Hyundai Alcazar vs Tata Safari vs MG Hector Plus

7th July 2021, 10:22 by Aditya Nadkarni

Hyundai Alcazar

What you’ll like:

A 3-row family car that's well-built inside out
User-friendly interiors look really good (brown shade is awesome) and have quality parts
2.0L NA petrol & 6-speed AT deliver a very smooth and refined driving experience
Economical 1.5L diesel is available in MT & AT variants. Offers good driveability
Comfortable ride quality with neutral road manners
Unladen ground clearance of 200 mm is perfect for Indian roads
The Alcazar's safety package includes 6 airbags, ESP, all-wheel disc brakes, auto-hold, TPMS etc.
Impressive kit (fully digital instruments, 360-degree camera, 2nd-row wireless charger, panoramic sunroof, paddle shifters, Bose sound system, cooled seats & loads more)
Hyundai's competent after-sales service & wide dealer network

What you won’t:

Oddball love-it-or-hate-it face. We find the Alcazar's front design to be weird & overdone
2nd-row legroom is mediocre (captain seat variant). Compromises have been made to accommodate the 3rd-row & boot
3rd-row seat is best suited to kids only. Not really a place for adults
Rs. ~3 lakh OTR premium over the Creta on the higher variants is too much!
Nothing for enthusiasts here. The 2.0 AT is tuned very conservatively
Diesel’s 113 BHP & 250 Nm – although adequate – are the lowest in the segment
The Creta 1.4L DCT is a lot, lot more fun to drive
Competitors like the Tata Safari, MG Hector Plus & XUV500 offer way more spacious cabins
Some misses (no petrol AT 7-seater variant, auto wipers, illuminated window buttons, full-size spare tyre on top trims etc.)

Tata Safari

What you’ll like:

The iconic brand “Safari” is back! We agree with using the legendary nameplate for this car
Stunning looks & strong road presence. Solid build too
Classy, spacious cabin with comfortable seats & a chilling air-con
Extra 3rd row of seats brings lots more practicality & utility
Superb captain chairs available as an option for the middle row (top variant only)
Extras over the Harrier include rear disc brakes, TPMS, e-parking brake, auto-hold, boss mode…
Fantastic 9-speaker audio system. Sound quality & bass are enjoyable
168 BHP 2.0L diesel offers good driveability and a punchy mid-range
Smooth & competent 6-speed automatic transmission
Sufficient ground clearance + terrain response system for rough and wet roads
Topnotch safety kit includes 6 airbags, ESP, rest break reminder, hill hold, brake disc wiping & more
Features such as the panoramic sunroof, Eco & Sport modes, auto headlamps & wipers, cruise control…

What you won’t:

Heavy steering gets cumbersome at parking / u-turn / crawling speeds (<5 km/h)
3rd row access is too difficult in the captain seat variant
Negligible boot space with all the seats up - a paltry 73 liters
Safari AT’s focus is on smoothness & comfort; gearbox is not the most responsive
Concerns over niggles & long-term reliability. Our test car had a problem too!
Service visit every 6 months / 7,500 km (12-months is the norm today)
Diesel engine does get loud above 3,500 rpm & its engine note is quite sad too
No petrol option (almost all competitors offer it). No AWD for enthusiasts either
Although improved, the Safari's steering @ 120 km/h is still a level too sensitive
Tata's after-sales service quality is a hit or miss. Remains a gamble
By 2021 standards, we’d expect wireless charging + front / 360 camera + ventilated seats
We don’t agree with the excessive chrome (outside), impractical white interiors & 18” rims (bit firmer ride)

MG Hector Plus

What you'll like:
Big size & lots of bling for the money! We find the Hector to be well-priced
A spacious cabin that can easily seat 5 adults. Massive 587 litre boot too
Fiat-sourced 2.0L diesel is simply fantastic
Compliant ride quality. Suspension is tuned for comfort
Lots of kit (panoramic sunroof, 360-degree camera, electric seats & tailgate etc.)
‘Connected’ Tablet ICE with an embedded SIM & lovely sound quality
5-year / unlimited km warranty with roadside assistance
Top safety equipment includes 6 airbags, ESP, HSA, all-wheel disc brakes, TPMS & more

What you won't:

Awkward styling on the side & rear profiles. Looks weird from some angles
Sloppy high-speed handling, noticeable body roll & easy understeer
The petrol engine is “adequate” at best. Its guzzling Automatic variant is unimpressive
No Diesel AT (Alcazar, XUV500, Safari offer this combination, which we love)
Some annoyances like the ~6 meter turning radius, strange rpm meter…
Small after-sales network. Service quality & long-term reliability are big unknowns
Don’t get blinded by the British branding. This is a Chinese car

Mahindra XUV500

What you’ll like:

A well-engineered, contemporary SUV with a value-for-money price tag
More mature styling. Front end no longer looks garish
Acres of space on the 1st & 2nd seat rows
Competent engine delivers fantastic urban driveability, as well as fast highway performance
Balanced ride & handling package
Safety kit includes 6 airbags, ESP with rollover mitigation, ABS + EBD and all-wheel disc brakes
Expansive feature list (sunroof, touchscreen ICE, powered driver's seat, cruise control etc.)

What you won’t:

Absolutely no luggage capacity with all the seats in place
Cramped 3rd seat row is best suited to children only. A sliding middle row is sorely missed
Interior quality, although better, still has a lot of scope for improvement
Clutch is lighter now, but has a long travel range & high resting point. Gets cumbersome in traffic
Niggles & issues, as reported by existing XUV500 owners
Mahindra's inconsistent sales & service experiences

Toyota Innova Crysta

What you'll like:

Indestructible build & durability. The Innova is known for its bullet-proof reliability
Spacious, flexible & practical cabin. An extremely comfortable long distance commuter
Upmarket interiors. The ZX AT variant is very plush
Powerful diesel engines with user-selectable driving modes
Balanced suspension & road manners. High speed stability is rock solid
Top-notch safety kit. 7 airbags, ABS, ESP, TC, Isofix & 3-point seatbelts for all
Feature packed! Leather seats, LED headlamps, mood lighting, cruise control & lots more
Toyota's excellent after-sales service and fuss-free ownership experiences

What you won't:

Hefty price tag! 3 - 4 lakhs higher than the competition
Top ZX variant is unavailable with a middle-row bench seat (8 seater)
Lower variant's interior looks too basic
2.4's NVH package still has holes to fill (engine clatter, dancing gear lever)
Heavy steering at parking / low speeds. Can get cumbersome in the city
Poor sound quality from the ICE. Cheap speakers beg for an upgrade
Short service interval of merely 5,000 km. Inconvenient for those with high usage

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