Comparison: Tata Nexon vs. Mahindra XUV300

Offering exceptional value for money in every aspect, compact SUVs cater to a wide range of buyers, and this is the reason why the market is flooded with a plethora of options from every brand. But despite all the crowd, when it comes to bringing home an SUV that is truly practical, reliable, safe and exciting, the Tata Nexon and the Mahindra XUV300 are two of the most iconic choices. On one hand, the Tata Nexon, with its latest facelift comes in as an irresistible option that’s contemporary, feature-rich and extremely stylish, on the other hand, the XUV300 shines as a well-balanced, safe and truly reliable option that stands true to the XUV legacy, especially when it comes to performance. Similarly priced in the 7 to 15 lakh price bracket, both SUVs despite being one of the absolute bests, are still distinct in their own way. The crucial question therefore is which amongst the two takes the crown? Let’s find out with a head-on comparison between the ever-popular Tata Nexon and the impressive Mahindra XUV300

Tata Nexon vs Mahindra XUV300: Dimensions

As far as dimensions go, the head-on comparison between the two SUVs reveals that in spite of sharing the same segment, both are quite different from one another. The Mahindra XUV300 comes in as a 17 mm wider and 7 mm taller option which might seem like a negligible difference on paper, but from certain angles gives the XUV300 a beefier and muscular look. Despite the XUV300 sharing the same length as the Tata Nexon, one area where the compact SUV hits the ball out of the park, is its 102 mm larger wheelbase that gives the SUV a comparatively larger cabin with substantially more leg space. But all this comes at the cost of boot space, which is a mere 257 litres compared to the Nexon’s fairly large boot. The same is the story as far as the ground clearance goes, but things are still better in that area as 180 mm is enough to tackle both smooth and fairly bumpy roads. Overall, the Mahindra XUV300 comes in as a muscular, assertive and well-designed SUV that carries forward the classic SUV charm with a hint of elegance.

Coming to the Tata Nexon, when pitched against the XUV300, the SUV is a bit lower, and narrower along with a shorter wheelbase, which can make the Nexon’s cabin feel comparatively congested. But it is the Nexon’s spacious 382-litre boot that makes up for the Nexon’s wheelbase, giving users ample storage for all kinds of luggage needs. Another area where the SUV absolutely shines is its 208 mm ground clearance, which renders the Nexon far better capabilities to tackle tougher terrains without any kind of underbody damage. In terms of looks, the Nexon with its recent facelift offers contemporary looks that are packaged in a modernistic and elegant package that now feels quite premium from every angle.

Overall, when it comes to utility, the Tata Nexon seems to take the win. But with that said, the XUV300 does hold its ground well with an extra-spacious cabin. In terms of looks, the choice comes down to either a classic, assertive and muscular SUV or a modern, futuristic and contemporary one.

Tata Nexon vs. Mahindra XUV300: Engine and Transmission

One look at the petrol comparison above and you’ll realise why the Tata Nexon and the Mahindra XUV300 are two of the most exciting SUV choices. Offering power-packed turbocharged engines onboard, both SUVs provide an exhilarating driving experience.

Talking about the Tata Nexon, the SUV comes with a sole 1.2-litre turbocharged engine onboard that returns 120 PS of power along with 170 Nm of peak torque. The engine is well-refined and tuned to return a punch of power along with ample pickup and a smooth drive. But what makes the Nexon truly special is the amount of choice it offers in terms of transmission options. The SUV can be had with either a 5-speed manual, 6-speed manual, 6-speed AMT automatic or a new 7-speed DCT automatic. Another area where this engine shines is the mileage which is as high as 17.44 km/l for manual and up to 17.18 km/l for automatic. Overall, the Nexon’s 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol engine is a bliss to drive around and elevates the overall appeal of the SUV.

Coming to the Mahindra XUV300, the petrol engine game is where SUV truly aces, with two turbocharged engines on offer, both of which offer the best-in-segment torque figures for that extra oomph of power. The first is a 1.2-litre Turbocharged Multipoint Fuel Injection Engine with 110 PS of Power and a massive 200 Nm of peak torque, mated to either a 6-speed manual/AMT automatic. When compared to the Tata Nexon, this engine despite offering a bit less power, hits the bull’s eye with its exceptional torque delivering a truly mind-blowing performance. Another area where this engine takes the lead is the manual mileage figures which are as high as up to 18.44 km/l. For the automatic, the figures stand at about 16.5 km/l; which is decent enough, though less than what the Nexon offers. 

The other on board the XUV300 is a 1.2-litre Turbocharged engine but with a Direct Injection setup. As a result, this engine delivers 130 PS of power with an exception torque of 230 NM. This is where the Mahindra XUV300 shines as an undoubted winner, with both power and torque figures set up in a way to offer the best in terms of performance. Coming to transmission options, however, this engine comes only with a 6-speed manual setup with a fairly decent mileage figure of up to 15 km/l.

