Best 7-Seater Cars Under Rs 15 Lakh In India

We love SUVs, don’t we? These big, bulky vehicles with impressive road presence and brilliant interior space have managed to sell well even in the current market slowdown. The catch, however, is that the bestselling SUVs in our market are 5-seater vehicles. The bigger, 7-seater SUVs have taken the back-seat in our market. Still, there is a large chunk of people who prefer to have the extra space in the back of their SUVs, either to ferry more people around, or because it looks cool. Regardless, here is our list of the top 7-seater SUV cars in India you can buy for less than Rs. 15 lakh. We have also SUV/MPV crossover vehicles just for a good measure.

Mahindra Scorpio

The first car on our list of top 7-seater SUV cars in India below 15 lakhs is the Mahindra Scorpio. The Scorpio is a quintessential SUV, with a tough-as-nails chassis and an extremely torquey engine. It is also one of the most popular Mahindra cars, with more than 6 lakh units sold till date. This undoubtedly makes this one of our top picks in this range, right? Yes it does!

Mahindra Scorpio is powered by a 2.2-litre inline-4 turbocharged mHAWK diesel engine. It produces a max power of 140 PS and a peak torque of 320 Nm. Off-roading enthusiasts will be disappointed by the lack of an AWD on lower variants; the Scorpio only features a 4-wheel-drive system option on the top ‘S11’ trim, and that makes the price cross the Rs. 15 lakh mark. The lesser trims are within the Rs. 15 lakh price bracket, but those are only available with rear-wheel-drive.

Also Read: 2020 Mahindra Scorpio: New Sketches Reveal The Design

Honda BR-V

Honda enjoyed a lot of success as a premium car manufacturer in India, and for good reason. The brand has always held a premium brand image among car buyers in India, even for its more affordable options. The BR-V is one such example. This SUV/MPV crossover vehicle occupies the space above the Maruti XL6, which is its direct competitor.

Honda BR-V has two engine options available; a 1.5-litre petrol and a 1.5-litre diesel engine. The petrol engine puts out max power and torque figures of 119 PS and 145 Nm respectively, while the diesel produces 100 PS and 200 Nm of peak power and torque respectively. The diesel version is mated to a 6-speed manual only, while the petrol version gets a 6-speed manual and a CVT automatic.

Also Read: Used Honda BR-V Buying Tips

Tata Hexa

Now that the Tata Safari Storme has been discontinued, there is a substantial void in Tata’s line-up, especially for people looking to buy a 7-seater vehicle. Thankfully, there still is one offering available in the company’s arsenal, the Tata Hexa. Just like the BR-V, the Hexa is an SUV/MPV crossover vehicle. The car looks quite premium and is extremely capable, both on and off the road.

Tata only offers the Hexa with one engine option, a 2.2-litre turbo-diesel unit. This engine is good for 155 PS of max power and 400 Nm of peak torque, and is coupled with a 6-speed manual gearbox to harvest all that grunt. Thankfully, you get the option to opt for a 4-wheel-drive system, which improves grip when driving on water-logged roads or when off-roading. If you’re more conscious about fuel economy, you can choose a rear-wheel-drive version instead.

Also Read: Tata Hexa To Continue Even After BSVI Norms Roll Out

Mahindra XUV500

Mahindra XUV500 was the first monocoque-underpinned-SUV from Mahindra, and what a car it was! Critics praised the car’s ride and handling capabilities, while customers loved the comfy interior and plenty of space. The car was first introduced in 2011 and received two updates in the form of minor facelifts, one in 2015 and the other in 2018. Mahindra is also planning to introduce the next-generation XUV500 early next year.

Mahindra XUV500 sports the same 2.2-litre inline-4 mHAWK diesel engine as the Scorpio, but is tuned to develop slightly more peak power and torque, 156PS and 360Nm respectively. The transmission options include a 6-speed manual and a 6-speed automatic gearbox. The inclusion of an automatic transmission helps make the XUV500 a brilliant option for urban commuters. There was a petrol engine on offer as well, but it was discontinued a while back.

Also Read: Tips to Buy Used Mahindra XUV500

Mahindra Bolero Power Plus

Where the XUV500 is a great option for urban commuters, the Bolero is brilliant for rural areas and commercial fleets. The boxy proportions and bare-bones design of the Bolero lend it an old-school charm about it, although we wouldn’t really classify it as a retro-themed vehicle. The Bolero manages to provide a lot of space for the passengers, but there is a noticeable lack of creature comforts in the cabin. The fact that Air Conditioning is absent on the lower variants is a little disconcerting, but for commercial use and as a transportation vehicle, the Bolero manages to work well.

The Mahindra Bolero Power Plus is powered by a 1.5-litre mHAWK diesel, good for a max power of 70 PS and max torque of 195 Nm. The power and torque figures might seem a little low on paper, but is enough for the near-1620 kg kerb weight. The engine is paired to a 5-speed manual gearbox.

Also Read: BSVI Mahindra SUVs Spied Testing

Force Gurkha (Xpedition and Xplorer)

Force Motors is known for its basic yet rugged commercial vehicles. The only passenger vehicle available in its line-up is the Force Gurkha, an SUV famous for its off-road prowess. While the Gurkha Extreme is the one you want for absolute hill-climbing shenanigans, there also exist 7-seater trims of the Gurkha with more mellow powertrains. These variants (the Xpedition and Xplorer) are priced lower than the Xtreme as well, which is a good thing!

Force Gurkha features two engine options, a 2.2-litre diesel engine with 140 PS and a 2.6-litre diesel engine with 86 PS. Sadly, the 7-seater variants are only available with the latter, the 86 PS version. That engine offers 230 Nm as well, which is good enough if you plan to take the road less taken.

Also Read: Next-Gen Force Gurkha Spotted Testing Prior To 2020 Unveil

Mahindra TUV300 Plus

Mahindra sure has a lot of entries in our list of top 7-seater SUV cars in India below Rs. 15 lakhs, doesn’t it? Well, that’s because the manufacturer leaves nothing to chance! In order to have a product between the premium Scorpio and basic Bolero, Mahindra added the TUV300 Plus. Forget 7-seater, this vehicle is officially stated to be a 9-seater! While such optimistic claims don’t really represent real-world conditions ideally, this car can seat 7 people is comfort. It is based on the TUV300, which is a subcompact SUV like the XUV300 but is not as premium. Also, the Mahindra TUV300 Plus is slated for a facelift next year, to add a spot of freshness.

Mahindra TUV300 Plus sports the same 2.2-litre mHAWK engine as the Scorpio and XUV500, but detuned slightly to make only 120 PS of max power. Peak torque figure is 280 Nm, quite low compared to the other two, but enough for all your commuting and light-duty load-carrying purpose. Not only that, but there is also a mild-hybrid system and brake energy regeneration system on-board!