Changan Karvaan Standard Vs Suzuki Bolan AC: The Ultimate Comparison

Since its launch in 2018, Changan Karvaan has been giving a tough competition to Suzuki Bolan. 21,738 units of Bolan were sold for the year (2017-18) that have now been reduced to 8,196 units in 2020-21. The reduction in sales of Bolan since the launch of Karvaan is an indicator of how quickly the latter has captured the market. 

After looking at the success of Karvaan, Suzuki decided to introduce the Suzuki Bolan 2022 AC to regain its position in the market. 

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So, let us have a comparison of Changan Karvaan vs Suzuki Bolan to see where both of them stand and which one you should consider to buy. 

Karvaan vs Bolan: The price difference

Here is the price difference between the Karvaan and Bolan.

Changan Karvaan price in Pakistan	Suzuki Bolan price in Pakistan
Changan Karvaan Standard price in Pakistan: Rs.1,794,000	Suzuki Bolan VX Price in Pakistan: Rs.1,283,000
Changan Karvaan Plus price in Pakistan: Rs.1,944,000	Suzuki Bolan AC Price in Pakistan: Rs.1,370,000

The variants (Bolan AC and Karvaan Standard) we are comparing have a price difference of Rs.424,000. But these are the closest variants in terms of price. Let us see if the higher price of Karvaan is justified. 

Body and specs

Find the body dimensions and specifications of both vehicles below.

Dimension	Changan Karvaan Standard	Suzuki Bolan AC
Length (mm)	3,980	3,255
Width (mm)	1,620	1,395
Height (mm)	1,890	1,845
Wheelbase (mm)	2,560	1,840
Ground Clearance (mm)	165	140
Tyre	165/70 R14LT	145/70 R12C
Suspension	Front: Macpherson independent Rear: Leaf spring dependent suspension	Front: Strut Rear: Leaf Spring
Brakes	Front: Disc Brakes Rear: Drum Brakes	Front: Drum Brakes Rear: Drum Brakes
Fuel tank capacity	40 L	36 L

Changan Karvaan is the clear winner in the body comparison. It is lengthier, wider, and has more height than the Bolan. Moreover, its ground clearance and brakes are better as well. The price difference is already justified as Karvaan is a bigger MPV than Bolan.

Which has the better engine? Changan Karvaan or Suzuki Bolan

Understanding the differences between engines is important. So, here is a comparison between Karvaan and Bolan engines.

Specification	Changan Karvaan Standard	Suzuki Bolan AC
Displacement (cc)	999	796
Engine Type	Inline, 4 cylinder, 16 valve DOHC,Multipoint Fuel Injection	Water cooled OHC & EFI
Power	91 hp @ 6000 rpm	37 hp @ 5000 rpm
Torque	92 N.m @ 4800 rpm	62 N.m @ 3000 rpm
Transmission	5-Speed, Manual	4-forward all synchromesh, Manual
Seating capacity	7	5

This table shows that Changan Karvaan Standard’s engine is way more powerful than Bolan’s. It produces more power and torque. However, the actual performance might not be as it looks on the paper due to the larger body size of Karvaan.

Fuel economy

Here is the un-official fuel average of both cars.

Changan Karvaan Standard Fuel Consumption	Suzuki Bolan AC Fuel Consumption
10-12 km/l	10-13 km/l

The fuel economy of AC Bolan is not yet official so we are expecting it to be slightly lower than the variant without AC. It is no surprise that the fuel economy of Karvaan is lower as it has a bigger body and larger engine size.

*Fuel economy of both vehicles stated here are based on different sources (unofficial). They can vary depending upon various circumstances like driving style, road condition, etc.

Bolan AC vs Karvaan Standard: Safety features

Here is a list of safety features of both vehicles.

Safety features	Changan Karvaan Standard	Suzuki Bolan AC
Seat belt	3-point ELR, Driver + Passenger	Front
Immobilizer	–	✓
Fog Lamps	✓	✓
Seat Belt Reminder	✓	X
High-mount Stop Lamp	✓	X

Both vehicles have almost identical safety features. Aribags are missing in them as well as many other features. Not providing these basic safety features could be troublesome for these companies in the coming days. 

The Lahore High Court has already ordered that every vehicle being sold should have airbags in them. And that no vehicle will be allowed to be sold or imported if it doesn’t have airbags after 30 June 2022. It means you would see airbags in both of these vehicles soon.

Other than airbags, Immobilizer is available in Bolan AC. However, keyless entry is only available in Karvaan Plus, not in the standard variant.

Changan Karvaan Vs Suzuki Bolan: Comfort features

Checkout the comfort features of both vehicles.

Comfort features	Changan Karvaan Standard	Suzuki Bolan AC
Audio System	Mp3 Player AM/FM radio, AUX + USB	USB/AUX/Radio Player
Air Conditioning	Dual Aircon (Front and rear)	Front
Seats Adjustment	Row 1: 4-Way adjustable Row 2: 2-Way Adjustable, Fold Down Row 3: Fixed, Fold Down	Fixed
Seat Material	Fabric	Fabric
Speakers	2	2
Cabin Lamp	Front and back	Front
Instrument Cluster	Standard cluster with LCD Display	Analogue
Projector Halogen Headlamp	✓	X
Headlamp Adjuster	✓	X
Front Grill	Chrome	Black
Side Mirrors	Body Colored	Black
Door Handles	Body Colored	Black

This table shows that you’ll get more comfort features in Karvaan Standard than in Bolan. With adjustable seats, dual air conditioner, projector headlamp, headlamp adjuster, and partial LCD instrument cluster, it is surely a better choice. 

So which is better?

Changan Karvaan Vs Suzuki Bolan, the overall comparison shows that the former is a clear winner in many areas. Although the price difference of Rs.424,000 is justified, the budget of consumers also matters a lot. Most people install aftermarket seats to make the Bolan an 8 seater. So, that added cost must be considered as well. So, the best choice in this regard is surely Karvaan Standard. It is the reason why it is a popular 7 seater budget MPV.

We hope you found this quick comparison useful. After reading this, would you buy Changan Karvaan or Suzuki Bolan? Tell us in the comment section.

Photos credits:

• changan.com.pk
• suzukipakistan.com
• globalchangan.com

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