expel trapped heat. We didn’t use the feature to stick to test protocol, but even so, the Tata impressed. It has the strongest blower, which carries cool air effectively throughout the cabin. Temperatures continued to drop over the driving phase, and the Nexon also ended with the lowest final temperature in the test.
Skoda Kylaq
First things first, the Kylaq performed noticeably better than the Kushaq did in last year’s test, particularly in terms of initial cooling, which was a major weakness for its larger sibling. The Kylaq’s blower is strong, though airflow is quite concentrated. The rear section of the cabin remained consistently cooler over the test, but overall cooling performance isn’t exceptional. An upgraded compressor, due later this year, should improve the Kylaq’s cool quotient.
Toyota Taisor
Representing both itself and its badge-engineered cousin, the Maruti Suzuki Fronx, the Taisor was the only car in this test not equipped with a sunroof, as neither model offers one on any variant. Its AC system delivered a good spread of airflow and impressed with a quick initial drop in temperature. Cooling performance remained consistent throughout the drive, maintaining comfortable cabin temperatures.