A New Era

SUVs are no longer the compromise they used to be

- Aadil Naik

When it comes to automobiles, I think SUVs have best represented ever-changing demands and customer trends. Originally designed to just provide maximum space, transport a lot of people, or go offroad, the SUV has come a long way. Today, we have SUVs like the Rolls Royce Cullinan, an uber-luxe barge, and the hardcore supercar-shaming Lamborghini Urus. Both are very far from what was originally associated with the category, and that is why you see the very new Kia Seltos and the not-so-new Mahindra XUV 3OO adorning these pages.

While there will always remain those who want a large white SUV to compensate for ‘other areas’, we have seen a crop of more sensible buyers of late. The person who has made his peace with the fact that his/her car will never go off-road, and doesn’t need to transport seven people in one go. And this individual actually wants to drive and have a good time driving. Thankfully, for people like you and me, it resulted in cars that, besides being good SUVs, are great drivers’ cars, and here are two of the finest examples.

The Kia Seltos made a huge splash when it arrived on the scene, and after spending some time with it, it felt justified. It isn’t a compact SUV, but it isn’t as large as something like a Toyota Fortuner either. It looks purposeful, with a sharp and determined look to it. If cars wore suits, the Kia Seltos is what I’d imagine. Inside, it is as plush as a corner office. Soft leather, ventilated seats, and a class-leading touchscreen infotainment with a Bose audio system. But all of this is for another time. It is the way it drives that I want to talk about.