Overall, the petrol engine game is where the XUV300 emerges as an undisputed winner with two equally exceptional engines on offer, both of which come with best-in-segment torque figures and pack in a lot of punch. With the TGDi engine absolutely slaying the game, the MPFi engine, with its impressive mileage gets a little edge over the Nexon’s 1.2-litre Revotron engine. The only area where the Nexon’s engine comes out as a winner is the transmission options, which include two manual and two automatic including a DCT which is absolutely a bliss to drive.

The Diesel game presents a similar picture where the Mahindra XUV300 once again takes the lead with its 1.5-litre Turbocharged Diesel engine that offers slightly more power and substantially more torque. In fact, with its best-in-segment massive peak torque of 300 Nm, the XUV300’s diesel engine is one of the best-performing diesel engines out there in the market. With both manual and automatic transmissions on offer, this engine does fairly well in terms of mileage, returning with up to 20.01 km/l depending upon the transmission option. 

On the other hand, the Tata Nexon’s 1.5-litre turbocharged diesel engine also performs well and packs in a punch, but the torque department is where it loses to the XUV300. However, if there’s one area where this engine slays, it is the mileage department, where users can enjoy an impressive mileage of up to 23.23 km/l with the 6-speed manual and up to 24.08 km/l with the AMT.

Overall, the Mahindra XUV300 again takes the lead with an engine that offers great power, mindblowing torque and decent mileage. 

Tata Nexon vs. Mahindra XUV300: Features and Comfort

One look at the interiors and one would find that the Tata Nexon shines as a much more premium, contemporary and modern SUV with luxurious interiors topped to the brim with features. In its current generation facelift avatar, the updated Nexon has been topped with almost all the latest tech and comfort features that make the XUV300 feel dated. This includes goodies such as paddle shifters, ventilated seats, 360-degree cameras, rear AC vents, bigger touch infotainment, digital instrument cluster and much more.

Coming to the XUV300 the SUV takes a rather classic approach with a spacious and well-laid-out interior that offers ample features onboard, even if less than what the Nexon offers. However, there are areas where the XUV300 still takes the lead. This includes features such as dual-zone climate control and multiple steering modes.

Overall, the feature game is where Nexon takes an undisputed lead, with all the latest offerings.

Tata Nexon vs. Mahindra XUV300: Safety Features

Scoring perfect 5-star crash test safety ratings, both the Tata Nexon as well as the Mahindra XUV300 are two of the safest SUVs out there. With all essential safety features onboard, both SUVs are truly safe. But when pitched head-on, the Tata Nexon once again takes the edge, with its recent facelift offering all the latest safety inclusions such as a 360-degree camera and standard 6-airbags. But with that said, the XUV300 is still a winner with ample safety inclusions and all four disc brakes for superb braking control.

But despite everything, the Tata Nexon takes the win by offering 6-airbags even onboard the base trim.

Tata Nexon vs Mahindra XUV300: Price Comparison

When it comes to the price comparison, the Tata Nexon comes with a four-trim lineup that includes Smart, Pure, Adventure and Fearless. The trims are spread across a mammoth range of 69 variants. On the other hand, the Mahindra XUV300’s variant lineup is spread across 4 trims, including the W2, W4, W6 and W8 which is spread across 25 trims.

While both SUVs have ample variants to choose from in each trim, the Tata Nexon offers better and more diverse choices in each trim lineup. This allows buyers to choose from a wide range of variants suiting their specific budget. However, despite all the choices when pitched head-on, the Mahindra XUV300 offers a better price advantage in each trim be it the base variants or the top ones. While for the base trims, the price saving is only Rs. 10 to 11 thousand, as the trims go up the savings grow to about Rs. 1.03 to 1.29 Lakh at the mid-trim spectrum, Rs. 1 to 2 Lakh at the upper-mid spectrum and Rs. 1 to 1.2 Lakh at the top-trim spectrum.

Thus as far as price is concerned, the Mahindra XUV300 is undoubtedly better value for money. But with Nexon’s huge variant spread, there’s surely little something for every budget, allowing buyers to buy without any compromise.

Tata Nexon vs. Mahindra XUV300: Summary

Be it the Tata Nexon or the Mahindra XUV300, both cars offer a highly attractive package that has everything one needs in a compact SUV, including features, comfort, performance and value. The Tata Nexon comes as a new-age compact SUV that offers contemporary, modern and futuristic looks along with a premium cabin filled to the brim with all modern-day features. On the other hand, the XUV300 stands tall as a classic, assertive and muscular SUV that offers a complete package with exhilarating driving dynamics, power-packed engines and great comfort and features.

While in terms of dimension, the Nexon takes the lead with better practicality and overall utility, the engine game is where the XUV300 nails it, both in the diesel as well as petrol comparison. Coming to the features, the Nexon with its latest update, manages to offer some extra goodies onboard, while in terms of safety, both SUVs are the very best. Finally, it is the price comparison that gives the XUV300 the ultimate edge of savings, while the Nexon does well when it comes to offering users a diverse variant lineup.