Toyota Innova Crysta automatic vs Mahindra XUV500 AT: Comparison Review

They say, change is the only constant. On a lighter note, that applies the most to our gearboxes, no? Jokes apart, what I’m actually trying to refer to is my own liking when it comes to cars. With time, I’ve seen my preferences change, and they’ve usually been related to the changes in my life. As a college goer I barely knew how to drive, but with time I felt the need to graduate to four wheels from two. But when the girlfriend started cribbing about my motorcycle, I realised it was time for a hatchback. Once I started working, I wanted a sedan – so I could take the parents out for dinner or go for a weekend drive. 

And I recently became a father, apart from getting a dog at home. So irrespective of what I want for myself (which is a two-door sportscar) I know I need a good people mover. One that’s loaded with features, is comfortable, spacious, blah-blah. And now I want the luxury of an automatic transmission, too. There aren’t too many options that tick the right boxes, though. What I would like, perhaps, is the Mahindra XUV500 automatic. But will it be too sporty for the family is what I was wondering. Until Toyota launched the Innova with the Crysta suffix, and a bigger, 2.8-litre engine, more luxury, more features and an automatic gearbox, that is. 

With it’s kind of offerings the Innova Crysta seems to be the more lucrative option, but is also significantly more expensive than the XUV500. Time to pitch them against each other to find out.

Design

Toyota Innova Crysta 4/5

Mahindra XUV500 4/5

It’s really difficult to pick one here, as there’s almost nothing similar about the design of the Innova Crysta and XUV500. The former is a well-designed, appealing looking MPV, while the latter is a sporty looking crossover. The Innova obviously is the fresher design with modern cues including neat looking headlights with projector beams and integrated LED DRLs, though it still has the typical MPV silhouette. That’s not a bad thing though, as the Innova looks a lot more premium and aggressive now thanks to its sharp lines, especially from the front. 

The XUV500 despite being half a decade old still looks nice, and it would be wrong to say it looks dated, unlike several other five-year-old cars. But the design of the DRLs is something I never liked, as they look vague. The rest of the design is pretty much appealing thanks to the tall, SUV-like stance, especially from the sides, with the large wheels and chiselled lines. The tail lamp cluster adds to the muscular looks of the XUV500, as do the twin exhaust pipes. On the whole, the XUV500 looks sportier than the Innova Crysta, but not more premium. 

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Interiors

Toyota Innova Crysta 5/5

Mahindra XUV500 4/5

With its kind of interiors, the Innova Crysta has moved the game up a couple of notches. The design is not just leagues ahead of the older Innova but is also a lot better than anything in the segment. In fact, the interiors of the top of the line 2.8 automatic you see here are comparable to D-segment cars like Toyota’s own Corolla Altis as also the Skoda Octavia or Volkswagen Jetta. There’s a classiness to the interiors that makes you feel good about being inside the Innova Crysta, irrespective of whether you’re in the driver’s seat or the back seat. 

Rich materials like wood and leather, appealing looking contours and premium feeling plastics give the Innova’s insides an upmarket feel, especially the dashboard. The clocks look a lot more modern and upmarket as well. The second row pilot seats with the foldable parcel trays behind the front seats along with the beautifully designed mood lighting inside make the second row the place to be. Also, the second row seats can be flipped forward with a single tug of the lever which makes it more convenient than the XUV500, or several other similar vehicles for that matter. 

The XUV500’s interiors feel relatively older and the design of the dash and panels has begun to show its age. The plastics do not feel as premium as the Innova’s, and some of the panels even have sharp edges. Also, the clocks looked futuristic when the XUV500 had come, but now look dated. The XUV500 gets beige leather seats, which tend to change colour and look dirty over time, unlike the Innova’s brown leather seats. Flipping the XUV500’s second row seats too needs a bit more effort as compared to the Innova. On the whole, it’s the Innova that’s more appealing and more premium looking. 

Features

Toyota Innova Crysta 4.5/5

Mahindra XUV500 4/5

The Innova Crysta has the upper hand here, being an all-new car. In fact, no sooner than you get into the Innova do you realise how much more modern it is in terms of its offerings as compared to the Mahindra.  Well, not that the Mahindra fails to offer most creature comforts, but the packaging of the Innova’s features is what takes the cake. Common to both cars here are cooled glove boxes and 7-inch touchscreen infotainment systems with ample connectivity options. The Innova’s unit, though, clearly looks and feels a lot better to use, along with offering navigation as well. 

