Note 1: In this Kia Sonet vs Mahindra 3XO comparison (HTK (O) and MX3 variants), each of the two cars will follow a red (Kia Sonet) and blue (Mahindra 3XO) colour scheme. In some cases, having a lower cost is better (e.g. fuel cost), while in other cases, having a higher cost is favourable (e.g. feature differences). Wherever the red car is at an advantage, the difference in the monetary value will be mentioned in red. When the blue car has the upper hand, in that particular cell, the difference will have a blue shade. Thus, the final result is easy for you to crosscheck by simply adding up the red and blue values to find out which one is a better option.

Note 2: This article is divided into 2 main sections — cost of ownership and upfront value. Within the total cost of ownership, we’ll compare:

• Upfront on-road price differences
• 5-year/50,000km maintenance cost
• 5-year/50,000km fuel cost

In the upfront value section, we’ll cover:

• Dimensions
• Engine and performance specifications
• Feature differences

The final verdict section will merge the values from each of the 2 main sections and present the recommendation.

Let’s start with the ownership cost section.

Total Cost Of Ownership (TCO)

The first step towards comparing the Kia Sonet HTK (O) and Mahindra 3XO MX3’s total ownership costs is to start with their upfront cost.

Kia Sonet HTK(O) vs Mahindra 3XO MX3— Price Comparison

The Kia Sonet HTK (O)’s ex-showroom price is Rs. 24,100 less than that of the Mahindra 3XO MX3. Once you factor in the on-road price, the price gap increases to Rs. 27,035, but still remains fairly insignificant. Let’s see if this gap widens or contracts as we progress with the comparison.

Kia Sonet HTK (O) vs Mahindra 3XO MX3— 5-year Maintenance Cost Comparison

According to the respective manufacturer’s periodic maintenance cost calculator, the Sonet will cost almost Rs. 18,000 to maintain for 5 years or 50,000km. For a similar usage, the 3XO will cost about Rs. 24,000 to maintain. Thus, the Sonet HTK (O) gets an advantage of almost Rs. 7,000 over the 3XO.

*Based on Mahindra XUV300 maintenance cost; since the 3XO uses the same powertrain, we expec their maintenance cost to remain similar

Also Read: 2024 Kia Sonet Service & Maintenance Cost (10yr – 1 Lakh KM)

Mahindra XUV300 Service & Maintenance Cost (10 Yr – 1 Lakh KM)

Kia Sonet HTK(O) vs Mahindra 3XO MX3 — 5-year Fuel Cost Comparison

Driving each of these cars for about 50,000km with an assumption of Rs. 100 per litre fuel cost will only save you about Rs. 840 if you buy the 3XO. Of course, the real-world figures may be lower, but to keep things even, we’ve only used the ARAI mileage figures to arrive at these estimates.

Here, the 3XO MX3 has almost the same fuel economy, however, the 3XO’s turbocharged engine has more power and torque on tap. We’ll discuss more on this in the ‘Upfront VFM’ section of this article.

Kia Sonet HTK (O) vs Mahindra 3XO MX3 — TCO Comparison Summary

In the TCO (total cost of ownership) comparison, we found that the Sonet HTK (O) has an advantage over the Mahindra 3XO in terms of upfront cost. This is due to the upfront less price of the Sonet along with low maintenance.

Upfront Value For Money

To estimate the upfront value for money of the Kia Sonet HTK (O) vs Mahindra 3XO MX3, we’ll first compare the dimensions and engine specs to find out which car offers better value for money.

Before we compare the features of the Sonet HTK (O) and 3XO MX3, we’ll first get the common features out of the way. Then, we’ll focus on the exclusive and unique features each of the cars offers to find out which one offers a better value for money.

Kia Sonet HTK (O) vs Mahindra 3XO MX3 — Dimension Comparison

The 3XO offers a longer wheelbase than the Sonet by about 100mm while being 5mm shorter than the Sonet. The gap is substantial and apparent inside the cabin though it’s not visually apparent and the 3XO scores an overall win and offers a perceived value of about Rs. 45,000 according to our algorithm.

Kia Sonet HTK (O) vs Mahindra 3XO MX3 — Engine Specs Comparison

In terms of performance too, the Sonet comes across as the underdog as it only has a 1.2L non turbo petrol engine. Mahindra 3XO MX3 outshines in terms of both power and torque thanks to the inclusion of a turbocharger with the 1.2L engine. Here too, we place a higher emphasis on torque as it’s responsible for improving the everyday drivability by offering a better torque output and torque spread.

Thus, the Mahindra 3XO MX3 manages to beat the Sonet HTK (O) in this round by offering about Rs. 45,000 worth of additional value.

Kia Sonet HTK (O) Vs Mahindra 3XO MX3 — Feature Comparison

Let’s now compare the 3XO MX3 features with Sonet HTK (O)’s to first see what’s common for these two cars and then find out what unique features they each bring to the table.

Kia Sonet HTK (O) vs Mahindra 3XO MX3 — Common Features

The Kia Sonet HTK (O) and Mahindra 3XO MX3 offer the following notable common safety, infotainment and style features:

Here’s a list of common functional features of the 2 cars:

Kia Sonet HTK (O) — Unique Features

The following list presents the Kia Sonet HTK (O)’s unique features, which are not available in the 3XO MX3:

Mahindra 3XO MX3 — Unique Features

Likewise, the 3XO MX3 also has the following features, which aren’t available in the Kia Sonet HTK (O):

Kia Sonet HTK (O) Vs  Mahindra 3XO MX3 — VFM Comparison Summary

Because of a longer list of unique features Kia Sonet seems better value. However, the  3XO MX3 takes the win in overall value and beats the Kia Sonet with a net perceived value advantage of about Rs. 58,000 due to having a bigger size and much better performance. 

Now, let’s sum up the two main comparison headings and see which one offers better value and to what degree.

Also Read: Why Minor Scratches On Car Makes You Angry? Grow YOUR Wealth!

Note: If You Want to Buy a New Car, Calculate Car Loan EMI with V3Cars

Kia Sonet HTK (O) vs Mahindra 3XO MX3 — Verdict

In the total cost of ownership (TCO) section, the Kia Sonet HTK (O) takes the lead with a cost savings of almost Rs. 33,000. But, the 3XO fights back hard with significantly better engine performance, some size advantage. It still loses to Sonet HTK (O) in terms of features. FInally, the 3XO MX3 beats the Sonet HTK (O) by about Rs. 25,000.

Hence, the final winner in this comparison is the Mahindra 3XO MX3. If you manage to get a discount on one of these vehicles, then you can use the discount amount with this net value in your calculations. This will help you find out whether the Kia Sonet HTK (O) or the Mahindra 3XO MX3 is offering a better value proposition after factoring in the prevailing discounts.

To learn how you can get discounts when buying a new car, you can refer to the following article and use them to sharpen your bargaining skills:

How To Get The Best Discount On Buying New Car (11 Tips)

Note: Calculate Car Fuel Cost with V3Cars for India and Other Countries