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8 Seater Cars in India: From Maruti Suzuki Eeco to Kia Carnival
The MPV market of India has matured a lot than ever before. The new range of MPVs available in India serves the utility of ferrying more than five people from point A to point B, but with added sophistication and technologies on board.
While there are a number of seven seater MPVs available in the Indian market, the presence of eight seater MPVs in India is limited to only a few options. Following are the only four 8 seater cars in India currently on sale in the Indian passenger vehicle market:
Maruti Suzuki Eeco
Currently the cheapest form of mobility for 8 people when it comes to passenger cars, the Maruti Suzuki Eeco is one frugal and low cost vehicle which cannot go wrong in its purpose. Ever since the discontinuation of Omni in the wake of safety norms, there has been a constant surge in the demand of the Eeco. This van is known for its simple design and reliable mechanicals, all of which come at a very low price point.
Currently, the Maruti Suzuki Eeco is being offered in an eight seater layout in just one variant – the standard, which misses out on a number of basic amenities, including a proper air conditioner. However, this standard variant comes with two opposite-facing benches behind the front seats, which can seat eight people in a decent amount of comfort.
The eight seater standard variant of the Maruti Suzuki Eeco is powered by a 1.2-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, which makes a maximum power output of 72.4 bhp and a maximum torque output of 94 Nm. This variant is available only with a 5-speed manual gearbox as standard. Maruti Suzuki claims a fuel efficiency of 16.11 kmpl for this variant.
Mahindra Marazzo
Moving up the ladder, if you want a slightly more urban oriented package which feels a bit more desirable over the bare-bones Eeco, the Mahindra Marazzo is one decent option you can go with. Launched in 2018, the Mahindra Marazzo was brought in as a replacement of the Xylo. However, unlike the ladder-on-frame Xylo, the Marazzo was built around a monocoque frame, which promises enhanced levels of driving dynamics and comfort
Ever since its launch, the Mahindra Marazzo is being offered as a diesel-only MPV, which can be had either in a seven or eight seater configuration. The vehicle was reintroduced with minor changes after the BS6 emission norms kicked in.
The eight seater Marazzo is available in three variants – M2, M4+ and M6+. The range topping M6+ variant comes with a decent amount of equipment, such as touchscreen infotainment system, multi-functional steering wheel, roof mounted rear AC vents, automatic climate control, height adjustable driver’s seat and more.
Powering the Mahindra Marazzo is a 1.5-liter four-cylinder diesel engine mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox, which happens to be the sole powertrain option for the eight seater MPV. The engine is capable of pumping out 121 bhp of power and 300 Nm of torque.
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Toyota Innova Crysta
The Toyota Innova Crysta has always remained an undisputed choice of set of wheels when it comes to ferrying eight people with ease. This large MPV from Toyota has seen a massive jump in price in all these years, however, it continues to be the first choice of many MPV buyers for the high reliability and ease of ownership it offers.
The Toyota Innova Crysta was facelifted in the beginning of the year 2021, which saw a minor change in the variant lineup for eight seater versions. The diesel powered eight seater Innova is offered in three variants – G MT, G AT and V MT. At the same time, the petrol powered eight seater Innova is offered only in two variants, G MT and G AT.
This means that the Innova Crysta is offered in two engine options for its eight seater version. First is the bread-and-butter 2.4-litre four-cylinder diesel engine, which makes 150 bhp of maximum power and 360 Nm of maximum torque, and is offered with 5-speed manual gearbox in G MT and J MT variants and 6-speed automatic in G AT variant.
Next is the made-to-order 2.7-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, which is available with both 5-speed manual and 6-speed automatic in G MT and G AT variants respectively. The petrol engine is good enough to produce maximum power and torque outputs of 166 bhp and 245 Nm respectively.
Kia Carnival
The Kia Carnival currently holds the benchmark for the best MPV in the mass-oriented segment, by offering much bigger dimensions, space and features over the crowd favorite, Toyota Innova Crysta. While the Carnival if priced much premium over the Innova, the extra premium features it offers are worth the premium to be spent.
The Kia Carnival is being offered in an eight seater configuration only in the base Premium variant. While it may be a base variant, the ‘Premium’ packs in a long equipment list comprising of 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, projector headlamps, 18-inch alloy wheels, one-touch power sliding doors, three-zone automatic climate control with rear AC vents, multi-functional and tilt and telescopic adjustable steering, push start-stop button and more.
Just like its other variants, the ‘Premium’ variant of the Kia Carnival gets a 2.2-litre four-cylinder diesel engine as its mainstay. Available with only an 8-speed automatic gearbox, this engine makes a maximum power output of 200 bhp and maximum torque output of 440 Nm.
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