The sleigh has been Santa Claus' mainstay vehicle for transport on Christmas eve with the reindeer pack pulling him and the red bag of gifts. Sure, the sleigh works well as he takes of from the North Pole, but in recent times cars have turned out to be bigger, friendlier and faster options. And it is time we think that Father Christmas should consider swapping his sleigh for something more convenient. This Christmas, let's give Rudolph and the trusty old sleigh some much needed break, in favour of something more quick and comfortable. We give Santa five cars that he could use instead of the sleigh tonight.
(2017 Ford EcoSport remains compact yet practical to tackle Indian roads)
The Ford EcoSport has always been a compact and practical offering, and we think it will be friendly for Santa when he comes to India. The sub 4-metre SUV is all fresh and pumped up having received a facelift earlier this year and carries all modern day features right from Android Auto to Apple CarPlay, as well as Ford's SYNC3 infotainment system. There's navigation too that will ensure Santa won't get lost and lose time. Power comes from both petrol and diesel engines including the 1.5-litre TDCI diesel while there's an all-new 1.5-litre 3-cylinder petrol. The petrol comes with an automatic version too. Talking about practicality, the EcoSport offers a boot capacity of 352 litres, which can be expanded to 1152 litres. That's enough to carry a tonne of gifts for the good kids and an elf too.
(The Isuzu D-Max V-Cross can haul luggage and the elfs without breaking sweat)
However, if cargo space is priority for Santa Claus, the Isuzu D-Max V-Cross makes for an extremely practical offering. Unlike the other pick-ups on offer, the V-Cross is comfortable on the inside and also comes with all the essentials including a 7-inch touchscreen system with Bluetooth connectivity and auto climate control. There's an extra row of seating so a few more elfs can hop on. But the mainstay on the V-Cross remains its massive cargo space with the flat bed officially offering a capacity of 265 litres, but can carry a whole lot more. Despite all that luggage to tow, the V-Cross isn't a slouch with the 2.5-litre diesel engine with 134 bhp being a workhorse.
(The Volvo V90 Cross Country absorbs the good looks of a SUV without the bulk)
The Scandanavians know how to tackle winter driving, then what better than a Scandanavian car for Santa this Christmas. The Volvo V90 Cross Country fits the bill well and can crossovers into the SUV territory without necessarily taking the bulk of it. The V90 Cross Country is extremely good looking and gets a host of cladding to justify its Cross Country badge. Inside, the V90 CC looks modern and tech friendly and extremely luxurious. The tablet sized infotainment screen offers a host of connectivity options, while the auto climate control will keep Santa warm on the cold night. There's also 360 degree cameras with the V90 CC for ease of parking. Power on the mighty Volvo comes from the 2.0-litre diesel that makes 232 bhp and 480 Nm of peak torque, turning all four wheels. Talking about the boot space, the V90 Cross Country comes with a standard capacity of 560 litres, which can be expanded to 1526 litres with the seats folded flat.
(The massive boot on the Land Rover Discovery makes it the most practical offering here)
Going for potent off-roader, the Land Rover Discovery has always been the SUV to opt for and its all-new avatar certainly is one of the more capable ones. It comes with a variety of electronics, much like the V90 Cross Country and will help traverse some of the more challenging terrains without breaking sweat. The Land Rover Discovery is a proper seven-seater and will transport occupants in absolute comfort while there's also a 14-speaker Meridian digital surround system to play the Top 100 Christmas Carols Hit List on the way. Power comes from a 3.0-litre V6 diesel that makes a healthy 335 bhp and 450 Nm of torque. For carrying those gifts, the Discovery is just massive with a standard boot space of 1137 litres (with the third row folded), which can be expanded to a 2406 litres with the second row seats folded as well.
(The Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT matches Santa's attire in red)
An SUV that can do it all while going fast - that's the dream and Santa Claus too will appreciate what the Americans have to offer. The Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT is the full sized performance SUV while keeping things subtle on the outside. The 7-seater SUV is powered by a 6.4-litre HEMI V8 petrol engine tuned for 469 bhp and 650 Nm of peak torque. However, what works even better is that the SRT can propel from 0-100 kmph in just 4 seconds, all the way to a top speed of 257 kmph. That's much needed power, considering the Mr. Claus has just one night to cover the globe. Oh and before we forget, the gifts will be stowed in the back with the boot offering a space of 782 litres and can be expanded to a maximum of 1554 litres.
