Which one of these sub-compact SUVs will keep family and friends comfortable for longer when you are out on that road trip?

  • The XUV300 is the widest and has the longest wheelbase while the WR-V and EcoSport are longest and tallest, respectively, on paper.
  • Mahindra XUV300 and Ford EcoSport get generous front row space followed by the WR-V and Nexon, which are closely matched.
  • Maruti Vitara Brezza’s cabin is closely matched with the Nexon but the former’s cabin is a bit wider.
  • The rear row space numbers are the best for Nexon followed by the WR-V.

We recently tested the Mahindra XUV300, pitting its real-world performance numbers against that of its competitors. Now, it’s time to see which of these SUVs offers the most spacious and comfortable cabin.

Before we proceed let’s look at the dimensions of the SUVs to later connect the dots and find out whether bigger outer dimensions directly result in better interior space.

Measurements (mm) Mahindra XUV300 Maruti Vitara Brezza Tata Nexon Ford EcoSport Honda WR-V
Length 3995 3995 3994 3998 3999
Width 1821 1790 1811 1765 1734
Height 1627 1640 1607 1647 1601
Wheelbase 2600 2500 2498 2519 2555
Boot Space 259 328 350 352 363

Longest: Honda WR-V

Widest: XUV300

Tallest: Ford EcoSport

Highest Wheelbase: XUV300

Biggest Boot: Honda WR-V

As per the numbers, the XUV300 is the widest and has the highest wheelbase — but does that translate into better cabin space? We let the interior dimensions figures answer that.

Front-row Space

Dimensions (mm) Mahindra XUV300 Maruti Vitara Brezza Tata Nexon Ford EcoSport Honda WR-V
Legroom (min-max) 935-1110 890-1060 900-1050 955-1105 925-1055
Kneeroom (min-max) 575-805 570-740 580-770 635-825 525-750
Seat base length 495 480 480 495 490
Seat base width 480 520 510 495 505
Seat back height 645 595 615 610 580

Both the EcoSport and the XUV300 are closely matched in offering the most legroom and kneeroom. The Nexon and Vitara Brezza have near-similar leg- and knee-room along with the seat base length and width.

The Honda WR-V offers better legroom than the Nexon but the latter provides higher kneeroom. Underthigh support according to the seat base length will be similar in all the cars but for those with a broader lower body, the Nexon will be more suitable followed by the WR-V.

The XUV300’s front row seats have the highest seat back height, which should make it better suited to passengers with bigger torsos. The WR-V has the shortest seat back, so taller passengers might not find enough back comfort in it. When it comes to headroom, it is the highest in the Tata Nexon by quite a margin, followed by the EcoSport, Vitara Brezza, XUV300 and then the WR-V.

While the first row in all these SUVs will be accommodating enough for the driver and passenger, it will be the Vitara Brezza, Nexon and the WR-V that give a better sense of space since these have the longest cabin width.

Rear-row Space

Dimensions (mm) Mahindra XUV300 Maruti Vitara Brezza Tata Nexon Ford EcoSport Honda WR-V
Shoulder room 1330 1400 1385 1225 1270
Head room 925 950 970 930 940
Kneeroom (min-max) 600-830 625-860 715-905 595-890 740-990
Seat base length 445 460 510 480 480
Seat base width 1320 1300 1220 1230 1270

The Nexon offers the best head room, under thigh support and second best knee room among the five cars. However, fitting three passengers might be a squeeze as it has the smallest seat base width.

The Maruti Vitara Brezza offer the highest shoulder room and second best seat base width, so seating three abreast will be the easiest in it compared to the rest. It has the second best headroom along with decent kneeroom. Seat base length and backrest height is at par with its rivals so expect decent underthigh and back support even for passengers in the 6-feet range.

The third best shoulder room is in the XUV300 but its headroom is the lowest of the lot. Despite having the longest wheelbase, knee room and seat base length are the lowest here, which results in the lowest thigh support. That said, the seat base and backrest numbers are the highest, which should help it seat three passengers better than the rest.

When it comes to shoulder room, the Honda WR-V is better than the EcoSport but far behind the Nexon and XUV. Headroom inside the car is third best after Tata and Maruti but when it comes to knee room, the WR-V trumps all. Seat base on the Honda is just as big as the EcoSport in length, while it is second to the XUV in width. Occupants with a bigger upper body might not find the lower seat back on the WR-V any friendly.

The EcoSport has the least shoulder room while the headroom is just minutely less than the Vitara Brezza’s. The knee room is a bit better than the Maruti but well behind the Honda and Tata. The seat base length and width is just about average while the seat backrest is at par with the Nexon.

For the front row space, it will be the EcoSport that provides the biggest seat but the others aren’t any bad. But if you want a better sense of overall space, the shoulder width of the Vitara Brezza is better than all of its rivals. Those with preference for the rear row will find the Vitara Brezza and the Nexon to be better picks as these two offer the best mix of head and shoulder room, amplifying the sense of spaciousness.