Affordable 7-seater cars tick the most things for an ideal Indian consumer. More number of seats can accommodate more family members or let you dock more luggage. Tapping into this space are a few manufacturers which have seen impressive success with their monikers. Hence, if you are in the market looking for an affordable MUV that falls under INR 10 lakh, here are your Best 5 MPVs Under 10 lakh rupees.
Maruti Suzuki XL6
The Maruti Suzuki XL6 was aimed to be a premium offering of the Ertiga and shares the same underpinnings and mechanicals. The car gets minor cues from the Ertiga, but the resemblance is veiled by tweaked elements. For instance, the XL6 gets new colour options like the Nexa Blue, Brave Khaki, Magma Grey, Auburn Red, Arctic White and Premium Silver. Upfront, the car also gets a new quad LED headlamps, DRLs, a chunkier bumper and a faux skid-plate that distinguishes it from the Ertiga. Also making the same case are the body claddings, new roof rails, blacked-out 15-inch alloy wheels and mirror caps.
On the inside, the car gets an all-black theme, which is a step in the premium direction from the beige seen in the standard Ertiga. In addition to this, the wooden trims in the Ertiga are replaced by black-grey finish panels. Unlike the Ertiga which gets a bench on the second-row, the Ertiga gets captain seats.
In terms of equipment, standard offerings on the car include the new SmartPlay Studio infotainment unit. This means you can expect a seven-inch touchscreen display with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility. The other notable features include automatic climate control, rear air-con vents, keyless entry with push-button start/stop, cruise control and height adjustment for the driver’s seat. The top-spec Alpha trim additionally packs automatic headlamps and a rear parking camera.
The car is powered by a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine that comes paired to either a 5-speed manual transmission or a four-speed torque converter. The engine is rated at 103bhp and 138Nm of torque. Additionally, the car also features Maruti Suzuki’s SHVS mild-hybrid technology with an additional lithium-ion battery to aid fuel efficiency.
Datsun Go+
The Datsun Go+ stands as the most affordable 7-seater in India. The car, which is essentially a stretched Go with an additional row of seats, is right suited for a family of seven or less. Its last facelift was back in 2018 when the car benefited from a few tweaks inside and out. However, the icing on the cake came recently on the form of an option for an automatic transmission.
Visually, the car resembles its five-seater sibling on the outside, inside as well as the sumptuous list of features for its price. This list includes elements like a 7.0-inch touchscreen system which offers all the functionality expected of a car in this segment like Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, Bluetooth connectivity and light and dark mode, deep door pockets, covered glove box, a rear parcel shelf.
In terms of safety, the car gets a dual front airbags, rear side crash protection, pedestrian protection regulation, central locking as well ABS with EBD as standard across the range. At its heart, the Datsun Go+ is powered by a 1.2-litre petrol engine that produces 75bhp and 104Nm of torque. The car gets two transmission options including a 5-speed manual and a CVT.
Maruti Suzuki Ertiga
The Maruti Ertiga stands as the mainstay of the 7-seater space with maximum sales while not being as affordable as the Datson Go+. This difference in price can be reasoned with various aspects. The car's latest update is a major step up over its previous iteration. The deal has also become sweeter with features like the touchscreen infotainment system, rear AC, automatic climate control, ABS with EBS, dual air-bags, and ISOFIX rear seats among others.
After the BS-VI update, the car now comes with just one engine options which is a 1.5-litre unit that delivers 103 bhp and 138 Nm of torque. Transmission options for the car come in the form of a manual as well as a torque converter. The rest of the gadgets and mechanicals are same as the XL6 we mentioned above.
Maruti Suzuki Eeco
After an unsuccessful run with the Versa, Maruti Suzuki launched the Eeco that was aimed to walk in the footsteps of the glorified Omni in India. The car does not take giant leaps in terms of looks from its predecessors but is acclaimed to be a perfect fit for Indian families and road conditions by the company. Powering the car is a 1.2-litre petrol engine which delivers 73 bhp at 6,000 rpm and a torque of 101 Nm via a five-speed manual gearbox with Diagonal Shift Assistance (DSA) that powers the rear wheels.
The Eeco comes in five-seater as well as seven-seater options. The seven-seater model can be bought in just one basic variant, whereas the five-seater is available in four variants – basic five-seater, five-seater with A/C plus heater, five-seater with heater and CNG, five-seater with A/C plus heater and the CNG. The Eeco is sold in six different colours in India namely Superior White, Metallic Midnight Black, Metallic Silky Silver, Bright Red, Metallic Blue Blaze and Metallic Glistening Grey.
Mahindra Bolero
The Mahindra Bolero is seen as the most trusted SUV/ MUV for the rural market and is still the best selling Mahindra in the market. The BS-VI Bolero is available in three variants including B4, B6 and B6 (O). The BS6 Mahindra Bolero facelift is powered by a BS6-compliant 1.5-litre mHawk75 diesel engine that produces 75bhp at 3,600rpm and 210Nm of torque between 1,600-2,200rpm. This engine is paired to a five-speed manual transmission.
Exterior highlights of the BS6 Mahindra Bolero facelift include a redesigned fascia with a new bumper, new grille, new headlamps static bending headlamps, rear washer and wiper and fog lamps. Inside, the model comes equipped with driver Information System with features such as distance travelled, distance to empty, gear indicator, door ajar indicator and digital clock with day and date. Also on offer are fabric seats, power windows, central locking, keyless entry and a 12V charging port.
