We compare the Tata Gravitas, the bigger Harrier sibling, to the MG Hector Plus and the Mahindra XUV500 for an epic mid-size SUV face-off.
The Tata Gravitas features new alloy wheels, a sports roof rail, LED tail lamps and a larger rear screen. All these new features sit on OMEGA (Optimal Modular Efficient Global Advanced) architecture based off the Land Rover D8 platform. The Gravitas sits on the same wheelbase as its Harrier sibling, however, its body is taller and longer, which slides into the larger of the Tata SUVs.
The MG Hector Plus, seating six passengers, features a panoramic sunroof, 10.4-inch vertical infotainment system and a powered tailgate. The 4,695-mm length put the MG Hector Plus at the front of the pack in terms of length.
The Mahindra XUV500 matches the seating capacity of the Harrier with a seven-seater cabin. The Mahindra offering also features leather seats, an Arkamys sound system and an infotainment system, which can also connect to a smartwatch.
Engine-wise we see the Tata Gravitas is home to a 2.0-litre Kryotec turbo-diesel engine delivering 170 hp and 350 Nm, available with a choice of manual and automatic transmissions.
The MG Hector Plus houses a similar engine to its Tata competitor: a 2.0-litre turbo-diesel that makes 170 hp and 350 Nm, but there’s also a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol option making 143 hp and 250 Nm. The petrol unit gets a choice of a six-speed DCT automatic gearbox as well as a manual transmission, but the diesel is only available with a manual transmission, though an automatic transmission option is expected in the future.
The oldest of the three, the current-generation Mahindra XUV500 offers a BS6-compliant 2.2-litre mHawk155 diesel unit featuring an eVGT (electronically-controlled variable geometry turbocharger) that generates 155 hp and 360 Nm of torque. The diesel, for now, gets only a six-speed manual transmission option.
So which one would suit your needs the best? Well, all three vehicles do boast ample room as far as seating is concerned. We think that the Mahindra XUV500 would be the most rugged of the lot. Yes, it is the oldest SUV here, but, has seen a fair bit of success and would be easily serviceable the country over. The same can be said about the Tata Gravitas, with that Land Rover D8 platform and Tata’s immense presence in India. The Gravitas is also a tech guru with voice commands and nerdy knicks and knacks to keep you happy, but, the new king of the nerds is the MG Hector Plus, as we know.
Then we come down to pricing, The Mahindra XUV500 starts at Rs 13.14 lakh and goes up to Rs 17.64 lakh (ex-showroom) and we can expect the Tata Gravitas and the MG Hector Plus to fall within the Rs 15-20 lakh range. This can be clarified and properly debated once we have the official word from Tata and MG Motor. Either way, the seven-seater mid-size SUV segment is surely just beginning to burn its own brilliant flame.
