Is This The Most Comfortable SUV In India? » MotorOctane

The Indian automotive market has seen some new faces in recent times with the Tata Sierra and Mahindra XUV7XO. Both these manufacturers make bold claims about their feature list and boast about their premium ride quality. While the feature lists of both these cars are pretty identical, which car takes the throne for the “Most comfortable SUV”?
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How Does a Suspension Work

To understand how the complex systems of the Sierra and 7XO work, we need to look at how a conventional suspension system operates. A typical system consists of springs, dampers, and suspension links. The job of the system is as follows

• Spring – Allows the wheel to move across different surfaces
• Dampers – Provide resistance to the spring using hydraulics.
• Suspension Link – connects the wheel to the body.

Now, understanding how the functionality of the springs and suspension links is pretty straightforward. But the dampers hold the key to the entire equation. When you press against any spring, it recoils and oscillates back and forth plenty of times. Now imagine this happening to your car every time you go over a speed bump. The damper essentially resists this unnecessary movement. In most cars, the amount of resistance a damper provides is consistent across all speeds. And here is where these cars excel.

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Tata Sierra

The Tata Sierra used a Frequency-Dependent Damping (FDD) system. A valve inside the damper determines how hard or soft the ride is. We will not get into the technicalities of how the valve works, but to put it simply, it operates based on the surface quality. If the road surface is poor, the valve opens due to high-frequency vibrations. As a result, the ride quality becomes softer and absorbs rough patches with ease.

Inversely, when the car travels at higher speeds, the frequency drops significantly. This allows the valve to close, making the ride firmer. This allows for firmer ride quality and better high-speed stability.

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Mahindra XUV7XO

Mahindra have not shied away from flaunting the new “DaVinci Damping technology”. Mahindra claims that the XUV7XO is the world’s (not just India’s) first car to get this system. The exact details of this system’s functionality may boggle the mind of anyone who isn’t an engineer. In principle, it works very similarly to FDD suspension. The damping ratio increases or decreases as required.

The main difference is the design of the valves. Mahindra have partnered up with Tenneco (a major automotive parts supplier) to build this system. The DaVinci suspension takes control of oil flow in the dampers one step further. Thanks to the modified valve design (shim shacks being the exact component), the suspension is now more sensitive to input changes. During rough surfaces, the suspension becomes soft to maximise comfort. But if you encounter smaller obstacles, the suspension remains stiff enough to keep the car supremely stable at all times.

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XUV7XO VS Sierra – Comfort

This is where it makes or breaks- which car provides better comfort? While the Sierra offers better comfort than most cars, it falls behind the XUV7XO. Go beyond the technicalities, and you can sense the difference in ride quality between these cars. The 7XO absorbs bumps more effectively, while offering better control and stability at high speeds. The 7XO runs smooth and the passengers feel like they are floating on the road. The Sierra has decent ride quality but doesn’t absorb bumps as well as the 7XO. The 7XO is capable of handling extreme changes in surfaces more smoothly and effectively.

The change in valve design may not seem like a big deal, but when you drive these cars, you can notice this difference the minute you step on the throttle. It is a simple improvement, but the results are more pronounced.

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XUV7XO VS Sierra – Maintenance Costs

Both these systems are completely hydraulic. This means no sensors or electronics are involved. This means that maintaining both systems remains simple. It is much cheaper than electronic suspension. While both these systems are identical mechanically, the DaVinci suspension has slightly more intricate components. This means that suspension damage on the 7XO will be more harmful to your pockets than for the Sierra.

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XUV7XO VS Sierra- Which One To Buy?

The answer is pretty straightforward – the XUV 7X0. The 7XO uses the same tech from the Sierra, but simply enhances it. It is the perfect choice if you don’t want the maintenance headaches of an active electronic system while still enjoying the best possible ride quality. The XUV700 was already a great car to be in, and Mahindra improved this recipe with this setup. Maintenance of the FDD suspension is less expensive, but the price difference is negligible.

If you prioritise ride quality above all else, the 7XO is a no-brainer. Comparing other aspects like looks, features, powertrain, and practicality may be difficult, but the XUV7XO clearly wins the ride-quality battle.

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