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Even a decade ago the choices for anyone looking for a seven-seater were few and full of compromises. On one hand there were basic, outdated and crude utility vehicles, and on the other you’d probably have had to settle for an SUV. The launch of the Toyota Innova in 2005 changed things. Here was a vehicle with seven seats, car-like comfort and ease of use, and decent performance too. A runaway hit with large families, the Innova’s versatility and reliability also drew many buyers away from similarly priced saloons.

Fast forward to the present and today’s multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) buyers are almost spoilt for choice. The Innova remains on sale and there are also MPVs from Mahindra, Tata, Maruti and Nissan vying for your money.

Where the Mahindra Xylo has space as its USP, the Tata Aria seeks to win you over with its part-MPV, part-SUV design. And while Maruti’s Ertiga offers the flexibility of seven seats in a not-so-big package, the Evalia promises great versatility and practicality from its tall design. With five MPVs, each with their own set of strengths, zeroing in on just one was never going to be easy. We pit the rivals against each other to help you make the right choice.

Performance

Xylo ****

Ertiga ***

Evalia ***

Aria ***

Innova ***

Big as it is, the Evalia comes with a relatively small 1.5-litre diesel engine. But don’t go by the engine’s size alone, because there’s quite a lot to like about this motor. It’s responsive, has smooth power delivery, and there’s

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