Mahindra Bolero and Scorpio among the top selling SUVs

With the ever rising competition in SUV and compact SUV segment, the manufacturers keep bringing new products along with facelifts of ongoing models. With the 2013-2014 financial year ending, let's have a look on the top gainers in SUV segment.

Mahindra Bolero

Its all about Mahindra and Mahindra! The home-grown manufacturer has sold more than 1,05,000 units of Bolero for the fiscal year 2013-14. The auto maker had recently launched the Special Edition that comes equipped with ABS and Airbag. The Bolero Di Non A/c is priced at Rs 5,93,165. The latest facelift gets the common rail at heart, the 2,523cc 4-cylinder unit gathers 63bhp of maximum power with 195Nm of peak torque. The engine is tried and tested iteration of the Di unit and the motor is known to be frugal and decent performer. The power plant is matted to a five speed manual transmission which powers the rear wheels of Bolero.

Mahindra Scorpio

For the fiscal year 2013-14, Mahindra retailed a total of 50,900 units of Scorpio, second highest in the SUV/compact SUV segment. First launched in 2002, the SUV, to stay strong in this competitive market has kept on getting facelifts. The base variant Scorpio Getway 2WD is priced at Rs 7,82,679. The iconic SUV is only available with the diesel fuel trim with two engine options. First is 2.2-litre mHawk and the second is 2.5-litre m2Di. The 2.5litre engine is not available in cities with BS IV emission norms. However, the 2.2-litre mHawk provides decent power of 120bhp and torque of 290Nm. The top variants are equipped with all the necessary safety features such as ABS, brake assist, dual airbags. This rugged SUV is also made available in four-wheel drive system with automatic transmission.

Renault Duster

Auto-sector's new buzz Renault Duster finished third in the list. In the financial year 2013-14, the automaker retailed 46,700 units. With the base variant petrol RxE priced at Rs 7,78,000, the compact SUV proved to be very economical and value for money car. Duster is available in two power development variants- 85Ps and 110PS. To lure new buyers, the manufacturer has also launched an Adventure Edition in 110PS segment with three new body colours. The company might also bring the four-wheel drive edition in upcoming months.

Ford EcoSport

Launched in June 2013, Ford EcoSport attracted an initial booking of 30,000 units in its first 17 days. Starting from the mid 2013, the blue oval company sold 45,000 units of EcoSport. Even after the initial hype, the EcoSport still attracts waiting period of four to five months, depending upon the city, variant and colour scheme. The compact SUV starts with a base variant priced at Rs 6,14,993 while with the EcoBoost, turbocharger petrol engine, the SUV costs Rs 8,43,357. Even the top-end variant Diesel Titanium(O) is priced under Rs 10lakh (Rs 9,48,997 to be exact) which gives EcoSport an edge over its competitors. Considering the fact that Duster was available for over a year before the launch of EcoSport and with the difference of just 1700 units, it is expected that EcoSport will soon suppress Duster's sales. 

Tata Safari Dicor 2.2

India's first 4×4 SUV, Tata Safari comes with two model line-up- Dicor 2.2 and Storme. Dicor is priced under Rs 10lakh while the Storme is bit expensive and exceeds the mentioned price range. With only diesel powertrain option, the SUV carries 2.2-litre DICOR engine, which churns a maximum power output of 138bhp and peak torque of 320Nm. This seven seater SUV has an intimidating effect and marks presence with its sheer size and high performance engine. The home-grown manufacturer has also launched a more updated and the premium edition of Safari Strome named  Explorer Edition. 

Nissan Terrano

Launched in October 2013, Nissan Terrano is the latest addition in the competitive SUV segment. The manufacturer managed to sell 14,998 units, which is pretty decent considering that the SUV is launched in October only. The base diesel XE D comes with a price tag of Rs 9,47,655 while the base petrol costs RS 9,52,877. The oil burner gets a 1.5-litre K9K engine tweaked in the way to churn power in two forms- 83.8bhp and 108bhp while the gasoline model gets 1.6-litre engine that develops power of 102 bhp.

To sum-up the list of top SUVs of the year, Mahindra, as usual, grabs the top two positions with its iconic vehicles. The ever-increasing demand for SUVs is a hint towards the changing mindsets of car enthusiasts of the country. With the series of other compact and full grown SUVs in the lineup, the future assures us of something more powerful, more stylish and more value for money. 

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