Clash Of Segments: Mahindra Marazzo vs XUV500 – Which Car To Buy?

It’s the battle between two Mahindra cars – one an MPV and the other a midsize SUV. Which one offers better value for money? We find out

The diesel-powered Mahindra Marazzo is priced between Rs 9.99 lakh and Rs 13.90 lakh (ex-showroom, pan India). It goes up against MPVs such as the Renault Lodgy and the upcoming second-gen Maruti Suzuki Ertiga. However, on the price chart, you will find a couple of Marazzo variants clashing with the XUV500, which is priced from Rs 12.55 lakh to Rs 19.26 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).

Let us dig deep to see which of the two Mahindra cars offers the best bang for your buck as far as features are concerned. But before jumping into the details, here are the basic differences between the two:

Engine:

Dimensions

Price (ex-showroom, Delhi)

Variants

It is only fair to compare similarly priced variants (price difference

Mahindra Marazzo M6 vs XUV500 W5

Common features: 

• Lights: Dual-barrel projector headlamps (low-beam) and multi-reflector (high-beam) along with cornering lamps, follow me home headlamps  
• Audio: Audio system with Bluetooth phone integration
• Comfort: Height adjustable driver’s seat, tilt-adjustable steering wheel, fabric upholstery, electrically adjustable ORVMs, manual air conditioning and rear air conditioning 
• Safety: Dual front airbags, ABS with EBD and all-four disc brakes, rear demister along with washer and wiper

What Marazzo gets over the XUV500: Reverse parking sensors, emergency assistance (automatically calls emergency services through the connected phone in case of any mishap when airbags are deployed), front and rear fog lamps, captain seats for the second-row, 8-seater option with additional Rs 5000, front and rear USB charger, multi-function steering wheel, Isofix child seat anchors, lumbar support for the driver’s seat, 7-inch resistive touchscreen infotainment system with built-in navigation, 1GB built-in memory and Mahindra Blue Sense app support, 4.2-inch colour driver multi-info display, alloy wheels 

What XUV500 gets over the Marazzo: Micro-hybrid tech with engine start-stop 

Verdict: The Mahindra Marazzo is our choice here as it is clearly the better equipped vehicle of the two. Being the base variant of the relatively expensive SUV, the XUV500 W5 misses out on some of the premium goodies that the Marazzo M6 packs.

Mahindra Marazzo M8 vs XUV500 W7

Common Features (over previous variants):

• Light: Front fog lamps, daytime running LEDs 
• Audio:  7-inch capacitive touchscreen (smartphone-like) infotainment system with Android Auto connectivity and Mahindra Blue Sense app support and smartwatch connectivity 
• Comfort: Auto climate control air conditioning with manual rear air conditioning, cruise control, electrically foldable and adjustable outside rearview mirrors and entry assist lamps  
• Safety: Emergency assistance (automatically calls emergency services through the connected phone to report any mishap when airbags are deployed), reverse parking sensors 

What Marazzo gets over the XUV500: Leather upholstery and rear window sunshade, machine-finished alloy wheels 

What XUV500 gets over the Marazzo: Passive keyless entry with engine push button start-stop, Arkamys sound tuning, auto headlamps, rain-sensing wipers, glass antenna, built-in compass, conversation mirror 

Verdict  The Mahindra XUV500 W7 takes the lead here as it offers better value for money of the two. In the W7 variant, the XUV5OO offers more features than the top-spec Marazzo, and that too at a lower price point. Moreover, the Marazzo’s prices are introductory and will be hiked soon. 

Why Buy Mahindra Marazzo?

Spacious cabin: Mahindra says that the Marazzo has the largest footprint of any of its products to date. In fact, its wheelbase is longer than that of the XUV500! 

Usable third row: Thanks to a transversely mounted engine with standard front-wheel-drive setup and, hence, a dead rear axle, the Marazzo offers a flat floor and can easily seat three 6-footers one behind the other in all the rows with plenty of knee room to spare.

Plusher passenger experience: The Mahindra Marazzo is not just the more spacious of the two but also pampers rear passengers a bit better. It gets captain seats for the second row right from the base M2 variant. Moreover, the Marazzo is equipped with a proper AC unit for middle and rear passengers, and that cools the cabin very quickly.

• Mahindra Marazzo: 5 Things That Could Have Been Better || Mahindra Marazzo: 5 Things We Like

Why Buy 2018 Mahindra XUV500?

Road Presence: Being an SUV, the XUV500 looks butch and more upright, resulting in a more imposing stance compared to the Marazzo MPV. 

High seating position: Being a high rider, the XUV500 gives you a commanding driving position when compared to the Marazzo.

Petrol option: Unlike the Marazzo, the XUV500 also comes with a petrol engine option. It displaces the same volume as the 2.2-litre diesel engine and is turbocharged as well. The engine is rated at 140PS/320Nm and mated to a 6-speed manual transmission. The Mahindra XUV500 petrol is priced at Rs 15.59 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi).

Diesel-automatic option: The XUV5OO can be had with a diesel-automatic option as well. Mahindra says it would offer an auto ‘box with the Marazzo too but we know that’s not coming until 2020.

• Mahindra XUV500 W11(O) AWD Automatic: Review

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