Best Coupe SUV Under Rs 20 Lakh

The past few weeks have seen the launches of coupe cars under the Rs 20 lakh bracket. While Citroen has brought the Basalt, homegrown brand Tata has introduced ICE (petrol and diesel) and EV iterations of the Curvv in the domestic market. Given their set of features and price points, it can be daunting to select which is the ideal choice. Considering cars under Rs 20 lakh, keep reading this blog to decide whether to go with the Curvv nameplate or Basalt .

Tata Curvv/ Tata Curvv EV/ Citroen - Basalt Technical Specifications

Cars	Tata Curvv	Tata Curvv EV	Citroen Basalt
Engine(s)/ Motor	1.2L T-GDI petrol | 1.2L turbo petrol | 1.5L diesel	45kWh | 55 kWh	1.2L NA petrol | 1.2L turbo-petrol
Power	123.29bhp | 118.35bhp | 116bhp	148bhp | 165bhp	81bhp | 109bhp
Torque	225Nm | 170Nm | 260Nm	215Nm	115Nm | 190Nm
Mileage/ Battery Range	Unknown | Unknown | 22.4 kmpl	502 km | 430 km (MIDC)	18 kmpl | 19.5 kmpl
Dimensions (L x B x H)	4308mm x 1810mm x 1630mm	4310mm x 1810mm x 1637mm	4352mm x 1765mm x 1593mm
Wheelbase	2560mm	2560mm	2651mm
Price band (ex-showroom)	Rs 9.99 lakh to Rs 17.49 lakh	Rs 17.49 lakh to Rs 21.99 lakh	Rs 7.99 lakh to Rs 13.62 lakh

Citroen Basalt Story - Practicality, Practicality, Practicality

Citroen claims ‘Basalt’ shares with this volcanic rock, born of the earth's energy, packing a promise of robustness. With Basalt, the French carmaker aims to rewrite its India story and be more than practical. But who is the coupe SUV for? Priced at Rs 7.99 lakh (Rs 9.04 lakh, on-road), aggressive for sure, Basalt has entirely disrupted the already struggling hatchback faction and become the most affordable vehicle measuring over 4 metres.

At that price point, the only thing going its way is cabin size and great suspension. Citroen sells the top-end turbo petrol automatic Basalt for north of Rs 13.5 lakhs excluding taxes and other duties. 

Tata Curvv EV - What About Range Anxiety?

The Curvv EV recently underwent MIDC cycle testing, in which the average testing speed was increased to 31kmph and the maximum speed to 90kmph. This led to a fall in the single-charge range of 55kWh and 45kWh battery packs offered with the coupe SUV to 502km (previously 585km) and 400 - 425km (previously 502km), respectively. Notably, Tata’s in-house C75 range test - a near-real-world driving range - has a range of 430km (55kWh) and 330-350km (45kWh).

Tata Curvv ICE - Three Engines For The Win

In terms of looks and equipment on offer, the Curvv resembles its EV sibling. Differences become more apparent in terms of powertrains that the Curvv ICE will boast on arrival. Two 1.2-litre turbo petrol mills and a 1.5-litre diesel engine to be precise. Considering all the bells and whistles on board, Curvv comes forward as a luxury mid-size SUV and a lot depends on how Tata will price it.

You Decide

Different from its Citroen counterpart in every aspect, Tata’s intention with the e-SUV is to offer a premium offering with a long list of features. Simply put, this is its best EV yet. But all that comes at a starting price of Rs 17.49 lakh for the decently equipped Creative 45 persona. The fully loaded Empowered+ A 55 variant, which also gets ADAS, will cost you Rs 21.99 lakh.

On the other hand, the Citroen Basalt comes as a more practical and budget-friendly alternative to the Tata rival. Yes, it does miss out on a lot of equipment and does not have a diesel engine on offer, but it does come with a lot of space owing to its over 4-metre length. Also, one has to consider the price difference between the two. The Basalt You trim for Rs 7.99 lakh (ex-showroom) is aggressively priced but misses out on a lot. In our opinion, the Basalt Max Turbo at Rs 13.62 lakh makes the most sense.

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