Spec Comparison: Mahindra KUV100 facelift Vs Toyota Etios Cross

Crossovers have been the preferred choice for Indian car buyers. This time around, the Indian car manufacturer Mahindra’s facelifted KUV100 NXT will further strengthen its competition against its Japanese rival, the Toyota Etios Cross. Apart from a crossover body style, here below are the key differences between the two.

The upcoming Mahindra KUV100 facelift will continue to be powered by existing engine options. The vehicle gets the 1.2-litre all-aluminium mFalcon G80 3-cylinder petrol motor that generates 82bhp of power and 114Nm of torque. The diesel version on the other hands gets a 1.2-litre 3-cylinder turbocharged common-rail diesel engine, called the mFalcon D75 which generates 77bhp of power and 190Nm of torque. Both the engine options come mated to a five-speed manual transmission as standard. Toyota Etios Cross gets two petrol and one diesel engine options in the country. The 1.2-litre petrol unit generates 79bhp of power and 104Nm of torque, while the 1.5-litre petrol unit generates 89bhp and 132Nm of torque. The diesel version gets a 1.4-litre engine that generates 67bhpof power and 170Nm of torque. The Etios Cross gets a five-speed manual transmission as standard.

On the front, the new KUV100 will get redesigned headlamps, grille and a revised bumper. The rear section will get clear lens tail lamps with chrome bezels. The new model is also expected to get an extra bit of plastic cladding around the fog lamps. To distinguish from the regular Etios Liva, the Etios Cross gets a large sporty body kit. It also gets taller wheels and contrast coloured roof rails which can hold luggage up to the range of 50kgs-55kgs.

As for the interior, the new KUV100 will get a new 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system. It is believed that the 2-DIN music system which is available with the current car will be offered as a standard equipment on the lower spec variants. The top-end model of the KUV100 will come finished with an all-black interior and brushed silver inserts for the premium appeal. Toyota has given the Etios Cross exactly the same features and options which are offered in the Etios Liva variants right down to the layout of the dashboard and various elements in the cabin.

Although, the new Mahindra KUV100 sounds promising on the feature aspect, the pricing, which is due for announcement tomorrow, will be the deciding factor for its success in India. Moreover, this time around if not the dual front airbags, driver side airbag might be offered as standard on the new KUV100 to compete against its rival, the Etios Cross which gets the front airbags as part of its standard safety equipment. The Etios Cross price starts at Rs 6.36 lakhs and goes all the way up to Rs 8.09 lakhs for the recently introduced X-edition diesel variant.