Overview

Mahindra and Tata, both big names in the utility vehicle market, have two rather upmarket people movers in their lineup. We pit the recetly refreshed Sumo Grande Mk II against the Mahindra Xylo

You are a middle class individual and your family consists of six people. You need a vehicle that will transport all of them in relative comfort, and safety of course. Obviously, you need a seven-seater utility vehicle to fit them all in comfortably. Utility vehicles are meant to haul a lot of things or alot of people from point A to point B. These need to be comfortable and safe too, and the Innova is a great example of that.

But then again resources are limited and the Innova is a costly proposition. Your budget is upto around Rs 10 lakh on the upper end of the spectrum, where you won’t be busting your income on EMIs. If this is your brief for buying a car then these are the two contenders you need to look carefully at – the Mahindra Xylo and the Tata Sumo Grande Mk II, which has recently been refurbished by Tata Motors.

Exterior & Interior

The centre console is a mix of odd shapes. The E8 comes with a music system featuring USB connectivity. Plastics quality just about makes the cut

The Xylo is no beauty queen. In fact it looks gawky. The Grande on the other hand comes across as a wannabe SUV, but looks boxier than sporty. The mix of angles and rounded off corners along with flared wheel arches try hard and do make it look somewhat handsome.

On the equipment front the Xylo trumps the Grande. Both have twin air-conditioning, music system as standard, electrically operated mirrors, height adjust and lumbar support for the driver’s seat. However, the Xylo, additionally, gets parking sensors with a mirror mounted display and a multi-information display which reads out information on fuel consumed and average speed among others. The Xylo’s rectangular rear AC vents work better than Grande’s circular rotary ones too.

Both UVs here are seven seaters. The difference is that the Xylo gets captain seats in the middle row which seats two and a bench at the back capable of seating three. The Grande gets a bench on both rows with the middle row seating three and two at the back.

The seats on the Mahindra are big, well padded and soft and our experience tells us that these are quite comfortable for both short and long hauls. The Grande’s are big and firm, but not as supportive. There is also more kneeroom in the Xylo on all three rows which makes for relaxed seating. There is no dearth of headroom either, though the Grande has more of it.

The driving position on the Tata is not the greatest as the gearstick is placed a little far away from the driver. Also there is no dead pedal or a place to rest the foot. And with the clutch pedal right next to the centre console, it leaves you sitting awkwardly. No such issues with the Xylo here. Both cars also have a good commanding view of the road, thanks to the high seating.

The Sumo interiors look decent though there is a lot of scope for improvement as far as uality is concerned. Rotary AC knobs work well but lack tactile feel

When it comes to carrying luggage without a full complement of passengers on board, the Grande trumps the Xylo. The rear most bench can be completely removed and this frees up loads of space as well as an ability to carry five passengers. On the Xylo the last bench can only be folded, limiting luggage space and, thanks to captain seats, it can also only carry four passengers.

Both the cars are meant to haul people around and be comfortable at the same time. The Xylo wallows over big bumps and dips, but doesn’t let anything through to the cabin. It rides slightly better with a full load. The Sumo on the other hand is a little stiff and lets in a bit of noise as well. Again, the ride quality improves with a full payload.

At high speeds the Xylo feels more planted than the Sumo, which is not the most confidence inspiring. The brick wall aerodynamics makes it go all over the place.

The huge proportions on both mean they are quite a handful in choc-a-bloc traffic and require careful manoeuvring. Parking too is bothersome, but then one has to live with the shortcomings of owning such a big car.

Engine & Gearbox

Mahindra Xylo -The engine is quite refined and has no lag, thanks to smart gearing, which also gives brisk acceleration

Diesel engines mean torque. And lots of it. You can feel it in the Xylo; in the way it accelerates. There is no lag to speak of and it builds up pace rapidly. Well as rapid as a two-tonner can be. The engine feels relaxed and refined though it does get noisy when revved really hard.

The Grande though is loud throughout. Its 2.2 DICOR is It’s easy to name the main function of engine oil: to lubricate every moving part of your engine with a protective fi lm that reduces friction. This helps reduce any excess wear and tear of the engine. After all, main aim is to maximise the service lives and fuel economy of the engine. It is important to understand engine oil’s role in all this, whether you use conventional oil or the synthetic variety. We are going to share some basic information to get you started with AUTO BILD INDIA’s series on engine oils.

