The Mahindra XUV700 has finally been unveiled and what it has on offer are striking looks, a long feature list, and an attractive price tag that undercuts many mid-size SUVs. And what better way than comparing it to the established member of the segment, the Hyundai Creta. With the XUV700 MX starting at Rs 11.99 lakh (ex-showroom), the 700 is approximately Rs 1.83 lakh expensive over the base Creta E variant. So, which one should you go for? We answer it below.

Exterior

One look at the Mahindra XUV700 and it comes out as a true blue SUV. The mature and imposing design is much more appealing than its Korean counterpart. On the other hand, the new-gen Hyundai Creta has been around for over a year and still divides opinion for its contestable looks. Dimension wise, the 700 has a longer wheelbase by 140mm and stretches by almost 395mm in length. In terms of visual highlights, the Creta gets projector headlamps, 16-inch steel wheels, and body-coloured door handles and ORVMs. Being a base variant, the XUV700 packs in LED tail lamps, bigger 17-inch steel wheels, electrically adjustable ORVMs with turn indicators, and flush-fitting door handles.

Interior

As far as the interior is concerned, the most notable miss on the Creta is an infotainment system. The XUV gets equipped with an eight-inch touchscreen system, steering mounted controls, and a seven-inch instrument cluster with a multi-information display. In terms of fit, finish, and plastic quality, both cars are at par with high levels of quality. The higher versions of the XUV700, like the AX series will be offered with a seven-seat layout, making it a utilitarian option over the Creta. However, with the prices to be known only in the coming time, we find it sensible to compare it with the Hyundai Alcazar, Tata Safari, and the MG Hector Plus.

Engine

Coming to the powertrain options, the XUV700 MX has an upper hand. It can be had with both petrol and diesel engines. The 2.0-litre petrol puts out 195bhp/380Nm torque while the 2.2-litre diesel is tuned to produce 153bhp/360Nm of peak torque. Meanwhile, the Creta makes do with 1.5-litre petrol and diesel versions. The former generates 113bhp/144Nm while the oil burner makes 113bhp/250Nm of torque. Power or efficiency? What’s your pick?

Conclusion

While the Hyundai Creta is more affordable, the Mahindra XUV700, for the extra sum, is more spacious, looks better, gets two puissant powertrains, and has a cabin with more features. However, with the complete feature list and the prices of other variants still to be known, the battle is still open-ended.