Best 9 Seater Cars In India: Kia Carnival To Mahindra Scorpio

by Vivaan Khatri | 08/03/2020
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A 9 seater car will provide an generous space for a larger group to share the journey. here is our list of the best 9 seater cars in India.

The most popular seating configuration in the market is five-seater and there are plenty of options to choose from if you are looking for a regular 5 seater. But the larger the seating capacity is, the fewer options are available. Most people who want to have a car with enough room for a large family would be quite satisfied with a normal seven-seater which is still considered a popular vehicle type in the market. Things will be difficult when it comes to finding a 9 seater since there are not many options offered in the market. As difficult as it seems, IndianAuto will guide you through this decision making process by giving you the list of best 9 seater cars in India.

Kia Carnival 9 seater

Kia Motor has made its debut in the market with the Kia Seltos which has taken the market by storms. Following the success of the Seltos, the South Korean carmaker has continued with the second product which is the Kia Carnival. This time, Kia is targeting at the MPV segment.

kia carnival

Kia Carnival is the only premium 9 seater offer in the market right now

Kia Carnival is offered in three variants, Premium, Prestige and Limousine, and in multiple configurations including 7-seater, 8 seater and even 9 seater. The 9-seater setting is only provided in Prestige trim along with the 7-seater version. While the Carnival Prestige 7-seater is priced at Rs 28.95 lakh, the Prestige 9-seater is available at Rs 29.95 lakh. The top-spec Limousine variant only comes under the 7-seater form. At this price range, the Kia Carnival is more expensive than any other 9 seater cars in India.

In terms of features, Kia Carnival will not disappoint its customers. Kia Carnival is loaded to the brim with various premium features including tri-zone automatic climate control, auto-dimming rear-view mirror, 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, multifunction steering wheel, wireless phone charger and full-view camera with driving rearview monitor and blind view monitor. The rear passengers also enjoy great comfort feature like a10.1-inch touchscreen entertainment system. It is provided with UVO connectivity technologies at three-year free subscription. To get the full details of the Kia Carnival, read our review of the Kia Carnival.

Kia Carnival is powered by a BSVI 2.2-litre VGT diesel engine that generates a maximum power of 200 PS and 440 Nm of peak torque. About the transmission, it comes with an 8-speed sportsmatic transmission.

Mahindra Scorpio 9 seater

Mahindra could be considered a major players in the MPV segment. The homegrown car manufacturer has provided several models in this space. One of them is Mahindra Scorpio. This car has been the best-selling passenger vehicle in Mahindra’s rang for more than a decade. It is also among the best 9 seater cars in India. 
Mahindra Scorpio is available in three seating configurations, 7-, 8- and 9- seater. The line-up of the Scorpion comprises of six variants, namely,  S3, S5, S7 140, S9, S11 2WD, and S11 4WD. Out of six variant, only the S3 and S5 are available with the 9-seater setting. Mahindra Scorpio S3 is priced at Rs 11.87 lakh while the S5 version is priced at Rs 14.67 lakh. Besides purchasing this MPV from the new car showroom, you can find many other used Mahindra Scorpio offering in the used car market for a more affordable price.

Mahindra Scorpio front look

Mahindra Scorpio S3 and S5 are two variants offered in 9-seater configuration setting 

This MPV is offered with two engines which are a 2.5-litre m2DICR 4-cylinder and a 2.2-litre mHawk unit. While the 2.5-litre engine puts out 75 PS and 200 Nm, the smaller engine comes in two states of tunes, 120PS/280Nm and 140PS/320Nm. The 2.5-litre unit and the less powerful 2.2-litre engine are offered with a standard 5-speed manual transmission. On the other hand, the 140 PS 2.2-litre unit comes exclusively with a 6-speed manual gearbox. For the 9 seater variants, the S3 comes with the 2.5-litre-manual gearbox while the S5 is offered with the lower-tuned 2.2-litre-manual gearbox. Being the lower range variants, these models do not feature the top-spec features like touchscreen, automatic climate control, cruise control, rear parking camera.

Mahindra TUV300 Plus 9 seater

Mahindra TUV300 is the 9 seater version of the regular 7-seater TUV300. While its sibling is a sub-four-meter SUV, the TUV300 Plus is extended and positioned in the MPV segment. The stretched length allows a more interior room. The seating arrangement of the TUV300 includes a second three-seat row and two side-facing benches at the back. The boot space of the TUV300 Plus is increased from 384 litres on the TUV300 to 696 litres.

Mahindra TUV300 Plus

Mahindra TUV300 Plus is the extended version of the TUV300

Powering this 9 seater is a 2.2-litre mHawk D120 diesel which puts out a maximum power of 120 PS and a peak torque of 320 Nm. This engine is more powerful the 1.5-litre engine doing powering duty on the seven-seater TUV300. Besides the 6-speed manual gearbox, the MPV also comes with a 5-speed automatic option which is not available on the small SUV version.

Mahindra TUV300 Plus is available in three variants, P4, P6 and P8. The price of the MPV starts from Rs 9.92 lakh and goes up to Rs 11.42 lakh. On the top-spec P6, the Mahindra TUV300 Plus features a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system powered by Mahindra Blue Sense system, rear parking sensor, driver seat height adjuster, rear washer, wiper and defogger to name a few.

Mahindra Xylo 9 seater

Mahindra Xylo is another MPV that offers 9 seater configuration on Mahindra’s range. However, only the D2 Maxx version is available in this seating layout. To power a 9 seater vehicle, Mahindra Xylo D2 Maxx employs a 2.5-litre diesel engine that produces 95PS and 220Nm and is mated with a five-speed manual gearbox. 

Mahindra Xylo front

Mahindra Xylo is offering 9-seater version on the D2 Maxx variant

Being the base variant on Mahindra Xylo’s range, the D2 Maxx is only equipped with some standard features including air conditioner, power steering, remote fuel lid opener and other fitments. The safety features of the Mahindra Xylo is also basis comprising of some simple features like seat belts, engine immobilizer, and driver seat belt reminder. 

Also read - Upcoming 7 Seater Cars In India 2020: 10 Hot New MPVs and SUVs Arrive Next Year

With the BSVI emission regulations and safety norms are approaching, the Mahindra Xylo is likely to be discontinued and replaced by a new model since it does not comply with the new standards. It also means that the Mahindra Xylo will soon leave the list of best 9 seater car in India. Even when the car is not on sale in the new car market, you can still opt for used Mahindra Xylo

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