10 Reasons Why An MPV Is The Best Of Both Worlds In India

Multi-Purpose Vehicles or minivans have been around for a while now. They often cost you more than a hatchback. But they have an interior bigger than your regular SUV. They are convenient, comfortable, stylish and often just pure indulgence. MPVs are undoubtedly the best of both worlds.

MPVs can carry a lot of people and for this very reason, they are rightly called the people carrier. They are the best car if you are hitting the road with your buddies.

Related: Top 10 MPVs In India: From Toyota Innova To Kia Carnival

1. MPVs are super practical

   

   MPVs are first and foremost a practical car. They are more practical than most hatchbacks. Multi Utility Vehicles can carry a lot of people and luggage. And as the name goes it can serve several purposes as well. It is a very flexible car.

   They have a more streamlined front bumper, compared to an SUV. This reduces the aerodynamic drag or air resistance. But they have a much boxier rear, to accommodate more people than say, a hatchback.

   MPVs are bigger than hatchbacks but sometimes, some MPVs are smaller than SUVs. But you don’t get the ground clearance you get in SUV. However, MPVs are decent city cars.

2. Best family car

   With a minivan, life gets a lot easier even if you got a big family. MPVs come in big sizes. They will fit all your kids in. No matter how many you got. And they’ll do it in style.

   

   There would be fewer tantrums as seats are often far apart. So this means you can put space between the little monsters. Besides, with only a moderate ground clearance, kids won’t have a problem climbing into the car, even the shorter ones.

   Therefore, there is no doubt that MPVs are for the big fat Indian clan. And you can throw in a couple of extended family members too. That weird aunt maybe?

3. MPVs are relatively Safe

   Minivans are safer than an SUV. This is because they have a lower centre of gravity. Since many MPVs have a bigger frame they can get you walking out of a motor crash without much harm (Not always though. No careless driving please). Plus, modern-day MPVs have a host of safety features as well.

   

   Even though cars like Omni did get a bad rap for getting into accidents, if you are not negligent driver minivans will serve you just fine. And remember not to overload your car.
   You should read: 5 ways Authorised Car Service Centres are Cheating you!

4. You get a big car feeling
   

   

   Let’s be honest here. MPVs are not famous for their good looks. If you google ‘ugliest cars’, MPVs would top the list. But, MPVs have travelled a long way since olden times. Now they come in great-looking packages that are much easier on the eyes. A Maruti Suzuki XL6 or the sporty Renault Triber can put the coolest looking hatchbacks and SUVs to shame.

   

5. Not that expensive
   

   

   An MPV won’t cost you as much as an SUV. Plus, if you live in the city it is much more comfortable to drive and they have better handling too. There are MPVs that you can drive out of the dealership at the modest price of a hatchback. Maruti Ertiga or Renault Triber starts at a base price of 5-7 lakhs!

6. Not very expensive to maintain
   

   

   MPVs are easier on the wallet when it comes to upkeep and maintenance. Cars like Maruti Ertiga and Maruti XL6 are notorious for having low maintenance costs. This would mean fewer trips to the service centre and less frequent tyre or battery replacement.

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7. The 3-row seating

   And People Carrier it is. These cars have a lot of room. This means they can carry many people. MPVs are the best car out there if space is what you need. Also, you get all that without paying a big price for it. And if you are willing to pay more, you would get bigger MPVs that can haul more people.

   

   MPVs usually have 2-3 rows. Because of this, larger MPVs can fit more than 6 people. Bigger Multi-Purpose can comfortably fit even more. Since they have sufficient roof height, they provide good headroom for those of us in the rear seats.

8. Trunk capacity
   

   Like in a hatchback, many MPVs come with foldable rear seats. This means that you get a lot of boot space with an MPV. If you are on a road trip and you need to haul around many possessions MPVs are your best bet. And as a family car, they can fit anything from a tricycle to the 5-kilo bag pack of the unfortunate Indian high-schooler.

9. Fuel efficiency is not a problem
   

   

   This is another reason why we think MPVs are the best. Cars like Maruti Ertiga, Renault Triber, Mahindra TUV 300 come with impressive fuel efficiency for such big vehicles. This means when you are on a road trip on your MPV,  there would be fewer pit stops along the way.
   Up next: 5 Best Mileage (Fuel-Efficient) 7-Seater Cars in India

10. Remember the Omni?
    

    

    Most of the traditional MPVs now come with standard doors. Maruti Omni, the classic MPV from Maruti came with sliding doors. In the country where minivans like Omni are used to transport kids from home to school and back, sliding doors are sure to come handy. This means no banging car doors by impatient kids. Plus there won’t be any denting of vehicles next to you by a side door hastily opened by a child. Wish they would bring it back (Carnival is Love!)

    So if you don’t count the other kid-related mishaps that can happen to your car, the MPV with a sliding door would stay in better shape longer.

    You would also enjoy: Maruti Suzuki And Its History of MPVs | From Omni To XL6

With an MPV you get the grace of a hatchback with the room of an SUV. Most of the MPVs out there have an uncomplicated design like the simple yet elegant Maruti Ertiga. These cars might not have a lot of bells and whistles on the exterior, but they are easy to take care of.

Besides, Toyota Ertiga and Kia Compact MPV blend both functionality and good looks. Both these cars set to be launched soon are small and sporty. This shows that you can still look cool driving a good MPV.

Also check out: 10 Upcoming Cars We Are Looking Forward To For The Year 2021

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