CHEVROLET TAVERA
The Tavera is still bringing good numbers for GM and is one of the most preferred MUVs for commercial buyers. At 34.1ºC, the Tavera is not only the hottest vehicle in this section but overall as well. This shouldn’t be a cause for concern as GM is planning to bring in a renewed version of the MUV in India later this year.
TATA SUMO GRANDE MKII
The Tata Sumo Grande in its new avatar looks grander and is technologically sounder than its predecessor. The MUV has a basic interior layout and vent placement. It did reasonably well in the air-conditioner shootout with the vents showing 18.3ºC and the cabin temperature at 30.3ºC.
M&M XYLO
The Mahindra Xylo has a very good air-conditioning system for its segment. The MUV has vents not only for the first two rows but also for the third row, which is a good touch. It achieved to bring down the cabin temperature from 50ºC to 28ºC and the vents showed a minimum temperature of 11.7ºC.
TOYOTA INNOVA
Toyotas are known for their quality and refinement, and it was expected that the Japanese MUV would do well in the air-con comparo too. The light coloured dashboard and interiors with vents for the front and rear seats helped bring down the cabin temperature to 26.8ºC and the vents showed 13.8ºC. Very ‘cool’ indeed!
VERDICT
There is no doubt that all the vehicles we have shortlisted are engineering marvels and the results are comparative. As you must have noticed, most Asian manufacturers have managed to do better than others. Like I had mentioned earlier, European manufacturers usually do not equip their cars with a very strong air-conditioning system due to the colder weather conditions in the region. Nonetheless, their air-conditioning abilities are quite comfortable even in the scorching Indian summer. The Toyotas have performed amazingly well in the SUV air-con comparo. Both the Prado and Landcruiser are big vehicles with a large cabin room and neither had tonneau covers for the boot space, which further endorses the capability of these machines. They are definitely the super coolers!