A decently sized, colourful display between the Innova’s clocks also offers lots of information apart from displaying directions and distances from the navigation system which makes it very convenient if using the navigation while driving alone. Moreover, the Innova’s seats too are plusher, more supportive and comfortable, and that’s besides the fact that it gets three-point seat belts for all seven passengers. Another nice touch are the glass holders between the seconds row of captain seats, that’ll hold your whiskey glass pretty well. Of course, that means the Innova cannot seat three people in the second row unlike the XUV500. That said, the Toyota’s third row is a far better place to be in rather than the Mahindra’s.  

Engines and performance

Toyota Innova Crysta 4.5/5

Mahindra XUV500 4/5

The Innova yet again has a clear edge here, thanks to its larger, more powerful 2.8-litre, 174PS motor, as compared to the XUV500’s 2.2-litre, 140PS engine. The Toyota is also the torquier of the two, with 360Nm on offer as compared to 330Nm in the Mahindra. Goes without saying, the Innova is the quicker of the two, offering better acceleration all through its rev range. It also offers it peak torque at revs as low as 1200rpm as compared to the XUV500’s 1600rpm. The Innova’s engine is also the smoother and quieter of the two, though it does tend to get loud at low revs. 

Both engines come mated to 6-speed automatic gearboxes, and though neither will exactly pamper enthusiasts, both do their job pretty well. As a people mover, the Innova in fact will surprise you, as the gearbox feels extremely slick, offering smoother shifts. The Innova Crysta also gets eco and power modes, which obviously impact performance and efficiency. The XUV500 is not lacking in terms of performance, but when it’s time for either vehicle to stretch its legs on open highways, it’s the Innova that is more enjoyable thanks to its extra performance it offers with its larger motor.  

Ride and ease of driving

Toyota Innova Crysta 4.5/5

Mahindra XUV500 4/5

Both vehicles offer excellent ride quality, especially over bad roads. But while the XUV500 feels bouncy over bumps, the Innova feels more composed and thus makes for better passenger comfort. In terms of ease of driving, both feel on par with each other, and given their dimensions, the rear parking cameras are indeed welcome, especially when parking in tight spots. One big advantage the XUV500 has over the Innova Crysta, though, is the fact that its top variant gets AWD, which should let you go slightly off tarmac as well. The Innova though is rear wheel drive only.  

Handling and braking

Toyota Innova Crysta 4/5

Mahindra XUV500 4/5

Considering that both are essentially people movers, neither will egg you to go faster around corners though both handle pretty well, despite their dimensions and weight. The Innova has more body roll around corners as compared to the XUV500 though, which feels better. Around corners is also where you realise the difference between the steering systems of the two. The Innova gets a heavier steering that’s more direct and offers better feedback than the XUV500’s lighter albeit slightly vague system. It weighs up on the highway and feels better, but is no match for the Innova’s unit. The soft suspension setup also causes both vehicles to pitch forward under heavy braking, though both offer a safe, sure-footed feel while braking. That said, the XUV500 feels better amongst the two, thanks to it using disc brakes all round.  

Price and efficiency

Toyota Innova Crysta 4/5

Mahindra XUV500 4/5

The additional goodies in the Innova Crysta obviously come at a higher cost. Its base automatic variant retails at Rs 15.99 lakh ex-showroom Mumbai as compared to the XUV500 AT’s base variant that retails at Rs 14.29 lakh ex-Mumbai. And interestingly, the XUV500’s base automatic variant offers more features than the Innova’s base automatic variant! The differences go up further for the top-of-the-line variants, with the XUV500’s top automatic variant retailing at Rs 18.15 lakh as compared to Rs 20.77 lakh for the Innova’s top automatic variant. 

In terms of fuel efficiency, despite its bigger engine and significantly higher output, the Innova Crysta Automatic offers better efficiency than the Mahindra. It returns a claimed 14.29kmpl as compared to the XUV500 AT’s 13.85kmpl, which speaks a lot for Toyota’s engineering. 

Verdict

Toyota Innova Crysta 4.5/5

Mahindra XUV500 4/5

To sum it up, this comparison test has turned out to be pretty close, as expected. The Mahindra XUV500 automatic is a seasoned all-rounder that does its job fairly well. But, the Innova Crysta has clearly taken the game forward with its comfort and the way it pampers occupants. Add to that the richer, more luxurious feel and additional features it gets, not to mention the additional safety with more airbags including additional side, curtain and knee airbags. The XUV500 isn’t exactly lagging though, as it offers features like disc brakes all round, a sunroof, AWD and hill descent control all of which the Toyota doesn’t get. But in terms of pure appeal, it is the Innova that’s closer to my heart with its additional space and the luxurious feel. Now to see how I can convince the wife to let me spend that much more for the Innova.