It is always safer to invest on a weel know brand like Shell Helix so that the quality of engine oil doesn't come under scrutiny and the mosrt important thing the frequency in which the oil is changed. The most severe kind of driving for the engine is shorttrip driving of less than 25km at a time. The engine requires better oil performance levels and more frequent oil changes. Here are some of the other duties of engine oil.

First, an engine oil like Shell Helix cleans the engine. Petrol and diesel engines can produce which form sludge. If they collect on critical engine parts, it means serious trouble. It gathers and suspends dirt and other contaminants until the oil can leave them as it passes through the fi lter and returns to the internal engine environment.

Tata Sumo Grande MK II -The 2.2-litre DICOR powerplant feels coarse but is more fuel efficient than the Xylo's mEagle

As a lubricant, oil must maintain a protective fi lm to prevent metal-to-metal contact. It must be fl uid enough to allow easy starting and to circulate quickly through the engine, yet remain thick enough at higher operating temperatures and speeds to provide adequate lubrication.

As a sealer, oil coats the cylinder walls and fi lls in the microscopic pores and gaps that would otherwise allow compression to blow past the rings (called blow-by). The engine oil also interacts with gaskets and seals to cause them to slightly swell, thus preventing oil leaks and maintaining oil pressure when the engine is running. also less refined in comparison. Moreover, the 5-speed gearbox the engine is coupled to is vaguer and notchier than the Xylo. Its shifter is oddly placed too.

The Grande gets left behind on the performance front too, and quite significantly at that. The Xylo accelerates much quicker, clocks a higher top speed and is way more driveable than the Tata, both in the city and out on the highways.

Braking though isn’t impressive on either car. The Sumo’s brakes work well but feel wooden with the Xylo’s feel only slightly better. On the fuel efficiency front the Tata is our champion, being significantly more efficient in the city and on the highways too.

Dimensions

Mahindra Xylo (mm)
	The last row seats on both cars are big and spacious. On the Xylo, three abreast is not a problem. The bench can't be removed though and limits the space in the boot
Tata Sumo Grande MK II (mm)
	On the Sumo the central armrest and lack of a third seatbelt limits the bench to two passengers. The bench can be removed and liberates a lot of space

Scorecard & Verdict

Mahindra Xylo- It's more spacious at the back, has better interiors, rides better and is slightly better equipped too.

Tata Sumo Grande MK II- The Grande is a good vehicle waiting to happen. It deserves better performance and better quality levels.

Scorecard

Body: The Xylo has a clever design which makes for a big cabin. The seats are comfortable and high seating translates into good visibility. It also feels better built than the Tata. Sumo looks like the traditional UV with a huge bonnet. Although only slightly smaller than the Xylo, it isn't as spacious, especially for the rear passenger. Quality of interiors again isn't great.

Drive: The Xylo's bigger engine is the better performing unit, thanks to its prodigious torque, and is also more refined. The gearbox though not the greatest, feels much better in comparison. The Sumo on the other hand could do with a better drivetrain. The gearbox is notchy and vague while the engine would be more suited to a tractor. It is more efficient of the two though.

Comfort: Both the behemoths are rather comfortable. The ride quality is better on the Mahindra although it does wallow about a little. The Sumo on the other hand rides a little firmer; but it doesn't get particularly uncomfortable. It is slightly taller and the high centre of gravity means it rolls about more around corners.

Dynamics: The Sumo loses this battle as well. The steering on both cars is overtly light and feel-less, more so on the Sumo. It is also the hairy one at high speeds. Braking on either isn't the greatest; the Sumo's brakes lacked feel. The Bridgestones on the Xylo are grippier than the Apollos on the Sumo.

Cost: There is a price difference of Rs 75,000 between the two and you also get a better warranty on the Tata, thereby a better score for the Sumo in our points system. You will get a better resale on the Mahindra though. Overall, the Xylo emerges as the better bet and wins the comparison.

Verdict

The Tata Sumo is a much improved product than what it used to be and manages to do most things with a degree of competence. The only problem for the Sumo in this comparison is that the Mahindra Xylo does all those things too, and does them better.

The latter has more space in the cabin for passengers, comes with a few more goodies, has a better engine and is more driveable. So, as is evident, the Tata has some catching up to do in the powertrain and quality departments to match up to the Mahindra, which emerges as the better people mover in this comparison test.