Uneasy Sits The Crown

Compact SUVs have come a long way, from topping safety ratings to offering state-of-the-art features and being fun to drive. We look at the XUV300 to see if it can challenge the likes of the Vitara Brezza, Nexon and EcoSport.

- Arup Das

A decade ago, if someone were to mention ‘compact’ and ‘SUV’ together, people would wonder what the person was talking about – because the term ‘compact’ was the antithesis of ‘SUV.’ The definition of an SUV was quite straightforward back then – a big, rugged vehicle, capable of going off-road and, of course, giving you a huge ego boost with its commanding driving position.

But, in time, automobile manufacturers realised that most buyers weren’t interested in a vehicle to go off the beaten path, instead what they wanted was a new age SUV – a sleek and sophisticated utility vehicle – with the comfort and prestige of a sedan. But, of course, with the macho image still intact. And all of this with an affordable price tag.

With so many criteria to meet, it looked like a bridge too far for carmakers. But, in 2013, Ford was the first to take on this challenge and launched the EcoSport. And, thus, began the compact SUV segment. Now, after 6 years, this segment not only has seen significant growth but has also evolved to become the fastest growing segment in the market.

The EcoSport has been a steady performer and, in many ways, the bread earner for the Blue Oval. But, of late, it’s been facing some serious competition from what is now the highest-selling compact SUV, the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, and what is now the safest vehicle on the block as per the Global NCAP crash test rating, the Tata Nexon. And Mahindra has also made a comeback to the sub-4 metre class, with the all-new XUV300, which is based on the SsangYong Tivoli. So, let’s begin this game of thrones and find out who can lay claim to being the undisputed king of this realm…