The Mahindra Bolero starts at ₹8.57 lakh, packing a 1.5‑litre diesel that churns out 76 hp and 210 Nm, a 5‑speed manual, rear‑wheel drive and a 16 kmpl stretch‑rate – a setup that screams off‑road.
The Mahindra XUV 3XO, priced at ₹9.36 lakh, steps up the game with 115 hp, 300 Nm and a 4‑speaker touchscreen, but only the MX2 manual finds its way into the ₹10 lakh band.
Kia Sonet, ranging from ₹9.29 to ₹10 lakh, offers a 115 hp 250 Nm engine, a six‑speed manual or a six‑speed torque‑converter automatic. The HTE (O) AT sits at exactly ₹10 lakh – an automatic that skips infotainment, whereas the HTK (O) manual keeps the same price but adds the missing features.
Tata Nexon, with a 115 hp 260 Nm 1.5‑litre diesel, offers three manual variants under ₹10 lakh. Its 23.23 kmpl mileage is the best in the group, and the Smart Plus S variant even sports a single‑pane sunroof; the AMT kicks in from ₹10.87 lakh.
The Mahindra Bolero Neo, priced between ₹9.06 and ₹10 lakh, brings a stronger 100 hp 260 Nm output, 17.29 kmpl and a more robust suspension, with only the N4, N6 and N10 R variants fitting the budget.
So, if you’re after a city‑friendly, feature‑rich SUV, the Nexon, Sonet or XUV 3XO are the clear winners; for rough‑road or heavy‑use, the Bolero or Neo stand out, and the Sonet is the sole automatic in the sub‑₹10 lakh range. Keep an eye on dealer listings for exact on‑road prices and city availability, as launch dates are already set but region‑specific offers may shift.